Making the Case for Vitamin Supplementation: Health and Longevity

The consumption of quality vitamin and mineral supplements is essential for good health, longevity and increased energy.

Many people believe that consuming a diet that consists of a variety of healthy foods is enough to supply the body with adequate vitamins and minerals to sustain life and promote longevity. 

The fact is, even when adhering to RDA guidelines, environmental and lifestyle factors profoundly influence the body’s nutritional requirements. 

By using a quality vitamin supplement, the levels of many of the essential vitamins that are needed for cell recovery, immunity and sustained energy can be supplied.   Careful consideration must be given to several factors when exploring the benefits of vitamin supplements.  

Consumption of Hot Beverages

Regular consumption of hot tea and coffee can cause irritation and inflammation of digestive linings which can impact the production and secretion of important digestive enzymes.  Under these conditions, nutrient, vitamin and mineral absorption can be greatly impeded.  Using a daily vitamin and mineral supplement from a quality manufacturer can help offset the detrimental effects of ingesting hot beverages that cause poor digestion.

Food Processing

Many mass produced food products, especially frozen foods, are highly processed so that storage life can be prolonged.  While such processing enables restaurants, convenience stores and households to store food for relatively long periods of time, the nutrient content of the foods is greatly compromises.  Vitamin E, an antioxidant crucial to cell growth and protection, is especially vulnerable to food processing. 

Foods that contain Vitamin E that are frozen lose much of their nutritional value once defrosted.  Additionally, foods containing Vitamin E that are exposed to heat and air can become rancid.  In order to combat this, many foods such as oils and breads, are manufactured with reduced quantities of Vitamin E. 

 Levels of Vitamin C, another important antioxidant, are also negatively impacted by food processing.  Consuming a high quality vitamin supplement every day can help provide the body the compounds needed to make up for deficits created by food processing. 

Low Levels of Crop Nutrients

Decades, sometimes centuries, of agriculture have depleted trace elements found in soils used to produce crops that are intended for human consumption.  While consuming fresh, raw fruits and vegetables remains one of the best ways to ingest essential vitamins and minerals, a steady decline in crop nutrient levels has been observed since the 1970s.  

Consuming a diet that contains an abundance of raw fruits and vegetables, using a power juicer to make nutritious juices at home and taking a quality multivitamin supplement are among the best ways to ensure adequate levels of vitamins and minerals are being ingested on a daily basis.

Shopping for Vitamin Supplements

Quality vitamin supplements can be purchased in drug stores, health food stores and online nutritional supplement retailers.  Nutritional, lifestyle and environmental factors must be considered when shopping for vitamin and mineral supplements.  

Thorough research should be conducted by exploring the websites of reputable vitamin manufacturers, retailers and relevant nutrition related literature.  It is important to conduct price comparisons, customer reviews and label information prior to purchasing a vitamin supplement. 

Consulting a doctor, pharmacist or other medical professional is an intelligent course of action when determining which vitamin supplement to purchase. 

Once the importance of vitamin supplementation is realized and individual needs have been determined, several retailers should be explored to determine quality standards, price and evidence supporting supplement effectiveness.  

Compare prices on multivitamin supplements at my affiliate link here. 

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