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Vitamin C Vitamin E Vitamin B K
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Vitamins and Minerals
Vitamins and Minerals are essential elements that our bodies need in order to function properly.
Both vitamins and minerals are considered coenzymes because they assist the enzymes in the body in carrying out all of the daily activities as efficiently as possibly.
Vitamins and minerals are macronutrients.
A macronutrient is something that our body needs in small amounts.
This is different than nutrients that we need in larger amounts like proteins, carbohydrates and fats.
The major vitamins are divided into two categories.
One category is “water soluble vitamins” and the other is “oil soluble vitamins.”
Water soluble vitamins must be taken daily because they are not stored in the body, but are excreted rather quickly.
Examples of water soluble vitamins are vitamin C and vitamin B (B-Complex Vitamins).
Oil soluble vitamins are stored longer in the body's fatty tissue and in the liver.
Oil soluble vitamins include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K.
Both water and oil soluble vitamins are considered essential as the body needs them to function properly.
Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Obtaining the ‘right’ vitamin and mineral intake can be tricky.
The U.S. Food and Nutrition Board has set guidelines for vitamin and mineral intake called the United States Recommended Daily Allowances (USRDA).
These values have been set for vitamin C, vitamin B, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K and others.
Unfortunately these intake values have been set extremely low.
They were not set for 'optimum health'.
The USRDA vitamin and mineral guidelines were structured more for supplementing major deficiencies.
Many vitamins and minerals are considered antioxidants that help to prevent some cancers and degenerative diseases.
It has been proven that we need to intake more than the USRDA in order to have optimum health and to ward off illnesses.
Unfortunately, it is often difficult to eat such a well balanced diet that provides the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Therefore, it is necessary to take a mineral and vitamin supplement that provides the additional essential elements needed to maintain optimum health and vitality.
Mineral and vitamin supplements come in many different formulas, styles and concentrations.
Keep in mind, not all mineral and vitamin supplements are created equal.
Vitamin supplements can be taken as an all in one product (called “Multi-Vitamins”) or in separate forms such as Vitamin A, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Vitamin E or Vitamin K.
Because of the small size (tablets and capsules), multi-vitamins often do not contain the amounts necessary to meet your needs.
For this reason, you may want to take Vitamin C, Vitamin E or any other vitamin alone to fulfill your normal daily or medical vitamin requirements.
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