To fill the shortage of useful elements for the body in the spring, you can use pharmacy drugs and supplements. But how to choose them and which ones to buy? We have conducted these and other questions answered by specialists.
- Vitamin deficiency and how to deal with it
Hypovitaminosis (the scientific name for vitamin deficiency) is a disease caused by a lack of vitamins in food. Symptoms and signs that occur with vitamin deficiency may be as follows:
-The person becomes more quick-tempered and quickly gets tired
-Easily depressed, lack of energy
-The skin becomes drier, loses its tone
-The skin is more irritated and inflamed
-Hair becomes brittle, dandruff forms, hair loss is possible
-Since immunity is reduced, the body is more susceptible to various colds and viral diseases.
In the modern world, there is no shortage of fresh foods rich in vitamins. However, vitamin deficiency has not disappeared. Therefore, in order to overcome this disease and meet spring being healthy, it is necessary to choose the right vitamin complexes and diets that are suitable for a particular person. We are all different: adults and children, men and Best Single pisces women from Ukraine for dating, young and old. Everyone needs their own approach to taking vitamins.
- Is it possible to prescribe vitamins for yourself and how to choose them?
You can choose and buy vitamins yourself, experts say. After all, vitamins are not just over-the-counter medicines, but most often dietary supplements. If it’s not about the drugs prescribed in the injectable form, you can buy some vitamins yourself. On the other hand, consultation with a specialist, whether it be a doctor, nutritionist or trainer, does not hurt. Especially if a person has allergic reactions or some kind of chronic pathology of the gastrointestinal tract. In this case, you definitely need to consult a doctor.
If you want to independently determine what vitamins your body needs specifically, then this will require primarily research and analysis. They are quite expensive. Therefore, it is better not to do it yourself and seek medical advice and appointment.
But multivitamins, as a rule, are recommended to be taken and prescribed not only by doctors but wellness coaches, fitness trainers, beauticians, and other professionals, as well as nutrition consultants who do not have a medical diploma. Ideally, you need to not only visit a doctor but also be an educated consumer yourself: carefully read the labels and instructions on the drugs to understand what you are taking.
- Are there side effects and an overdose of vitamins?
Overdosing the vitamins is really possible. And this is the main reason why experts advise consumers to consult with a specialist. Side effects of taking vitamins do happen. First of all, allergic reactions. There are patients who abuse drugs, and their liver, pancreas, etc. can suffer from this. It happens that people drink vitamins for several months, although this is inefficient and unreasonable. Vitamins need to be drunk in doses and periods.
An overdose can be caused by both the chemical components of the drug, and the vitamins themselves. But in reality, and there is evidence-based research, it is very difficult to achieve an overdose of vitamins. Side effects can occur due to overdose, the use of the counterfeit, poor-quality products, concomitant diseases in the consumers, such as gastritis or peptic ulcer.
- What vitamins will be beneficial for everyone?
Essential to most may be all antioxidant vitamins, namely A, C and E. There can never be too many of them in the body. An overdose of them is practically unattainable (to achieve it, you need to switch from microdoses to grams), so these vitamins are always needed because we do not get them with food. Actually, like the rest of the vitamins.
In addition, residents of the northern hemisphere have a total deficiency of vitamin D. There are European populations that can be applied to most people. According to these studies, more than 60% of adults are deficient in vitamin D.
This leads not only to hypovitaminosis but to serious diseases of the endocrine, dermatological, reproductive spheres. Therefore, vitamin D is recommended for the absolute majority of the population: adults in the amount of 1-2 thousand international units per day, for children – up to 1 thousand international units per day.
Also often there is a total deficiency of folate – natural folic acid compounds found in plant foods. If it is a synthetic product, this is called folic acid, and if in food – then these are natural folates. Folates are much more effective than synthetic folic acid. The most folates can be found in green products, i.e., in green and leafy vegetables. Therefore, it is important to eat them all year round: it is a misconception that winter greens do not contain useful substances.
In addition to the above elements, experts recommend taking iodine. This is not a vitamin, but a nutrient, but it is extremely important for health. Its overdose is also extremely difficult to achieve. Do not be afraid to take it, for example, in the form of iodized salt. Indeed, many people on the planet have a total iodine deficiency.
- Which is better: mono or multivitamins?
There is no single answer to this question. It all depends on the needs of the body and the capabilities of the wallet. Some vitamins also have advantages.
For example, in elderly people there is a lack of calcium, therefore, it makes sense to drink calcium and vitamin D. In people with chronic problems of the gastrointestinal tract, iron deficiency often occurs. In these and other similar cases, it is obvious that it makes sense to focus on specific types of vitamins and minerals. But from a preventive point of view, it is more beneficial and best to drink multivitamins. Moreover, they contain not only vitamins but also trace elements. Monovitamins are more effective. But it all comes down to the issue of price. Usually, they are noticeably more expensive than multivitamins. So, in general, it all depends on who can afford what.
- Natural or synthetic?
Also, pharmacy vitamins can be both natural and synthetic. Synthetic vitamins are born “in vitro”, and natural ones are products of high-tech concentration from natural products. Synthetic ones are noticeably cheaper, and this is their advantage, but they get absorbed two to four times worse than vitamins of natural origin.
Natural vitamins are absorbed by about 80%, and synthetic vitamins by only 20-30%, rarely by 50%. Moreover, drinking a dose two to four times larger does not help: chemical overdose can be discussed, but effectiveness and bioavailability are not.
- What vitamins should be taken in the spring?
Spring is really the period when an additional dose of nutrients does not hinder anybody. Although in general it is recommended to drink complex vitamins every six months or at least once every nine months. But such courses are especially useful in spring when the body suffers from a lack of nutrients.
However, do not forget that in the spring many vitamins and nutrients can be obtained from other sources. For example, you can finally enjoy the sun and get vitamin D for free. Fish oil is recommended, which is found in herring, mackerel, salmon. To a lesser extent – egg yolks and fatty dairy products. Also in spring, emphasis should be placed on antioxidant vitamins.
In general, experts say, supplements of vitamins, in addition to those that we receive with food, will not harm anyone. Vitamin support in the form of concentrated preparations is needed. It is necessary to train people to monitor their health and themselves track what they need.
- What vitamins should be taken by adult men and women, as well as children?
–For adult men, so that they are strong and healthy, a diet that is rich in a large amount, primarily of proteins and B-group vitamins (B2, B6, B12) is needed. All this builds muscle tissue.
–For beauty, girls need “beauty vitamins” – A, B, C, E. They improve hair, nails, skin, and inhibit the aging process.
–Pregnant, lactating mothers. Such women have a shortage of iron, as well as calcium. Normal nutrition does not make up for their deficiency. Therefore, to their diet should contain food full of these chemical elements.
–A child, a teenager. The body is growing and it needs material for growth. Here vitamins A, B, calcium are suitable.
-Athletes. To recover from serious stress, such people can not do without vitamins B, C, N.
–The older generation. Such people need to strengthen their bones. To support the body, you need to include such necessary vitamins as A, B, C, E, plus, of course, calcium.
Recent medical studies have shown that consuming a huge amount of vitamins is also harmful to the body. Moreover, hypervitaminosis can be even more dangerous than vitamin deficiency. If vitamins A, D, E, K are accumulated in the body, then this can seriously affect the work of the kidneys and liver. Most doctors recommend consuming vitamins for no more than three weeks.
