May Lower Your Risk Of Certain Cancers
Cancer occurs when abnormal cells begin to grow or divide in an uncontrolled way.
As vitamin A plays an important role in the growth and development of your cells, its influence on cancer risk and role in cancer prevention is of interest to scientists (
19 ).
At the moment, the relationship between vitamin A levels in your body and cancer risk is still not fully understood.
Still, current evidence suggests that getting adequate vitamin A, especially from plants, is important for healthy cell division and may reduce your risk of some types of cancer .
Summary
Adequate vitamin A intake from whole plant foods may reduce your risk of certain cancers, including Hodgkins lymphoma, as well as cervical, lung and bladder cancer. However, the relationship between vitamin A and cancer is not fully understood.
Does The Lymphatic System Carry Fat
Your lymphatic system is a network of ducts, vessels, nodes and organs that produce and transport lymph, a clear, yellowish fluid containing white blood cells, from your body tissues to your bloodstream. It also transports fat-soluble vitamins, including A, D, E and K. After you eat, fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed into fat globules that travel through your lymphatic system to your small intestine and into circulating blood. They are then stored in body tissues.
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May Help Treat Nausea During Pregnancy
Vitamin B6 has been used for decades to treat nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
In fact, its an ingredient in Diclegis, a medication commonly used to treat morning sickness .
Researchers are not entirely sure why vitamin B6 helps with morning sickness, but it may be because adequate B6 plays several vital roles in ensuring a healthy pregnancy .
A study in 342 women in their first 17 weeks of pregnancy found that a daily supplement of 30 mg of vitamin B6 significantly reduced feelings of nausea after five days of treatment, compared to a placebo .
Another study compared the impact of ginger and vitamin B6 on reducing episodes of nausea and vomiting in 126 pregnant women. The results showed that taking 75 mg of B6 each day decreased nausea and vomiting symptoms by 31% after four days .
These studies suggest that vitamin B6 is effective in treating morning sickness even in durations of less than one week.
If youre interested in taking B6 for morning sickness, speak with your doctor before starting any supplements.
Summary Vitamin B6 supplements in doses of 3075 mg a day have been used as an effective treatment for nausea and vomiting during pregnancy.
What Is Vitamin A
Though vitamin A is often considered a singular nutrient, its really a group of fat-soluble compounds, including retinol, retinal, and retinyl esters .
Two forms of vitamin A are found in food.
Preformed vitamin A retinol and retinyl esters occurs exclusively in animal products such as dairy, liver, and fish, while provitamin A carotenoids are abundant in plant foods like fruits, vegetables, and oils .
To use both of these forms of vitamin A, your body must convert them to retinal and retinoic acid, the active forms of the vitamin.
Because vitamin A is fat-soluble, its stored in body tissue for later use.
Most of the vitamin A in your body is kept in your liver in the form of retinyl esters .
These esters are then broken down into all-trans-retinol, which binds to retinol-binding protein. It then enters your bloodstream, at which point your body can use it .
SUMMARY
Vitamin A is the generic term for a group of fat-soluble compounds found in both animal and plant foods.
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The Difference Between Vitamins And Minerals
Although they are all considered micronutrients, vitamins and minerals differ in basic ways. Vitamins are organic and can be broken down by heat, air, or acid. Minerals are inorganic and hold on to their chemical structure.
So why does this matter? It means the minerals in soil and water easily find their way into your body through the plants, fish, animals, and fluids you consume. But its tougher to shuttle vitamins from food and other sources into your body because cooking, storage, and simple exposure to air can inactivate these more fragile compounds.
How Long Do Vitamins & Zinc Stay In The Body System
Your body does not store water-soluble vitamins — B vitamins and vitamin C — because they dissolve in bodily fluids. Eating a variety of healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, fish and whole grains, each day helps prevent deficiencies. Fat-soluble vitamins, which include A, D, E and K, circulate in your blood. Your body also stores many of them in your body tissues, and these stores last for three months in a well-nourished person, according to Mark Brandt, an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Your body cannot store zinc, and your kidneys expel unused amounts through urine. You need a steady supply of zinc — or 8 to 11 milligrams per day for adults — to stay healthy. Valuable food sources include seafood, meat and fortified cereals.
References
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What Does Vitamin D Do For The Body 9 Health Benefits
Vitamin D is an essential nutrient the body needs to keep bones and muscles healthy, as well as build a strong immune system.
- Regulates calcium absorption: Vitamin D is crucial for calcium and phosphorus absorption and thus the development of healthy bones. Vitamin D can be obtained from supplements or sunlight exposure, which converts vitamin D to its active form and then helps the body absorb calcium from ingested food. Vitamin D deficiency can cause soft bones in adults, leading to a condition called osteomalacia. Weak bones can also lead to the loss of bone density, leading to a condition called osteoporosis. Lack of vitamin D can cause rickets in children.
