Fortify Your Mind and Body

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We learned at school the importance of vitamins in our body. Perhaps you may still remember what they are, perhaps not. Although I try to eat nutritious food every single day, my daily intake of vitamins just isn't enough. The solution: I take multivitamin supplements to get my daily dose of vitamins. As a mom and wife, I cannot afford to get sick.

Anyway, do you know that there are 13 vitamins that your body absolutely needs? Yes, the dreaded number 13 is not unlucky after all. These 13 vitamins are: vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate).

While these vitamins are essential, one must also remember that our body only needs a certain amount. Too much of something is bad enough, as the song goes... How to detect if you you've had too much of a certain vitamin? Below are some side-effects that are sometimes associated with taking too much of a vitamin:

Fat-soluble Vitamins

• A (retinol, retinal, retinoic acid): Nausea, vomiting, headache, dizziness, blurred vision, clumsiness, birth defects, liver problems, possible risk of osteoporosis. You may be at greater risk of these effects if you drink high amounts of alcohol or you have liver problems, high cholesterol levels or don't get enough protein.
• D (calciferol): Nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, constipation, weakness, weight loss, confusion, heart rhythm problems, deposits of calcium and phosphate in soft tissues.

If you take blood thinners, talk to your doctor before taking vitamin E or vitamin K pills.

Water-soluble Vitamins

• B-3 (niacin): flushing, redness of the skin, upset stomach.
• B-6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and pyridoxamine): Nerve damage to the limbs, which may cause numbness, trouble walking, and pain.
• C (ascorbic acid): Upset stomach, kidney stones, increased iron absorption.
• Folic Acid (folate): High levels may, especially in older adults, hide signs of B-12 deficiency, a condition that can cause nerve damage.

Taking too much of a vitamin can also cause problems with some medical tests or interfere with how some drugs work.


Source: USFDA

I wish you all good health. Take care!