What you Should Know about Vitamins

Thursday, 22 July 2010 12:59

Some vitamins regulate how our bodies metabolize other nutrients. For example, vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium. Other vitamins work to maintain healthy cells; like vitamin A, that helps the cells in the eyes and prevents night blindness.  And still other vitamins contribute to proper metabolism in various parts of the body. 

Vitamins are classified as either water-soluble or fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins go in and out of our bodies within weeks. They are absorbed in the intestines and what ever cannot be used is sent out through the urine.  Because of this mechanism, toxicity due to overdosing is generally not an issue with water-soluble vitamins.

Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, are dependent on your body's ability to absorb fat. If you have a bowel problem, you may also have a problem absorbing fat-soluble vitamins. Once absorbed, the fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and body fat and can remain in these stores for along time, perhaps months.  Thus, overdosing due to over-accumulation can be a problem.

Research into vitamins has a long and honorable history. The ancient Egyptians learned that feeding a patient liver would help cure night blindness, a condition that makes it nearly impossible to see in low light. (Now, we know that it is the vitamin A in liver that is vital to reversing night blindness.) And a Scottish surgeon, James Lind, discovered that citrus fruit helped prevent scurvy. This painful disease, which is almost unheard of today, keeps wounds from healing, causes bleeding gums, and can even end in death. When the British Royal Navy started giving lemons and limes to its sailors, cases of scurvy dropped dramatically-and British sailors became known as "limeys."

Since we can't make enough of the vitamins in our body, we need to take them in - by eating them in our diets or taking a supplement. It's important to note that, for the most part, we get all the vitamins we need from a balanced diet. Making an effort to eat from each of the food groups every day is worthwhile and may be a lot easier than you think. Visit mypyramid.gov for tips on menu planning, maintaining a healthy weight, and how to build good nutrition into your life.

With vitamins, it's also important to know that less is better than more. Too much of a fat-soluble vitamin can cause diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting. Too much of a water soluble vitamin will show up in your urine - wasted. Be knowledgeable. Read the labels carefully and compare all of your supplements for overlap in vitamins.

Better yet, work on improving your diet with brightly colored fruits and vegetables.

As always, American Bone Health recommends discussing vitamins and your diet with your doctor.