Understanding Vitamin Basics
by Steve Stapleton
Vitamin dietary supplements form one of the largest categories of global supplement sales that are reportedly set to reach $180 billion by the end of 2009.
Whilst this trend is set to increase, we really need to know the "what", "why" and "how" of supplements before we spend more of our hard-earned cash.
What Are Vitamin Dietary Supplements? Well, it's all in the name really! Vitamin dietary supplements are tablets, capsules, powders or liquids that provide (i.e., supplement) vitamins that may be lacking - or missing entirely - from your diet.
Vitamins are chemical compounds that occur in food and have been shown to be essential for life. Many of them can be produced in limited amounts in your body, but your main source of supply is the food that you eat.
Only small amounts are required to be effective, but even these small amounts are essential for maintaining your general health, preventing many diseases and, probably their most important function, releasing energy from the food that you eat.
Why take vitamin dietary supplements? Despite ongoing campaigns by various governments, our diets don't seem to be improving much. Our reliance on fast foods, junk foods and processed foods is increasing all the time.
Unfortunately, all these foods have reduced vitamin levels. Even fresh fruit and vegetables have less vitamin content that they used to due to modern farming techniques, so the answer for many people is to supplement their diet.
In addition to poor diet, supplements can prove beneficial for:
- women of childbearing age
- young children
- adolescents
- the elderly
- vegetarians
- those on a slimming programme
- people on strict exercise programmes
- people who smoke or drink excessively
In general, people only take vitamin dietary supplements for two reasons:
- 1. To ensure they are getting optimal nutrition for a healthy life
- 2. To address specific vitamin deficient health problems they may have
- Sponsored Listings for Vitamin