Your Very Best: Should You be Taking Vitamin Supplements?
Are You Getting the Right Balance of Nutrients?
A balanced diet includes an array of essential nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Ideally, people should get their recommended daily intake of such nutrients from natural sources including fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. However, a modern lifestyle often makes it difficult to consume such food that isn't readily available on the go. For instance, fast food restaurants offer menu items that are loaded with saturated fat, sodium and sugars. Such nutrients should be minimized to prevent problems like coronary artery disease, diabetes and hypertension. Even some healthier options such as deli-style sandwiches might lack essential nutrients that must come from complete meals with sides and salads. Therefore, people who often grab breakfast and lunch from chain restaurants and other similar establishments should consider taking dietary supplements to prevent deficiencies.
A deficiency in Vitamin D and Calcium is likely to occur in people who don't consume enough dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt. Other sources of these nutrients include seafood such as cod and salmon. However, it may be a major challenge for people to eat fresh fish multiple times per week because such meals are typically served in upscale restaurants. Direct exposure to UV rays also induces the production of Vitamin D in the body, so a deficiency may also occur in individuals who don't spend a lot of time outdoors. Taking Vitamin D supplements can prevent problems with the bones and skins among many other issues with the cardiovascular system and immune system. It's also worth noting that this vitamin works in sync with Calcium to maintain the skeletal system. Therefore, one nutrient essentially complements the other when taken in the right doses.
Dietary supplements often include the entire complex of B vitamins to deliver a wide range of health benefits. For example, Vitamin B12 plays vital roles in blood cell production, immune system protection and DNA synthesis. People who have anemia are often encouraged to take Vitamin B12 supplements that also include other B vitamins such as Folic Acid, Riboflavin and Biotin. Overdoses on B vitamins don't pose life-threatening risks, but excess amounts don't deliver any additional benefits.
Taking vitamin supplements is an effective way to prevent deficiencies that may interfere with one's personal life and job. An unbalanced diet simply doesn't deliver enough energy for the body, thereby leading to fatigue and many other more serious health concerns.
