Health Benefits of Vitamins

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There are countless health benefits of vitamins, especially if you take a high grade multivitamin that combines vitamins with other nutrients, such as antioxidants, flavonoids and herbal extracts.

These have been proven by scientific research to provide excellent health benefits. They become even stronger when used together in a multivitamin because of the synergistic effects that occur.

When you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. In nature, if you eat a banana or any other fruit, you are not just getting one vitamin or mineral, you are getting several, alongside with trace elements, enzymes, fiber and so on.

Some examples of health benefits in a multivitamin that uses the best vitamins are:

- Improved blood pressure
- Lowered cholesterol
- Healthier heart health
- More energy
- Improved sleep
- Better joint function
- Improved memory
- Better focus
- Enhanced motor function

This is the next logical step for multivitamins to take. The health benefits of vitamins are evolving to a whole new level. The unfortunate fact is that most people still do not know about this and continue to buy synthetic, cheap supplements.

These cheap alternatives usually have no health benefits whatsoever and can even damage your health in the long-run. The good news is that you can take advantage of the health benefits of vitamins by knowing what to look for.

A high grade multivitamin should contain the following things:

- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Enzymes
- Antioxidants
- Trace elements
- Anti-glycation agents
- Neuronutrients
- Methylation agents
- Adaptogens
- Herbal Extracts
- And Co-factors

Many products today only contain vitamins and minerals, with maybe antioxidants. The health benefits from these supplements are miniscule compared to the cutting-edge products that are being developed by many companies today.

However, you should still be careful about what you buy so you know you're getting good value for your money. Look for a trustworthy company that provides information about all of their supplements. This means scientific research of their ingredients and the purity of their products.

By Henri K. Junttila

Vitamin D: The Introduction 1-2

Introduction to Vitamin D - Part I-2

In some ways, it almost now seems a misnomer to describe vitamin D as a vitamin, its structure and function seem to have more in common with a steroid hormone. A steroid hormone which we can not manufacture, but which is so essential to good health that it is not merely obtained, in varying amounts through diet, but is also, the only essential molecule, produced in the skin through exposure to direct sunlight.

It will likely take quite some time to sort out the various effects and actions of vitamin D, and as with other scientific advances each new piece of knowledge will likely raise ten new questions. And it is important not to get carried away with new discoveries which have a way of often proving to be less important than first thought. However, these are undoubtedly important new findings and one of the first questions they bring to mind is what is the optimum level of vitamin D one should have for good health.

This question is currently an area of active debate, many physicians and scientists feel that the current guidelines, which were set to ensure healthy bones and good calcium metabolism, are not high enough to ensure proper immune function and to receive other health benefits from vitamin D. A related question involves the issue of the potential for toxicity from vitamin D. On the basis of very scant evidence, the value of which has been repeatedly challenged, a recommendation of no more than 2000 IU of vitamin D daily has been established. Without attempting to address this question in full in this post, one quite obvious argument against this position is that someone receiving 20-30 minutes of direct sunlight when sunbathing will produce some 10,000- 20,000 IU of vitamin D. This begs the question, unless one theorizes some yet undiscovered difference between dietary vitamin D and that produced in the skin from sunlight, why aren't lifeguards, for instance, showing hepatic calcifications and other signs of vitamin D toxicity when they are daily receiving a dose some 5-10x greater than the maximum safe dose. Instead, such individuals, are often the picture of health.

Even using the current guidelines for what constitutes vitamin D deficiency, one finds this to be an underdiagnosed and wide-spread problem, especially in the elderly. If as many physicians and scientists now feel, the guidelines for adequate vitamin D levels are too low than a very significant percentage of the population is vitamin D deficient and would benefit from either more sunlight or greater dietary intake of vitamin D. And there is reason, considering the changes brought about by modern life, for this to be a concern. People work outdoors far less than they used to in previous generations. Even in commuting back and forth to work they are usually in cars, buses or trains away from the sun, while recent concerns about skin cancer further incentivise people to avoid all direct exposure to sunlight. Finally, the diets of many people have changed radically with much more processed and less nutritious foods being consumed while more healthy foods including ones rich in vitamin D such as fish are often ignored.

