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| Vitamins and minerals are essential to our survival. Even a small deficit of a key vitamin or mineral can be enough to get your whole body out of whack. |
Vitamin And Mineral Profiles
Vitamins and minerals are essential to our survival. Even a small deficit of a key vitamin or mineral can be enough to get your whole body out of whack. Strangely enough, vitamins and minerals are often overlooked, though they are by far the easiest part of a diet to regulate! Every grocery store in the civilized world has at least some basic vitamins for sale, yet a large percentage of people walk around with one kind of deficit or another!
Your primary goal should of course always be to get as much of your vitamins and minerals from the food you eat. Nothing beats good ol' healthy food! However, since so much of what we eat today has had its vitamin content partly or entirely destroyed through processing, it's almost a necessity to supplement your diet. Fortunately, this is easy, considering the vast selection of quality multi vitamin/mineral supplements out there.
Overdosing
Now, before you run to the store and stock up on every bottle you see, keep in mind that you CAN overdose on certain vitamins and minerals. Like everything else, too much of a good thing turns bad, so you want to make sure not to go overboard here. A regular, store-bought multi vitamin/mineral capsule should work like a charm for 90% of people.
If you think that you are deficit a specific vitamin, do NOT start stuffing yourself with extra pills! Talk to your doctor about your suspicions and let him or her do a simple blood test. That will tell you exactly how things really are and whether you need extra supplementation or not. Don't gamble with your health - when in doubt, check with the good doc!
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Vitamin Profiles
Remember: Just because something says that the signs of overdose are 'unknown' does not mean that it is fair game to overdose it!
Vitamin A
- Benefit: Maintains eyesight, skin, hair, mucus membranes.
- Sign of deficiency: Bad skin, night blindness.
- Sign of overdose: Yellow skin, blurred vision, vomiting, hair loss, headache.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
- Benefit: Maintenance of nerves and muscles. Helps metabolism.
- Sign of deficiency: Beriberi.
- Sign of overdose: Unknown.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
- Benefit: Antioxidant. Maintains vision, skin, hair, and nails. Helps metabolism.
- Sign of deficiency: Skin problems.
- Sign of overdose: Unknown.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
- Benefit: Aids metabolism and maintains skin.
- Sign of deficiency: Sensitivity to light, fatigue, skin problems.
- Sign of overdose: Flushed face, neck, and hands.
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
- Benefit: Maintains skin and nerves. Needed for energy production and utilization.
- Sign of deficiency: Fatigue, nausea.
- Sign of overdose: Unknown.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
- Benefit: Protein synthesis and fat metabolism. Regulates fluid balance. Aids red blood cell production.
- Sign of deficiency: Nerve and muscular failure.
- Sign of overdose: Numb feet, bad hand coordination, impaired brain function.
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)
- Benefit: Formation of red blood cells. Metabolism of protein and fat. Helps growth in children.
- Sign of deficiency: Weight loss, confusion, pale skin, depression.
- Sign of overdose: Unknown.
Biotin
- Benefit: Enables metabolism.
- Sign of deficiency: Dermatitis, depression, muscular pain.
- Sign of overdose: Unknown.
Folate (Folic Acid)
- Benefit: Forms red blood cells. Utilizes protein. Very important during pregnancy.
- Sign of deficiency: Anemia, stomach problems.
- Sign of overdose: Unknown.
Vitamin C
- Benefit: Antioxidant. Maintains skin, cartilage, bones and teeth. Heals wounds and maintains immune system. Aids iron absorption.
- Sign of deficiency: Bleeding gums, weakness, slow wound healing, bad immune system.
- Sign of overdose: Stomach problems.
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)
- Benefit: Regulates calcium metabolism.
- Sign of deficiency: Bone softening.
- Sign of overdose: Stomach problems, lethargy.
Vitamin E
- Benefit: Antioxidant.
- Sign of deficiency: Diarrhea, anemia, problems with the pancreas.
- Sign of overdose: Unknown.
Vitamin K
- Benefit: Needed for blood clotting.
- Sign of deficiency: Excessive bleeding when injured.
- Sign of overdose: Anemia, potential liver damage.
Mineral Profiles
Boron
- Benefit: Promotes bone health.
Calcium
- Benefit: Builds bones and teeth.
Chromium
- Benefit: Metabolizes Insulin.
Copper
- Benefit: Aids in iron absorption. synthesizes hemoglobin, produces energy.
Flouride
- Benefit: Health of bones and teeth.
Iodine
- Benefit: Regulates thyroid hormone.
Iron
- Benefit: Formation of red blood cells.
Magnesium
- Benefit: Aids muscle function, supports teeth and cardiovascular system.
Manganese
- Benefit: Helps formation of bones and collagen, metabolizes carbohydrates, synthesizes fatty acids and protein.
Molybdenum
- Benefit: Metabolizes iron. Regulates enzymes.
Phosphorus
- Benefit: Health of bones and teeth. Regulates enzymes.
Potassium
- Benefit: Supports function of nerves, metabolizes protein and carbohydrates. Aids in fluid balancing and muscle contraction.
Selenium
- Benefit: Antioxidant. Protects cells from damage by free radicals.
Vanadium
- Benefit: Metabolizes cholesterol and blood sugar.
Zinc
- Benefit: Contributes to maintaining immune and reproductive systems. Aids enzymes.
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