VitaBlog The Vitacost Blog: Views and News on Vitamins, Supplements and Herbs

Up Your Energy Levels!

Unlike proteins, carbohydrates and fats, vitamins are calorie-free and do not provide the body with usable energy when broken down. However, they assist the enzymes that release energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Although the vitamins themselves don't provide energy, many are required for chemical reactions that do produce energy in the human body.

Vitamins are defined as substances the body needs in small amounts to support most body functions and prevent disease. Vitamins play a role in energy production and growth; and work with each other and with other nutrients to keep our energy levels up, our hearts pumping, our bones and immune system strong and our digestive system moving.

Water-soluble vitamins include members of the B-complex (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, biotin) and vitamin C. These are key players in energy production in the body. B-complex vitamins help with the conversion of carbohydrates to energy, help boost immunity, and promote hair, skin, and nail health. Taking a multi-vitamin daily that includes B-complex vitamins is a surefire way to keep your energy levels high!

Vitamin A Earns an A+!

Most of us have heard that vitamin A is a good for our eyes, but are there any other health benefits concerning vitamin A? You’d better believe there is! Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps promote healthy body tissue and build strong teeth and bones. It also contributes to soft, smooth, healthy skin.

Vitamin A, also called retinol, generally comes from animal sources such as fish oil.  Plant-based foods supply beta-carotene, which your body then converts into Vitamin A. It is recommended that women consume 700 mcg and men consume 900 mcg of vitamin A daily. The best sources of vitamin A include beef liver, egg yolk, cheddar cheese and milk. Beta-carotene can be found in fruits and vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, spinach and cantaloupe.

Beta-carotene is an antioxidant that supports cardiovascular and immune system health. Vitamin A is also believed to help reduce the damaging effects of stress and aging. It is important to not take more than the recommended daily amount of vitamin A; too much can be absorbed in the body and have damaging effects. Make sure that you get the recommended daily amount of vitamin A…your eyes and bones are worth it!

Powerful Vitamin D-3

Did you know that sunlight exposure is actually beneficial to your overall health? Vitamin D3, also known as cholecalciferol, is a form of vitamin D that the body manufactures when skin is exposed to UV radiation from the sun. It's converted from food sources and sunlight into its active form, calcitriol, by the liver and kidneys.

It's estimated that a significant percentage of adults suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a variety of health complications, including rickets (in which bones are unable to properly calcify, or harden) in children, poor prostate health in men and poor bone health in older adults.

Getting the recommended daily amount of Vitamin D3 (2,000 IU per day) is important because it helps the body absorb calcium for strong bones and teeth, encourages healthy blood pressure already in the normal range, helps the body maintain a normal inflammatory response and strengthens the immune system. Become a sun lover…by taking a daily vitamin D3 supplement!

Drink Your Vitamins!

I despise swallowing vitamin capsules and tablets. I always feel like they are stuck in my throat, and they often give me a bad case of heartburn or indigestion. I believe it is important to take a multivitamin every day, so what is the alternative? I discovered liquid vitamins and decided to do a little internet research…

Some believe that liquid vitamins can be absorbed  more quickly into the bloodstream and claim that average absorption rate is approximately 90 to 98%. Many liquid vitamins are three to five times more concentrated than vitamin pills and therefore believed to have more nutritional benefits. A vitamin pill or tablet has to be digested completely before it can benefit the human body. It must be broken down into absorbable nutrients; hence, liquid vitamins provide a better and easier solution for the digestive system.

Liquid Multi-Vitamin & Minerals can contain whole foods, essential fatty acids, Korean ginseng and bioflavonoids for total well-being. Each drop is then fused with Source-70 Whole food complex, supplying more than 70 soluble whole food trace elements, plus spirulina, alfalfa leaf juice and barley grass juice. If you are searching for a quick energy boost or a vitamin pill substitute, a liquid multivitamin is for you!

Back to School Health- Part 2

My two children are not breakfast eaters. They roll out of bed for school bleary-eyed and cranky, and protest they are “not hungry yet” when I ask them what they want to eat for breakfast. So what’s a busy mom to do? I don’t want to send them off to school on an empty stomach…

I found a quick and easy breakfast alternative that my kids love and can eat on the run! New Chapter EveryKid Brilliant Berries Pouches are made with organic ingredients, no refined sugars, are 100% vegetarian and contain the same nutrients and vitamins found in a children’s multivitamin supplement. And best of all, my children swear they taste like candy!

Tear open a powder pouch and let them dive into an EveryKid Pouch on the run. They require no mixing, no water, and no spills! New Chapter EveryKid Brilliant Berries Pouches come in many great flavors– like green apple, strawberry, raspberry and cherry. They are made with all organic ingredients that are gentle and kind to young tummies, contain no synthetic vitamin isolates, no aluminum “lake” dyes, , no aspartame, no artificial preservatives or colors and no pesticide or herbal residues. Just all-natural goodness and taste! Try New Chapter EveryKid Brilliant Berry Pouches… your kids will love you for it!

