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Vitamins
& Supplements
(continued
from part 1)
Types
of Vitamins
Some
vitamins are essential parts of enzymes chemical molecules that catalyse
or facilitate the completion of chemical reactions. Other vitamins
form essential parts of hormones chemical substances that promote
and protect body health and reproduction. If you're in good health,
you need vitamins only in small amounts. If you eat a normal, well-balanced
diet of foods grown in a nutritionally adequate soil, you may be able
to get most of your vitamins from food. Traditionally, vitamins have
been divided into two categories: fat soluble and water soluble.
Fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K) can
be stored in the body. If you take excessive amounts of fat-soluble
vitamins, they accumulate to provide needed amounts at a later time.
That’s the good news. The bad news is, if you take excessive amounts
of fat-soluble vitamins, toxic levels can accumulate in storage areas
such as the liver. Too much of any fat soluble vitamin can lead to
dangerous, long-term physical problems.
Water-soluble vitamins (B & C)
cannot be stored in the body to any great extent. The daily amount
you need must be provided by what you eat or drink each day or two.
Multi-Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
Evaluating
whether you need a multi-vitamin and mineral
supplement can be tricky and confusing for some. You should check
with your doctor or a nutritionist to determine if taking any type
of supplement is appropriate for you. Most researchers will agree
that taking a daily multivitamin is a good source of health insurance
for those days your diet gets short-changed.
Specific minerals
In addition to
vitamins your body also needs 15 minerals that help regulate cell
function and provide structure for cells. Major minerals,
in terms of amount present, include calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium.
In addition, your body needs smaller amounts of the following:
Calcium:
A mineral important for strong teeth and bones and for muscle
and nerve function. The major mineral constituent of bone.
sources:
milk and milk products, fish with bones that are eaten, turnip
and mustard greens, tofu, almonds and broccoli.
Chloride: A mineral that regulates body fluid volume, concentration
and acid-base balance. Balance intertwined with that of sodium.
sources: same as
sodium
Chromium: A mineral important in regulating blood glucose.
Although chromium works with insulin to help your body use blood
sugar, preliminary studies assessing the effect of chromium
in the treatment of diabetes are controversial, and there's
no proof chromium can prevent the disease. There's also no proof
of the popular claims that taking chromium supplements can increase
your muscle mass, help you lose weight, reduce cholesterol and
prevent osteoporosis.
sources:
brewer's yeast, whole grains and meats
Copper: A mineral that is important for nerve function,
bone maintenance, growth, blood formation and utilization of
glucose.
sources: organ meats, sea foods, nuts
and seeds.
Fluoride: A mineral that is important to dental and bone
health. Greatly improves resistance to cavitites
sources: fluoridated water, foods
cooked in or containing fluoridated water, fish with bones that
are eaten, and tea.
Iodine: A mineral essential for the production of thyroid
hormones.
sources:
seafoods, iodized salt and foods containing iodized salt.
Iron: A mineral that is an essential constituent of blood
and muscle and important for the transport of oxygen. Certain
groups can be at risk of having low iron levels. These include
young children and early teens, women with heavy menses, women
with multiple pregnancies, and people with conditions that cause
internal bleeding, such as ulcers or intestinal diseases.
But
for healthy men and postmenopausal women, iron deficiency is
rare. In fact, one study suggested that high iron levels may
increase risk of heart attack and atherosclerosis, although
a link hasn't been proven. In addition, if you have the uncommon
— but not rare — genetic disease hemochromatosis,
iron supplements could cause a hazardous iron buildup in your
body.
sources: liver, red meat, egg yolk, legumes,
whole or enriched grains and dark green vegetables.
Magnesium: A mineral found mainly inside muscles, soft tissues
and bone. It functions in many enzyme processes.
sources:
nuts, legumes, whole grains and green vegetables.
Manganese: A mineral that is important for growth, reproduction,
formation of bone, and carbohydrate metabolism.
sources: whole grains, fruits, vegetables and
tea.
Molybdenum:
A mineral involved in many enzyme processes, nerve function
and protein metabolism.
sources: milk, beans, breads and cereals.
Phosphorus: A mineral essential to bone formation and maintenance,
energy metabolism, nerve function and acid balance.
sources:
meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products and cereal products.
Potassium: A mineral that is essential for nerve function,
muscle contraction and maintenance of normal blood pressure.
sources:
fruits and vegetables.
Selenium: A mineral associated with antioxidant properties
and fat metabolism. It has been claimed to help prevent cancer
and cardiovascular disease. One recent study did suggest that
selenium supplements may decrease cancer risk. However, more
research is needed. Taking excessive amounts of selenium may
cause hair and nail loss.
sources: seafoods and organ meats.
Sodium: A mineral regulating body fluid volume, concentration
and acid-base
sources:
table salt (sodium chloride), foods processed with table salt,
milk, milk products, eggs and seafoods.
Zinc: A mineral involved in wound healing, taste sensation,
growth and sexual maturation and part of many enzymes regulating
metabolism. Some
studies have also shown that taking a daily multivitamin-mineral
supplement containing zinc may increase immune response in older
people. However, other studies have shown just the opposite
— that zinc may weaken the immune status of older people.
What is known is that megadoses of zinc can interfere with the
way your body uses other essential minerals, such as iron and
copper. And,excess zinc (more than 10 times the RDA) can lower
HDL cholesterol levels.
sources: meat, liver,
eggs and seafood (oysters).
Dr Ardith
Brundt: "HEC 131 - Introduction to Nutrition " Chapters 7 &
8 @: http://iweb.tntech.edu/abrunt/homework.htm
Vitamin and nutritional supplements- Sorting out fact from fiction
amid a storm of controversy." From Mayo Clinic Health Letter
@ http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/9707/htm/me_jun97.htm |
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