There are a dozen or more vitamins that play an essential role in a wide variety of our bodies' functions. Getting these from is healthy and balanced diet is theoretically possible. Many people actually manage to do this but it can be difficult, especially with today's fast-paced lifestyle.
Supplements can help to fill the gap between what we consume and what we essentially need. Unfortunately, there s a large amount of junk science, and much more that simply isn't known for sure one way or the other, with respect to any weight loss supplement or nutritional aid. It pays to be cautious, after all it is your health. Vitamin C is needed to make collagen, an important feature of many proteins that are involved in making blood vessels, tendons, and more. It also plays a role in the production of norepinephrine, which is a key neurotransmitter.
Additionally, a large amount of research shows that Vitamin C helps to reduce free radicals that can damage cells. This antioxidant role is a factor in reducing the odds of cancer and other diseases.
The recommended daily requirements of Vitamin C are 15-25 mg for children and 75 mg for male adolescents, 65 mg for females adolescents. Adult males require approximately 125 mg per day, while adult females need 75 mg. Orange juice is an excellent source of Vitamin C, since it contains 75 mg in only 6 ounces. A cup of strawberries contains
82 mg and a medium tomato will have about 23 mg. It is typically difficult to “overdose” on Vitamin C because any excess is excreted in the urine.
The role that Vitamin A plays in good vision has been well publicized. Every child is aware that he/she is “supposed to eat his carrots”. A lesser known feature of this vitamin is that it is involved in maintaining the lining of the lungs, as well as that of the urinary and digestive tracts.
Adults require approximately 2300 IU for females, and 3000 IU for males. Unsurprisingly, a good source of this vitamin is carrots. A medium egg will supply about 280 IU and an ounce of Cheddar cheese has around 300 IU. Many breakfast cereals contain anywhere from 500-1000 IU, making it relatively easy to get a good dose of this vitamin at the beginning of every day. However, unlike Vitamin C, it is possible to consume too much Vitamin A. Too much of this vitamin can cause vomiting and even liver damage. A safe upper limit ranges between 8000-10, 000 IU per day. Despite this, many surveys point to the conclusion that approximately 25% of adult Americans don't get enough Vitamin A in their diets.
Apart from the two vitamins mentioned above, there are a number of other essential daily vitamins, including members of the B-complex, D, E. Clearly, it requires some care to obtain the correct amounts in your diet. Whether you are attempting to get all the required vitamins from diet alone, or if you augment your intake through the use of supplements, it is important to keep track of the amounts. Those who are taking supplements as part of a weight loss program should find it easy to keep track of intake since they are already tuned to monitoring this facet of their lives. However, the same advice applies to anyone who is seeking to optimize his or her nutrition. Deficits may result in more than just fatigue, and surplus can cause more than just a waste of money. Remember that your health is worth the little extra effort that it takes to monitor your intake.
