Although vitamins are considered to be micro-nutrients, they are nonetheless essential to life.

They help to activate chemical reactions that are continually taking place within the body and act in conjunction with enzymes, as co-enzymes, to allow all the activities that occur to be carried out correctly. Water-soluble vitamins must be taken into the body on a daily basis as they cannot be stored. These include vitamin C and the B vitamins.

Recommended daily allowances (RDAs)

These were instituted about 40 years ago as a guide to the daily amount of vitamins needed by a healthy person. They give only the bare minimum required to ward off deficiency diseases, and do not take into account lifestyle or individual needs. Some people need up to ten times the RDA of any particular vitamin (or mineral), particularly when they are ill or under excessive stress.

Vitamins may be produced synthetically i.e. in laboratories, or they may be derived from food sources. Wherever possible, the latter are preferable.

Do we need extra vitamins?

Each vitamin has a different function within the body.  There are other factors which affect the levels of vitamins that the body requires, such as:
Age
Sex
Level of activity
State of health (e.g. diet, smoking status, alcohol consumption)

Certain people may have higher requirements for specific vitamins.  Those with specific medical conditions, and people recovering from illness or surgery need to ensure they obtain adequate supply by eating foods rich in specific vitamins.

Vitamin supplementation is normally only advised when a certain deficiency or need cannot be corrected through dietary intake.  Further advice on supplementation should be sought from a doctor or qualified nutritionist.

03/06/2009