Vitamins (from Lat.vita - life) are a group of organic compounds of a diverse chemical nature, necessary for the nutrition of humans, animals and other organisms in negligible quantities compared to the main nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates and salts), but which are of great importance for normal metabolism and activity.
The fact that vitamins are essential, we usually remember in the spring. When their lack is manifested in the form of fatigue, apathy, irritability. There are many misconceptions associated with these drugs, which, ultimately, nullify the effectiveness of vitamin therapy.
You cannot independently determine the lack of vitamins in the body. Deficiencies in vitamins and minerals can be easily identified if you:
feel sleepy, exhausted, irritable, decreased attention and memory; began to catch colds often; eyes get tired quickly, the sharpness of evening vision has decreased; the skin has become dry, flaky; annoying acne, barley, boils; lips crack, nails exfoliate, hair dull, break off and fall out hard; wounds on the skin heal slowly; you notice "baldness" of a part of the tongue, bleeding gums when brushing teeth with a soft brush; you find bruises on your body after a regular trip on public transport.
Vitamin C can only be obtained from citrus fruits. Indeed, they contain a large amount of this vitamin. But not everyone can eat oranges and lemons, if only because they are often allergic. For us, the main source of vitamin C is potatoes. True, there is much less of it in this vegetable than in oranges. But we gain a daily dose due to the fact that we eat potatoes often, in large quantities and in different types.
Vitamin C protects against influenza. Ascorbic acid has no proven antiviral activity. To be fair, it should be noted that individuals with a vitamin C deficiency are at a greater risk of getting the flu. The appointment of increased (but not multiple) doses of ascorbic acid during the period of illness or after recovery is a generally accepted measure.
Take vitamins only for children and the elderly. Of course children, the elderly, and pregnant women have the greatest need for vitamins. But taking multivitamin complexes is necessary for all categories of the population. It must be remembered that constant stress, taking medications, unhealthy diet, bad environmental conditions, the impact of harmful environmental factors these days significantly aggravates the vitamin hunger of any person.
Breast milk contains all the vitamins. Mother's milk, despite its uniqueness and the highest biological and nutritional value, is deficient in a number of vitamins, including vitamin D. The situation is similar with some mineral substances (macro- and microelements).
There is no need to use vitamins constantly, because the body can store them. Vitamins are not enzymes and are practically not synthesized in the human body, we can get them only from the outside with food. And many of the vitamins do not even have the ability to be deposited and accumulated in the body. It is for this reason that in order to maintain health, a person needs a constant regular intake of multivitamin complexes. Also, do not take vitamins in doses exceeding the recommended ones - what the body does not absorb, it still will not be able to store it.
If you follow the diet correctly, taking vitamin complexes is not necessary. Over the past 50 years, the content of vitamins in all food products has decreased by 2 or even 3 times in products. And even with the most balanced diet, the vitamin deficiency is 20-30%. In addition, in a modern person, due to a sedentary lifestyle, energy costs have significantly decreased, respectively, a decrease in daily food intake is required to avoid the appearance of excess weight. And when we reduce the daily intake of food, then naturally we get a lack of vitamins. It should also not be forgotten that during thermal processing food products lose from 25 to 100% of the vitamins they contain, and only 10-20% of vitamins are absorbed from food in general.
All the vitamins you need can be obtained from fruits and vegetables. Unfortunately, in our time with vegetables and fruits, it is really possible to get only vitamin C, folic acid and carotene, and even then, eating a lot of different vegetables and fruits. This is due to the active use of fertilizers in agriculture. Often, manufacturers use mineral fertilizers that increase the yield of the product and reduce the ripening period, not always worrying about their effect on the content of nutrients in the crop. For example, today apple juice contains only 2 mg of vitamin C per 100 g. That is, to meet the daily requirement of vitamin C, you need to drink 15 glasses of juice daily. The content of vitamins in vegetables and fruits is also influenced by how, how long the product is stored, in what conditions the vegetables and fruits were grown. And also it should be borne in mind that peeling vegetables and fruits from the skin, we ourselves reduce the content of vitamins in them.
Vitamins cannot be taken without a doctor's prescription - they are also a medicine. We take medications in connection with illness and of course on the recommendation of a doctor. Vitamins are natural substances and are necessary for the normal functioning of the body, for the course of vital processes. Unlike drugs that are taken in courses, the human body constantly needs vitamins. In some cases, special vitamin injections are used during treatment, but in this case, high pharmacological doses are used. Vitamins, in physiological doses, can be taken independently to prevent their deficiency. You should consult a doctor for advice on which vitamins you need. By the way, in Europe, vitamin preparations are more often sold in supermarkets than in pharmacies.
With baby food, the child receives a sufficient amount of vitamins. No ready-made baby food can satisfy a child's need for vitamins. Even in breast milk, vitamin D is completely absent, and if the mother does not receive the required amount of nutrients (which, unfortunately, is not uncommon in our time), then a number of vitamins and minerals are lacking. But it is for children that vitamin hunger is especially dangerous - insufficient intake of vitamins in the body slows down the growth and mental development of the child, reduces immunity. Therefore, an additional intake of vitamins is simply necessary for any child for normal growth and full development, no matter how good the baby food is.
During the winter and spring months, in the absence of fresh vegetables and fruits, the necessary vitamins can be obtained from home canned food. Canned food contains very little useful substances, including vitamins, but salt and sugar are in excess. And this primarily causes an increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. A certain amount of vitamins in frozen vegetables and fruits is still preserved, but even then only on condition that they are not subjected to repeated defrosting and subsequent freezing.
A vitamin deficiency is less dangerous than an excess. Of course, hypervitaminosis is harmful to the human body, but with the correct intake of vitamins, there is nothing to worry about. Basically, multivitamin complexes are aimed only at prophylactic action. Their constant intake does not lead to an excess of any vitamins in the body, but only satisfies the daily requirement. The doctor may prescribe an increased dose of certain vitamins for medicinal purposes, but if all the instructions are followed, this will also not cause hypervitaminosis.
Vitamins, of course, are necessary for health, but they will not help maintain a figure. Vitamins support normal metabolism in the body. And when food is digested incorrectly, there can be no question of any ideal figure. So the obligatory satisfaction of the body's daily need for vitamins is one of the most important points for those who want to keep their figure for a long time. And those who want to lose weight should especially take care of taking natural antioxidants, of which there are many, for example, in green tea.
Vitamins can cause allergies. Vitamins are essential participants in vital processes in the body. Allergy can manifest itself on any component of the complex of vitamins or dietary supplements, but not on the vitamins themselves. Therefore, before use, carefully study the composition and dosage, and if necessary, consult your doctor.
Natural vitamins are better than synthetic ones. In an effort to provide the body with environmentally friendly drugs, many are inclined to spend unreasonably large funds on the purchase of drugs containing vitamins of natural origin (extracts from vegetable fruits, etc.). Vitamins, which are a product of chemical synthesis, are distinguished by a high degree of purity and quality. In terms of biological value, synthetic vitamins are not inferior to natural substances of this class. The cost of synthetic vitamins is much lower.