SuperNature

The Essential Daily Dose

Taking vitamins isn’t new news. You’ve probably been popping these daily little extras since mum first started feeding you Vitamin C chewables or effervescent tablets as a child.

With age, our body and health conditions, lifestyle changes and varied eating habits mean we actually need more than that single nutrient supplement. Unfortunately there is no exact science to determine how much of any vitamin, mineral, or essential nutrient an adult needs at any given time. Age, genetics and the combination of how you live come together to determine what your body needs.

The Little Missing Links

With improved nutrition, severe deficiencies of vitamins or minerals are relatively rare these days. Slight deficiencies, however, are fairly common. Vitamin B-12 is a common nutritional deficiency for those over 60 years old due to the common occurrence of Type A or Type B Gastritis. Calcium, chromium, folic acid (folate), magnesium, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, and zinc are frequently deficient among people of all ages.

Unfortunately, little missing bits of nutrition can create big health problems over time. For example, insufficient intake of vitamin D and calcium raises the risk of developing osteoporosis, while not getting enough folic acid and vitamin B6 increases the risk of heart diseases.

Plus, illnesses can put extra strain on the body’s stores of vitamins. So if someone is suffering from diabetes, antioxidant vitamins are quickly depleted, while gastro-intestinal diseases are likely to drain the body of vitamins D, E and K.

Medication, from occasional doses for the flu to long-term regimens, also interfere with the balance. Drugs for lowering cholesterol, for example, interfere with the body’s ability to retain B vitamins, magnesium, and potassium. In this case, we recommend switching to supplements providing a higher concentration of these nutrients.

The Daily Dose

Whether you are in the pink of health or not, chances are you can benefit from a daily multi-vitamin. The B-12 vitamin, for example, is known to enhance men’s fertility while vitamin B-9 (folic acid) is especially important as brain food for expectant mothers. A regular habit of taking the right multi-vitamins can also soothe arthritic discomfort, decrease premenstrual syndrome (PMS), boost mental function and improve overall wellbeing.

Most of us only need vitamins at the level of nutritional needs. To find out what your body needs, first visit your regular doctor or nutritionist to discuss your eating and lifestyle habits to identify just what kind of extras you need. For generally healthy people, vitamins are a safe and effective added insurance against developing chronic conditions.

On the other hand, remember that more isn’t always better the better with vitamins. So avoid mega-doses of anything that may, inadvertently, cancel out the benefits of other nutrient absorption.

The Vitamin Table

The dosages in the vitamin list below are provided as a common average range and is to be used strictly as a guide. Please consult your doctor first for your specific needs.

Vitamin	Dosage	Functions	Natural Sources
Vitamin A Retinol and/or Beta-carotene	5000 - 50,000 IU	Helps build healthy eyes, required for growth and bone development. Beta-carotene is a good antioxidant. Helps healing of infections.	Carrots, yams, pumpkins, yellow or orange fruits, beet greens, fish, eggs, tuna.
Vitamin B1 Thiamine	25 - 300mg	Helps in carbohydrate metabolism and energy production. Required for normal nerve function.	Whole grains, rice bran, lean meats, fresh peas, beans, wheat germ, oranges, poultry, fish, enriched pastas.
Vitamin B2 Riboflavin	25 - 300mg	Helps in production of energy from foods and for the formation of red blood cells.	Fortified grains and cereals, leafy green vegetables, poultry, fish, yogurt, milk, cheese.
Vitamin B3 Niacin	25 - 300mg	Assists in release of energy from carbohydrates, fats and proteins; helps promote healthy skin.	Fortified breads and cereals, brewer's yeast, broccoli, carrots, cheese, dandelion greens, dates, eggs, fish, milk peanuts, potatoes, tomatoes, tuna, veal, beef liver, chicken breast.
Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid	10 - 300 mg	Helps release energy from foods; required for synthesis of many substances.	Lean meats, whole grain cereals, fish, legumes.
Vitamin B6	2 - 300 mg	Essential for protein metabolism and nervous system function; participates in synthesis of hormones and red blood cells.	Whole grain breads and cereals, fish, chicken, bananas.
Vitamin B9 Folic Acid	400 - 1,200 mcg	Essential for red blood cell formation and synthesis of DNA and protein.	Fortified cereals, pinto beans, navy beans, green leafy vegetables, beef, brown rice, bran, cheese, lamb, liver, milk, mushrooms, oranges, split peas, pork, tuna, whole grains.
Vitamin B12 Cyanocobalamin	25 - 500 mg	Helps maintain healthy nervous system, required for normal growth and for production of red blood cells. Helps breakdown fatty acids.	Ham, clams, cooked oysters, king crab, herring, salmon, tuna, lean beef, liver, low fat diary products.
Vitamin C	60 - 5,000 mg	Required for formation of connective tissue, bones and teeth; assists in utilization of other vitamins, acts as an antioxidant.	Citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, melons, peppers, collards, dandelion greens, onions, radishes, watercress.
Vitamin D	400 - 800 IU	Aids in normal bone growth and tooth function; facilitates calcium and phosphorus absorption.	Sun exposure, sardines, salmon, fortified milk, fortified cereals, herring, liver, tuna, margarine, cod liver oil.
Vitamin E	30- 1,200 IU	As an antioxidant, it protects body cells and helps maintain normal red blood cells.	Whole grains, wheat germ, nuts, spinach, sunflower seeds.
Vitamin H Biotin	0.3 - 1 mg	Assists in metabolism of carbohydrates and synthesis of fats and proteins.	Legumes, nuts.
Vitamin K	80 mg	Essential in the blood clotting process.	Green leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower

Vitamin Table source: The Vitamin And Supplement Guide