Top 10 Vitamins for Bodybuilders

Vitamins can be divided into two broad categories: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E, and K) are so named because they are stored in the body's fatty tissue and do not have to be replenished daily. But be careful: Because they are stored, overdoses of these vitamins can lead to toxicity.

The water-soluble vitamins (with the exception of vitamin C) are composed entirely of the B and B-complex vitamins, including Thiamine (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), Pyridoxine (B6), Folate, Cobalamin (B12), Biotin and Pantothenic Acid. Because these vitamins are water soluble and thus have difficulty entering fatty tissues, they aren't stored in the body and excessive amounts are excreted. And while this means toxicity is generally not a problem, these vitamins must be continually included in a bodybuilder's diet.

Vitamins: Cobalamin (vitamin B12)
Although the functions of vitamin B12 are numerous, those important to bodybuilders include carbohydrate metabolism and maintenance of nervous system tissue (the spinal cord and nerves that carry signals from the brain to muscle tissues). Stimulation of muscles via nerves is a critical step in the contraction, coordination and growth of muscles.

Vitamin B12 is available only from foods of animal origin; therefore,it is very important for athletes following a strict vegetarian diet to consult a physician about vitamin B12 supplementation. In fact, B12 shots are popular with countless athletes, vegetarians and nonvegetarians alike, many of who swear it helps them perform better.

Biotin
Although there's a limited amount of sports nutrition research on Biotin, it makes our top 10 list because it has critical functions in amino acid metabolism and the production of energy from many sources. It also may be one vitamin that some bodybuilders have trouble when attempting to maintain an adequate supply.

The reason bodybuilders may have difficulty with Biotin is because it can be blocked by a substance called Avidin. Avidin is found in raw egg whites, a staple for many athletes. In fact, bodybuilders who eat raw egg whites or who don;t cook egg white well enough may experience growth problems with Biotin deficiency if their egg white consumption approaches 20 per day. Eating raw eggs can also lead to a bacterial infection called Salmonella, which can have severe health consequences.

Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
Riboflavin is involved in energy production in three areas:
Glucose metabolism-Oxidation of fatty acids-The shuttling of hydrogen ions through the Krebs cycle. Of particular interest to bodybuilders, Riboflavin is somewhat related to protein metabolism. In fact, there is a strong relationship between lean body mass and dietary riboflavin.
One study by Belko and colleagues found that females needed higher than RDA levels of Riboflavin to return blood levels of Riboflavin to normal after exercise. Another study by Haralambie showed that Riboflavin supplementation improved muscular hyperexcitability (seen in trained athletes). This vitamin may prove to be especially important for athletes.

Vitamin A
Most of us know that vitamin A helps with vision, but bodybuilders need to become familiar with its other benefits. First of all, vitamin A is important in the synthesis of protein, the chief process of muscle growth. Second, vitamin A is involved in the production of Glycogen, the body's storage form of energy for high intensity performance.
The problem with vitamin A status in bodybuilders is twofold. First, American diets are consistently measured to be low in vitamin A. Second, both strenuous physical activity (which disrupts the absorption of vitamin A) and a low fat diet (which renders vitamin A loss in feces) jeopardize the level of vitamin A in the body. So be especially careful of your vitamin A intake during contest preparation.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, meaning it protects the cell's membranes. This is important because many of the metabolic processes that take place in the body, including the recuperation and growth of muscle cells, are dependent upon health cell membranes.
You've probably heard a lot about antioxidants in the news lately, and research continues to validate their importance. Specifically, antioxidants help to reduce the number of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are natural byproducts of cellular respiration, but accumulation of free radicals can lead to cellular changes and destruction (even cancer), rendering cells unable to adapt normally. This means a reduction in exercise induced processes in the cell such as repair and growth.

Niacin (vitamin B3)
This vitamin is involved in nearly 60 metabolic processes related to energy production and ranks high for bodybuilders by virtue of its critical importance in providing training fuel (no train, no gain)! The bad news is that high levels of Niacin have been found in the blood of athletes after exercise, suggesting that athletes may need more niacin than nonathletes. On the other hand, the good news is that even if a diet is low in Niacin, the body can make it from the amino acid tryptophan, which is found in abundance in turkey meat.
Bodybuilders are familiar with the form of Niacin known as nicotine acid, which causes vasodilation and may help a competitor look more vascular before going onstage. But this form of Niacin shouldn't be used during training; large doses of nicotinic acid (50 - 100 mg) significantly impairs the body's ability to mobilize and burn fat.

Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a crucial role in the absorption of Calcium and Phosphorus. Calcium is necessary for muscular contraction. If adequate stores of Calcium are not available in the muscle, full, hard muscular contractions cannot be sustained. Of course, Calcium is also needed for the integrity of bones, which must support increased muscle tissue and provide an anchor during muscular contraction.
And don't forget about Phosphorus. Phosphorus helps provide quick, powerful muscular contractions, which comprise the majority of movements during weight training. Phosphorus is also required for the synthesis of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the high energy molecule used by your muscle cells during contraction.
This nutrient is high in the list since bodybuilders typically avoid the fat content, e.g., dairy foods. Look for vitamin D fortified foods and get in the habit of drinking at least one glass of low-fat or nonfat milk per day.

