Fitness and wellness expert Shauna John helps you decide if supplements are something you need to consider:
An important question to address first is “is it necessary to take vitamin and mineral supplements?” Although a lot of health and science experts would say “yes”, it’s always best to talk to your doctor or healthcare professional first – we are all different and therefore do not have the same requirements. The reason that they say that it is necessary to take supplements is because most people don’t get the amount they need through their diets. Food sources do provide the necessary vitamins and minerals for overall healthy body functioning. However we typically don’t eat enough of the right foods to get the required amounts. For example, in 1996 the American FDA created regulations requiring that folic acid be added to many grain products because many Americans tend to consume more flour products than leafy green vegetables that are already a source of folate (which is a key vitamin in reducing the chances of birth defects).
So why are vitamins and minerals important and what exactly do they do? Well, overall vitamins are essential to good health and can’t be produced by the body. Vitamin A works for the body’s vision, healthy skin, functioning of the nervous system, reproduction and growth. The B vitamins help with the production of fats, proteins and carbohydrates, assist with metabolism, building red blood cells and maintain the protective layer of the nervous system. Vitamin C is good for the formation of connective tissues, healthy skin and improves the performance of the immune system. Vitamin E helps the immune system fight off disease, and Vitamin K helps the blood to clot in wounded areas. Minerals are essential for life processes and have a broad range of functions. Microminerals help to fight off serious illnesses but are needed in very small amounts. They include copper, iodine, iron, zinc, silicon and selenium. Macrominerals are needed in large amounts and include potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium. Vitamins and minerals work together to strengthen each other. For example, vitamin C helps absorb iron and vitamin D helps absorb phosphorus and calcium.
We now know the importance of taking vitamins and minerals, however it’s imperative to note that the body needs different amounts of each for its own specific purposes. Deficiencies will require more of one substance and extreme amounts may result in toxicity, so it’s always best to check with a professional before beginning supplementation.
It would, of course, be wonderful to just eat the right foods to get the proper vitamins and minerals our bodies need from natural sources. The best thing to do is eat healthy and take them in pill form only as a supplement if needed. It’s important not to take them as a replacement for eating healthy, because eating crap and taking supplements would still end up working against health in the long run.