How is vitamins good for the body

But what does your body really need? And is it possible to get too much of a good thing? Your body needs vitamins and minerals to work properly.

You get them from the foods you eat every day. Minerals are inorganic elements that come from soil and water, and are absorbed by plants or eaten by animals. Your body needs larger amounts of some minerals, such as calcium , to grow and stay healthy. Other minerals like chromium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc are called trace minerals because you need only very small amounts of them. Vitamins and minerals boost the immune system , support normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs.

For example, you've probably heard that carrots are good for your eyes. It's true! Carrots are full of substances called carotenoids pronounced: kuh-RAH-teh-noydz that your body converts into vitamin A, which helps prevent eye problems. Vitamin K helps blood to clot, so cuts and scrapes stop bleeding quickly. You'll find vitamin K in green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and soybeans. And to have strong bones, you need to eat foods such as milk, yogurt, and green leafy vegetables, which are rich in the mineral calcium.

Eating well now is especially important because the body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to grow and stay healthy. Eating a mix of foods is the best way to get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day.

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The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Healthy eating. Home Healthy eating. Vitamins - common misconceptions. Actions for this page Listen Print. Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. The vitamin alone is not the answer Recommended dietary intakes Deficiencies and illness Sometimes supplements are needed The common cold and vitamin C Stress, depression and anxiety Vitamin E and heart disease Cancer cures Some research findings Anti-ageing vitamins Vitamins and chronic disease Where to get help.

The vitamin alone is not the answer Proper balance and adequate levels of essential nutrients is important for a range of complex processes in our body. Recommended dietary intakes Many people mistakenly believe that since small amounts of vitamins are good for you, then large amounts must be better. Deficiencies and illness The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K can be locked away in the liver and body fat, and stored for a long time.

Sometimes supplements are needed Supplements do have a role to play for some groups of people. The common cold and vitamin C Many people think that vitamin C helps prevent the common cold. Adults need about 45 mg of vitamin C per day and any excess amount is excreted. Stress, depression and anxiety Some vitamin and omega-3 fatty acid deficiencies can lead to emotional disturbances. Vitamin E and heart disease Vitamin E is widely promoted as a beneficial antioxidant that can help prevent heart disease.

Cancer cures Vitamin A in large doses does not cure cancer and can be toxic, particularly if taken as pills rather than food. Some research findings A number of studies into supplement use have shown negative findings. For instance: Vitamin A beta-carotene was thought to reduce the risk of some cancers, but has been linked to an increase in others, such as lung cancer in smokers, if taken in supplement form. Several long-term studies have shown that prostate, breast and lung cancer risk are not decreased by taking high-dose supplements containing vitamins E or C or selenium.

People taking high-dose vitamin E supplements have been found to have higher rates of early death mortality. Anti-ageing vitamins Vitamin E is often singled out as the potential fountain of youth. Vitamins and chronic disease In developed countries like Australia, vitamin deficiency is rare, but the inadequate intake of some vitamins, as a result of an unhealthy diet, is not so rare and has been linked to a number of chronic diseases.

Multivitamins: Do you really need to take one? Huang H-Y, et al. Kris-Etherton PM, et al. Park S-Y, et al. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Yes No. View all healthy eating. Some of the benefits of iron include:. Those who eat red meats typically get enough iron, but certain circumstances like having your menstrual cycle, going through puberty, and being pregnant may increase the amount of iron you need.

This is because iron is essential during times of rapid growth and development. Any more than that and Valdez says you may feel nauseous. Folate or folic acid is best known for aiding in fetus development and preventing birth defects. But each has a specialized role, too. Vegan or vegetarians are prone to vitamin B deficiency because most food sources are animal-based like meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.

Pro-tip: The recommended amount of B is less than 3 mcg, so Lerman recommends looking for a vitamin with 1 to 2 mcg per serving because your body gets rid of any extra B when you pee. B also has many forms, so Smith recommends that you look for a multi that carries B as methylcobalamin or methyl-B12 , which is easiest for our bodies to absorb. Because at the end of the day, supplements should be considered bonus boosters, not replacements for food.

Gabrielle Kassel is a rugby-playing, mud-running, protein-smoothie-blending, meal-prepping, CrossFitting, New York-based wellness writer.

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