Thiamine (vitamin B1)
This B vitamin packs muscle! Thiamine is one of the vitamins required for protein metabolism and growth. It's also involved in the formation of hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the body (especially working muscles). The transport of oxygen is critical to athletic performance and becomes even more important as intensity and duration of exercise increase.
Making matters more interesting, Thiamine, according to research, is one of the few vitamins that enhances performance when supplemented and is increasingly needed by athletes. Not only that, but Thiamine requirements appear to be directly related to caloric expenditure. The more exercise frequency, intensity and duration increase, the more Thiamine is needed.

Vitamin B6
(Pyridoxine)Protein metabolism, growth and carbohydrate utilization are all made possible in part by the presence of vitamin B6. Like Thiamine, studies on Pyridoxine in athletic performance show a definite increased need for athletes and possible performance enhancement from supplementation.
The vitamin makes the number two spot for a very good reason: It's the only vitamin directly tied to protein intake. The more protein you eat, the more Pyridoxine you need. Of course, this, coupled with Pyridoxine's role in growth, had profound implications for bodybuilders, though it is generally not known or discussed in sports nutrition circles.

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Surprised? Most athletes don't realize how important vitamin C status is to success. As the most widely studied vitamin in sports nutrition, Ascorbic acid has proven itself to be valuable to bodybuilders in many ways.
First, vitamin C is an antioxidant, protecting muscle cells from free radical damage, thus enhancing recovery and growth.

Second, Ascorbic acid is also involved with amino acid metabolism, especially the formation of Collagen. Collagen is the primary constituent of connective tissue, the stuff that holds your bones and muscles together. This may not seem important, but as you lift heavier weights, the stress you put on your structure becomes tremendous. If your connective tissue is not as healthy and strong as it should be (a problem often seen in steroid users), risk of injury dramatically increases.
Third, vitamin C helps in the absorption of Iron. Iron is necessary to help Oxygen bind to hemoglobin in blood. Without adequate oxygen transportation in blood, muscles are robbed of precious oxygen and performance is greatly reduced.
Fourth, Ascorbic acid also assists in the formation and release of steroid hormones, including the anabolic hormone testosterone.

Finally, vitamin C is perhaps the most water soluble vitamin there is. In other words, it diffuses very rapidly in water. Since a muscle cell is mostly water, the more muscular an athlete becomes, the more vitamin C disperses and the lower the concentration of this critical substance becomes in body tissues. So vitamin C requirements are greatly increased for bodybuilders. Bodybuilders are notorious for overlooking these key components of growth and performance. Do yourself a favor and analyze your diet to ensure you're taking in enough of the vitamins outlined above. Remember: You could have the best diet in the world in terms of calories, fat, etc, but if you're lacking adequate levels of these metabolic spark plugs, you're shooting yourself in the foot.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) - Benefits, Deficiency Symptoms and Food Sources

Vitamin B3 is a water-soluble vitamin vital for energy release in tissues and cells. It belongs to the B complex group of vitamins. Vitamin B3 is also known as Niacin. Vitamin B3 works with other B group vitamins to release energy into cells. Vitamin B3 is available in three forms: nicotinic acid (also called nicotinate) and niacinamide (also called nicotinamide), both found in food and supplements; and inositol hexaniacinate, a form available only in supplements.

Functions and Benefits of Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Since the ingestion of large therapeutic amounts of nicotinic acid usually produces a flushing reaction, niacin prescribed for nutritional deficiency is frequently taken as nicotinamide, though the benefits and reactions are not identical to the nicotinic acid form of niacin. Niacin and niacinamide also have different applications. It its niacinamide form, it is useful in arthritis and early-onset type I diabetes; niacin is an effective reducer of high cholesterol levels.

Recommended Dosage for Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

0-6 months: 2 milligrams.
6-12 months: 4 milligrams.
1-3 years: 6 milligrams.
4-8 years: 8 milligrams.
13 mg for adult women up to 50 years & 12 mg for adult women over 50 years.
17 mg for adult men up to 50 years & 16 mg for adult men over 50 years.

Note: One should not take more than 150 mg of niacin, because this leads to facial flushing. Very large intakes (greater than 3000 mg) may cause liver damage.

Food sources of Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Food sources of Vitamin B3 are meat, fish, bread, yeast, nuts, seeds, soy beans, potatoes, dried fruit, tomatoes and peas. Milk, green-leaved vegetables, coffee and tea also provide some niacin. Cereals may be fortified with niacin.

Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

The classic deficiency syndrome of niacin (vitamin B3) is called pellagra. Because of niacin's crucial role in the most basic biochemical reactions, every cell in the body can be affected by a deficiency. Common symptoms include loss of appetite, skin rash, diarrhea, mental changes, beefy tongue, and digestive and emotional disturbance. A slow release form of vitamin b3 or niacin can also cause liver malfunction. Anyone embarking on a treatment program that includes mega doses of niacin should do so under the supervision of a physician.

People with liver disease or diabetes are more susceptible to problems caused by niacin over dose. In addition, a lack of vitamin B3 can result in dizziness, fatigue and headache, as well as indigestion, insomnia, loss of appetite and low blood sugar.