- Maintains blood calcium levels: The primary function of parathyroid glands is to maintain blood calcium levels by communicating with the kidneys, guts and skeleton. Low calcium and vitamin D levels in the body can cause the parathyroid glands to borrow calcium from the bones to maintain the blood calcium level in the normal range.
Promotes Healthy Growth And Reproduction
Vitamin A is essential for maintaining a healthy reproductive system in both men and women, as well as ensuring the normal growth and development of embryos during pregnancy.
Rat studies examining the importance of vitamin A in male reproduction have shown that a deficiency blocks the development of sperm cells, causing infertility (
36 ).
Therefore, many health authorities recommended that women avoid foods that contain concentrated amounts of vitamin A, such as pâté and liver, as well as supplements containing vitamin A during pregnancy.
Summary
Adequate amounts of vitamin A in the diet are essential for reproductive health and the healthy development of babies during pregnancy.
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What Are Some Effects Of Vitamin A On Health
Scientists are studying vitamin A to understand how it affects health. Here are some examples of what this research has shown.
CancerPeople who eat a lot of foods containing vitamin A or beta-carotene might have a lower risk of certain kinds of cancer. But studies do not show that vitamin A or beta-carotene supplements help prevent cancer or lower the chances of dying of cancer. In fact, some studies find that in people who smoke or used to smoke, high doses of beta-carotene supplements can increase the risk of lung cancer and death.
Age-related macular degeneration AMD is the loss of central vision as people age. Its the most common cause of vision loss in older people. Studies show that a supplement containing vitamins C and E, zinc, and copper with or without beta-carotene helps slow down the rate of vision loss in people with AMD who are at high risk of developing advanced AMD.
MeaslesIn developing countries where vitamin A deficiency is common, children with measles are more likely to have severe symptoms and may die from the disease. In these children, taking supplements with high doses of vitamin A might help prevent new cases of measles and might lower their risk of dying of measles.
May Promote Eye Health And Prevent Eye Diseases
Vitamin B6 may play a role in preventing eye diseases, especially a type of vision loss that affects older adults called age-related macular degeneration .
Studies have linked high blood levels of circulating homocysteine with an increased risk of AMD .
Since vitamin B6 helps reduce elevated blood levels of homocysteine, getting enough B6 may lower your risk of this disease .
A seven-year study in over 5,400 female health professionals found that taking a daily supplement of vitamin B6, B12 and folic acid significantly reduced AMD risk by 3540%, compared to a placebo .
While these results suggest that B6 may play a role in preventing AMD, its difficult to tell if B6 alone would offer the same benefits.
Research has also linked low blood levels of vitamin B6 to eye conditions that block veins that connect to the retina. A controlled study in over 500 people found that the lowest blood levels of B6 were significantly associated with retinal disorders .
Summary Vitamin B6 supplements may reduce your risk of age-related macular degeneration . Additionally, adequate blood levels of B6 may prevent issues that affect the retina. However, more research is needed.
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May Improve Mood And Symptoms Of Depression
Vitamin B12 may improve your mood.
The effect of vitamin B12 on mood is not yet fully understood. However, this vitamin plays a vital role in synthesizing and metabolizing serotonin, a chemical responsible for regulating mood.
Therefore, vitamin B12 deficiency may lead to decreased serotonin production, which may cause a depressed mood.
Studies support the use of vitamin B12 supplements for improving symptoms of depression in people deficient in this vitamin.
One study in people with depression and low vitamin B12 levels found that those who received both antidepressants and vitamin B12 were more likely to show improved depressive symptoms, compared to those treated with antidepressants alone (
13 ).
Additionally, high vitamin B12 levels have been linked to better treatment outcomes and an increased probability of recovery from major depressive disorder .
Though vitamin B12 supplements may help improve mood and depression in people with a deficiency, research does not currently suggest that they have the same effect in those with normal B12 levels.
Summary
Vitamin B12 is needed for the production of serotonin, a chemical responsible for regulating mood. Vitamin B12 supplements may help improve mood in people with an existing deficiency.
The Benefits Of Vitamins
Even at rest, the body is active. Constantly producing and replenishing skin, tissue, muscle and bone, the body requires fuel. The fuel the body needs comes in the form of food. Food is what provides the body with the essential vitamins and nutrients. Vitamins help the body develop and function properly. Every system in the body is dependent on vitamins. The body can manufacture some vitamins, such as vitamin D from the sun and vitamin K produced in the gut. Most of the vitamins a body needs have to be consumed. The body needs 13 essential vitamins: vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the 8 types of B vitamins.
