All you need to know about vitamin supplements
Good nutrition is incomplete without components like vitamins and minerals, that are needed in smaller quantities than carbs, protein and fats, but they're what keep the human body functioning optimally. Think of them as the small nuts and bolts of a machine that have a crucial role to play.
For most, these essential nutrients usually come from a daily balanced diet, but in some cases -- such as pregnancy or a diagnosed vitamin deficiency -- vitamin supplements may be required to reach adequate levels and can help in overall health and wellness.
Experts at Myprotein suggest that supplementing with vitamins and minerals can help support your fitness goals as well. For instance, vitamin C, B6, and B12 can help reduce tiredness, aiding longer workouts. The essential minerals calcium and magnesium contribute to normal muscle function, which therefore helps to support your body through training sessions.
Therefore, vitamin supplements can be called safe-to-consume only if they are taken as supplementary in addition to a healthy diet consisting of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes, animal sources of food and fortified foods. They should never substitute proper meals.
Commonly-taken vitamins and minerals include Vitamin B12, which can help keep nerve and blood cells healthy, make DNA and prevent anaemia; Folic acid, which can reduce foetal birth defects when taken by pregnant women; vitamin D, which can strengthen bones; calcium, which can promote bone health; vitamins C and E, which can prevent cell damage; zinc, which can promote skin health and slow down vision loss from age-related macular degeneration; fish oil, which can support heart health; vitamin A, which can slow down vision loss from age-related macular degeneration and contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
B vitamins contribute to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, vitamin D helps to maintain normal bones, calcium contributes to the maintenance of normal teeth, potassium, to normal muscle function, and magnesium is involved with normal protein synthesis