Paul D Maher

Vitamin D: The Introduction

Introduction to Vitamin D - Part I

When I was in medical school, not so very long ago, the understanding of vitamin D was basically that it played a role in regulating calcium metabolism and hence bone health and that was about it. However, we have come to realize very recently that vitamin D is a pleiotrophic regulator, involving itself in the proper function of many bodily systems involved in health. Vitamin D's relation to the immune system, as we now understand it, would have read more like something from a science fiction book than a medical textbook just a few short years ago.

A significant component of the immune system was, until recently, not merely not well understood, it was entirely undiscovered. About ten years ago or so researchers began to become aware of a variety of endogenous small molecules that came to be known as antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). As the name implies, these molecules were found to attack invading bacteria although some of them are now known to attack viruses as well. They attack the invading pathogens through a variety of different mechanisms such as punching a hole in the cell membrane or binding to and interfering with molecules inside the invading bacteria. There are now whole different classes of AMPs that have been described, each class in turn has many individual AMP molecules, there are now over 1200 unique AMPs which have been identified. For those interested in reading further on AMPs, a March 2009 article from the journal Trends in Immunology (see ref 1 below gives an excellent overview of the current state of knowledge.

Our understanding of AMPs is very far from complete and it remains an area of intense research. In addition to fighting off invading pathogens it also appears that AMPs have a role in modulating the broader immune response itself. One of the more fascinating aspects to all this is that it has also only recently became apparent that vitamin D is an important regulator of AMP expression. So, far from simply preventing rickets and regulating calcium metabolism, it is the consensus medical research opinion, supported by a large number of studies that vitamin D plays an important role in immune regulation.

However, even this is not the end of the story for what we are now learning about this fascinating molecule. A recent article (see ref 2 below) from Bioessays summarizes the multiple potential effects of vitamin D,

"Molecular genetic techniques including genomics have helped reveal that 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 can control more than calcium homeostasis. It has widespread effects on cellular differentiation and proliferation, and can modulate immune responsiveness, and central nervous system function. Moreover, accumulating epidemiological and molecular evidence suggests that 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 acts as a chemopreventive agent against several malignancies including cancers of the prostate and colon."

By Paul D Maher

Daily Vitamins

Taking Vitamins Daily is the Source For Health and Wellness

There is no doubt that we need to supplement our bodies with vitamins and minerals. There is no doubt that you understand we cannot get the proper nutrients our body needs from the foods that we eat. There is no doubt, then, that even after acknowledging and understanding those two statements that you are either currently taking a vitamin supplement or not.

Obviously you need to ensure you are eating healthy foods that provide good nutrition, but you need supplements to compliment your diet to make sure you are getting the all the nutrients that you need.

Quick Look at Some Vitamins

Vitamin A is responsible for many bodily functions like vision, bone growth, reproduction and immune system regulation. Having the correct levels helps the body to fend off infection and disease. It also helps to protect the linings of the eyes, urinary tract and intestinal tract. It also protects the surface of the skin from being invaded with bacteria.

Vitamin C is an antioxidant and it aids in the growth and repair of tissues. It also helps to make skin, tendons and ligaments. It is essential in the healing of wounds and in keeping your bones and teeth at their healthiest.

Quick Look at Some Minerals

Calcium is the most plentiful mineral in the human body, making up 99% of your teeth and bones. It is a mineral that can easily be supplemented and is essential for bone growth and optimum density. What many don't know is that calcium is also responsible for blood clotting, nerve signaling and the contraction and relaxation of your muscles. Taking a calcium supplement can prevent future osteoporosis, a debilitating bone disease that plagues mature adults across the world.

