Facts About Vitamins

Facts About Vitamins

• Not all vitamins are essential; some can be produced by the body itself, given the right circumstances. Vitamin D, for example, is created when the skin is exposed to sunlight, and vitamin K can be created by the natural bacteria in the intestines.

• Smokers would be wise to supplement with extra vitamin B-12, since this powerful antioxidant has shown itself to be particularly effective at combating carcinogens in general and the ill effects of airborne pollution in particular. Or you could go cold turkey and decrease the risk even further, while saving a hundred bucks or more per month. Your choice.

• There are two types of vitamins; fat-soluble and water-soluble. The former "piggy backs" on fat when entering the body, making it a requirement to consume proper amounts of fat for complete absorption, and it also makes it hard to get rid of in case you accidentally ingest too much. These are A, D, E and K. Water-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, are readily absorbed and flushed right out if you get too much. That's the various kinds of B vitamins and vitamin C.

• The first vitamin, vitamin A, wasn't discovered until 1909. Medical professionals had known about the impact of certain foods on ailments (notably citrus fruit for preventing scurvy) since the 18th century, but it wasn't until much later the "missing link" was properly identified and classified.

• Nobel prize winner and renowned nutrition expert Linus Pauling believed that sufficient doses of vitamin C could cure colds. He personally took in 12 grams of vitamin C per day -- some 200 times the RDA -- and argued that doses of upwards 100 grams a day could even cure cancer. Obviously, the scientific community has remained largely unconvinced of this particular aspect of his teachings. But the guy lived to the ripe old age of 94, so it least it didn't seem to have hurt him.

• Eating too many carrots can actually give you a distinctly orange tinge, especially the palms of your hands. This is because of the beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant and precursor to vitamin A. Normally, vitamin A overdosing would be harmful since it's a fat-soluble vitamin, but in this case the only effect is looking funny.

• The health supplement industry, ie. the over-the-counter stuff you find in health food stores, gyms and grocery isles across the country, is almost entirely unregulated. Unlike pharmaceuticals, which are tightly controlled, practically anyone can start churning out vitamin supplements. This is why you should always strive to be an informed customer and only buy trusted brands that have been scrutinized and found to deliver. The Dollar Store 2-for-1 deal from a brand you've never heard of with badly printed label containing several spelling errors may not be what you're looking for. As always, you get what you pay for.

• Pregnant women, and even those merely trying to become pregnant, should always take extra vitamin B-9, also known as folic acid. This particular member of the vitamin B family has proven to be vital in preventing certain nasty birth defects that could be easily avoided by popping a vitamin capsule each morning. On the flip side, some vitamins -- particularly the fat-solubles mentioned earlier -- can have a negative effect on a developing fetus. Bottom line: play it safe and make sure you get what you need, based on the RDI for pregnant women, but don't overdo it.