What is the best time to take vitamins?

[Guest guest]

Vitamins - Reviewed by Dr Dan Rutherford, GP NetDoctor.co.uk

What are vitamins?

The term 'vitamin' is derived from 'vital amine'. They are a group of

substances required in small amounts for growth and development but

which cannot be manufactured by the body.

Without vitamins the human body would not survive. We all need

vitamins in order to live a long and healthy life. Most of us get

sufficient quantities of vitamins from our food, but it may be

necessary for some people to take a vitamin supplement (eg pregnant

women and the elderly).

How easy is it to get all the vitamins we need from our diet?

A varied diet is essential if we are to obtain the nutrients we need.

However, this is not always easy: fruit and vegetables age (an apple

in a bowl loses vitamins hour by hour) and deep frozen products may

often contain more vitamins than vegetables stored for a long time at

room temperature. Therefore, it is especially important to eat a wide

variety of fresh foods.

Too little of just one vitamin may disturb the body's balance and

cause health problems. But taking too many vitamins can also be

dangerous. This is especially true of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D,

E and K: it is harder to get rid of excess of these vitamins through

urine - the most common way for us to eliminate body waste products.

Which vitamins do we know about?

New vitamins are discovered occasionally, but presently we know of

the following vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B10, B11, B12, B13,

B15, B17, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, P, T and U.

Where do vitamin supplements come from?

Most vitamin supplements have been extracted from natural foods. For

instance, vitamin A comes from fish-liver oil. Vitamin B comes from

yeast or liver. Vitamin C is often extracted from small berries in

roses, and vitamin E is extracted from soy beans or maize. Vitamins

may also be synthetically manufactured, but synthetic vitamins are

not always as effective as their naturally-derived equivalent.

How should vitamins be stored?

It is important to keep vitamins in a dark, cool place, or they

will 'go off', just like apples in a bowl. The best place to store

vitamins is in the refrigerator - make sure there is a lid on the

container. A few grains of rice in the container will prevent

moisture getting into the tablets.

When should you take vitamin supplements?

The best time to take vitamins is during the day, after a meal. Never

take vitamins on an empty stomach - they will quickly passed out in

your urine. This is especially true for the B and C vitamins that

dissolve in water. The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K can be

stored in the body for up to 24 hours and can sometimes be stored in

the liver for even longer.

Are vitamins and minerals the same thing?

Vitamins and minerals are two completely different things: minerals

help the vitamins work. The 10 most important minerals are: calcium,

iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, chromium,

selenium and zinc. There is a specific recommended daily allowance

for each of these, as well as for each of the vitamins.

[Guest guest]

Thanks Gretchen for this email..very good info. here!

Take Care

Jo.

> Vitamins - Reviewed by Dr Dan Rutherford, GP NetDoctor.co.uk

>

> What are vitamins?

>

> The term 'vitamin' is derived from 'vital amine'. They are a group

of

> substances required in small amounts for growth and development

but

> which cannot be manufactured by the body.

>

> Without vitamins the human body would not survive. We all need

> vitamins in order to live a long and healthy life. Most of us get

> sufficient quantities of vitamins from our food, but it may be

> necessary for some people to take a vitamin supplement (eg

pregnant

> women and the elderly).

>

> How easy is it to get all the vitamins we need from our diet?

>

> A varied diet is essential if we are to obtain the nutrients we

need.

> However, this is not always easy: fruit and vegetables age (an

apple

> in a bowl loses vitamins hour by hour) and deep frozen products

may

> often contain more vitamins than vegetables stored for a long time

at

> room temperature. Therefore, it is especially important to eat a

wide

> variety of fresh foods.

>

> Too little of just one vitamin may disturb the body's balance and

> cause health problems. But taking too many vitamins can also be

> dangerous. This is especially true of the fat-soluble vitamins A,

D,

> E and K: it is harder to get rid of excess of these vitamins

through

> urine - the most common way for us to eliminate body waste

products.

>

> Which vitamins do we know about?

>

> New vitamins are discovered occasionally, but presently we know of

> the following vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B10, B11, B12, B13,

> B15, B17, C, D, E, F, G, H, K, L, M, P, T and U.

>

> Where do vitamin supplements come from?

>

> Most vitamin supplements have been extracted from natural foods.

For

> instance, vitamin A comes from fish-liver oil. Vitamin B comes

from

> yeast or liver. Vitamin C is often extracted from small berries in

> roses, and vitamin E is extracted from soy beans or maize.

Vitamins

> may also be synthetically manufactured, but synthetic vitamins are

> not always as effective as their naturally-derived equivalent.

>

> How should vitamins be stored?

>

> It is important to keep vitamins in a dark, cool place, or they

> will 'go off', just like apples in a bowl. The best place to store

> vitamins is in the refrigerator - make sure there is a lid on the

> container. A few grains of rice in the container will prevent

> moisture getting into the tablets.

>

> When should you take vitamin supplements?

>

> The best time to take vitamins is during the day, after a meal.

Never

> take vitamins on an empty stomach - they will quickly passed out

in

> your urine. This is especially true for the B and C vitamins that

> dissolve in water. The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K can be

> stored in the body for up to 24 hours and can sometimes be stored

in

> the liver for even longer.

>

> Are vitamins and minerals the same thing?

>

> Vitamins and minerals are two completely different things:

minerals

> help the vitamins work. The 10 most important minerals are:

calcium,

> iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, chromium,

> selenium and zinc. There is a specific recommended daily allowance

> for each of these, as well as for each of the vitamins.