What are vitamins? The role of vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds that are essential for metabolism, and are extremely important nutrients that the body cannot produce enough on its own and must be supplemented through diet.

Vitamins participate in the body’s energy metabolism, synthesis, use and metabolism of nutrients. There are many types of vitamins and different roles in the body.

Strengthen the body’s immune system, prevent and treat diseases.

• It is an essential component to create cells, helping to maintain life and ensure cell growth.
• Enhances the function of the nervous and cardiovascular systems.
• Participate in the process of converting nutrients into energy used for cells and all vital activities of the body.
• Enhances antioxidant capacity and prevents tissue and cell damage, contributing to limiting aging.
• Protects the body from attacks by pathogens, supporting quick recovery from damage.

Which vitamin increases the body’s resistance?

The prominent role of vitamins in increasing resistance is fat-soluble vitamins (vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K) and water-soluble vitamins (B vitamins, vitamin C).

• Vitamin A is a yellow, oil-soluble substance that supports the eyes, develops vision, strengthens the immune system, and treats acne.
• Vitamin D is fat-soluble, helps protect the heart, stabilize blood vessels, protect and maintain the bone and joint system, and enhance the absorption of calcium and phosphate in the intestinal tract.
• Vitamin E is oil-soluble and helps prevent the aging process, reduce wrinkles, and increase resistance.
• Vitamin K is an important component of the liver enzyme system that synthesizes blood clotting factors; Enhances the function of vascular endothelial cells to prevent atherosclerosis, blockage of blood vessels, and avoid myocardial infarction and angina.
• Vitamin C is a very familiar vitamin that helps promote collagen synthesis, supports the immune system, fights cancer, colds, makes skin rosy, and prevents wrinkles.
• B vitamins participate in metabolism and synthesis of cells involved in immune mechanisms.

People who need vitamin supplements

Vitamins are found in food, however there are some cases where providing vitamins through food cannot meet daily needs. Therefore, to keep the immune system healthy and prevent diseases, especially the following people need to supplement vitamins through functional foods:

• People with malnutrition.
• Pregnant women.
• People with poor nutritional absorption.
• Elderly.
• People with severe digestive disorders. are on chronic antibiotic treatment.
• Athletes, bodybuilders.
• People who follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.

How to supplement vitamins properly?

Vitamins in food are both safe and easy to absorb and metabolize. Therefore, supplementing vitamins from food through meals is extremely important.

In addition, vitamins can be supplemented orally. And vitamin supplementation through treatment (in the form of medicine) requires a prescription from a specialist to avoid excess harm to health.

Side effects when using vitamins incorrectly

Many people abuse vitamin supplements, leading to their role being affected by certain times and ways of use.

Overdosing on vitamins can cause side effects such as: dizziness, nausea, headache, fatigue. At severe levels, it can cause serious complications and disorders to internal organs of the body.

7 notes when using vitamins

Supplementing vitamins with daily functional foods is now becoming more and more popular. However, everyone should still pay attention to the following 7 notes:

Vitamins do not replace daily nutrition

Daily eating not only supplements vitamins but also many other groups of substances needed to nourish the body.

Do not use one vitamin for too long

Long-term use of a vitamin causes accumulation and toxicity in the body. On the other hand, using a vitamin for too long can weaken the self-synthesis or metabolism mechanism to form that vitamin.

Understand the unwanted effects of vitamins

Vitamins will also be harmful if abused or not used properly. For example, vitamin C used regularly in high doses causes bloating, diarrhea, gastrointestinal ulcers, kidney stones,…

Vitamins have the ability to interact with medications

You should consult a specialist if you are being treated for a certain disease and want to use additional vitamins to increase resistance. Because combining the use of vitamins and other medicinal products can be harmful to the body by creating unwanted, even life-threatening reactions.

When to take vitamins

The time to use vitamins is also very important. For example, vitamins B and C should be taken in the morning or noon because they have the potential to cause insomnia. Or you should use multi-vitamin combination pills immediately after eating.

Origin of vitamins being used

You should only use vitamins of clear origin, reputable brands with guaranteed vitamin content and better absorption than usual.

Dosage and manufacturer’s warnings

When using vitamins, you should follow the correct dosage and manufacturer’s instructions. In addition, you should pay attention to the manufacturer’s notes to avoid unwanted effects.