It’s obvious that vitamins and minerals ought to be a part of our wellness cover — like life insurance — in health and illness. Here’s why — vitamins are a cluster of organic nutrients found in plants and animals. They are called essential vitamins. They are vital for regulating the chemical progressions that go on in our body, as also releasing energy from food, sustaining bone health and facilitating hormonal function.
There are two types of vitamins: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins [B-complex vitamins and vitamin C] are dissolved in water. They are readily absorbed into our tissues for instant usage. Fat-soluble vitamins [A, D, E and K] are dissolved in fats. They are absorbed when they journey through the small intestines and dispersed through the body in the bloodstream, as also summoned as and when needed.
The fact too is: our body does not stockpile water-soluble vitamins. Besides, any ‘surplus’ that we do not need, or are present in excess, are removed by our kidneys, and passed through micturition.
Each essential vitamin has a precise action in the body. They are essential for good health and well-being, vitality and energy, growth and longevity. What leads to illness, or a specific deficiency disease, is the absence, or improper, absorption of certain vitamins, or essential nutrients. Yet another paradox, or ‘downside,’ is — a normal person may have a minor deficiency without being aware of it. It is only when certain tangible symptoms surface, does one think of, or get investigated, for the issue. Not otherwise.
It was till recently observed that if one ate healthy foods, or diet, there’s no need to take a vitamin and mineral pill. Research suggests that even when people consume healthy diets, there’s a certain essentiality to taking such a pill each day, and in appropriate dosages.
Vitamins are needed to keeping deficiency diseases, such as rickets and scurvy, at bay. The incorporation of a good vitamin-nutrition plan, on a daily basis, is also just as crucial to prevent and ‘avert’ the onset of chronic diseases — e.g., heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and cancer — apart from sustaining cognitive and other abilities.
A research team led by Adam M Brickman, PhD, of Columbia University set out to assess the idea. Their study, published in “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” included more than 3,500 volunteers, aged 60 and older. Most were white [94 per cent], and more than half had a college degree [56 per cent]. Participants were randomly assigned to receiving either a daily multivitamin pill, or placebo. Neither they nor the researchers knew the type of pills they were given. When the study began, the participants took a series of web-based online tests to assessing their cognitive abilities. The tests were repeated annually for three years. At the end of the first year, participants taking the daily multivitamin pill had significantly higher scores on a test of immediate recall compared to the placebo group. The test also involved viewing a series of 20 words, one at a time, for three seconds each. They were soon asked to key in as many words as they could remember.
The scores, in the multivitamin group, improved from an average of about 7.1 recalled words to 7.8 words after the first year. Scores, by way of comparison, changed from about 7.2 words to about 7.6 words in the placebo group. The improved scores in the multivitamin group continued, although they did not significantly increase over that of the placebo group into the second and third year of the study. Other types of cognitive tests showed no significant differences between the groups. It may, however, be highlighted that participants with a history of cardiovascular disease had lower immediate-recall scores at the start of the study as compared to subjects without such history. However, after one year of taking multivitamins, the scores of participants with cardiovascular disease improved significantly — also, comparable to subjects without the disease.
It’s apparent that most people, to one extent, or another, are deficient in key nutrients — most notably, vitamins and minerals. It is suggested that extra-nutritional demands are imposed by certain requirements, or illnesses. It, thus, makes sense for adults [including growing children] to taking adequate amounts of select nutrients. The most useful nutrients are vitamins A, B, C, D, and E, aside from minerals, such as magnesium, calcium, boron, selenium and zinc.
It would, of course, make sense for one to eat a balanced diet and combine a multivitamin and mineral supplement that offers all the nutrients to your diet — with their appropriate dosages provided and taken care of. Yet, it would be prudent to exercise caution while taking supplements, because excess dosages may increase other health risks. For instance, extremely high vitamin A intake could harm our auto-immune activity, just as much as excess daily doses [>100 mg] of zinc may trigger detrimental changes.
Minerals are categorised into two pools: 1] minerals that we need in amounts greater than 100 mg per day; and, 2] minerals that we need less than 100 mg per day. They are called macro-minerals and micro-minerals, or trace elements, respectively. Minerals originate from the earth, or water. Plants and animals absorb them to get nutrients too.
The best part: vitamins cannot be assimilated without the attendance of minerals. One idyllic way of getting adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals our body needs is by deriving them from the food we eat. The big upside is: some of us don’t need to take supplementary vitamin-mineral pills. The need arises primarily due to a shortfall, or deficiency, aside from health issues. The fact also is, thanks to our modern-day lifestyle, stress, lack of sleep, skewed routines and food habits, there is often a realistic need for vitamin-mineral supplementation, because most of us aren’t clued up to embarking on a supplement programme that fits our individual requirements.
— First published in The Himalayan Times, Nepal
