Vitamins, Minerals and Antioxidants

Vitamins, Minerals and Antioxidants

Vitamins and minerals are necessary for practically all processes to occur in the body. Although each has its own unique characteristics and uses, they also work together to ensure all processes in your body occur properly.  Understanding the role vitamins and minerals play in the body is the key to understanding what we need and why. For those of us who generally eat a well balanced diet, taking several different types of vitamin tablets may not necessary. There are of course, exceptions including pregnant and lactating women, those who suffer bone loss due to osteoporosis, and adolescents who need calcium for the development of their bones. While vitamin tablets may not be necessary, minerals, on the other hand, may need to be supplemented, depending on age, gender, and doctor recommendation.

Vitamins

A vitamin is any group of organic substances - other than proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and organic salts - which are essential for normal metabolism, growth, and development. Vitamins regulate metabolic processes, control cellular functions, and prevent diseases. They are necessary organic molecules that cannot be synthesized in the body and similarly to essential amino acids and fatty acids, we have to get these from our food. Vitamins and minerals do not directly supply energy themselves, but they are both required for energy metabolism in the body.

There are essentially two categories of vitamins:

·         Fat Soluble

·         Water Soluble

Fat Soluble Vitamins	Water Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin A	Vitamin C	Niacin	Pantothenic Acid
Vitamin D	Pyridixine	Cobalamin
Vitamin E	Thiamin	Biotin
Vitamin K	Riboflavin	Folic Acid

Let's examine each vitamin:

Vitamin A:

·         Essential for normal growth, integrity of the skin, and bone development.

·         Lack of Vitamin A can lead to infection of the cornea, conjunctiva (the red part of the eye), trachea (windpipe), hair follicles, and renal system.

·         Deficiency can also cause night blindness.

·         Vitamin A is found in butter, butterfat in milk, egg yolk, some fruits (prunes, pineapples, oranges, limes, and cantaloupe), green leafy vegetables and carrots.

Vitamin B Complexes:

·         Vitamin B1 (thiamine):  affects growth, appetite, and carbohydrate metabolism.

o    Alcoholics can be especially deficient.

o    B1 is found in whole grains, nuts, egg yolk, fruits, and most vegetables.

·         Vitamin B2 (riboflavin):

o    Affects growth and cellular metabolism (the ability of the cell to take in food, make energy and discard waste).

o    Found in liver, meat, poultry, eggs, milk, and green vegetables.

·         Vitamin B6 (thiamin)

o    Deficiency will cause pellagra, which is associated with the "four D's": dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death.

o    Found in liver, meat, poultry, and green vegetables.

·         Vitamin B12 (biotin, folic acid, and cyanocobalamin)

o    Found in leafy green vegetables, organ meats, lean beef and veal, and wheat cereals.

o    A deficiency will result in pernicious anemia and neurological problems, including numbness and weakness.

o    Most sugar free energy drinks are overloaded with 5k-8k% of your RDA of Vitamin B12.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid):

·         Necessary for the formation of connective tissue between cells as well as maintenance of the "cement" that secures cells to membranes.

·         Deficiency will lead to scurvy.

·         Vitamin C is found in raw cabbage, carrots, orange juice, lettuce, celery, onions, tomatoes, all citrus fruits.

Vitamin D:

·         Necessary for development of bones and teeth.

·         Deficiency can lead to rickets and tooth decay.

·         Essential in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, two of the most important constituents of bone and teeth.

·         Manufactured in the skin with exposure to sunlight, and is also found in milk, cod liver oil, salmon, egg yolk, and butter fat.

Vitamin E:

·         Exact function of this vitamin is still not clearly understood by Medical professionals.

·         Essential to humans and has been related to the healing of scars.

·         A deficiency is extremely rare since Vitamin E is found in an abundance of foods.

Vitamin K:

·         Essential for blood clotting.

·         Vitamin K is found in fats, oats, wheat, rye, and alfalfa.

Deficiencies & Overdose

Vitamin deficiencies reduce body function and impair health. On the other hand, getting too much of any one vitamin and/or mineral is also unhealthy. It's particularly vital to note that fat soluble vitamins can all be stored in the body, increasing the likelihood of toxicity if higher than recommended amounts are consumed.

