Vitamins and Supplements Sample
Vitamins and Supplements Sample Vitamins can be defined as the organic constituents found in food and that are needed in minute quantities for growth and maintenance of good health. The vitamins are obtained only from living things, that is, animals and plants. The vitamins were ascertained by Christiaan Eijkman, a Dutch physician who won the Nobel Prize in the field of medicine and physiology within the year 1929. The vitamins constitute of fat-soluble vitamins which consist of vitamin E, vitamin D, vitamin K, and vitamin A; and the water-soluble vitamins which consist of vitamin B12, folic acid, vitamin B6, biotin, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, ascorbic acid, and pantothenic acid. Some specific vitamins such as vitamin A and vitamin D are important in development of good sight and strong bones respectively (Mcdowell, 2000). Apart from obtaining them by consuming vegetables and animal products such as milk, vitamins can also be obtained through supplements. Supplements are useful and at times can bring about negative consequences to one’s well being.
A dietary health supplement can be defined as a product that contains a specific dietary ingredient intended to supplement the diet and the product is usually taken through mouth. The dietary ingredient can be one or a combination of a vitamin, amino acid, an herb, mineral, concentrate, enzymes, and a metabolite. Minerals and vitamins are available in the form of powder or pills and are meant to supplement nutrients in an individual’s diet. Supplementing nutrients and vitamins in one’s diet is a very important idea since some individuals do not consume adequate amount of these nutrients and vitamins within their daily diet. An individual may not meet the vitamins and other nutrients requirement due to development of allergies or when suitable fatty and amino acids become unavailable in the meat consumed (Mason, 2007).
An individual can also experience negative side effects from the supplements taken. The negative consequences usually come about due to overdosing the supplements, for instance if vitamin A is overdosed, an individual can experience ringing in ears, hair loss, blurred vision, nausea, skin rash, menstrual irregularities, and irritability. Many other supplements have their specific harmful effects when overdosed and in most cases it has been found the fat-soluble vitamins bring about serious harmful effects when overdosed than the water soluble vitamins. Provided any type of supplement is not overdosed, they support the well being of the body since an individual can now meet the suitable nutrient and vitamins requirements (Foundation, 2007).
