People who eat a balanced diet usually obtain all the essential nutrients from a variety of vegetables, fruits, dairy products and meat. However, there are certain circumstances where vitamin supplements are recommended for optimal health If you ever wonder, 'What vitamins should I take?', check to see whether you fit into any of the following categories.
If you live in a region where winter days are short, consider taking a vitamin D supplement in the colder, darker months. Your body needs bright sunlight in order to produce vitamin D. Although this nutrient is found in eggs and oily fish, the amounts normally consumed are insufficient for optimal health.
If you eat a vegan diet or are a vegetarian who avoids dairy, some form of vitamin B12 supplementation is necessary. The only natural source of B12 is animal products. Humans need B12 to form red blood cells and long-term vegans can develop vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia.
If you are trying to conceive or in the first three months of pregnancy, you should take a folic acid supplement. Folate is vital for the formation of cells and the fetus requires a constant supply as it develops. If the mother's diet is deficient, the child could be born with congenital heart disease, spina bifida or other birth defects.
If you are a smoker, a vitamin C supplement may be a sensible precaution. Vitamin C plays an important role in tissue repair and growth. Most people get all they require from vegetables and fruits. However, smoking reduces the body's levels of vitamin C, so smokers are at risk of becoming deficient.
For the best answer to the question, 'what vitamins should I take?, ' ask your doctor. There are many conditions that can inhibit your body's ability to absorb certain vitamins from food. If you have one of these, your physician will advise you about supplementation for optimal health.
If you live in a region where winter days are short, consider taking a vitamin D supplement in the colder, darker months. Your body needs bright sunlight in order to produce vitamin D. Although this nutrient is found in eggs and oily fish, the amounts normally consumed are insufficient for optimal health.
If you eat a vegan diet or are a vegetarian who avoids dairy, some form of vitamin B12 supplementation is necessary. The only natural source of B12 is animal products. Humans need B12 to form red blood cells and long-term vegans can develop vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia.
If you are trying to conceive or in the first three months of pregnancy, you should take a folic acid supplement. Folate is vital for the formation of cells and the fetus requires a constant supply as it develops. If the mother's diet is deficient, the child could be born with congenital heart disease, spina bifida or other birth defects.
If you are a smoker, a vitamin C supplement may be a sensible precaution. Vitamin C plays an important role in tissue repair and growth. Most people get all they require from vegetables and fruits. However, smoking reduces the body's levels of vitamin C, so smokers are at risk of becoming deficient.
For the best answer to the question, 'what vitamins should I take?, ' ask your doctor. There are many conditions that can inhibit your body's ability to absorb certain vitamins from food. If you have one of these, your physician will advise you about supplementation for optimal health.
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