Vitamins 101

Taking vitamins can be beneficial to your health, but there are correct ways to do it, and methods that might not yield the results you’re looking to achieve.

Remember that the supplements each individual may need are exactly that, individual. Outside of your personal health needs, here are some tips and information to consider when adding vitamins and supplements to your diet.

Two categories

There are two kinds of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble varieties. Fat-soluble vitamins are best absorbed by your body in the presence of fat, so you should take them with a snack or meal containing healthy fats. Water-soluble vitamins cannot be produced by the body, so you need to get these nutrients from sources including supplements and foods.

1) Fat-soluble

These vitamins can be stored in the body for long periods of time. You should not consume too much of them for this reason. Included are: Vitamin A – essential for eye health; Vitamin D – supporting immune function and bone health; Vitamin E – an antioxidant known to help protect your body from free radicals, and Vitamin K – helps to promote blood clotting.

2) Water-soluble

These are best to take daily as the body flushes them out far more quickly than their fatty counterparts. They include Vitamin B12 – supporting cognitive function, the creation of DNA, and the formation of red blood cells, Vitamin B6 – supports neural development and amino acid metabolism; Biotin – helping to yield healthy hair, nails, and skin; Folate – aiding in the body’s formation of DNA and RNA; Niacin – supporting metabolism; Pantothenic Acid – another metabolism supporter; Riboflavin – aiding energy production, and Thiamine – also helping with metabolism.

Probiotics & Sleep Aids

Probiotics can be beneficial for overall health, too. They contain living cultures that benefit your gut microbiome, which is made up of billions of living microorganisms.

Sleep is essential to health. If you are experiencing sleep issues, it’s best to discuss this with your doctor to determine which specific supplement might be best suited to you. There is a whole host of them on the market. In fact, discussing adding any supplements to your routine with your doctor is always a great idea.

At Core Health Chiropractic, our mission is to make Berks County healthier one spine at a time, through chiropractic care. We are dedicated to educating and empowering the families in and around our community to make informed decisions about their health. Our goal is to set people free from their current health conditions and to help them reach their optimum potential through neurologically-based chiropractic care. Call us at 610.750.9131 or visit corehealthberks.com.