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) - Benefits, Deficiency Symptoms And Food Sources

Vitamin B2 which is also called Riboflavin, was first observed in 1879 as a green pigment found in milk. It is important for body growth and red blood cell production and helps in releasing energy from carbohydrates. Actually it help convert carbohydrates into the fuel the body runs on adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

Functions and Benefits of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) is a water-soluble vitamin which is involved in vital metabolic processes in the body, and is necessary for normal cell function, growth, and energy production. Vitamin B2 or riboflavin is essential in formation of antibodies and red blood cells. Without it, pregnant women may risk the health of the developing fetus. In addition, riboflavin is important in maintaining good vision and building tissue. Riboflavin is often used as a tracer of medication compliance in the treatment of patients with alcohol dependence, mental disorders, and other conditions. Although it is needed for periods of rapid growth, it is also needed when protein intake is high, and is most beneficial to the skin, hair and nails. Vitamin B2 is required for the health of the mucus membranes in the digestive tract and helps with the absorption of iron and vitamin B6.

Recommended Dosage for Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Women should have 1.1 milligrams of riboflavin daily and men should have 1.7 milligrams daily. Child from 0to 6 months have to take 0.3mg, Child from 7 to 12 months have to take 0.4mg, Child from 1 to 3 years have to take 0.5mg and child for 4 to 8 years have to take 0.6mg.

Food sources of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Lean meats, eggs, legumes, nuts, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, and milk provide riboflavin in the diet. Breads and cereals are often fortified with riboflavin. Flour and cereals are enriched with riboflavin. Riboflavin is stable when heated but will leach into cooking water. It is easily destroyed by light, and foods stored in clear containers will lose their riboflavin content in a short period of time.

Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Symptoms of riboflavin deficiency include fatigue; slowed growth; digestive problems; cracks and sores around the corners of the mouth; swollen magenta tongue; eye fatigue; soreness of the lips, mouth and tongue; and sensitivity to light.

Some of the Common Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin B2 are -
-Anemia.
- Cracks and sores at the corners of the mouth.
- Dermatitis.
- Dizziness.
- Hair loss.
- Inflammation of the mouth and tongue.
- Insomnia.
- Poor digestion.
- Retarded growth and slowed mental response.
- Skin lesions.

Patients with suspected riboflavin deficiency should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare professional. Riboflavin depletion may be measured by decreased urinary excretion of riboflavin or increased erythrocyte reductase activity coefficients. Smokers, heavy alcohol drinkers and women using certain types of birth control are at an increased risk for Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin deficiency.

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) - Benefits, Deficiency Symptoms And Food Sources

Vitamin B1 is also called thiamin. Thiamine is one of the B vitamins it is a group of water-soluble vitamins that participate in many of the chemical reactions in the body. Most of the cells in our body depend on sugar because sugar is a major energy source. When oxygen is used to help convert sugar into usable energy, the process of energy generation is called aerobic energy production. This process cannot be possible without adequate supplies of vitamin B1, since B1 is part of an enzyme system that enables oxygen-based processing of sugar.

Functions and Benefits of Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Thiamin is a very important vitamin for the normal functioning of nerves in human body. It is also necessary for the synthesis of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter which affects several brain functions including memory. Apart from Alzheimer, thiamin is also prescribed to treat nervous disorders disease like multiple sclerosis, Bell's palsy and neuritis.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) has a positive effect on energy, growth, normal appetite, and learning capacity, and is needed for muscle tone of the intestines, stomach, and heart. Vitamin B1 acts as an antioxidant, protecting the body from generative effects of aging, alcohol consumption, and smoking. May improve glucose tolerance and retard arterial blockages, especially in diabetics. As part of the B complex of vitamins, vitamin B1 is considered an "anti-stress" nutrient, and it may also help the immune system function better in stressful situations.

Recommended Dosage for Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Women should have to take 1.1 milligrams every day, and men should have to take 1.5 milligrams every day. Fortunately it is easy to get this much vitamin B1 with a healthy diet. In the therapeutic use of this nutrient, the dosage is usually increased considerably, but the toxicity level must be kept in mind.

Food Sources of Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Some of the best food sources of vitamin B1 (thiamin) include peanuts, sunflower seeds, beans, beef liver, pork, seafood and egg yolks. Thiamine is also found in fortified breads, cereals, pasta, whole grains especially wheat germ, lean meats (especially pork), fish, dried beans, peas, and soybeans.

Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Early symptoms are vague. They include fatigue, irritability, memory impairment, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, abdominal discomfort, and weight loss. Other than old age, those suffering from vitamin B1 deficiency include alcoholics, individuals with mal-absorption conditions, and those with a very poor diet. Vitamin B1 deficiency is also common in children with congenital heart disease and people with chronic fatigue syndrome. Severe thiamin deficiency seldom occurs today in the Western world, except among alcoholics, who eat little or no food for extended periods of time.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) - Benefits, Deficiency Symptoms And Food Sources

Vitamin B12 is important member of the vitamin B complex. It contains cobalt, and so is also known as cobalamin. These B vitamins are often referred to as B complex vitamins. It is very essential in the breakdown of fats and protein.

Functions and Benefits of Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

The benefits of vitamin B12 help with the synthesis of both amino and fatty acids. Vitamin B12 is highly beneficial in various forms. Methylcobalamin, the coenzyme form of vitamin B12 is a body-friendly version, which means that no metabolic steps are required for its ingestion and it can be used it in its normal form. Vitamin B12 helps in the formation of red blood cells and in the maintenance of the central nervous system. Nerves are surrounded by an insulating fatty sheath comprised of a complex protein called myelin. B12 plays a vital role in the metabolism of fatty acids essential for the maintenance of myelin

Vitamin B12 functions in the production of a material called myelin, which covers and protects nerve fibers. Without enough B12, the myelin sheath does not form properly or stay healthy. As a result, nerve transmission suffers, and people experience irreversible nerve damage.

