With hundreds of vitamins and nutritional supplements available on the market, deciding which one might be the best one can be confusing.
Nutritionist Kate Patton explained that vitamins They play essential roles in our bodies, indicating that we need them to break down macronutrients like carbohydrates, fats and protein and help the body function.
People may take supplements if they know they are missing a certain food group, while others may take supplements to get the benefits of antioxidants or because they know they are not eating enough fruits and vegetables.
Here are five vitamins that are important to your health, according to Eat This Not That, but be sure to talk to your doctor before you start taking any of them.
Vitamin C (iStock)
Vitamin C”
We start with vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, an essential nutrient.
In turn, the expert, Patton, explained that it helps protect our cells from the damage of free radicals, which are atoms or molecules with unpaired electrons or an open shell.
These unpaired electrons are often active, and therefore they play a role in chemical reactions, whether chemical reactions in the laboratory or the biological processes that take place in the human body.
Also, it is used to help produce collagen in our bodies. If you’re trying to increase your iron absorption, taking more vitamin C is helpful.
zinc
zinc
In parallel, experts have revealed that zinc is important for immune health and wound healing. Its role in wound healing is multifactorial, and is essential for collagen and protein synthesis, cell proliferation, and immune function, all of which are essential for tissue regeneration and repair, says expert Jennifer Salette.
She noted that zinc is necessary for the production of antibodies and the proper functioning of lymphocytes, and plays a key role in several steps of the blood clotting process.
It also stimulates the activity of more than 100 enzymes and, in the proliferative and remodeling phases of wound healing, is essential for membrane stability and collagen maturation.
Vitamin B12 (iStock)
Vitamin B12
In addition, one of the most important vitamins that we can take daily following consulting a doctor is vitamin B12, which is usually found in animal products such as dairy products, meat and fish.
But for vegetarians, they may be deficient in this vitamin, says nutritionist Mira Lake.
Prenatal vitamins (Shutterstock)
prenatal vitamin
And if you’re pregnant or trying to conceive, taking a good prenatal vitamin is important for the health of you and your baby.
Clinical pharmacologist Morgan King said that all the nutrients and vitamins a pregnant woman takes in will go to the baby first.
He added that the child needs this nutrition to grow, as great development occurs in the first three months of pregnancy, as the spinal cord and brain of the fetus develop, so these vitamins help in that.
Vitamin Iron (Shutterstock)
Iron
Finally, the iron vitamin is an important supplement, especially for those who do not eat meat and those who suffer from anemia.
For any vegetarian, Patton said, they are at risk of developing an iron deficiency. While there are plenty of plant sources of iron, the body doesn’t absorb it well.
Also, he explained that the amount of fiber in a vegetarian diet can inhibit iron absorption.