When your diet does not provide all necessary nutrients, vitamin supplements helps to prevent vitamin deficiency.
Vitamin supplements provide large amounts of nutrients than diet can provide.
Large amounts of some nutrients help to protect against some future diseases.
You consume diets that are deficient in one or more nutrients.
According to the recent survey, many people consume too little magnesium, iron, zinc, and calcium.
Importance of taking vitamin supplements:
A vitamin: vitamin A deficiency is uncommon if you are healthy except in old age. Vitamin A is important for your immune system function but it will not prevent infections in elderly people. This vitamin supplement is taken to prevent birth defects and bone loss.
Beta carotene: Beta carotene increases the number of white blood cells and it enhances cancer fighting immune functions. Vitamin A and beta carotene helps to maintain healthy cells and tissues and protects eye sight.
Folic acid: Folic acid requirement doubles during pregnancy. If you are pregnant and taking insufficient folic acid, it leads to low birth weight and increased incidence of neural tube defects in newborns.
B vitamins: The B vitamins folic acid, pyridoxine, and B12 are important for the control of homocysteine levels in the blood. If homocysteine levels are increased, it leads to several diseases like stroke, Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis and heart disease. Taking this vitamin supplements daily reduces the levels of homocysteine.
Thiamine or B1 helps to regulate brain function. Riboflavin or B2 is important for maintaining good skin health. Niacin or B3 prevents pellagra, which causes dermatitis and diarrhea and can lead to mental illness.
B12 vitamin supplements fights heart disease, memory loss and anemia. It also helps regulate brain function. Pantothenic acid and biotin helps in breaking down lipids, carbohydrates and amino acids. These two vitamins also prevent dermatitis.
C vitamin: If you got cold, doctor prescribes vitamin C because it is not only an antioxidant but also strong immune booster. It helps in fast healing of wounds and scars and maintains good skin.
D vitamin: This vitamin reduces the risk of falls in older people. This vitamin supplement deficiency leads to bone loss and fractures in older people.
E vitamin: This vitamin supplement is associated with lowered risk of heart disease. According to some results, a reduced risk of prostate cancer in smokers is reported.
K vitamin: K vitamin deficiency can cause bleeding problems. If vitamin K is less in blood and in diet, it leads to osteoporosis.
Calcium: Calcium vitamin supplements are required for bone mass and it prevents bone loss deficiency. Calcium supplements reduce the risk of bone fractures in elderly people.
You should take vitamin supplements in huge amounts as they have harmful effects if taken in large dose. Before taking vitamin supplement, consult the physician. With physician’s recommendation, take the required dose.