Vitamins are vital nutrients needed by your body for good health. There are two categories of vitamins: essential vitamins and macronutrients.
Most healthy people can obtain all their essential vitamins from eating a varied, well-rounded diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, dairy products, fortified foods and meat. Some individuals may require supplements; here is information about six essential vitamins.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an essential fat-soluble vitamin essential for vision, bone development, reproduction and the health of skin and mucous membranes (the linings that cover your lungs, intestines and urinary tract). Additionally, it’s known to aid in fighting infections. You can find vitamin A in animal products such as liver, whole milk dairy products from animals (like cheese) as well as fruits and vegetables like cantaloupe carrots spinach as well as your own body producing it from beta carotene found naturally within plant foods to produce vitamin A for production by your body!
Vitamin A is an essential nutrient found only in food. You can obtain it either through preformed vitamin A found in animal products like liver and eggs or provitamin A carotenoids found in plant foods like spinach, sweet potatoes, or cantaloupe. Preformed vitamin A tends to be absorbed more readily into your system; however, both forms are important components of overall health; deficiency of Vitamin A deficiency is uncommon within the US but can lead to eye problems, including night blindness.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient whose main function is to maintain optimal calcium and phosphate balance in bones and other tissues, via receptor-mediated pathways. Furthermore, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol) hormone form of this vitamin has the capacity to promote mineralization as well as control cell proliferation and differentiation processes.
Vitamins A, D and K are fat-soluble vitamins which means they’re stored by your body until needed – not flushed away through kidneys like water-soluble vitamins are.
Vitamin D is produced primarily through sunlight and can be found in egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver, fortified milk and margarine products, whole-grain foods and supplements; though the Institute of Medicine (IOM) advises people to get their vitamin D through food sources rather than supplementation. Their daily recommendation of 600 International Units per adult per day – although many adults may fall short in meeting this minimum intake threshold.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin essential for blood clotting and bone health. Although its exact role remains unclear, vitamin K is commonly referred to as the “K” vitamin as it aids blood coagulation (or blood clot formation). Leafy green vegetables, natto and menadione (a synthetic form of vitamin K1) are all excellent sources of this nutrient as are long-chain menaquinones like MK-4 and MK-7 [1].
Deficits in vitamin K are rare, but can occur when taking medications that interfere with its production such as antibiotics or anticoagulant drugs. A lack of vitamin K may also occur among newborn infants as this vitamin doesn’t cross the placenta and breast milk contains minimal amounts.
Studies on vitamin K and bone health are limited, but one research paper found that postmenopausal women taking synthetic forms of vitamin K (phylloquinone and phytonadione) experienced significantly reduced risks of osteoporosis compared with those not taking supplements.
Magnesium
Magnesium plays an integral part in the transport of calcium and potassium across cell membranes, aiding nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, normal heart rhythm, blood pressure regulation and maintaining equilibrium of sodium, potassium and phosphate concentrations in our bodies.
Cross-sectional studies involving 11,686 women revealed an inverse association between metabolic disorders and magnesium intake and metabolic disorders prevalence, as measured by cross-sectional surveys; while prospective cohort studies revealed higher magnesium intakes were linked with reduced odds of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Multiple randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the therapeutic value of magnesium supplementation for treating hypertension. One trial reported that daily dosing of 973 mg magnesium sulfate reduced both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by 5 to 8 mm Hg.
There’s not enough research to support magnesium for headaches, though prenatal vitamins do contain it to prevent migraines and may aid digestion and constipation. When selecting an easily absorbable magnesium supplement (e.g. magnesium malate or lactate) make sure you avoid magnesium citrate as it acts as laxative and may result in unintended side effects.