Recommended Dosage for Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Recommended dietary allowances (RDA's) are 2.4 micrograms per day for adults and adolescents aged 14 years and older, 2.6 micrograms per day for adult and adolescent pregnant females, 2.8 micrograms per day for adult and adolescent lactating females.

The following is a list of the amount of folate contained in 100 g of these foods:

Calf Liver (fried) - 58 micrograms.
Cheddar cheese - 2.4 micrograms.
Salmon (grilled) - 5 micrograms.
Steak - 2 micrograms.

Food Sources of Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Vitamin B12 is found in most foods of animal origin. Vitamin B12 is found in eggs, meat, poultry, shellfish, and milk and milk products.

Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

Vitamin B 12 deficiency is a common cause of macrocytic anemia and has been implicated in a spectrum of neuropsychiatric disorders. Breast-fed infants of mothers with a B12 deficiency are at risk for severe developmental abnormalities and irreversible neurological damage. A deficiency of vitamin B12 may affect balance, memory, and perhaps mood. Therefore it is recommended that risk groups take a multivitamin, eat fortified breakfast cereal, or both. In adults typical deficiency symptoms include loss of energy, tingling, numbness, reduced sensitivity to pain or pressure, blurred vision, abnormal gait, sore tongue, poor memory, confusion, hallucinations and personality changes.

Vitamin A (Retinol)

Vitamin A is also known as retinol. It is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is a light yellow crystalline compound. Vitamin A has also been called the "anti-infective" vitamin due to its role in supporting the activities of the immune system. Vitamin A is very important for maintaining good vision.

Functions and Benefits of Vitamin A (Retinol)

Vitamins are absolutely essential for proper growth, maintenance, and reproduction of the human body. One of the most important functions of this vitamin is that it maintains the health and well-being of the epithelial tissues of the body. Amounts absorbed in excess of vitamin A or antioxidant needs are stored in subcutaneous fat. Other carotenoids, such as lutein and lycopene, have no vitamin A activity and are utilized only for their antioxidant capacity.

Some of the Great Benefits of Vitamin A in Human Body are-
It helps us to see in dim light.
It is essential to the tissues lining lungs, digestive organs and genitourinary tract.
It helps us to grow bones normally.
Assists maintaining health skin and mucous membranes protecting the body's major organs.
It also has antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals in the body that cause tissue and cellular damage.
Vitamin A is considered a fat-soluble vitamin. This means it is stored in your body's fat cells and liver until used.
Because vitamin A helps keep the mucus membranes moist, it is a great tool for fighting infection.

Recommended Dosage for Vitamin A (Retinol)

The RDA for vitamin A is 4,000 IU every day for women and 5,000 IU every day for men. Higher doses are typically given for due to any illness of these vitamins.

Food Sources for Vitamin A (Retinol)

Whole milk are good animal are good sources of Retinol (vitamin A). Many orange fruits and green vegetables are good sources of vitamin A. Vitamin A comes from animal sources, such as eggs, meat, milk, cheese, cream, liver, kidney, cod and halibut fish oil. Sources of beta-carotene are carrots, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, winter squashes, cantaloupe, pink grapefruit, apricots, broccoli, spinach and most dark green, leafy vegetables.

Deficiency Symptoms of Vitamin A (Retinol)

The eyes are mostly affected due to vitamin A deficiency. A vitamin A (retinol) deficiency can cause night blindness (even total blindness) and a greatly lowered resistance to infection. Milder cases of deficiency do occur, especially in the elderly, who often have vitamin-poor diets. Infections such as pneumonia can deplete vitamin A stores. Susceptibility to colds, flu, bacterial and viral infections, especially of the respiratory and urinary tract, are indicators of Vitamin A deficiency. Deficiency of vitamin A can also cause diarrhea, abnormalities of skin and bone development. Lifestyle factors that may contribute to poor vitamin A status include use of tobacco products that increase demand for the vitamin and frequent consumption of fast food, commercial snack foods, and sweets that replace fruits and vegetables in the diet.

Details About Vitamins Supplements

Oil vs. Dry or Water-Soluble

The oil-soluble vitamins, such as A, D, E, and K, are available and advisable in “dry” or water-soluble form for people who tend to get upset stomachs from oil, for acne sufferers or anyone with a skin condition where oil ingestion is not advised, and for dieters who have cut most of the fat from their meals.(Fat-soluble vitamins need fat for proper assimilation. If you’re on a low-fat diet and taking A, D, E, or supplements, I suggest you use the dry form.)

Synthetic vs. Natural and Inorganic vs. Organic

Synthetic vitamins might be less likely to upset your budget but not your stomach.

When I’masked if there’s a difference between synthetic and natural vitamins, I usually say only one—and that’s to you. Though synthetic vitamins and minerals have produced satisfactory results, the benefits from natural vitamins, on a variety of levels, surpass them. Chemical analysis of both might appear thesame, but there’s more to natural vitamins because there’s more to those substances in nature.

Synthetic vitamin C is just that, ascorbic acid and nothing more. NaturalC from rose hips contains bioflavonoids, the entire C complex, which makethe C much more effective.

Natural vitamin E, which can include all the tocopherols, not just alpha, is more potent and better absorbed than its synthetic double.

