Every shopping mall I have visited has a Vitamin shop. I have always been very curious about the hype behind the vitamin world. It seems that the hype began sometime in the 90’s when the boom of diets exploded in the U.S. We were bombarded with advertising about vitamins and every single diet seemed to require a supplement of vitamins. A new vitamin shop just opened near my house in a plaza next to the mall and it was then that I realized that it had to be a very good business if someone was opening a vitamin shop in this economy.

          After a quick interview of family and friends, I found out that everyone takes not one but several vitamin supplements. All of them convinced that vitamins are very important for many functions in our body. I heard expressions such as “Vitamin A is good for your eyes”, “Complex of Vitamin B is good to give you energy”, “Vitamin D is good for your skin and bones”. But when I asked if they knew what the daily recommended requirements were for their gender and age, not one knew the answer.

          So I decided to do some research, because as far as I remembered from my school days, Vitamins are nutrients needed in such small amounts that they are commonly satisfied by the intake of a variety of foods. Vitamin deficiencies are very rare and I was worried that perhaps we were reaching the point in this country were we would begin to hear more about vitamin overdose rather than deficiency.

          First let me give you a summary of the role of vitamins in our bodies: Vitamins are organic compounds that are required nutriments in humans in small quantities, so small that instead of being recognized by their presence they are known by their absence due to the manifestation of certain illnesses. Vitamins have different roles in our bodies such as biochemical functions, hormone-like functions as regulators of mineral metabolism or cell and tissue growth (such as production of skin, bone and muscle). Some function as antioxidants, others function as precursors for enzyme co-factors that help enzymes in their work as catalysts in metabolism.

          Generally vitamins are classified according to their solubility in two types: those soluble in water (such as Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin, B6, Pantothenic acid, Biotin, Folic Acid, Cobalamin, and Vitamin C); and those soluble in fats (such as Vitamins A, D, E and K). Normally those that are fat-soluble are easier to be stored in our bodies than those that are water-soluble. More important than their solubility is how essential they are and their essentiality depends on weather they can be synthesized in our bodies or not. Those who are synthesized in our bodies are defined as “non-essential” and therefore should be consumed in very little amounts. Those who are not synthesized in our bodies are defined as “essential” and must be consumed in our diets in sufficient amounts.

          The only two non-essential vitamins are Vitamin D and Niacin that are synthesized in our skin (Vitamin D) and the small intestine (Niacin) in sufficient amounts. All other vitamins are essential because even though in the small intestine we synthesize Vitamins K, B12, Biotin, and Pantothenic Acid, they are not synthesized in sufficient amounts. Some vitamins are stored in organs such as the liver and therefore it is very rare to reach a vitamin deficiency since they are required in very small amounts.

          When dieting to lose weight, vitamins tend to be a supplement that people take because of the reduction of important foods in the diet. The problem is that the Vitamins business has grown into a multi-million dollar business that advertises constantly inviting people to think that vitamins are more needed than previously thought. Most vitamin supplements contain an average of the required dosage, although not all humans have the same requirements. Men’s requirements are different from those of women’s, children, pregnant women, elderly, etc. Some supplements have more than the required amount and this is a problem because humans can suffer not just from a vitamin deficiency but also from an overdose of vitamins that produce side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea which are side effects that normally are assigned to a number of other illnesses and therefore it is easy to miss as an overdose of vitamins. The good news is that the overdose can be reversed by simply cutting the amount of consumption. To read more on vitamins overdose visit chemo.net

          The most important deficiencies that are commonly diagnosed in humans are those coming from Vitamin A, which deficiency causes night blindness, hyperkeratosis and keratomalacia. Vitamin B6 deficiency causes anemia and peripheral neuropathy. Biotin deficiency causes dermatitis and enteritis. Folic Acid deficiency causes megaloblast and is associated with birth defects. Vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy. Vitamin D deficiency causes osteomalacia. Vitamin K deficiency causes excessive bleeding. For more information on vitamin deficiency visit vitaminsdeficiency.org

          All vitamins are nutrients found in common foods therefore if we consume a healthy diet that includes all types of foods there is no need for vitamin supplements. For most people who diet to lose weight many foods are restricted, such as grains, pastas, and meats, that are excellent sources of vitamins and therefore a supplement is recommended, just be careful and read the labels. You should never consume more than the recommended daily allowance of vitamins. Only your physician can prescribe amounts larger than the recommended allowance to treat a specific illness.

          In short, the diet industry brought the idea of vitamin supplements because every diet restricts the use of one or many foods and therefore it is necessary to have a vitamin supplement, but these days even people who are not dieting to lose weight take supplements and that could be a concern for people who normally eat a normal diet that contains different foods and foods from all five groups. If you are taking supplements, it would be wise to talk about it with your family physician. Make sure you look for the vitamin requirements for your gender and age. Vitamins are only a small portion of nutrients that are necessary to be in good health, and are not the most important nutrient. Attention should be put into other nutrients that are far more important such as essential aminoacids (proteins) that no diet should spare.