The water soluble vitamins on the other hand can be excreted, but still put undue stress on the body when consumed in  excess. Both extremes can be avoided by eating a wide variety of whole foods and enough total calories.

So Should I Use Supplements

It is possible to get all vitamins and minerals through dietary supplements, but keep in mind eating whole food is the optimal way to obtain all nutrients.  Supplements haven’t always been around, yet cavemen still received adequate vitamin intake and nutrition simply from foods they could kill or grow, without going down to the local GNC.  Food provides much more than just a single nutrient (such as a vitamin tablet) and no pill, potion, or powder will ever equate to the benefits derived from eating real food.

So is that a yes or no to using supplements? Both. The point to be taken her is keep in mind what the word supplement means. Just like if you got a second job to supplement your income, similarly-you should consider adding particular supplements of which will provide various vitamins and minerals that you are deficient in on a consistent basis. If there are particular foods or drinks of which you absolutely refuse to eat whether for medical or just personal reasons, and these foods happen to be the best option for providing a particular type of vitamin or mineral essential to your health, supplementation is likely needed here. 

Example: If you are a female and you refuse to drink dairy or eat products that require dairy for whatever reason, there is a much higher chance that you’re low or even deficient in calcium, vitamin D, and other essential vitamins and minerals of which determine in large part how dense and tough a woman’s bones are, joint strength, as well as eventually effect muscle tissue and repair via the calcium channel involved in muscular anatomy. Therefore, the female of whom refuses to eat or drink dairy for whatever reason must consider supplementing her dietary intake with a multivitamin, as well as likely an additional calcium and/or vitamin D supplement.

Although many Fitness and Nutrition Professionals have been telling their clients this for years, ,many still firmly believed you did not need a multivitamin and could get each and every ounce of vitamins and minerals completely via food intake, until now. Just a few months ago the Journal of the American Medical Association recently published a manuscript stating that all adults should take a multivitamin. The key is the multivitamin need not contain 1000's% above the RDA, as many do. It is to act as insurance, not replace or make up for a poor diet.

What About Antioxidants

The term “antioxidant” is a classification of several organic substances, including:

·         Vitamin C

·         Vitamin E

·         Vitamin A (converted from beta-carotene)

·         Alpha-Lipoic-Acid

·         Grape Seed Extract

·         Selenium (a mineral)

·         and a group known as the “carotenoids,” among others.

In fact, the list of nutrients that double as antioxidants continues to grow as time passes and researchers discover more and more. As antioxidants, these substances are said to be effective in helping reduce cancer risks, heart disease, stroke, ageing, side effects associated with not properly caring for diabetes, etc.

Antioxidants and Free Radicals

Antioxidants are said to serve to "deactivate" certain particles called free radicals, which are created from reactive oxygen species. Although that may sound a bit strange, since oxygen is obviously necessary for life, oxygen also does increase free radical production. In fact, intense resistance and aerobic exercise both increase free radical production (the body requires more oxygen during exercise, thereby increasing the production of free radicals). Fortunately the human body has well-developed defense mechanisms in place to protect against toxic oxygen species. Essentially oxygen molecule wants to be oxidized, which results in an unstable molecule that can move around the body and cause damage.

Similarly, tobacco smoke (first or second hand smoke), radiation, and exposure to environmental pollutants all increase free radicals. Free radicals are the natural by-products of many processes within and among cells. If free radicals are left "untouched," they can cause damage to cell walls, certain cell structures, and genetic material within the cells. Think of free radicals as the “pinball” in an arcade pinball machine: when in motion, it can hit everything and anything in its path, but unlike the pinball free radicals can cause irreversible damage over time. This can lead to disease, such as heart disease or cancer. Free radicals are not the only cause of such diseases; there are genetic factors and other lifestyle habits that have a negative effect on the development of disease, but just one more piece to the puzzle.