According to Dr. Theron G. Randolph, noted allergist: A synthetically derived substance may cause a reaction in a chemically susceptible personwhen the same material of natural origin is tolerated, despite the two substances having identical chemical structures.

On the other hand, people who are allergic to pollen could experience anundesirable reaction to a natural vitamin C that had possible pollen impurities.

Nonetheless, as many who have tried both can attest, there are fewer gas-trointestinal upsets with natural supplements, and far fewer toxic reactions when taken in higher than recommended dosage.

The difference between inorganic and organic is not the same as the onebetween synthetic and natural, though that is the common misconception. Allvitamins are organic. They are substances containing carbon.

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"The Versatile Antioxidant Vitamin"

Slice an apple into half, and it turns brown. A copper penny suddenly becomes green, or an iron nail when left outside, will rust. What do all these events have in common? These are examples of a process called oxidation. If the sliced apple is dipped in a lemon juice, however, the rate at which the apple turns brown is slowed. It is because the Vitamin C in the lemon juice slows the rate of oxidative damage.

Since its discovery 65 years ago, vitamin C has come to be known as a “wonder worker.” Because of its role in collagen formation and other life-sustaining functions, Vitamin C serves as a key immune system nutrient and a potent free-radical fighter. This double-duty nutrient has been shown to prevent many illnesses, from everyday ailments such as the common cold to devastating diseases such as cancer.

The water-soluble vitamin C is known in the scientific world as ascorbic acid, a term that actually means “without scurvy.” We depend on ascorbic acid for many aspects of our biochemical functioning; yet human beings are among only a handful of animal species that cannot produce their own supply of vitamin C. Like these other animals, including primates and guinea pigs, we have no choice but to obtain this nutrient through food or our daily diet.

Vitamin C can enhance the body's resistance from different diseases, including infections and certain types of cancer. It strengthens and protects the immune system by stimulating the activity of antibodies and immune system cells such as phagocytes and neutrophils.

Vitamin C, as an antioxidant, helps reduce the activity of free radicals. Free radicals are by-products of normal metabolism which can damage cells and set the stage for aging, degeneration, and cancer. It shouldn’t come as any surprise that vitamin C is being used for cancer treatment. In large doses, Vitamin C is sometimes administered intravenously as part of cancer treatment.

Vitamin C prevents free radical damage in the lungs and may even help to protect the central nervous system from such damage. Free radicals are molecules with an unpaired electron. In this state, they're highly reactive and destructive to everything that gets in their way. Although free radicals have been implicated in many diseases, they are actually a part of the body chemistry.

As an antioxidant, vitamin C's primary role is to neutralize free radicals. Since ascorbic acid is water soluble, it can work both inside and outside the cells to combat free radical damage. Vitamin C is an excellent source of electrons; therefore, it “can donate electrons to free radicals such as hydroxyl and superoxide radicals and quench their reactivity.”

The versatile vitamin C also works along with glutathione peroxidase (a major free radical-fighting enzyme) to revitalize vitamin E, a fat-soluble antioxidant. In addition to its work as a direct scavenger of free radicals in fluids, then, vitamin C also contributes to the antioxidant activity in the lipids.

Optimal health, however, requires a balance between free radical generation and antioxidant protection. One of the functions of Vitamin C is to get and quench these free radicals before they create too much damage.

When and How to Take Vitamins Supplements

The human body operates on a twenty-four-hour cycle. Your cells do not goto sleep when you do, nor can they exist without continuous oxygen andnutrients. Therefore, for best results, space your supplements as evenly as possible during the day.

If you take your supplements all at once, do so with dinner, not breakfast.

The prime time for taking supplements is with or after meals. Vitamins areorganic substances and should be taken with other foods and minerals for best absorption. Because the water-soluble vitamins, especially B complex and C, are excreted fairly rapidly in the urine, a regimen of with breakfast, with lunch, and with dinner will provide you with the highest body level. If after each meal is not convenient, then half the amount should be taken after breakfast and the other half after dinner.If you must take your vitamins all at once, then do so with the largest meal of the day.

And remember, minerals are essential for proper vitamin absorption, so besure to take your minerals and vitamins together.

What’s Right for You

Supplement needs vary depending on your sex, age, health, lifestyle, dailystresses, and dietary restrictions. Job changes, illness, physical and emotional traumas, all take a nutritional toll. With more supplements available today than ever before, and in more delivery systems than ever before, there’s no reason whyyou can’t reap maximum health benefits by selecting the nutrients you need in a form that works for you.

If you’re unsure as to whether you’d be better off with a powder, a liquid,a gel-cap, or a tablet, regular vitamin E or dry, or taking supplements three times a day, my advice to you is to experiment. If the supplement you’re taking doesn’t agree with you, try it in another form. Vitamin C powder mixed in a beverage might be much easier to take than several large pills when you’re coming down with a cold. If your face breaks out with vitamin E, try the dry form. Also:

Make sure you know all you should about your supplement.

If you’re taking any medications, familiarize yourself with drugs thatdeplete nutrients as well as nutrients that may interfere with medications.

What Are Nutrients? Discover Exactly What Nutrients Are

Six important nutrients

They’re more than vitamins, though people often think they are the same thing.

Carbohydrates, proteins (which are made up of amino acids ), fats, minerals, vitamins, and water are all nutrients—absorbable components of foods—and necessary for good health. Nutrients are necessary for energy, organ function, food utilization, and cell growth.

