Vitamins Overview

Vitamins have been around for thousands of years. People have not always known about the benefits of vitamins, but they knew that eating certain foods would keep them healthy, so they continued to do so. This basic knowledge developed and branched out to great amounts of research that went into discovering the vitamins known today. These studies helped discover the exact benefits one can derive from taking these vitamins, and acquiring them from the foods one eats. People have also learned the dangers of not getting enough of these vitamins, leading to deficiencies as well as many conditions or diseases. Through vitamins humans have learned to better improve their bodies, as well as their outlooks on life. 

Vitamins Background

A vitamin is  a compound that is needed by the body as a nutrient in a given amount to perform a purpose. Vitamins are taken in in by the body from the food in our diet as well as through supplements. Some of the main vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin D, and vitamin C.  For a long time, we were told to consume large amounts of orange juice for its vitamin C content due to finds in studies. Later, when these studies were updated, scientists discovered that strawberries actually contain a higher amount of vitamin C than oranges or orange juice. There are some essential vitamins and minerals that are necessary by the body in order to function properly, and in a healthy fashion. These include vitamin C, vitamin B, calcium, and magnesium, among others. 

Vitamin B

The B vitamin, is one of the most broad vitamins. It consists of eight different forms of the vitamins, known as the vitamin B complex. It was originally thought of as a single vitamin, but soon became evident that there were various different forms. The different forms of vitamin B are: Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B7, Vitamin B8, Vitamin B9, and Vitamin B12. They are also recognized as their given names of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, biotin, inositol, folic acid, and cobalamins, respectively. The vitamin B complex supplement will have all the different kinds of vitamins in one form, easily consumed.

Prenatal Vitamins

Prenatal vitamins are a supplemental form of vitamins that are recommended by doctors, dietitians, and health organizations for women to take right before, during, and after their pregnancy. The American Dietetic Association strongly encourages expectant mothers to consume prenatal vitamins through their pregnancy, especially when breast feeding. In certain ways, prenatal vitamins are like the multivitamins that a person takes everyday to meet their daily recommended intake. They differ in that the amounts of vitamins in a multivitamin, are specifically included for a person with general demands, and the prenatal vitamins are for a person expecting a baby. 

Vitamin Supplements

With the many expanding health concerns, including deficiencies, chronic diseases, and many other conditions, the population as a whole has aimed at a new health concern. Those who do not obtain the right amount of vitamins in their body from the foods they consume have turned to additional means. This means is vitamins and supplements that can be obtained from many nutritional stores. Vitamin supplements have become exceptionally popular, because of the desire of society as a whole to improve themselves and lead healthier and longer lives. In today's world people aim at maintaining physical harmony in their body in this new health conscious age. People also read many articles and other prints about the benefits of vitamins and supplements which can help them fight off diseases, and prevent deficiencies in the body. People who usually suffer from deficiencies are those that follow strict diets avoiding specific foods, or having allergies to different foods, which doesn't allow them to obtain the necessary nutrients from vitamins.

Vitamin Stores

There has been a boom in the expansion of vitamin stores throughout the United States. Vitamin stores like Vitamin Shoppe, General Nutrition Centers, or Vitamin Cottage, provide a one stop shop for people to obtain all kinds of vitamins and supplements conveniently.They offer the general vitamins that are available in health food stores and pharmacies but in a wider selection and various forms. They also provide a supply of other supplements for avid fitness professionals and amateurs alike. These supplements can be creatine, glutamine, arginine, fat burners, protein supplements, health shakes, protein bars, and many more things. These store also offer great prices for the public, and offer various different sales throughout the month, as well as membership options for them to save more. In addition to vitamin stores, people can obtain vitamins and supplements from a wide array of online super web sites that allow people to not only browse supplements, but also read their nutrition labels, as well as order them direct.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6  also known as pyridoxine, as well as pyridoxine hydrochloride through technical names, is one of the B vitamins that make up the vitamin B complex. Likewise, this vitamin is water soluble. This vitamin is vital in crucial processes and steps in the metabolism that goes on in our bodies. More specifically, vitamin B6 as pyridoxal phosphate is extremely important for the metabolism of amino acids, as well as the metabolism of macronutrients. This vitamin B form is also essential in dealing with such processes as histamine synthesis, neurotransmitter synthesis, and hemoglobin synthesis.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is needed by the human body to maintain healthy protection of the eye, which in turn keeps the vision healthy as well. Vitamin A is used as a metabolite by the retine in order to support the molecule that absorbs light in eyeball. Having a vitamin A deficiency, can cause damage to the eye since it wouldn't be able to handle and protect itself from light that shines on it from different places. Imagine if your eye was exposed to constant sunlight, facing it directly or not being able to protect oneself from other forms of light, such as not being able to use sunglasses. That effect occurs on the eyeball but on a more damaging level, that can cause some irreversible changes like minimized eyesight, and in some more severe cases, blindness.

