Do you all need to be getting more vitamins and minerals than can possibly come in from our daily platter of food.
Possibly, yes. This fence straddling recommendation stems from the fascinating ongoing story of vitamins which can be told as a two-part serial. In part –I, which spanned two centuries, the most exciting findings related to the fact that diets deficient in certain substances(unnamed at the time) were responsible for some of the most debilitating health scourges know as ‘vital amines” and later, “Vitamins”- put the stopper on these diseases of deficiency as they were called. Today they are rarely heard of , or seen by most doctors.
Part-II of the vitamin story began, in effect, just three decades ago when a clutch of maverick scientists, let by the redoubtable Nobel Laureate, Linus Pauling, started claiming a role for vitamins that went much beyond preventing scurvy or anemia. Vitamins, they said, could prevent of delay some of the most serious/chronic ailments of our time- cancer, heart disease, cataracts, lung disease, even aging! That there was more to their claims than marketing machismo become evident as serious research gradually began backing them up. One group of vitamins- A, C, and E- for instance, have become known as the anti oxidant vitamins. They help to clear our tissues of damaging substances known as oxidants- for instance, tobacco smoke, pollutants, ultra-violet radiation. The build-up of these toxic substances is said to cause degenerative changes in the DNA of cells, promoting cancer, cataracts, even aging.
So should we all be popping vitamin supplements to derive these attractive health bonuses? Several doctors and medical researchers privately admit to taking much larger amount themselves than laid down by the RDAs(Recommended Daily Allowances). But few are ready to go public with advice.
Such a prescription waits upon further knowledge. In this post we know the vitamins dosages you need to prevent deficiencies. In all probability, you’ll need to take higher does to gain the extended benefits that science is claiming for most vitamins today. But, how much higher exactly? No official body is ready to say.
Many physician and researchers sound a cautionary note because megadoses of vitamins or minerals say 10 to 100 times the RDA, can act like drugs, with potentially serious outcomes. In large does, they can upset the normal balance of other nutrients.
What certain, however, is that more and more doctors are reposing less and less faith in that old nostrum that “ You can get all the vitamins you need from the food you eat”
Special Needs: Even those doctors who disagree the use of supplements by healthy person as a “waste of money” do concede that are certain times or habits when vitamin supplements may be needed. You may need supplements if you are:
| S.No | Times/Habits | Vitamins supplements you need to take |
| 01 | Smoking | Vitamin C |
| 02 | Drink and excess amount of coffee | Vitamin B Pottasium, Zinc |
| 03 | Overindulge in alcohol | Vitamin B complex, Mineral Supplement |
| 03 | Under severe stress | Vitamin B complex, vitamin C |
| 04 | Have recently undergone surgery | Vitamin C |
| 05 | Have recently suffered from infection | Vitamin C and vitamin B complex |
| 06 | Have suffered exposure of severe environments pollutants | Vitamin C |
| 07 | Are on birth control pills | Vitamin, B & vitamin C |
| 08 | Are menopausal | Calcium and Vitamin D |
| 09 | Anemic | Iron |
| 10 | Suffer from heavy menstrual bleeding | Iron |
| Your body can often tell you whether you need supplements, Look for those signs:
|
| 01 | Puffy eyes could indicate a deficiency of Vitamins A and C |
| 02 | Dark under eye circles could cause by anemia required iron |
| 03 | A sore tongue indicates possible anemic due to lack of iron of iron and B12 |
| 04 | A very red, uncoated tongue with crack in the center can hint at stomach and kidney problem cause probably by poor nutrition status and a deficiency of certain vitamins. |
