The health benefits of taking vitamin supplements is a subject that has been debated for years. There are many nutrients that are required for the health of your body. These substances are known as micronutrients. They are needed for overall health, for normal growth and for functioning of the systems. The body can’t manufacture the nutrients it needs – they must come either from food intake or from supplements. Balancing the benefits and the disadvantages is critical in determining whether or not to take the supplements.
Insufficient levels of some vitamins and minerals in the body can result in disease. Most people are familiar with the outbreak of scurvy that developed among sailors on long sea voyages. The men did not get enough Vitamin C and this deficiency is a cause of scurvy. In the 19th century British sailors started adding fresh limes to their diet and that provided enough Vitamin C to stave off the disease. Incidentally, this is the origin of the slang nickname “limey”.
The ample supply of a wide variety of foods in Western countries makes it easy to get all types of foods at the supermarkets. Even though healthy foods are available, if you don’t eat a balanced diet with a variety of all types of nutrients you may develop shortages of certain vitamins and minerals. Supplements serve as a back up for those micronutrients that are not taken into the body in sufficient quantities on a daily basis.
Even those who do eat enough of the right kinds of foods may have some eating patterns that make it difficult to get enough of certain kinds of nutrients. For example, if your main time to eat is at dinner, you may not be getting adequate water soluble vitamins during the day for your body to perform at its highest potential. Water soluble vitamins dissolve in the fluids of the body. They are not stored, but excreted through the kidneys. In this instance, a supplement that contains water soluble vitamins can help to balance the intake.
Those who are dieting or are on a restricted calorie diet would be advised to take a vitamin supplement. Others who can benefit from taking supplements include pregnant or lactating women, those who can’t or won’t eat certain food groups, those who have a digestive illness or those who have suffered a major injury.
If your appetite is depressed, as sometimes happens because of aging or if you are too busy to eat properly each day, you may want to consider taking a daily supplement. Before doing so, be sure to contact your physician or a nutritionist about the risks and benefits of taking the supplement. Supplements taken as part of a daily routine can help to make sure that you get certain vitamins that you might otherwise miss.
There are some drawbacks to getting your vitamins in supplement form. You need to be aware of the danger of overdosing. With some supplements, more is not necessarily better. This is why the advice of a physician should be sought. You must also consider the cost of vitamin pills or liquid form. The price can be substantial.
Consider the health benefits of taking vitamin supplements rather than missing out on important or essential nutrients in your diet. You get the best results from the foods that you eat, but you must eat a variety of the right kinds of foods to get full benefit. Taking supplements can be considered an insurance policy for your health.
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