Vitamin K

The body requires vitamin K for proper protein absorption throughout the body. Most trainers tell fitness professionals to supplement vitamin K with their protein intake, in order to achieve maximum results in muscle tone. These protein changes that occur in the body can endure blood coagulation as well as the chelation of calcium ions, and forms of metabolism. The name generally given to vitamin K is phylloquinone, but this refers to vitamin K1. The most popular form of vitamin K is vitamin K2 which is produced in the large intestine of the human body through functions of bacteria. The daily recommended intake of vitamin K can range by a person's age, weight, and body size. These numbers can put the daily intake in milligrams for vitamin K, anywhere as low as 15 milligrams, to 120 milligrams.

Vitamin B12

The body can acquire vitamin B12 from different kind of foods that contain it in abundance. Some examples of these foods are : poultry meat, liver, shellfish, and other types of fish, milk products including milk itself, and eggs to name a few. Bacteria can produce vitamin B12 for other organisms to get their intake from. The majority of doctors, nutritionists, and dietitians, recommend that people who follow vegan diets obtain supplemental intakes of vitamin B12. This is related to the fact that the vitamin B12 forms available in plant foods is not the essential one the body requires. The majority of B vitamins that are obtained in supplement form, contain vitamin B 12 in them. These supplements can be obtained in numerous vitamin stores and outlets throughout the country, as well as ordered online.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is one of the most popular vitamins, occurring primarily in citrus fruits. Today, vitamin C is added to many other foods as an added nutrient. Most companies that produce orange juice place their vitamin C content on the front of their packaging to compete in the health market with others. However, the fruit with the highest vitamin C content is in fact the strawberry, which if consumed regularly, can provide you with more than enough vitamin C, well above the recommended daily intake.

People still rely on the fact that oranges and orange juice contain vitamin C, so they use it as their number one source of intake.

Vitamins and Nutrition

Vitamins and nutrition have been an important part of our health and lives for thousands for years. It started with the first discoveries of vitamins and important and sometimes crucial roles that they take part in our bodies. We now know how important they really are, and necessary to maintain healthy bodies and lifestyles, and what deficiencies we can experience from a lack of vitamin intake. A normal intake of multivitamins can help avoid these deficiencies if a recommended daily intake is not met through the consumption of vitamin rich foods. 

Food with Vitamins

Almost every food contains nutrients and vitamins in them. Some of the foods with vitamins include milk, carrots, liver, citrus fruits and many others. Milk contains vitamin D that is necessary for the body to withdraw calcium from the diet to fortify our bones. Carrots and liver both contain vitamin A that is necessary for the best possible protection of the eye from light exposure, and can prevent loss of eyesight. The C vitamin is found in citrus fruits and primarily strengthens the body's immune system, and ability for it to fight off disease. In addition these vitamins are essential for the breakdown of certain enzymes in the body as well as functions that are crucial to our health.

One Source Vitamins

Vitamins that have one specific purpose as a supplement, are known to be one source vitamins are vitamins. These vitamins, unlike multivitamins that contain multiple sources of vitamins, from the A, B, C, D, and E, and many others, only have one. Usually a person taking vitamin supplements will adhere to a multivitamin over a one source vitamin, depending on their needs This is because the majority of people find it inconvenient to take more pills than necessary, if it can be avoided.  A multivitamin can usually provide people with a great source of multiple vitamins in one, with a pill or two to be taken in the morning everyday. One source vitamins simply provide one vitamin, therefore taking a few one source vitamins could be at least one pill per vitamin. 