Chromium supplements are said to help the body process glucose and insulin more efficiently. This aids the body in creating lean muscle and in the breaking down of carbohydrates and fats.

Magnesium is found in the bones while the rest is stored in tissue and organs. It is responsible for over 300 bodily functions and reactions such as keeping your bones strong, keeping your heart rhythm steady, keeping your blood sugar at a normal level and keeping your immune system in fighting form.

Quick Look at Some Herbal Supplements

Ginseng has been known to improve mood, lower blood sugar, cure erectile dysfunction, treat cancer and heart disease, reduce high blood pressure and improve menopausal symptoms.

Green Tea is known to boost your metabolism, increase your well-being and protect your body from certain cancers, digestive and respiratory infections.

As you can see, there are many benefits to be gained from taking vitamin supplements daily. These are only a small sampling of the vitamins, minerals and herbal compounds found in multivitamins today.

However, none of the multivitamins on the market today utilize All Natural Patented Nanotechnology™ as a vehicle to deliver the payload of vitamins, minerals and herbal compounds your body so desperately needs.

By David W Leonard

Liquid Vitamins and Minerals

What You Don't Know Has Been Discovered

When my friend was telling me about his natural dietary supplement, I was impressed. "Gulp just a single tablet per day and you are fit and fine always!" Well, but my impression did not last long. After a few days, when I found my friend in same dizzy and drowsy condition, I was surprised and ask whether he stopped his diet supplement. His negative answer didn't give me any hint. Why should it happen? Despite being on a diet or health supplement, many people keep searching for fitness in vein. The weakness takes over, they leave the regime, and the cycle continues.

Being interested in this study, I delved deeper and to my astonishment this is what I found:

1) The solid forms of diet supplements take long time to enter the digestive phase and longer time to get assimilated and absorbed. Liquids on the other hand enter the digestive tract almost immediately and are absorbed faster.

2) The most surprising fact is that from tablet form of dietary supplements, only 10-20% of the ingredients are absorbed. But from the liquid supplements, nearly 98% ingredients are absorbed.

No wonder my friend was feeling drowsy despite choosing the so-called best diet pill from the market. Also it is stressed that while choosing the liquid form of supplement too, you should make sure to search for the most natural supplement that will exert nothing but positive influence on your body and mind. One should remember that vitamins and minerals are extremely important ingredients in our diet and as we fail to achieve the optimal ratio of these elements in the body, we tend to look for diet supplement. Therefore, it is better to look for herbal and natural forms instead of synthetic or artificial ones.

Here are some of the factors that loudly applaud the effectiveness of liquid vitamin and mineral supplements:

1) Liquid supplements are said to be a remarkable discovery of nutrition because of the amazing
level of absorption they attain.

2) Liquid vitamins are said to have three to five times more punch than in solid form.

3) After you take liquid, the concentration level of the vitamins and minerals remain sustained for good period of time than when taken in tablet form.

4) The liquids do not exert any pressure on your system because they need not be broken down in digestive tract and therefore can be assimilated easily. However the pill has to travel through the digestive
tract and that will require obviously more time to be released to use in the body.

5) The liquids that are good to taste are easy and comfortable to take.

6) The liquids being absorbed easily exert energizing effect on the immune system strongly, thus attaining bodily homeostasis quickly.

7) The liquids are quite affordable options than pills or tablets.

The trace elements like vitamins and minerals are extremely important for the body. Therefore it is obviously best to select them in liquid form so that we can utilize them effectively. Since my friend switched over to liquid form of natural dietary supplement, I have never seen him fatigued!

By Koua Her

Vitamins and Antioxidants

Necessary For Optimum Health

For optimum health, the most important elements that are needed in our body is the correct and balanced amount of vitamins and antioxidants.

Antioxidants help protect our body from free radicals and protect your cells from damage and go a long way to ensuring that we maintain a healthy body.