This is where antioxidants come to join the team and change the game in your favor. Think about the term antioxidant-oxidized molecules become free radicals, so something that works against the oxidation process (anti, means against) would be beneficial. The antioxidant returns lost electrons to the free radical and thus, “deactivating” it before any damage is done.

So Where Can I Get Antioxidants

Antioxidants are sold as pills, drinks, and even topical creams now days. The fact of the matter is that the absolute best way to consume all antioxidants is through eating a variety of whole foods - a diet abundant in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, provides nutrients that cannot otherwise be obtained from any dietary supplement.

One of the best methods is to get a list of colorful fruits and vegetables and keep it in your kitchen. Most Fit Pro’s and Nutritionists generally recommend you eat produce from every color and category in that chart, regularly.

Minerals

Most either don’t know what minerals are or even think they aren't important in the diet, but this is clearly wrong. Minerals are essential, acting as "co-factors of enzymes" (enzymes can’t exist or function without minerals), and as organizers of the molecular structure of the cell and its membrane. Most medical professionals and researchers agree there are 14 trace minerals necessary for survival, a few of which are discussed below.

Chromium:

·         Necessary for the maintenance of normal blood sugar levels.

·         Works with insulin in assisting cells to take in glucose and release energy.

·         Sources include meats, unrefined foods, fats, and vegetable oils. .

Copper:

·         Needed for the production of red blood cells and the formation of connective tissues.

·         Plays a major role in the defense against free radicals.

·         Sources include meat, seafood, nuts, and seeds.

Fluorine:

·         Maintains the structure of teeth.

·         Flourine helps protect teeth from acidic decay.

·         Sources include water (in some areas), seafood, kidney, liver, and other meats.

Manganese:

·         Activator of many enzymes.

·         Very closely related to the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and protein.

·         Sources include whole grains and cereals, fruits, and vegetables.

Selenium:

·         Important in protecting lipids of cell membranes (cell walls are made up of a lipid (fat) layer), proteins, and nucleic acids against oxidant damage.

·         Sources include broccoli, chicken, cucumbers, egg yolk, garlic, liver, milk, mushrooms, onions, seafood, and tuna.

Zinc:

·         Represents only 0.003 percent of the human body.

·         Essential for synthesis of protein, DNA and RNA. It is required for growth in all stages of life.

·         Sources include meats, oysters and other seafood, milk, and egg yolk.

No one knows exactly at what age we should start complementing our dieting program with nutritional supplements, but the safest suggestion is to analyze your diet now and begin immediately adding foods or supplements – as long as you are getting adequate amounts, regardless where they come from. A close collaboration with a physician or other health-care/Fitness professional is recommended to ensure you absorb daily the necessary nutrients for our body. What we do know is that our cells' ability to produce adequate amounts of antioxidants is determined by age, inheritance, nutrition and stress and that it starts declining at age 20!

“Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you've got to start young.” -Fred Astaire

There are substantial differences between vitamins and minerals, even though we often describe them as one.  Vitamins are

complex molecules that regulate the body’s chemical mechanisms. They also contribute to storing and releasing energy (so, they help regulate metabolism), and they also help maintain the quality of the bones, blood, and nerves. Minerals, on the other hand, are inorganic (made of neither plant nor animal matter) substances that float around in our body tissues and fluids.  Their purpose is to trigger or prevent enzyme and hormone production, as well as function as a raw material used by the body to build structures, such as bones.

The human body needs, and therefore uses up, some or all of the vitamins and minerals necessary to keep it functioning daily.  So the supply must be replenished, or the body then begins to pull from stores inside of the body, like the bones, for instance.  Just realizing this fact alone may change your take on vitamins and minerals and how important they are to your health needs!

Phytochemicals are neither vitamin nor mineral – they are a natural group of chemicals found in plants which are proving to have been natural cancer fighters all along!  They remove nitric oxide from cells before it can combine with amines (also chemicals) to create the nitrosamines that are involved in cancer cell formation.  I’ll talk more about these awesome disease-fighters in a future post later this week where we’ll get into who the major players from the vitamins and minerals team are, and how they contribute to our overall healthy functioning!

Until next time!

Keep it fit,

Fitness Mastermind, LLC