The Difference Between Micronutrients and Macronutrients

Micronutrients, like vitamins and minerals, do not themselves provide energy. The macronutrients—carbohydrates, fat, and protein—do that, but only when there are sufficient micronutrients to release them.

With nutrients, less is often the same as more.

The amount of micronutrients and macronutrients you need for proper healthis vastly different—but each is important.

How Nutrients Get to Work

The body simplifies nutrients in order to utilize them.

Nutrients basically work through digestion. Digestion is a process of continuous chemical simplification of materials that enter the body through the mouth. Materials are split by enzymatic action into smaller and simpler chemical fragments, which can then be absorbed through walls of the digestive tract—an open-ended muscular tube, more than thirty feet long, which passes through the body—and finally enter the bloodstream.

Your Body Needs Togetherness

Vitamins alone are not enough.

As important as vitamins are, they can do nothing for you without minerals.I like to call minerals the Cinderellas of the nutrition world, because, thoughvery few people are aware of it, vitamins cannot function and cannot beassimilated without the aid of minerals. And though the body can synthesizesome vitamins, it cannot manufacture a single mineral.

All About Vitamin B12

Water-soluble. Easily absorbed. The amount excreted depends on bod-ily needs and may be accompanied by protein loss. Like the other B vita-mins it is not stored and must be replaced regularly through whole foodsor supplements.

Also known as vitamin G.
Measured in milligrams (mg.).
Unlike thiamine, riboflavin is not destroyed by heat, oxidation, or acid. Butit is easily destroyed by light.

WHAT IT CAN DO FOR YOU: Aid in growth and reproduction.Promote healthy skin, nails, hair.Help eliminate sore mouth, lips, and tongue.Benefit vision, alleviate eye fatigue.Function with other substances to metabolize carbohydrates, fats,and proteins.

DEFICIENCY DISEASE: Ariboflavinosis—mouth, lips, skin, genitalia lesions.

BEST NATURAL SOURCES: Milk, liver, kidney, cheese, leafy green vegetables, fish, eggs,yogurt, beans.

SUPPLEMENTS: Available in both low and high potencies—most commonly in 100 mg.doses. Like most of the B-complex vitamins, it is most effective when in awell-balanced formula with the others.100–300 mg. are the most common daily doses.

TOXICITY AND WARNING SIGNS OF EXCESS: No known toxic effects.Possible symptoms of minor excess include itching, numbness, sensationsof burning or prickling.

ENEMIES: Light—especially ultraviolet light—and alkalies are destructive toriboflavin. (Opaque milk cartons now protect riboflavin that used to bedestroyed in clear-glass milk bottles.) Other natural enemies are water (B2dissolves in cooking liquids), sulfa drugs, estrogen, alcohol.

PERSONAL ADVICE:

If you are taking the pill, pregnant, or lactating, you need more vitamin B2.If you eat little red meat or dairy products you should increase your intake.There is a strong likelihood of your being deficient in this vitamin ifyou are on a prolonged restricted diet for ulcers or diabetes. (In all caseswhere you are under medical treatment for a specific illness, check withyour doctor before altering your present food regimen or embarking ona new one.)

All stress conditions require additional B complex.This vitamin works best with vitamin B6, vitamin C, and niacin.If you’re taking an antineoplastic (anticancer) drug such asmethotrexate, toomuch vitamin B2 can cut down the drug’s effectiveness.If you’re taking antibiotics, you’re probably not getting the B2 you need.Drinkers need more of this vitamin because alcohol interferes withproper absorption.

What's the Real Truth About Health and Nutrition?

What's the Real Truth About Health and Nutrition?

Live Whole Nutrition: Nutrition supplement is a term known by most of us. So what is nutrition supplement and why is it so important? Nutrition, by dictionary definition, is the sum of the processes by which someone takes in and utilizes food substances. One of the main advantages of utilizing food substances is the intake of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, herbs, etc. These are the things that make our body healthy.

Nutritional Products: When people don't get enough of nutrients through food they intake and when the planned diet doesn't work, people turn to the get help from some type of nutrition supplements. A nutrition supplement is added to the diet to make up for a nutritional deficiency. The supplement increases the intake of vitamins, amino acids, minerals, etc. But you have to be careful when thought of buying some supplement, since supplements are required to meet FDA standards.

Nowadays there are many scammers hanging over internet or online to fraud customers by there inexpensive and fake supplements. Constantly buy from well-known and truthful manufacturers and wholesaler to make sure that you are not taking in some unnecessary or even unsafe substances.

The good mania about the nutritional supplement is that there is plenty of information obtainable to help out to make a selection about the best nutritional supplement for you.

Nutrition Supplement As A Juice Powder: People have many questions about these supplements like Are they good enough to the health? Are you getting enough nutrition from them? etc. The most well-liked type of supplements available on the market are nutrition juice powders. According to the publicity and manufactures these juice powders contains high level of protiens and low level of carbo-hydrates.

Though conventional multivitamins and other dietary nutritional supplements are affordable in drugstores and other retail shops, the "nutrition supplement juice powder" is in demand all over the world.

The importance of diet and nutrition should be at the top of your to do list. High-quality and good nutrition is the beginning to your healthy weight gain and good health which will last forever.

Nutritional Supplements Can Help You Everyday of Your Life!

Nutritional Supplements Can Help You Everyday of Your Life!

