Vitamins - important nutrients

There are two types; the fat-soluble (vitamin A, D, E and K) and the water-soluble (includes all of the B vitamin and vitamin C).

For a fat-soluble vitamin it is important that there is a certain amount of fat in your diet to help absorb them. Fat soluble vitamins are absorbed by the body from the intestinal tract and are to some extend stored in the body, mostly in the liver. Because of this, short term deficiencies are less likely to manifest.

Although a water-soluble vitamin is easily absorbed by your body, your body will not store large amounts. The excess of a water-soluble vitamin is removed by your kidneys and comes out in your urine. Because of this, short term deficiencies are more likely to manifest.

The (small) amounts per vitamin you need, differ for example on your age, health, time of year (i.e. weather) and the food you eat.

The preferred/required amount of vitamins is showed in mg or in IU. IU stands for International Unit and is used for the measurement of vitamins and drugs. IU is dependent on the potency of the substance, and each substance would have a different IU to milligram conversion. Therefore, 1000 IU of Vitamin C would weight differently than 1000 IU of Vitamin A.

Since most food sources contain different ratios of minerals and vitamins, it is important that you will have a variety in your food. If you make sure that your food contains the necessary (i.e. daily need of) vitamins, you will not necessarily have to increase the intake of vitamins.

However, because of stress, hard work, air pollution etc. you will often have to take supplements.

If you want to buy these vitamin supplements make sure that you check out the amounts (IU/mgs) of vitamins, taking into account what you eat and the daily requirement.

You can buy the vitamin supplements from various manufacturers and they come in pills, gel capsules or as Vitamin Sprays.

The various vitamins:

For each of the vitamins you will find additional information on what the effect is of the specific vitamin, in what food you will find it and the preferred daily amount.