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is one of the essential vitamins used by the body as an antioxidant. This type of antioxidant that prevents the production of reactive oxygen during fat oxidation in the body. The E vitamin, is a fat soluble vitamin that is found naturally existing in specific foods. This vitamin can also be added to other foods if necessary, or desired.  In addition to these forms, as with most vitamins it can be found in a supplement form. The benefits of vitamin E include protection of the cells from the deteriorating effects of free radicals. This occurs particularly when the body turns food into energy, we experience reactive oxygen species in our body that encounter our cells. The antioxidant benefits of vitamin E would protect these cells from the harmful effects they would otherwise endure from these reactive oxygen species. In addition, we encounter other free radicals in our nature such UV rays from our sun, and air pollution including that from cigarette smoke.

Vitamin Deficiency

Vitamin deficiency can lead to many problems in the human body as well as conditions and diseases to form. This is because vitamins play key roles in our bodies that are necessary in order for it to properly function and maintain our health. For this reason, several organizations, doctors, and diet associations have established a recommended daily intake of each vitamin for people. These daily intakes are based on a person's age, as well as their size and weight. Through the proper intake through food or supplementation of these vitamins, people can avoid such deficiencies and help prevent many diseases and conditions in the future. With the availability of supplements forms of each vitamin, it is difficult to endure a deficiency nowadays, unless being careless or uninformed. 

Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms

There can be various reasons for people to experience a vitamin D deficiency in their bodies. These can include not drinking milk  or milk products due to allergies or conditions such as lactose intolerant. It is also common from vegetarians who follow strict vegan diets avoiding the meats that contain vitamin D, as well as people that generally stay away from the sunlight. This is relative to the name given to a form of vitamin D, which is known to be the 'sunshine vitamin.' The human body produces vitamin D as a direct result to sunshine hitting it, therefore lack of sunlight could contribute to vitamin D deficiency symptoms. When any of these occurs, a person may need a vitamin D supplement in order to address the deficiency and bring their health to a stable standing

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is one of the main essential vitamins to humans in their bodies, it is needed for many important functions for them. This vitamin is necessary for the body to withdraw calcium from the foods that are consumed by a person, and use it properly in the formation and strengthening of bones as well as the teeth. The strength of the human bones is one of the most important aspects of survival, and health. Our bones makeup the important structure that is our skeletal makeup, holding our body, muscles, and organs in place. They are essential to our lives, and necessary as a foundation for the entire body. When children grow up, their bones are developing and growing with their bodies, into strong bases using vitamin D as one of the main factors in doing so. 

Vitamin D3

Known as the 'sunshine' vitamin of the vitamin D group, vitamin D3  is produced when the sun's rays shine on our skin. Vitamin D3 is also known as cholecalciferol, calcifediol, or calcitriol. Calcitriol is made in a series of steps that occur in our bodies.These steps begin on our skin, end up in our liver, and end in our kidneys, all beginning from the sun's rays. Vitamin D3 is the most active form of vitamin D. The latest research has shown that an adequate amount of vitamin D3 intake, combined with a recommended amount of calcium in a diet can help prevent certain chronic diseases like the development of colon cancer. Colon cancer, or as it is sometimes referred to as, bowel cancer is extremely dangerous to humans and has proven to kill people in the past. In the United States, it is the fourth most existent form of cancer, and can vary in severity due to different stages. 

Mebvitamin

One of the most popular online vitamin and supplement sources is Mebvitamin.com. Here a person can not only learn about and purchase vitamins and supplements, but they can also read important information on these supplements prior to doing so. They provide a great selection of pretty much all the supplements that are out there today, produced by some of the main companies in the nutrition industry. There are thousands of vitamins and supplements available today produced by many of these manufacturers, and some may have added substances that the others don't have. They each try to standout in every way possible, in order to market themselves as the better supplement out there. Mebvitamin.com provides Europeans with the important information and facts on all of these supplements, in order to educate people more about their use, intake, and benefits. 

TTNET Vitamin

TTNET vitamin is an online database, providing people with supplements and supplement information available at their fingertips. They have a great variety of supplements and vitamins, as well as news articles, and other valuable information about the supplement industry.  People logging on have the ability to search the site, through an array of vitamins and supplements that come from some of the top manufacturers in the world.   Web surfers can also search for vitamin trade shows on the TTNET vitamin search site, gaining information on up and coming product lines and existing ones. Some of these trade shows may include the conventions for the Mr. Olympia competition in Las Vegas, Nevada every September, or the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio every March. These conventions are the two biggest ones in the country, housing suppliers of vitamins, supplements, workout equipment, workout attire, new health products, organic products, herbal supplements, and sports equipment. 

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