Your Guide To Vitamin Supplements

Vitamins are an essential part of the body's metabolic processes, playing a vital role in its enzyme systems. Deficiencies in any of these essential nutrients can have serious implications on our health, so to maintain optimum health we need to ensure that our bodies always have an adequate supply of these important substances.

Because the body is unable to manufacture most vitamins by itself, we need to ingest them from outside sources. Ideally, we should obtain these vitamins from consuming a healthy diet consisting of a wide variety of foods.

But modern life has conspired to interfere with the quality of the foodstuffs that are available to us today. A recent Canadian study shows that the nutritional value of our fruits and veggies has decreased dramatically within last 50 years.

There is a direct correlation between the declining nutritional value of our food and the growing prevalence of certain illnesses, and the medical community is beginning to suggest that we take action.

Restoring Health and Energy with the Right Vitamin Supplement

A study by Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association (Winter, 1999) shows that only 2.5% of consumers will choose a nutritional product that is both nontoxic and effective.

Selecting the right vitamin supplement is crucial to the maintenance of optimum health, so here are some guidelines that will help you make the best choice.

• Vitamins are Only Part of the Story

  Vitamins are not the only nutrients that our bodies require in order to maintain optimum health levels - minerals and other trace nutrients are also necessary to maintain our general health, and to give our bodies the tools they need to fight off health problems.

  Vitamins also require the presence of these minerals to function correctly in the body, so unless it contains all these nutrients, any vitamin supplement we take will be useless.

  Look for a multivitamin supplement that includes minerals, trace minerals, amino acids, antioxidants, bioflavonoids, and herb extracts to provide your body with all the tools it needs to maintain good health.

• Natural vs. Synthetic Vitamins

  There is an overwhelming amount of information available on the merits of natural vitamins compared with those synthetically made, but if you have a choice, be sure to select the natural variety.

  Recent research confirms that natural vitamin E is more readily useable by the body than synthetic vitamin E, and that the natural type remains active in the body for a longer period of time. Our bodies seem more receptive to vitamins in their natural state, which increases their efficacy in improving our health.

  So why do manufacturers produce synthetic vitamins at all? The answer is simple; because they are cheaper to produce than their natural counterparts.

  So make sure that you choose a multivitamin supplement made of natural ingredients in order to balance your body’s health naturally.

• The Synergy of Nature

  Because nature operates in harmony, producing a high quality, effective supplement does not involve simply adding separate ingredients together. The active ingredients interact in natural ways, and capturing this natural harmony in a supplement is a task that must be performed by skilled scientists and nutritionists.

  The combination of active ingredients must be undertaken with great care, as many of these ingredients interact with one another, and an incorrect combination can produce harmful effects.

  Before you purchase a supplement, ensure that the manufacturer has the scientific expertise to produce products that are safe and effective.

• How Do I Choose a Reliable Manufacturer?

  The supplement industry in the U.S. is only loosely regulated, and choosing a good supplement can be difficult. Some products do not even contain the active ingredients they should, and others do not the correct amounts needed to ensure optimal health. Worryingly, some of them contain substances that might actually be harmful to your health.

  Look for a manufacturer that follows GMP guidelines, as these are the highest standard available, and will ensure manufacturing and quality control procedures have been carefully followed.

• So What Is In The Bottle?

  Since what is on the label is no guarantee of what is actually in your supplement bottle, request a Certificate of Analysis (COA) for the product, which is available from the manufacturer. This will give a good indication of the quality and purity of the active ingredients. If the manufacturer does not supply this with every product they sell, simply choose another brand.

So be careful in choosing a vitamin supplement - it will help you maintain optimal health, today, and in the future.

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What is Niacin? - Niacin supplements have now become popular. It has been seen to have many therapeutic effects. Find out more about niacin, its common forms, and what it can do for you.

Vitamin K2 Benefits - Vitamin K-2 is sometimes described as the “MK-47” of vitamins. That is because two forms of vitamin K, MK-4 and MK-7, are both easily absorbed and extremely helpful in supporting cardiovascular and bone health.

Vitamin B12 - - helps preserve a healthy nervous system, increase energy and lower the risk of heart disease.

Herbal Supplements for Memory - Herbal supplements for memory promotes healthy brain function to avoid memory loss. As people age, it is best to take memory supplements for better brain activity.

Paba Side Effects - Many people who are taking PABA-based products go on using them without regard to PABA side effects. Learn more about the potential side effects of PABA and know what to look out for.

Pantothenic Acid Benefits - You may probably know pantothenic acid to be one of the B vitamins important for your health. But very few actually know the reasons why they are important and what specific benefits it can give to the body. Find out more through this article.

Folic Acid - A critical vitamin in preventing birth defects and heart diseases.

Riboflavin Benefits - Anyone who is over 50 needs to be sure to get enough riboflavin. And certain people at special risk of riboflavin deficiency need riboflavin supplements, too.

What is Inositol - In answering the question "What is inositol?" requires some basic understanding of your genetic makeup. This will help you appreciate your body better.

Deficiency of Vitamin B1 - A deficiency of Vitamin B1 although not very common can have serious effects on your health. Find out if you need to supplement Vitamin B1.

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Best Multi Vitamins for Women - When it comes to multi vitamins for women, there are a lot of choices. This article focuses on how to choose the best multi vitamin for women.

Vitamin E Acetate - What does vitamin E Acetate do for the body?

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Best Vitamin Supplement - Finding the best vitamin supplement can be difficult. We all have different needs and requirements. Here is some advice on choosing the right supplement.

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