We’re often told that our modern lifestyles are slowly
killing us; fast food, not enough sunlight and too little fruit and vegetables can
result in numerous health issues and many of us are predicted to
suffer with these later in life. Arise in the amount of people suffering from
a vitamin D deficiency has sparked further concern that we’re not
looking after our health sufficiently on our own. We now we live in a culture
where – partly out of paranoia, partly due to misinformation – we believe that
the more vitamins we consume, the healthier we’ll be. However, have
we lost sight of where our main sources of vitamins should be coming from? Are
we now taking too many supplements?
Which vitamins do we need?
Our bodies need vitamins to carry out many of the functions
we take for granted. Vitamin D, for example, helps your bones absorb
the calcium they need to be strong in order to prevent bone
conditions, like osteoporosis. A lack of vitamin D can result in conditions
which affect your immune system and has been linked to the development multiple
sclerosis. Similarly, vitamin A ensures the productivity of your
immune system and vitamin C is crucial in order for your body to repair
itself and heal. A lack of any of these can cause your immune system to falter
and, at best, cause you to be ill more often than others, with recovery time being
longer, or at worst, you could develop life threatening diseases,
including cancer.
What happens if we take too many vitamins?
As important as it is to prevent any hit to your immune
system that a lack of vitamins may cause, taking too many can actually work in
the opposite direction. Too higher doses of Vitamin A, for example, can cause
dizziness, nausea and in extreme circumstances, death. Vitamin C in small
doses has been found to be great for our health, but if taken too much in high
doses, you can form kidney stones. Additionally, too many antioxidants,
which usually help fight the free radicals which are known to cause cancer, can
actually cause it themselves.
How do we get the vitamins we need?
Ultimately, getting the vitamins we need from a full,
varied diet should be our priority. Fruit, vegetables, oily fish and
grains all contain the vitamins and minerals our bodies need, while
getting enough sun (between 10-30 minutes a day) ensures our bodies are using
vitamin D adequately. Sometimes it isn’t always possible to get enough of the
vitamins we need from just our diet, so taking a multivitamin once a day and cod
liver oil tablets, which contain Omega 3, can be beneficial.
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