The Pros and Cons of Vitamin Supplements

Many people take over-the-counter vitamin supplements without full knowledge of their effects. Unarguably, vitamins supplements can benefit the body; however, there are pros and cons to taking them. It’s to your advantage to know how vitamin supplements will affect you, especially if you take them in pill form.

The human organism requires micronutrients, in the form of vitamins and minerals, to stimulate healthy growth, as well as to maintain health during the adult years. Micronutrients primarily come from food, and in special cases, from vitamin supplements. Taking supplements blindly, without the recommendation of a physician, can actually do more harm than good.

The Pros of Taking Vitamin Supplements
Vitamins and minerals safeguard the body against various illnesses and diseases. When the body takes in less than its needed requirements for optimum health, a vitamin deficiency occurs, making one more prone to certain illnesses.

Different vitamin deficiencies lead to different types of illnesses. A deficiency of Vitamin A, for instance, is associated with dry skin and night blindness, whereas Vitamin B1 may cause loss of sensation in extremities. As such, vitamin supplements offer a type of immunization against developing these conditions, especially in cases of an unbalanced diet.

Water soluble vitamins are dissolved in the fluids of the human digestive system, and get flushed out by the excretory system. However, fat-soluble vitamins such as Vitamin A, E, and K, which get stored in body tissues, may lead to the development of certain diseases.

Here follows a list of vitamins and the symptoms of their particular deficiencies:

• Vitamin A (also known as Retinol): Dry skin and night blindness. Vitamin A is found in vegetables, eggs, whole milk, liver, and butter.
• Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Loss of sensation, numbness, tingling or shooting pain in the extremities (legs especially), muscle deterioration that may lead to paralysis. B1 Vitamin is commonly found in nuts, vegetables, fruits, bran, whole grain, and fish.
  
• Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Mouth ulcers, impaired vision, and cracked lips. Vitamin B2 is found in milk and vegetables, as well as liver and eggs.
• Vitamin B3: Diarrhea, weight loss, general weakness, burning mouth sensation and mouth sores, and skin roughness. Vitamin B3 is found in meat and seafood, vegetables, whole grains and cereals.
• Vitamin B6: Soreness of the mouth and dizziness, as well as nausea and depression. Vitamin B6 is found in bran, meat, and vegetables.
• Vitamin B12: General weakness, shortness of breath, tingling and numbness in the limbs, feet, and hands. Vitamins B12 is found in meat, milk, and seafood.
• Vitamin C: Infected, bleeding, bruised and/or swollen gums. (Vitamin C deficiency is rare.) Vitamin C is found in vegetables, as well as citrus fruits such as oranges.
• Vitamin D: Misshapen spine or “bow legs.” Vitamin D can be found in eggs, yolk, and seafood.
• Vitamin E: Central nervous system disorders such as ataxia and peripheral neuropathy in cases of extreme deficiency. Vitamin E can be found in spinach, wheat germ, nut oils, sunflower seeds, and vegetables.
• Folic Acid: Similar symptoms to B1 and B3 deficiencies. (Pregnant women may require supplements.) Folic Acid can be found in nuts, whole wheat, vegetables, and liver.
• Vitamin K: Bleeding. Vitamin K is found in vegetables.
• Pantothenic Acid: Coordination problems, tiredness, and headaches. Pantothenic Acid is commonly found in potatoes, liver, eggs, and vegetables.
  
  

The Cons of Vitamin Supplements
There are many disadvantages to taking vitamin supplements. Their cost is one of them. The preparation of well balanced, nutritious meals can be a lot more cost effective than buying supplements to compensate for an unhealthy diet. You can also run the risk of overdosing, which wouldn’t otherwise happen when eating foods rich in those vitamins.

Additionally, you may already get enough vitamins from your food, so that supplements would overload your system, either getting flushed out or leading to the symptoms of overdosing. Fat-soluble vitamin overdoses are the worst. An overdose of Vitamin A, for instance, can cause many unpleasant side effects, such as blurred vision, hair loss, and ringing in the ears.

Here are some symptoms of overdosing on certain vitamins:

• Vitamin A: Hair loss, nausea, ringing in the ears, menstrual irregularities, skin rashes, apathy and mood disorders.
• Vitamin B3: Peptic ulcer, faintness, dizziness, gout, and hyperglycemia.
• Vitamin B6: Difficulty walking, memory loss, depression, disorientation, and numbness.
• Vitamin D: Appetite loss, deafness, nausea, hypertension, and high cholesterol.
• Vitamin E: Hypertension, breast tenderness, muscular impairment, and the prolonged healing of wounds.
  
  

Because of the risk of overdosing on individual vitamins, taking combined vitamins in the form of multi vitamins is recommended. But even with multi vitamins, physician supervision is advisable.

Who Benefits from Taking Multi Vitamins?
Vegetables typically contain the most amounts of vitamins. As such, vegetable-rich diets may offer ample doses of necessary nutrients for a healthy organism.

Additional nutrients can come from the likes of liver, eggs, milk, nuts, and seafood. Foods rich in fiber and antioxidants, such as whole wheat bread, are also very beneficial. However, there are those who would still need multivitamins to supplement their nutrient intake.

They are:

• People recovering from illnesses or injury
• People on low-calorie diets
• People who do not eat from all the food groups
• People with suppressed appetite
• People with digestive conditions
• Pregnant or lactating women
  
  

If you are considering taking vitamin supplements or wish to know more about your individual vitamin requirements, seek the help of a physician or nutritionist.