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Big Johnson
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What are vitamins?
The term 'vitamin' is derived from 'vital amine'. They are a group of substances required in small amounts for growth and development but which cannot be manufactured by the body.
Without vitamins the human body would not survive. We all need vitamins in order to live a long and healthy life. Most of us get sufficient quantities of vitamins from our food, but it may be necessary for some people to take a vitamin supplement (eg pregnant women and the elderly).
How easy is it to get all the vitamins we need from our diet?
A varied diet is essential if we are to obtain the nutrients we need. However, this is not always easy: fruit and vegetables age (an apple in a bowl loses vitamins hour by hour) and deep frozen products may often contain more vitamins than vegetables stored for a long time at room temperature. Therefore, it is especially important to eat a wide variety of fresh foods.
Too little of just one vitamin may disturb the body's balance and cause health problems. But taking too many vitamins can also be dangerous. This is especially true of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K: it is harder to get rid of excess of these vitamins through urine - the most common way for us to eliminate body waste products.
Which vitamins do we know about?
New vitamins are discovered occasionally, but presently we know of the following vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B10, B11, B12, B13, B15, B17, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, P, T and U.
Where do vitamin supplements come from?
Most vitamin supplements have been extracted from natural foods. For instance, vitamin A comes from fish-liver oil. Vitamin B comes from yeast or liver. Vitamin C is often extracted from small berries in roses, and vitamin E is extracted from soy beans or maize. Vitamins may also be synthetically manufactured, but synthetic vitamins are not always as effective as their naturally-derived equivalent.
How should vitamins be stored?
It is important to keep vitamins in a dark, cool place, or they will 'go off', just like apples in a bowl. The best place to store vitamins is in the refrigerator - make sure there is a lid on the container. A few grains of rice in the container will prevent moisture getting into the tablets.
When should you take vitamin supplements?
The best time to take vitamins is during the day, after a meal. Never take vitamins on an empty stomach - they will quickly passed out in your urine. This is especially true for the B and C vitamins that dissolve in water. The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K can be stored in the body for up to 24 hours and can sometimes be stored in the liver for even longer.
Are vitamins and minerals the same thing?
Vitamins and minerals are two completely different things: minerals help the vitamins work. The 10 most important minerals are: calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, chromium, selenium and zinc. There is a specific recommended daily allowance for each of these, as well as for each of the vitamins.
The term 'vitamin' is derived from 'vital amine'. They are a group of substances required in small amounts for growth and development but which cannot be manufactured by the body.
Without vitamins the human body would not survive. We all need vitamins in order to live a long and healthy life. Most of us get sufficient quantities of vitamins from our food, but it may be necessary for some people to take a vitamin supplement (eg pregnant women and the elderly).
How easy is it to get all the vitamins we need from our diet?
A varied diet is essential if we are to obtain the nutrients we need. However, this is not always easy: fruit and vegetables age (an apple in a bowl loses vitamins hour by hour) and deep frozen products may often contain more vitamins than vegetables stored for a long time at room temperature. Therefore, it is especially important to eat a wide variety of fresh foods.
Too little of just one vitamin may disturb the body's balance and cause health problems. But taking too many vitamins can also be dangerous. This is especially true of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K: it is harder to get rid of excess of these vitamins through urine - the most common way for us to eliminate body waste products.
Which vitamins do we know about?
New vitamins are discovered occasionally, but presently we know of the following vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B10, B11, B12, B13, B15, B17, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, P, T and U.
Where do vitamin supplements come from?
Most vitamin supplements have been extracted from natural foods. For instance, vitamin A comes from fish-liver oil. Vitamin B comes from yeast or liver. Vitamin C is often extracted from small berries in roses, and vitamin E is extracted from soy beans or maize. Vitamins may also be synthetically manufactured, but synthetic vitamins are not always as effective as their naturally-derived equivalent.
How should vitamins be stored?
It is important to keep vitamins in a dark, cool place, or they will 'go off', just like apples in a bowl. The best place to store vitamins is in the refrigerator - make sure there is a lid on the container. A few grains of rice in the container will prevent moisture getting into the tablets.
When should you take vitamin supplements?
The best time to take vitamins is during the day, after a meal. Never take vitamins on an empty stomach - they will quickly passed out in your urine. This is especially true for the B and C vitamins that dissolve in water. The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K can be stored in the body for up to 24 hours and can sometimes be stored in the liver for even longer.
Are vitamins and minerals the same thing?
Vitamins and minerals are two completely different things: minerals help the vitamins work. The 10 most important minerals are: calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, chromium, selenium and zinc. There is a specific recommended daily allowance for each of these, as well as for each of the vitamins.