However, it is important to realize that more than the cost of a supplement has to be considered in order to get the best value for your nutritional dollar.Anyone interested in living a healthy life-style, not just diabetics, should research the different recommended vitamins and minerals that can supplement the average lacking American diet.Nutritional supplements can supply these nutrients and with careful shopping can be quite affordable.

Nutritional supplements are best added into the diet slowly, starting with small dosages and working up to the manufacturers' recommended amounts over time. Also, some supplements, such as herbal medications that may stimulate processes in the body, are best taken intermittently, allowing the body occasional rest periods without the supplement. Herbal medicines and nutritional supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as prescription and over-the-counter medications are. The World Health Organization (WHO) published guidelines on the use of herbal medicines in 2004, including recommendations on cultivating, collecting, classification, quality control, storage, labeling and distribution. Formulation has it's own specific results: Supplements for body building help increase mass. Sports nutritional supplements are supposed to help athletes keep their game up until the final second.

Nutritional supplements can come in all different shapes and sizes - many different nutritional supplements can make a huge difference in your life. Nutritional supplements are exactly what they imply; they are the vitamins and minerals and other nutrients that your body needs to be healthy. Arthritis treatment plans can incorporate nutritional supplements. But the key word is carefully.

As you can see nutritional supplements can help you in weight loss and overall health. Please note that we are recommending supplements that help your body, not supplements, diet pills, etc. Nutritional supplements can make such a dramatic difference for women at mid-life. At higher than usual dosages, nutritional supplements can have a positive pharmacological effect. In any chronic illness, oxidative stress is increased and leads to the compounding of problems.

If a surgical procedure is contemplated or untoward event occurs, it is important for the physician to ask the patient about any use of alternative medications. This will allow the patient and physician to discuss any potential for adverse interactions and plan for any discontinuation of the supplement before surgery. Ask for help from nutrition store clerks or health professionals to find brands that are trustworthy. Contact the supplement company directly and ask them about their quality control and proof of Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) testing. Vitamin B6 is required for the production of serotonin and helps to maintain healthy immune system functions.

Natural products are important as they help with the healing process and increase it. In no way are our products intended to cure or heal a disease.

It depends on whom you ask. According to the FDA, the sexual effects of aphrodisiacs are based in folklore, not fact. For example, it may be desirable to administer the bitter tasting ingredients in a form that masks their taste (e.g., capsule or pill form) rather than incorporating them into the nutritional composition itself (e.g., powder or bar). Thus, the invention also provides a pharmaceutical pack or kit comprising one or more containers filled with one or more of the ingredients of the nutritional compositions of the invention (e.g., nutritional supplement in the form of a powder and capsules containing green tea and caffeine).

My biggest gripe against supplements is that people see them as the easy way out, they see meal replacement bars or protein shakes as a complete meal. The shakes, bars, cookies - whatever it be, are meant to 'supplement' what whole foods cannot give you, hence, the importance to combine carbs and protein.

Through supplements, cartilage and joints strengthen,with the benefit of improved flexibility, bone strength, and pain relief. Natural dietary supplements have become popular alternative treatments for arthritis and osteoporosis. Taking handfuls of vitamins is not useful, and there is nothing "natural" about it. There are a few vitamins and minerals that, in an extra dose, can be helpful in certain situations; these should be discussed with your doctor. The recommended course of action is to take a given formula for a few months.

Nutritional supplements can supply these nutrients and with careful shopping can be quite affordable. However, it is important to realize that more than the cost of a supplement has to be considered in order to get the best value for your nutritional dollar. Therefore, changing a diet and using diabetes nutritional supplements can help promote better metabolism, overcoming abnormalities. Anyone interested in living a healthy life-style, not just diabetics, should research the different recommended vitamins and minerals that can supplement the average lacking American diet. In fact, these studies suggest that the biochemical imbalances that nutritional supplements can correct are, in and of themselves, the direct causes of addiction.

The commitment to eat healthy and give yourself the nutrition needed for aging gracefully. Another aspect is a distinct need for diabetic people to have nutritious flavored drink compositions that help maintain blood sugar levels and which will not add excessive calories, but still have adequate nutritional value and an attractive taste. You've taken an active part in searching out places and practitioners that can help you improve your current health situation and I commend you for your efforts. But don't stop here! Research is done, now follow through and improve your life!

All The Truth About Fat

All The Truth About Fat

Everyone talks about fat nowadays. It seems that it become the focus of most people these days. When we are still small children, our parents and teachers will tell us that fat is not good for us.

In fact, you should not only focus on fat. This is especially true if you are trying to lose weight. You should also think about calorie if you are trying to lose a few pounds. You will need to consider both calorie and fat if you want to succeed in your weight loss plan.

The first thing you need to make sure is that you should not eat too much junk food. I bet most people will know this. This is junk food is usually loaded with fat. And it will not be good for our weight loss plan. In fact, it may even ruin your plan if you eat too much junk food. However, as discussed, you do not only consider the fat content. You also need to think about your weight loss plan in terms of calories. There will be a lot of sugar from candy. If you eat too many candies, it will provide you more calorie than you need. And this will eventually make you gain weight. From here you should understand why you should also consider the calorie intake apart from the fat intake. You will gain weight if you only think about fat without considering calorie.

As a matter of fact, we get the energy for our daily activities mainly from carbs. You will eat things such as bread, pasta and rice everyday in order to get the carbs. However, one thing you should be careful is that excessive carbs in our body will be stored as fat in our body. As a result, eating too much bread may not be a good idea.

