There is an extensive variety of vitamin supplements on the market, many of which lack scientific support and may even be harmful when taken at high doses.
Registered dietitians recommend getting vitamins and minerals through food first; however, they recognize that for some individuals this may not always be feasible.
Women, infants and children (particularly African-American children) with limited sun exposure as well as elderly individuals whose absorption of vitamin B12 declines require extra supplements.
Calcium
Calcium is an essential mineral for building and maintaining bone health, helping blood vessels distribute blood efficiently throughout the body, as well as transmitting nerve impulses between nerves.
Numerous prospective cohort and RCT studies have confirmed that dietary and supplement calcium can increase risk of CVD; however, additional research needs to be conducted in order to understand why.
Magnesium
Magnesium is essential to bone health; studies have linked higher intake with increased bone density and reduced fracture risk among older adults. Furthermore, magnesium plays an integral part in sleep regulation by modulating several neurotransmitters including GABA (34).
Studies show that magnesium supplements can aid in alleviating insomnia in older people and may also decrease frequency and intensity of migraine headaches for people who experience them.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays an integral role in bone health by aiding calcium absorption. Furthermore, its use boosts immunity and can reduce infection frequency.
Vitamin D obtained through sun exposure or food sources undergoes two hydroxylation processes in the body and becomes physiologically active as 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)2D], or calcitriol. Vitamin D may reduce heart disease risk by reducing cholesterol and blood pressure levels in blood.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient for maintaining bone health. It can be found in food or fortified products like breakfast cereals. Furthermore, prescription medication called cyanocobalamin and hydroxocobalamin may also contain this vitamin.
Vitamin B12 helps the body produce DNA and red blood cells, making up approximately 10% of healthy red blood cells in our circulation. If there’s not enough of it around, anemia (decreased number of healthy red blood cells) may result. Multiple studies show that B12 and folate can also lower homocysteine levels thereby decreasing cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is essential to human health and acts as an antioxidant. It can be found naturally in many fruits and vegetables as well as being taken in supplement form.
In the Nurses’ Health Study, vitamin C intake was shown to have an inverse relationship with coronary heart disease risk and also helped shorten and lessen symptoms associated with colds by shortening duration and severity.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol or tocotrienols, is an antioxidant which may lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers. It can be found both naturally in food sources as well as through supplements.
A randomized trial conducted among men and women aged 55 years or over in which either natural or synthetic vitamin E at 400 IU per day did not reduce their risk of bladder cancer [25]. High doses can interfere with anticoagulant drugs as well as increase bleeding risk during chemotherapy or radiotherapy treatments for cancer.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is an essential fat-soluble nutrient essential for blood clotting and bone health. Our bodies rely on it to produce prothrombin for blood clotting purposes and osteocalcin to support healthy bones.
Dietary sources of vitamin K include phylloquinone (vitamin K1) found in green leafy vegetables and liver. Other forms are known as menaquinones which vary in chain length (MK-4 to MK-13). Numerous studies of vitamin K supplements have demonstrated improved bone health outcomes including BMD and fracture rates.
Folate
Folate is a B vitamin that plays an essential role in supporting cell production in your body, including DNA synthesis and metabolism. Folic acid supplements or fortified food products typically contain man-made forms of folate.
Folate is taken to treat low levels of folate in the blood (folate deficiency) and elevated homocysteine levels (hyperhomocysteinemia). Women planning on becoming pregnant also take Folate to prevent serious birth defects.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine) can be found in foods like meat, fish, dairy products, grains and legumes as well as in supplements. Vitamin B6 can also be converted to the bioactive form pyridoxal 5′-phosphate (PLP).
PLP helps lower homocysteine levels in the blood and may decrease heart disease risk, while also treating premenstrual syndrome, depression, morning sickness and Alzheimer disease.
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B2, more commonly known by its moniker riboflavin, is essential to bone health because it aids the body’s energy-generating cells by helping convert carbohydrates to ATP used by cells for energy use. Vitamin B2 takes the form of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) or flavin mononucleotide (FMN); any excess amounts will pass out of your system through urine.
