Vitamins can be classified as fat soluble or water soluble. Water soluble vitamins dissolve easily and are also easily excreted. Fat soluble vitamins (including A, D, E, and K) are dissolved by fats in the intestine before they can be absorbed into the blood. Excess fat soluble vitamins are stored in the liver. Water soluble vitamins are not stored inside the body, can be quickly depleted, and should be replenished every day. Fat soluble vitamins can build up when they are not needed, so it is generally not recommended that they be consumed every day.
All B vitamins are water soluble, as well as vitamin C. These vitamins can be kept at adequate levels by eating whole grains, meat, eggs, fish, milk, vegetables, and citrus fruits. However, water soluble vitamins are very delicate and are often destroyed during food preparation, storage, or when they are heated. Therefore, many nutritionists recommend getting your B and C vitamins from eating raw foods and by taking vitamin supplements.
B vitamins basically help your body turn food into energy. It is common to be deficient in B vitamins for many reasons. Alcohol consumption is one of the leading causes of vitamin B deficiency in the US. Not only does alcohol tax your body and increase the need for certain vitamins, but it draws fluid from your cells making it impossible for the foods that you do eat to mix with enough water to provide you with enough B vitamins.
Grains are a good source of B vitamins. However, a lot of the grains that we eat in the US are refined and processed to the point that they offer little or no nutritional value. If you eat refined grains, make sure that the product you select is “enriched”. This means that thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), folate (B9), iron, and niacin (B3) have been added.
B vitamins not only help us to get energy from our food, but they are also vital in almost every other function of the body. They aid in vision, appetite, skin health, red blood cell production, breakdown and absorption of proteins, the formation of hormones, the body’s use of fats, and many neurological functions. Deficiency can cause fatigue, depression, muscle weakness, mental confusion, dermatitis, irritability, anemia, sleep disorders, kidney stones, cramping, numbness, and a loss of appetite.
The last water soluble vitamin is vitamin C, or ascorbic acid. Vitamin C is not produced by the human body and must be consumed in the diet or in supplement form. Vitamin C is most known for its immunity benefits, but it is also responsible for collagen and elastin production in the body. Collagen and elastin are needed to repair vessels, bones, teeth, and other tissues all over the body. Without enough vitamin C, the body is forced to use cholesterol to patch up spots damaged by normal wear and tear, inflammation, or injury. Cholesterol makes a hard, brittle repair, which can put you at higher risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, arthritis, and many other disabling and life threatening conditions.
If you purchase discount vitamins, make sure that they are of a high quality. You can get wholesale vitamins and supplements online. Vitamin C powder is considered to be the best vitamin C on the market because it is highly absorbable and effective. B vitamins should normally be taken as a “B complex” unless your doctor tells you that you are deficient in one type of B vitamin. Always consult with your doctor before starting a vitamins and supplements routine.
About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements. Wholesale Nutrition has provided the world with discount vitamins and the best vitamin C since 1970. Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy high-quality, low-cost wholesale vitamins today!
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