Almost every doctor advises fulfilling the vitamins and minerals needs of the body. Certain types of vitamins and minerals are required by our body to function properly. We can intake vitamins orally or naturally by exposing our body to sunlight, for instance. Some common sources of extracting vitamins include exposure to sunlight, nutritional supplements, and eating a vitamin-rich diet.
Vitamins basically are elements required by our body for proper functioning. From performing vital tasks such as breaking down food and converting it into energy to supporting and sustaining bone’s health; our body is very much dependent on vitamins. Regardless of the types i.e. water-soluble and fat-soluble, all vitamins are essential.
Why do we need vitamins?
Vitamins assists in keeping our bones healthy. In case of deficiency, you may feel fatigued, muscle weakness, and even depression. Therefore, before buying canned foods from the supermarket, it is best to look for vitamins labeled in the nutrition column.
From keeping the bones healthier to the absorption of calcium, vitamins provide many benefits. Some of these benefits are:
Assisting the parathyroid glands
The right amount of calcium is required for the proper functioning of the body. During the intake of a rich calcium diet, parathyroid glands communicate with different parts of the body like kidneys and bones and convert this intake into dietary calcium. The right amount of calcium is extracted and put to use.
Vitamins enable the parathyroid glands to maintain the calcium content in the body. Therefore, while taking a low calcium diet, these glands will act to compensate for this calcium loss. They will borrow the required amount of calcium from the skeleton and gut.
Maintaining strength
Apart from providing numerous functions, bones provide proper strength to our body. They support our body during motion. Forming a protection layer, bones provide safety to our brain and other parts in case of an injury.
Deficiency of vitamins can lead to many diseases like arthritis, rickets, or tailor’s bunion. Arthritis is a bone disease that affects the functioning of joints. Rickets, on the other hand, is the weakening of bones in children.
Now, what is a tailor’s bunion? It is the formation of a lump alongside the little toe. The formation of such bunions could be the result of a number of issues.
Accumulating calcium
Bones store calcium that assists in keeping them healthier. Here, vitamins prove beneficial in the absorption process. And in the absence of calcium, the bones get weak which results in osteoporosis causing cramps and fractures.
Impact of diet on the production of vitamins
We are what we eat. Natural foods are the best sources to obtain vitamins and minerals. However, there are some types of vitamins like vitamin D which is not abundantly present in natural food. Therefore, to get enough vitamins, certain processed or canned foods have added vitamin D in them. You can see the amount mentioned in the nutrients column labeled on the back of the box.
Vegans may suffer as their diet does not includes much vitamin. To cover their loss, they take vitamin-rich supplements. The same is the case with lactose-intolerant individuals.
The bottom line
Not getting enough vitamins may result in many diseases like high blood pressure, cardiac issues, and diabetes. Vitamins improve your immune system to cure certain infections. In the absence of vitamins, the immune system may not function properly. In some cases, these infections can lead to cancer. Therefore, to stay healthy, you may need to revise the number of vitamins in your body.