There are lots of vitamin and antioxidant supplements to choose from to ensure that your body will always have all it needs. Your diet is obviously the ideal way to take in a good balance of vitamins and antioxidants but, with a busy life and the advent of convenience foods, we can not be sure that we are consuming the right amount for optimum health. There are lots of different supplements available today and, due to the increase in internet shopping, they are very easy to obtain.

You should however, make sure that you buy the very best quality vitamin and antioxidant supplements that are available. Try to buy supplements that contain only natural ingredients. Yes, there are cheap, synthetic supplements available but always go for the ones with natural ingredients. They will dissolve and be absorbed better in the body giving you the full benefits almost immediately.

The ideal time to take supplements is with your meals. Your body can absorb the nutrients better, as your digestive system will be stimulated with food. If you are using time released supplements, you should take them with food to ensure that they move through your body at the right pace and release the proper amount of nutrients and vitamins your body needs at the right time.

Not everyone will need the same type of vitamins and antioxidants, your lifestyle will help you to determine the right supplement for you. A good beginning is to buy a good quality multi vitamin supplement. This will ensure that you are getting a good all round selection of vitamins and minerals. You could then begin to consider narrowing down your specific requirements. If you are currently on a weight loss diet, look for a higher than average RDA (recommended daily allowance) on the label because you may not be getting all the necessary vitamins, antioxidants and minerals due to a change in your diet. Pregnant women, women experiencing the menopause, bodybuilders etc. all have different needs, so do some research to find the perfect supplements for your situation.

By Karen Connel

Vitamin Benefits

Common Vitamins and Their Benefits

Vitamins are essential for our ongoing good health, and are most effective when consumed in fresh natural foods. We are often bombarded by mention of this or that vitamin and may need a reminder as to what each vitamin actually does within these wondrous bodies of ours! As follows is a very brief break down of a few of the more common vitamins and how they help our bodies function in the most optimal way.

Vitamin A, or Retinol, is required to build healthy eyes and is necessary for growth and bone development. Beta Carotene is a good antioxidant and helps the healing of infections. Vitamin A is commonly found in carrots, yams, pumpkins, yellow or orange fruits, beet greens, fish, eggs, and tuna.

The triplets of the Vitamin B world are Thiamine (B1), Niacin (B2), and Riboflavin (B3). Vitamin B1 is required for carbohydrate metabolism and energy production as well as normal nerve function. Vitamin B2 aids in the production of energy from foods and the formation of red blood cells. Vitamin B3 assists in the release of energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins and helps promote healthy skin. Not to be outdone, there's also Vitamin B5, B6, B9, and B12! Vitamin B5 helps release energy from foods and is required for the synthesis of many substances. Vitamin B6 is essential for protein metabolism and nervous system functions. It also participates in the synthesis of hormones and red blood cells.

Folic Acid (Vita B9) is essential for red blood cell formation and the synthesis of DNA and protein. Lastly, Cyanocobalamin or B12 helps maintain a healthy nervous system and is required for normal growth and for production of red blood cells. It also helps break down fatty acids. The various vitamins B are found in whole grain cereals, lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, pork, liver etc.

Vitamin C is required for the formation of connective tissue, bones and teeth and assists in the utilization of other vitamins. It also acts as an antioxidant. We find Vitamin C in citrus and other fruits and vegetables.

Vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin!) aides in normal bone growth and tooth function. It also facilitates calcium and phosphorus absorption. Sun exposure is mandatory for proper levels of vitamin D!

Vitamin E should be called the bird vitamin for we get it from whole grains, wheat germ, nuts, spinach, and sunflower seeds! Vit E is an antioxidant and it protects body cells and helps maintain normal red blood cells.

Vitamin H, or Biotin assists in the metabolism of carbohydrates and the synthesis of fats and proteins. It is found in legumes and nuts.

Vitamin K is essential in the blood clotting process. It is most commonly found in green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli and cauliflower.

By Alex S.