All-Natural, Great-Tasting Kids Multivitamins

I grew up taking a popular children's multi-vitamin. My favorites were the cherry or grape ones… I would wrestle my sister for those! But that was a different age and time… before parents were aware of the less than healthy ingredients that are present in many of those products. Although my own children love all of the popular brand-name multi-vitamins, I began to wonder, is there a healthier and more natural alternative?

Did you know that many of the popular children’s multi-vitamins include ingredients such as aspartame (artificial sweetener) and hydrogenated oil (trans fat)? Gross! Is it really necessary to include such unhealthy ingredients in a multi-vitamin? But pay attention;
I have found some tasty, affordable, all-natural children’s multi-vitamins…

My kids adore Nature's Plus Animal Parade Chewables, which contain no artificial ingredients and preservatives. They are made with all-natural fructose instead of artificial sweeteners. Hero Nutritionals Yummi Bears Whole Food Supplements are another of my kids’ favorites: they are gummy bear-shaped multivitamins with no preservatives and artificial flavors. Both brands are also free from common allergens such as yeast, wheat, corn, soy and milk. So make the switch… your kids deserve the very best!

Should I Take A Vitamin D Supplement?

Most people know that vitamin D promotes healthy bones by helping the body to absorb calcium. The easiest way to acquire the recommended daily amount of vitamin D is through exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet rays. But in today’s fast-paced world, many of us do not have the time to lounge by the pool every day for hours…as good as that may sound! So how do you know if taking a vitamin D supplement is for you? Here’s a little food for thought…

Vitamin D is vital to your health because it helps build strong bones and teeth, no matter your age or sex. It also supports breast, prostate and colon health, as well as assisting the body’s natural inflammatory response. Another crucial role that vitamin D plays in your overall health is that it supports healthy blood pressure and triglyceride levels already within normal range.

NSI’s Vitamin D-3 is a favored brand of vitamin D by many because it closely mirrors the powerful form of the vitamin manufactured naturally by the body through sun exposure. It comes in a small capsule form that is easily swallowed and absorbed by the body.  So if you’re thinking of taking a vitamin D supplement to help strengthen your immune system and improve your overall health, this one’s for you!

Need Headache Relief? Take Vitamin B2!

It is 4:00 and your boss just put a new assignment on your desk that needs to be completed by the end of the day. Your eyes begin to hurt and your head begins to pound viciously…so what do you do? Instead of popping four or five aspirin, try taking vitamin B2. Vitamin B2, also known as riboflavin, is one of the eight B vitamins that help to convert food into energy and enhance your nervous system functioning.

Vitamin B2 assists your body in metabolizing protein and fat, and helps build healthy hair and skin. It acts as an antioxidant that helps to neutralize the free radicals that are believed to cause cellular damage and aging in the human body.  Vitamin B2 is required for proper cell mitochondria function, and when a deficiency occurs, it is suggested that this may trigger headaches in many individuals.

So next time your head begins to pound and you begin to see little pinpoints of light behind your eyes, don’t fear. Just pop a vitamin B2… your head (and your boss) will thank you for it!

B-Complex

As a matter of personal experience, I think B-Complex vitamins contribute to good health. I've been consuming high levels of B-Complex now for several years with the hopes that these essential B vitamins contribute to my creativity and mental alertness and appeal to my sense of stamina. I think they have!

B-Complex vitamins serve brain and nerve centers and play a significant role in producing energy in the body. But what about taking a thousand times or more of the DV (Daily Value) of B-Complex vitamins such as B1, B6 and B12, elevated amounts often found in a wide variety of B-Complex formulas? Is that too much?

B-Complex, like vitamin C, is water soluble and passes through the body quickly. For this reason, B vitamins are not stored in cells and must be replenished daily through diet. With the exception of niacin – extreme doses of which can damage the liver – B-Complex poses little risk in large doses, say published reports.

Caution! B vitamins have been known to adversely interact with certain prescription medications. Check with your doctor.

Prenatal Vitamins - Why take them?

As an expectant mother, you can help you and your baby by eating right, getting enough sleep, refrain from smoking and alcohol and by supplementing your diet with the vitamins and minerals needed for safe gestation. After a few simple tests and answering some basic questions, your doctor will tell you what prenatal vitamins you might want to consider while pregnant.

A multivitamin with high concentrations of B vitamins, folic acid, iron, zinc and copper are among typical recommendations, as are heightened levels of omega-3 fatty acids for nerve development and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) for proper formation of the retina and good vision.

In general, prenatal vitamins are considered safe for the majority of expectant mothers. At Vitacost.com, Rainbow Light and New Chapter are top sellers. Talk to your doctor first. Your general health should be diagnosed prior to embarking on a regimen of prenatal vitamins.