Let us get back to the notion of fact. We should not take too much saturated fat. In most cases food such as potato chips and fries will be rich in saturated fat. As you may probably know, too much of this fat will probably cause heart attacks. This can in fact pose real health problem to us.

You should use as little oil as possible. When you really need to use it, you should consider using oil like olive oil because this kind of oil is low in saturated fat. This will certainly be a lot healthier for you.

Topical vitamin C for more vibrant skin

Topical vitamin C for more vibrant skin

Until recently, the new-kid-on-the-block beauty product ingredients were alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), a group of acids naturally occurring in fruits, milk, and sugar cane, which have proved to be a good defense against damage to keep skin younger-looking, firmer, and smoother. Now comes another cell-guarding anti-aging vitamin -- that is anything but "new" -- available in improved topical forms.

Topical vitamin-C creams: beauty from the outside in
Health and beauty aids manufacturers have added vitamins to skin creams for years. However, the low-concentration formulations, ingredient instability, and rapid deterioration of vitamin-C compounds, along with its blending with other elements, rendered the vitamin inert. Consequently, the creams did not achieve the benefits promised.

Vitamin C, a potent antioxidant -- a type of nutrient which reverses or prevents free-radical damage -- found in supplements or certain foods, cannot travel to the skin level, as it is distributed deeper inside the body. Except for its own natural defenses, the skin remained without added protection from free radical assaults. These limitations are changing.
Now, researchers at Duke University have uncovered ways to stabilize vitamin C in a topical solution that seeps through to the dermal mantle layer of the skin, and becomes an inherent part of our skin. How is this now possible? The vitamin-C formulations are amalgated in delivery systems called liposomes or nanosphers that stabilize the vitamin within the preparation, and shield it from factors that could affect it.

These new vitamin-C skin formulations allow the antioxidant properties of the vitamin to counteract skin-aging free radicals, literally by scavenging them out of existence.
How do free radicals affect our skin?

Volatile free radicals consist of molecules that speed aging by destroying collagen, the gluelike substances that, along with firming strands called elastin, make skin resilient, firm, and less prone to wrinkles. As the free radicals become neutralized with antioxidants, like those in topical vitamin-C products, skin remains more plump and elastic.

Some claim vitamin-C preparations not only prevent damage, but also repair skin. Louise Bianca, Los Angeles-based facialist, says, "Vitamin-C creams are very effective antioxidants that not only protect the skin from environmental damage, but also stimulate the production of collagen." The more we exercise, travel on airplanes, and get exposed to pollution, for example, the greater the risk of premature aging from free radicals, and the higher the demand for antioxidants.

Getting to the `heart' of our skin
Unlike creams formulated with Retin A and AHAs, which work by exfoliating the older, outer skin layers, vitamin-C formulations work within the skin layers, inhibiting the production of free radicals and spurring the synthesis of collagen. Working at this cellular level, vitamin C helps "reweave" the skin fibers. As cells bind together, skin looks more smooth and youthful.
Topical beauty aids dampen sun damage

The powerful new vitamin-C products can also reduce the aging effects of the sun. Preliminary studies show that vitamin C protects skin from sun exposure by stifling the photoaging effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays before they harm skin. Because these formulations absorb into your skin, instead of coating it, bathing or perspiration cannot wash off the product.

Although vitamin-C preparations simulate a sunscreen effect, it is believed that the cream is not strong enough by itself to protect fully against the sun's harmful UVA and UVB rays. Nevertheless, these formulations, as they chemically react to UV light, produce anti-inflammatory effects and help reduce painful sunburn. (Note: Always check with your health-care practitioner or dermatologist for serious skin conditions, including sunburn.)
Although not everyone shows the same dramatic anti-aging effects after using vitamin-C skin products, many researchers claim the lower concentrations protect skin and reduce some photoaging. Still others maintain the powerful concentrations of the new antioxidant vitamin-C preparations protect the skin long enough to promote healing and repair.

The History of Vitamins – Vital For Our Health

The History of Vitamins – Vital For Our Health

Vitamins have an extremely long history, though until relatively recently it was not one that had been recognized. In ancient times, when mankind gave up the nomadic lifestyle of the hunter gatherer and formed early cities and developed the beginnings of fixed and sustainable agriculture; it was soon realized and noted by the ancient scribes of Sumeria (in present day Iraq) that food could affect health in more subtle ways than to simply keep people alive.

This had probably already been known by the shaman priests of even earlier tribes, but in Sumeria, the city states of Mesopotamia and ancient Babylon, it was studied in greater detail, and the results recorded on clay tablets. Sadly, now most of these have either been destroyed over the centuries or lie undiscovered beneath desert sands. Though it is known that in ancient Egypt, certain foods were recommended for the improvement of night vision.

So the science of nutrition had been born, and unfortunately did not improve on these original insights for a considerable time. The ancient Greeks, Romans, and later the Arabs made advances in medicine, but not particularly in preventing health problems and diseases from occurring in the first place. Instead they concentrated on the curing process once the symptoms of the illness were observable.

Early herbalists with their preventative potions, were often dismissed (sometimes violently so) as witches or wizards, and their works was treated with extreme suspicion. Later, in Europe, it got even worse with the Church not being fond of discussion of any sciences, most of which were classified as dangerous blasphemy. And so millions continued to suffer from terrible afflictions which could have been prevented by the light of knowledge.