Vitamins or Not?

But, are they really necessary? As with most things, there are both positive and negative effects of vitamins so you should carefully weight the factors before deciding if you should take vitamins or not.

What are Vitamins?

Vitamins are natural substances that are found in plants and animals. The body uses these to stay healthy. There are both water soluble and fat soluble vitamins. Water soluble vitamins are easily absorbed by your body and do not need bile acids. Water soluble vitamins that are not needed are removed by your kidneys as waste. Fat soluble vitamins, in contrast, use bile acids to absorb in the body. Your body stores these in body fat for use when you need them. Eating fats or oils that are not digested can block fat soluble vitamins.

Vitamins are best if attained through natural sources. If you eat a well balanced diet with foods from all the food groups, it is quite likely you will not need to add vitamin supplements to your diet plan. However, if you do not eat a well balanced meal, you may need supplements to enhance the vitamins that you are not naturally getting. You should always speak with your doctor before taking vitamins in addition to your diet.

Why use them?

There are certain medical conditions where it is advisable to add vitamin supplements. For women who are trying to get pregnant, folic acid may be good to add as a supplement. Lack of folic acid can lead to birth defects in babies. Because these start very early in the pregnancy, the woman should take it before getting pregnant. Prenatal vitamins are also commonly prescribed to protect against anemia and to add calcium and folic acid. If you are at risk for osteoporosis, a calcium supplement may be recommended. If you are a vegetarian or vegan a vitamin B12 supplement may be advised.

Vitamins are not dangerous unless you get too much of a certain type. Although it is very difficult to overdose on vitamins from the foods you eat, it is not so difficult to do if you take supplements. This is especially true for fat soluble vitamins. If too many vitamins are taken they cease to act like a vitamin and instead start acting like a drug.

Benefits and Dangers

Vitamin C is one of the most popular supplements taken. If you regularly take too much then that volume is reduced, there may be an affect similar to withdrawals. You may also experience bleeding gums, lingering wounds, and skin problems. Excessive levels of Vitamin C can also cause cellular damage. Too much vitamin C in people who have hemochromatosis, a genetic defect that causes them to store excess iron, can cause heart problems. High doses of vitamin C may also counteract with anticoagulant medications, cause kidney stones and result in false negatives for colon cancer tests.

Vitamin E has been linked to heart disease and if taken in correct dosages, may help prevent heart issues. In larger doses, though, it can cause muscle weakness, fatigue, nausea, and diarrhea. Vitamin E taken in large amounts will interfere with blood clotting. While this may be a positive affect and lower the risk of heart disease, it can also cause serious bleeding problems, especially for those people who take anticoagulants.

Folate is recommended for women who are considering getting pregnant as it helps minimize the risk of birth defects. However, if taken in doses above the recommended amounts it may put you at an increased risk of heart disease. Folate may also skew test results when examining a patient for pernicious anemia which can cause serious neurological damage.

Vitamin B has been said to reduce headaches and depression but there are no concrete studies in existence to prove this claim. Many women take this for migraines and for premenstrual pains. However, studies are mixed as to the actual effectiveness of this vitamin for such reasons. If taken in large doses over an extended period of time, though, it may cause irreversible nerve damage.

Niacin can help in lowering cholesterol levels but the dangers of niacin are that it can lead to liver damage. Even the amounts that are typically available can cause facial flushing, fatigue, skin discoloration or stomach upset. Doses that exceed recommended amounts may cause a severe reaction in people who have Type II diabetes. Because of the many dangers with this vitamin, it is recommended that it only be used under the supervision of a doctor.

Other supplements

Many people are worried about their appearance and choose to take supplements to help them stop the aging process. Vitamin A is commonly used by people who wish to smooth wrinkles or people who want to have healthier looking skin. Many people have heard of the topical cream Retin A for use with wrinkles and acne so they that the vitamin. Vitamin A is fat soluble so is stored in the liver. If taken in excess dosages, it can also cause headaches, hair loss, dry skin, and bone pain. In extreme cases it may even cause liver damage that may be irreversible. Pregnant women should also be very careful as a recent study showed pregnant women who consumed larger amounts of vitamin A in the first trimester had an increase of risk for having children with birth defects. Unfortunately, it is actually quite easy to overdose with vitamin A.

Beta carotene is one vitamin that nobody worries about. The body converts beta carotene to vitamin A in a manner that even in large quantities cause no harm. This vitamin is an antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals. It is being studied as a cancer preventative. Studies are favorable but as of yet remain inconclusive. Time will tell if beta carotene may be a preventative for cancer.

Selenium is another vitamin that is reported to ward off cancer. It also remains unproven as to whether or not this is effective. Because of the claims, however, many people do take it. If taken in large doses, people may experience side effects such as hair loss, diarrhea, nail changes, and nervous system disorders.

Iron is safe for most adults if used up to seventy five milligrams. If you are diagnosed with hemochromatosis, though, you should only take iron supplements under the care of a doctor. Side effects for excess doses of iron are usually only a concern for those with hemochromatosis and young children.

Zinc has often been reported to improve sexual functions. In addition it is thought to able to increase the effectiveness of the immune system. Neither of these claims are proven, however. The recommended dosage is fifteen milligrams per day for men and twelve for women. Most packages of zinc, though are packaged in five hundred milligram increments, much higher than the recommended daily allowance or RDA. This makes it very easy to take too much. Zinc can lessen the effects of beneficial cholesterol shrink red blood cells and damage the immune system.

Choosing to take Vitamins

Each vitamin has its own set of benefits and risks. The risks mostly occur when taken in larger doses than the recommended daily allowances. This is sometimes very easy to do because packaging of vitamins often starts off at higher than recommended amounts. As mundane as it may sound, most people are much better off using their diet to control their vitamin intake. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to overdose on a vitamin merely with your diet.

There are instances where it is advisable to take vitamins and in most cases, a multivitamin is recommended as opposed to taking individual vitamins. Multivitamins generally have lower doses of each so they are safer to take. No vitamin supplement program should be started without the advice and under the care of a physician. Because of possible health risks, you should only take vitamins if your physician says you need them. If so, only take the doses and the types recommended. If you exceed these, there are side effects and you could possibly cause serious harm to your body that could lead to death.

In order to answer the question of whether or not you should take vitamins, you need to look at all the facts. What kind of diet do you have? If you eat the recommended amount of calories each day you may not need to take additional vitamins. Is your diet supplying you the nutrients needed? If you eat a well balanced diet, the answer is probably yes. However, if you are missing a food group you may need to make up for it by adding a supplement. What vitamins are being supplied with your current diet? If you are getting all you need, it may actually be dangerous for you to add vitamins because you may be exceeding the recommended amounts and risk potential side effects.

Do you have any health conditions that would affect the need for particular vitamins? Some people who have excess levels naturally in their system due to health conditions may need to avoid the use of supplements. If you get too many built up there may be severe consequences including health complications and issues that could potentially lead to death. Do your medical conditions require use of a supplement? There are some conditions that require the use of supplements for better health. Pregnancy is an example of a condition that often requires the use of additional supplements such as prenatal vitamins to the diet.

Once you have examined the answers to all those questions posed, then you will be ready to make an informed decision as to whether or not you need to take vitamins. The likely answer is no. But if it is yes, choose a multivitamin and be careful about only taking recommended doses as cleared through your physician or medical professional.