Essential vitamins and minerals play an essential role in keeping your body working at peak efficiency. Healthy people who consume a varied diet tend to receive sufficient amounts of these essential vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin A helps safeguard eyesight by encouraging white blood cell production and regulating cell growth, in addition to contributing to immune function. Leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes and carrots are excellent sources of Vitamin A.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is an essential fat-soluble vitamin, essential for eye health, cell growth, immune function and fetal development (9). Additionally, it maintains surface tissues like skin, lung and intestinal walls while aiding cells to recognize invading pathogens in your immune system.
Vitamin A supplement or medicines containing preformed vitamin A can be dangerous if taken in excessive amounts, causing headaches, blurred vision, nausea, dizziness and muscle ache in some instances.
Vitamin A can be found in meat, dairy products, dark leafy vegetables, fruits and oranges as well as supplements. People living with cystic fibrosis or Crohn’s disease may require extra Vitamin A (10). Speak to your healthcare provider about your needs for more details.
Vitamin C
Many of us know vitamin C for its ability to fight colds. But registered dietitian Devon Peart, RD, MHSc says there’s so much more it does for our bodies than this.
People who do not consume enough fruits and vegetables may become deficient in vitamin C, leading to severe deficiency symptoms like anemia and bleeding gums. A severe shortage can even result in scurvy.
Water-soluble vitamin B-12 plays a key role in the formation of certain blood proteins and hormones, acting as an antioxidant to protect cells from damage while slowing the aging process. Studies suggest it may reduce high blood pressure as well as reduce risk factors associated with cancers and heart disease, helping patients undergoing cancer treatments to experience less nausea and vomiting.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that plays an essential role in calcium absorption and bone strength, helping children avoid rickets while adults with osteomalacia experience bone fragility due to deficiency. If not present, children can be subject to rickets while adults develop osteomalacia from its lack.
Vitamin D is made by UV rays striking our skin, but we can also find small amounts in certain foods and dietary supplements. Vitamin D levels are measured in micrograms (mcg), which is 1,000 times smaller than milligrams (mg).
Vitamin D plays an essential biological role, regulating the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and blood pressure, cell growth and modulating inflammatory and fibrotic pathways [1. Its Recommended Upper Limit (UL) is set low to avoid hypercalcemia – when too much calcium builds up in the blood and damages kidneys and heart function. Furthermore, studies have demonstrated its ability to decrease risk for various cancers, infections, and cardiovascular conditions [2, 3].
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that works to maintain the health of blood vessels and cells while protecting against free radical damage to other cells. You can find Vitamin E in many foods like nuts (like peanuts and hazelnuts), seeds (such as sunflower seeds), green vegetables and vegetable oils as well as in supplements – but excessive intake could increase bleeding risk; for best results always consult with a healthcare provider first before taking vitamin E supplements.
Studies do not demonstrate that vitamin E supplements prevent or slow Alzheimer’s disease, however; it may help protect against some cancers when combined with other nutrients. As it’s fat-soluble vitamin, Vitamin E stores within your body without being lost through urine; most commonly found as alpha-tocopherol with four isomers known as a-, b-, g- and d-tocotrienols.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K’s name refers to its blood-clotting capabilities (originating in Danish and German koagulation), wherein it plays an essential role. Vitamin K alters certain proteins which help your body form and dissolve blood clots.
Vitamin K also works to prevent arterial calcification, which can increase risk for heart attacks and strokes. Research also indicates that taking Vitamin K could lower osteoarthritis rates among older adults.
Vitamin K occurs naturally in two forms: K1 and K2. Phylloquinone, or vitamin K1, can be found in plant foods like leafy green vegetables, while its equivalent, K2, can be found in fermented foods and animal products like dairy. Phylloquinone is readily absorbed through digestion while K2 forms are composed of groups of related compounds with variable length carbon side chains made up of isoprenoid groups ranging from one repeat up to thirteen repeats; they’re found both inside fermented products as well as fermented food products such as dairy.
