Every day, people face pollution, pressure, stress, and different life challenges that can jeopardize health. Experts never fail to remind people to eat a wide variety of nutritious food, like fruits, vegetables, whole grain, nuts, fish, seafood, dairy products, poultry products, and meat. However, these dietary sources may not be accessible to some people, which may cause nutrient deficiencies. Hence, supplementing your food with vitamins and minerals is a practical solution to ensure overall health and wellness.
In the Philippines, it’s a good thing that people can find good supplement brands and a reputable platform to buy multivitamins (combination of vitamins and minerals) and other supplement products online, such as Manila Supplements. But what are the most important vitamins we need? Check them below.
1. Vitamin C
Immune pro vitamins always include vitamin C. The body readily absorbs this water-soluble vitamin, which has something to do with immune system boost and strengthening endurance. Some dietary sources rich in vitamin C include strawberries, brussels sprouts, broccoli, potatoes, peppers, and citrus fruits.
Eating fruits, vegetables, and other food sources rich in vitamin C can help reduce your risk of stroke and heart disease. One medium-sized orange has 70 milligrams of vitamin C, making up a major portion of dietary intake. In addition, lemons are also rich in vitamin C; one lemon has 31 milligrams of this vitamin, comprising 51% of an average person’s reference daily intake (RDI).
But if you’re not eating a lot of fruits and vegetables for whatever reason, taking immune system booster vitamins is necessary to help you gain the following benefits:
- Fight infection
- Promote better skin, bones, joints, hair, and nail health
- Promote quick wound healing
- Proper iron absorption for healthy blood cells
2. Vitamin A
This fat-soluble vitamin is crucial in maintaining healthy vision. Men need 900 micrograms, and women need 700 micrograms of vitamin A per day. Preserve your eyesight by eating foods and supplementing your diet with vitamins containing retinol or beta-carotene.
A lack of vitamin A can cause night blindness because of the low production of rhodopsin (a pigment found in the eye retina that needs beta-carotene to work properly). Supplements containing this vitamin helps prevent retinal damage or macular degeneration.
3. Vitamin B-Complex
Vitamin B-complex consists of eight vitamins that help promote healthy red blood cells, increase energy levels, healthy eyesight, good muscle, and cardiovascular health. They are also important in improving appetite, proper digestion, and healthy brain and nerve function.
Both men and women should eat foods or take supplements high in vitamin B-complex. In men, testosterone levels decrease with age naturally, and Vitamin B-complex can help slow this process. On the other hand, pregnant and lactating women need B vitamins to aid in the proper brain development of the growing fetus and reduce the risks of preeclampsia and congenital disability.
The eight B vitamins include the following:
- B-1 (Thiamine): Thiamine aids the cells to utilize carbohydrates as the main source of energy or glucose metabolism, helping muscle, heart, and nerve function.
- B-2 (Riboflavin): Riboflavin helps the body use oxygen and break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to produce energy.
- B-3 (Niacin): Niacin helps lower cholesterol, boost brain function, ease arthritis, reduce blood pressure, lower fat levels, and improve skin health.
- B-5 (Pantothenic Acid): It helps the body rebuild tissues and muscles. Pantothenic acid also aids in protein, fat, and glucose metabolism.
- B-6 (Pyridoxine): This B vitamin improves mood, promote brain health, treat premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and nausea during pregnancy. Pyridoxine aids in hemoglobin production, which helps treat and prevent anemia.
- B-7 (Biotin): It helps the body carry nutrients and use enzymes throughout the body. Biotin helps manage diabetes by regulating blood sugar levels indirectly.
- B-9 (Folic Acid): Vitamin B-9 helps produce and maintain new, healthy cells, preventing DNA alterations that cause cancer. Folic acid supplements treat deficiency and anemia.
- B-12 (Cobalamin): Cobalamin aids in RBC formation and supports bone health. It also helps prevent birth defects, macular degeneration (eye problem), and depression.
4. Vitamin E
One of the skin vitamins for moisturized and healthy glowing skin is vitamin E or tocopherol. Because tocopherol is a potent antioxidant, eating foods like nuts, seeds, and green leafy vegetables can help reduce inflammation, slow aging, and prevent cancer, among other health benefits. If you’re not fond of eating these foods, taking vitamin E supplements is a good idea to avoid deficiency and improve body functions, especially the skin’s immune and injury defense.
5. Vitamin D
You know that the best source of this vitamin is the sun. Direct sunlight can help activate vitamin D, which is also found in trace amounts in food, like salmon, mushrooms, and fortified milk. Moreover, eating bananas increases your magnesium levels in the body, which aids in calciferol activation. You can also supplement your everyday diet with multivitamins that contain vitamin D to avoid deficiency.
Taking Vitamins And Mineral Supplements
Why is choosing the right supplement crucial in attaining good health? Multivitamins and stand-along or combo food supplements can help provide the nourishment your body needs to work properly. Fight infection, promote better sleep, attain healthier skin, and maintain good health by taking the right type and brand of supplement products.
For instance, if you’re looking for skin vitamins, choose a brand of supplement that contains vitamin E, C, D, and K to attain a youthful glow. These nutrients are also vitamins for hair and nails. On the other hand, sleep vitamins for a good night’s rest and quality sleep include vitamin D, E, and B-vitamins, along with iron, magnesium, and melatonin.
Before you shop for supplements online or in physical drug stores, make sure to check the seller’s reputation. Only buy from trusted companies and always check the credibility of the vitamin manufacturer to avoid using a supplement product that is less effective due to poor quality manufacturing process.
Life Botanics offer a packaged vitamin solution to hit some of the main issues that we encounter due to a lack of vitamins from our dietary intake.
Conclusion
The most important vitamins we need include vitamins C, A, E, D, K, and B-vitamins. All of these vitamins work together to help with various cellular and metabolic processes in the body. If you think you’re not getting enough vitamins and minerals in your daily meals, it’s high time to consider taking supplements. In this way, you can improve your immune defense, cardiovascular health, digestion, skin health, vision, nervous functioning, muscle endurance, and overall health and well-being.