Importance of Dietary Supplements

Vitamins are required for normal functioning of4. Vegetarian or Vegan diet.
the body - Growth, Digestion & Nerve Function.5. Post menopausal women.
Vitamins & Minerals are required in small and6. Special medical conditions.
steady amounts and they together form the7. Smoke or Drink alcohol.
micro nutrients essential to maintain healthy mind8. Over 50 years of age.
and body.9. Eating junk unhealthy food and not getting
There are two types of vitamins, Essential anddietary balance of vitamins.
Non-essential. There are 13 Essential vitamins10. Can not afford diet of variety of foods that
required by the body which has to be obtainedare essential for healthy living.
through the food we eat. The essential vitamins11. Pregnant or breastfeeding women.
required by the body are Vitamin A, Vitamin C,12. Not in good health - physically &/or mentally.
Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6,Minerals help body grow, develop and stay
Vitamin B12, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin,healthy.They help building strong bones and also in
Pantothenic acid, Biotin and Folic acid.transmitting nerve impulses. Some minerals are
Vitamins are either fat soluble or water soluble.even used to maintain normal heartbeat and also
Water soluble vitamins are essential vitamins andto make hormones.
are not stored in body in high amounts. Fat solubleMinerals can be classified into two groups mainly
vitamins are soluble in Bile acids and they arebased on the amount required by the body as
stored by the body and used when they areMacro-minerals and Trace minerals. Macro-minerals
required.include Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Sodium,
Vitamins taken in the form are dietary nutritionalPotassium, Chloride and Sulfur. Trace minerals
supplements are best utilized by the body wheninclude Iron, Manganese, Copper, Iodine, Zinc,
taken along with food and nutrient supplementsCobalt, Fluoride, Selenium.
are not the substitute for the whole foods.Vitamins and minerals help Enzymes which are
Dietary supplements can compliment the dietalso a kind of proteins in regulating the metabolic
when there is trouble getting enough of essentialprocesses. These metabolic processes include
nutrients through food. People who are healthyformation of proteins which are the building blocks
and eat wide variety of food including fruits andof life and also the breakdown of carbohydrates
vegetables(8 servings), whole grains, legumes, leanand fats to generate energy.
meat and fish on a regular basis do not needBody does not manufacture all the vital nutrients.
dietary supplements.All the essential vitamins and minerals come from
Dietary supplements become essential if any onefood. People who get lot of vitamins and minerals
of the below mentioned cases is trueare those who have very healthy kidneys and eat
1. Do not eat enough servings of fruits,a variety of foods from all food groups. Since the
vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean meat andkidney diet limits some food groups the body
fish.may not be getting all the nutrients it needs each
2. Normal American diet which lacks in essentialday. Therefore it is very much necessary to
vitamins, minerals, enzymes and hormones.intake certain amount of vitamins and minerals in
3. Under diet or weight loss program i. e.,the form of supplements.
restricted nutritional regime.