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Best Vitamins To Take
These days, it seems like everyone is taking some kind of vitamin or supplement. In fact, in 2016, dietary supplements were a $37 billion-a-year business in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health, and this number has only grown since then. Its no mystery that vitamins can have major health benefits but with so many vitamins on the market, it can be overwhelming trying to decipher which ones are right for you.
Weve done the research, so you dont have to. Below weve listed our top five best vitamins to take and broken down their main health benefits. Although all the vitamins listed below are relatively safe, keep in mind that its wise to consult your family doctor before introducing new supplements to your diet.
On Adult Health Maintenance
Once growth and development are completed, vitamins remain essential nutrients for the healthy maintenance of the cells, tissues, and organs that make up a multicellular organism they also enable a multicellular life form to efficiently use chemical energy provided by food it eats, and to help process the proteins, carbohydrates, and fats required for cellular respiration.
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What Are Vitamins And Minerals
Your body needs vitamins and minerals to work properly. You get them from the foods you eat every day.
Vitamins fall into two categories: fat soluble and water soluble :
- The fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K dissolve in fat and are stored in your body.
- The water-soluble vitamins C and the B-complex vitamins dissolve in water. Your body can’t store these vitamins. Any B or C vitamins that your body doesn’t use travels through the bloodstream and is lost . So you need a fresh supply of these vitamins every day.
Vitamins are organic substances, which means theyre made by plants or animals. Minerals are inorganic elements that come from soil and water, and are absorbed by plants or eaten by animals. Your body needs larger amounts of some minerals, such as calcium, to grow and stay healthy. Other minerals like chromium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc are called trace minerals because you need only very small amounts of them.
Can I Take All My Vitamins At Once
You canbut its probably not a good idea. For some supplements, optimal absorption can depend on the time of day taken. Not only thattaking certain vitamins, minerals, or other supplements together can also reduce absorption and may result in adverse interactions, which can be harmful to your health.
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How Long Does A Daily Dose Of Vitamin D Stay In Your System
Vitamin D is present in your body tissues and blood. Although you obtain vitamin D from foods, your body also produces it in response to sun exposure. Vitamin D in your bloodstream appears in blood tests and has a relatively long circulating life of about 30 days, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. In other words, if you consume vitamin Drich foods or supplements today, a portion will likely stay present in your body for one month. The length of time vitamin D remains in your body tissues remains unclear, however.
What About Multivitamins
A diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, good protein packages, and healthful fats should provide most of the nutrients needed for good health. But not everyone manages to eat a healthful diet. Multivitamins can play an important role when nutritional requirements are not met through diet alone. Learn more about vitamin supplementation.
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May Help Prevent Cancer
Getting enough vitamin B6 may lower your risk of developing certain types of cancer.
The reason why B6 may help prevent cancer is unclear, but researchers suspect that its related to its ability to fight inflammation that may contribute to cancer and other chronic conditions (
39 ).
More research that includes randomized trials and not merely observational studies is needed to assess the exact role of vitamin B6 in cancer prevention.
Summary Some observational studies suggest a link between adequate dietary intake and blood levels of vitamin B6 and a decreased risk of certain types of cancer, but more research is needed.
Micronutrients With A Big Role In The Body
Vitamins and minerals are often called micronutrients because your body needs only tiny amounts of them. Yet failing to get even those small quantities virtually guarantees disease. Here are a few examples of diseases that can result from vitamin deficiencies:
- Scurvy. Old-time sailors learned that living for months without fresh fruits or vegetablesthe main sources of vitamin Ccauses the bleeding gums and listlessness of scurvy.
- Blindness. In some developing countries, people still become blind from vitamin A deficiency.
- Rickets. A deficiency in vitamin D can cause rickets, a condition marked by soft, weak bones that can lead to skeletal deformities such as bowed legs. Partly to combat rickets, the U.S. has fortified milk with vitamin D since the 1930s.
Just as a lack of key micronutrients can cause substantial harm to your body, getting sufficient quantities can provide a substantial benefit. Some examples of these benefits:
- Strong bones. A combination of calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, and phosphorus protects your bones against fractures.
- Prevents birth defects. Taking folic acid supplements early in pregnancy helps prevent brain and spinal birth defects in offspring.
- Healthy teeth. The mineral fluoride not only helps bone formation but also keeps dental cavities from starting or worsening.
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Types Of Minerals And Their Functions
There are hundreds of minerals they are usually classified as either major or trace minerals.
Although the amount you need differs between minerals, major are generally required in larger amounts. Some examples include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, sodium, chloride, magnesium.
Trace minerals , although equally important to bodily functions are required in smaller amounts. Such as iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and iodine selenium.
Some of the important minerals to keep us healthy are listed below.
