A Comprehensive Guide To The Essential Vitamins You Need

02 Nov A Comprehensive Guide To The Essential Vitamins You Need

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get all of our essential daily vitamins and minerals from the food we eat? At the end of the day, so much of our food is processed, which makes it hard to get all the nutrients your body needs. Your goal should be to get nutrients from nutrient-dense foods, but since most people have a hard time with this finding the right supplement with only the essentials is important

Not to be a Debbie downer but research shows that inadequate intake of several vitamins can be associated with chronic disease. So when picking a supplement it is key to get one with the best nutrient form, matching what’s already in your cells or healthy food. The best nutrient forms require fewer conversions inside the body, which allows for your body to easily absorbed and use them right away.

Supplement FYI’s

To better help you navigate, the vitamin world, it’s vital to know the purpose and benefit of each vitamin in your supplement. That’s why I created a little guide to some of the essential vitamins our body needs. But a few quick reminders about supplements in the USA.

FYI: Remember that just like a drug, supplements can make your life better if you actually need it and possibly worse if you don’t. Also, remember that as we go through different stages of life our nutritional needs change, and as always consult a doctor before starting any supplements.

FYI: The quality of the supplements you get is so important. In the US, there is no federal regulation on supplements, meaning purchases of vitamins, minerals and herbs are unregulated by the US government. So do your research on what

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Folate-Methylfolate

Methylfolate is the purest form of vitamin B9. We can’t produce this vitamin on our own, so we need to get it from food or a supplement. Methylfolate is the active and natural form of folate. Folic acid which is seen in so many vitamins and food products is the synthetic form or chemical form of folate. We depend on a gene and enzyme found in the body to convert folic acid to its the active form of Methylfolate. For people who have the gene mutation called MTHFR, where the folic acid can’t convert properly. It’s important to take Methylfolate (MF) which is the body’s most fully active form of folate in order to get all the benefits. Research has found that 10%-15% of the Caucasian population and more than 25% of the Latino population have variants in both copies of the MTHFR gene.

A Methylfolate is easiest for your body to use, because unlike folic acid itself, it doesn’t need to go through enzyme conversion.

Benefits folate: DNA synthesis, heart & brain health.

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Vitamin D3

There are over 60,392 studies on Vitamin D, which should tell you its importance. Let’s look at some vitamin D facts:

• It’s a fat-soluble vitamin 
• It’s produced when ultraviolet rays from sunlight hit the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. 
• affects the activity of about 2,000 different genes,
• It affects your mood, brain health, and guards against autoimmune diseases/ cancer and can help heal the gut.
• Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the gut
• It must undergo two hydroxylations in the body for activation: Once in the liver and then in the kidneys

Benefits Vitamin D3: bone health, immune & gut health, reduction of inflammation, helps with PMS.

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Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 or cobalamin can be found in our animal products. B12 is crucial for life and one of its roles is DNA for new cell growth.

Vitamin B12 binds to the protein in the foods we eat, our stomach acid (hydrochloric acid ) & enzymes then unbind vitamin B12 into its free form to be absorbed in the small intestines.

Benefits of Vitamin B12 gives us: healthy blood cells , DNA creation and prevent megaloblastic anemia.

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Magnesium

Magnesium is crucial because it plays a role in over 300 enzymatic reactions within the body. It helps keep calcium out of the soft tissues and in the bones where it’s needed most. It is hard to assess magnesium in the body because most magnesium is inside cells or in bone. But it’s important to know that things like stress, caffeine, soda, and certain medications can easily be depleted magnesium in the body.

Benefits of magnesium: bone formation, stabilizes mood, keeps stress in check, promotes better sleep.

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Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Also known as fish oil supplements, omega-3 fatty acids are key components of the membranes that surround each cell in your body. The body can’t make essential fat so we have to get it from food.

So the question is are you eating foods high in Omega-3? Like fish, veg oils, nuts (i.e.walnuts), flax seeds/oil, leafy vegetables.

Benefits of Omega 3 Fatty Acids: They help in the production of hormones that help regulate blood clotting, contraction and relaxation of artery walls, and inflammation. help relates your heartbeat, is anti-inflammatory, and reduces the risk of depression.

Major Take Aways

When we take a supplement it is meant to be “in addition to,” not “in place of” good nutrient-dense foods. Finding a good supplement can be hard, but there are pure, unadulterated ones out there. All resources are linked for you to check out throughout this post, so please read the sources for more information. For my personal recommendations take a peek at my favorite vitamins linked below.

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Supplement & Dispensary Quick Links

Q Sciences Link

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*Consult a doctor before starting any supplements* Please remember all information and materials on here is not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. All material is provided is for educational purposes only. Please seek the advice of your physician or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions.