The Sexy Thing About Vitamins

The Sexy Thing About Vitamins

Ok, so there is really nothing sexy about vitamins.  I was just trying to get your attention.  After all, sex sells…right?   I mean, could there be anything more boring than vitamins?  Well, vitamins are important to any active individual out there especially during these times like these when we are tying to fight off this Coronavirus.  We have seen a huge increase in vitamin sales and with that a huge increase in questions regarding vitamins and how you can boost your immune system.  In this blog, I am going to attempt to teach you about vitamins in a very quick and painless process. 

 

**If should be noted that this blog is for informational purposes only.  Taking vitamins/herbs/minerals, will NOT prevent a person from getting the Coronavirus or any virus for that matter.  They will simply help build up your body’s immune system, to help fight off viruses and other illnesses.**

 

If you have shopped at my store for a while, you have probably heard me say, “Regardless of what your fitness goals are…it is 70% Diet, 25% Exercise, and 5% supplementation and for some people that 5% just consists of a mulit-vitamin.  Everyone, especially active individuals, should take a multi-vitamin, daily.  There is no way that you are going to get all of the nutrients you need for your active lifestyle strictly through the foods you eat.  I realize that there is nothing exciting about vitamins, but they can make or break your fitness goals and overall health.  Now, there is a lot of confusing information out there on the internet, on the news, etc., about vitamins.  So, I thought I would try to break them down for you, so they are easier to understand how they work.  And don’t worry, with our blogs we write them up just like we were talking to you in the store.  No medical jargon that we can’t understand and we will not be recommending any particular product/brand either.  Just pure education so you can be better informed.

 

What is a Vitamin?

If you do a quick Google search for, “What is a vitamin?” you will get a lot of different answers and a lot of links that want to sell you their vitamin.  However, vitamins are organic compounds that are essential to maintain bodily functions and for normal growth.  There are 13 vitamins that your body needs for normal health.  Those are A, C, D, E, K, and the six B vitamins - thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B 6, B 12 and folate.  These 13 vitamins are classified as either water-soluble or fat-soluble.  Vitamins that are fat soluble are stored in the body and can accumulate.  These are the ones that you need to be careful about taking too much.  In taking too much fat-soluble vitamins may have a toxic effect on the body.  With water soluble vitamins, you don’t need to worry too much about consuming too much of those.  (The people who watch too much Doctor Oz and watch the network morning news shows, are probably going crazy right now, after they read that last sentence. Lol).  I will explain.

 

Water Soluble Vitamins

Water-soluble vitamins include your B Vitamins and Vitamin C.  They are not stored in the body and need to be replenished daily.  To overdose on water-soluble vitamins, a person would have to go to extremes and put in a lot of work, such as injecting themselves with a huge amount.  Even then, I would doubt you could do any harm to your body. (I have seen studies on this if you really want to know).  You see, when your body is stocked up on a water-soluble vitamin, your body will get rid of it through sweat or urination.  Don’t believe me??  Ever taken a multi-vitamin and the next time you go to the restroom the color of your urine is glowing neon yellow color?  That is water-soluble vitamins that your body either did not absorb (I will go over that in a moment) or that your body did not need at that moment.

 

Fat Soluble Vitamins

Fat-Soluble vitamins include your vitamin A, D, E, and K.  Fat-Soluble vitamins are stored in fat and liver cells in the body.  These vitamins can build up in your body if you take in too much.  However, the chances of you overdosing on a fat-soluble vitamin, taken in the form of a multi-vitamin, is very slim.  Where you need to be careful is taking a single fat-soluble vitamin on top of a daily multi-vitamin.  That is where you need to check with your doctor and have blood work done to make sure you even need the extra fat-soluble vitamin as well as to monitor your blood work to maintain a healthy level.  Now, lets break each of the vitamins down so you can see what their functions are and why they are important.

 

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is important for vision, especially night vision, bone growth and mucous membranes. As an antioxidant, it may reduce the risk of some forms of cancer.  Most multi-vitamins on the market today will source their vitamin A, from beta carotene.  That is a much healthier option as beta carotene is found in various vegetables and is unlikely to get built up in the body, resulting in toxins.

 

  • Quick Notes on Vitamin A
    • Fat-Soluble Vitamin
    • Food Sources - sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, squash, spinach, mangoes, turnip greens
    • Recommended Daily Dose – 3000iu to 10,000iu

 

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is the vitamin you are probably most familiar with.  I bet however, you don’t know all of the benefits it has.  Of course, you probably know that it can help boost your immune system.  However, vitamin C also may lower the risk for some cancers, may protect against cataracts, and it helps to make collagen.  (A connective tissue that knits together wounds and supports blood vessel walls).  One big benefit to weight lifters is that vitamin C, plays a major role in repairing/rebuilding muscle tears.  That means vitamin C, helps out with muscle recovery and soreness.  It helps in protein metabolism and it  will keep testosterone levels high by supporting a lower ratio of cortisol to testosterone.

 

  • Quick Notes on Vitamin C
    • Water-Soluble Vitamin
    • Food Sources - broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, potatoes, and citrus fruits.
    • Recommended Daily Dose – 1000iu to 3000iu

 

Vitamin D

Vitamin D, is the vitamin that is getting more and more attention each day.  Our bodies make vitamin D, through sunlight.  However, for those who don’t go outdoors that often, you may need to supplement it in your diet.  Vitamin D helps maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, which strengthen bones.  But the main reason it is in the news lately is it’s role in testosterone levels.  Several studies suggest vitamin D can increase testosterone concentrations in men. A German research team, for example, gave 54 overweight but otherwise healthy men either a placebo (23 men) or 3,333 IU vitamin D per day (31 men) for 12 months. When the men entered the study, they were vitamin D deficient (average of 30 nmol/L or 12 ng/mL). All the men also participated in a structured weight loss program.  At the end of 12 months, the men who took vitamin D showed an increase in levels to an average of 86 nmol/L (34.5 ng/mL). These same men also had a small but significant increase in mean testosterone levels as well.  The men who took placebo didn’t show any significant changes in testosterone or vitamin D.  Here is a link to the study I am referencing….

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21154195

 

So, when you go to the doctor to find out what your testosterone level is, make sure to has your doctor what you vitamin D level is at, as well.

  • Quick Notes on Vitamin D
    • Fat-Soluble vitamin
    • Our bodies make vitamin D, when exposed to sunlight
    • Food Sources - milk or margarine, fortified cereals, or fatty fish
    • Recommended Daily Dose – 400iu to 5000iu. Check with your doctor for your personal daily dose amount.
    • If you are going to supplement with vitamin D, liquid soft gels are the best.

 

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is a very powerful antioxidant.  It is very rare for anyone to have a vitamin E deficiency.  Vitamin E plays a lot of roles in the body but some of its main benefits include protection against toxins such as air pollution, premenstrual syndrome, eye disorders such as cataracts, neurological diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes.  Another wonderful benefit of vitamin E is that in oil form, it can be used to treat scars, acne, and wrinkles because it speeds up cell regeneration. This creates an anti-aging effect, which makes the skin look younger.

  • Quick Notes on Vitamin E
    • Fat-Soluble vitamin
    • Food Sources - vegetable oils, salad dressings and margarines made with vegetable oils, wheat germ, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts.
    • Recommended Daily Dose – 30iu to 400iu

 

Vitamin K

Most people never talk or even think about vitamin K.  Mainly because it’s main benefit is something the majority of us never worry about and that is the role it plays helping the blood clot, preventing excessive bleeding.  However, vitamin K is also absolutely essential to building strong bones, preventing heart disease, and crucial part of other bodily processes.

  • Quick Notes on Vitamin K
    • Fat-Soluble vitamin
    • Food Sources - Cabbage, liver, eggs, milk, spinach, broccoli, sprouts, kale, collards, and other green vegetables
    • Recommended Daily Dose – 90mcg to 120mcg

 

B – Vitamins

I saved this one or should I say eight, for last.  There are eight different types of B vitamins.  B Vitamins, are water-soluble vitamins and are very important to the human body especially for active individuals.  Most of you are only familiar with B12 and how it, “gives you energy”.  (Below I will explain why I put that in quotation marks).  However, B Vitamins are essential to protein digestion.  If you were to look at the nutritional breakdown of any type of meat, it would be loaded with B Vitamins.  So, let me break each one of the B Vitamins down for you.

  • THIAMIN (Vitamin B1) - Plays an important role in maintaining a healthy nervous system and improving the cardiovascular functioning of the body.  It helps in the conversion of carbohydrates into glucose, which in turn is used to produce energy for carrying out various bodily functions.  It is also required for the breakdown of fats and protein.  Thiamin, can also significantly improve appetite and mental alertness.
    • Quick Notes
      • Water-Soluble vitamin
      • Food Sources – Various meats, Pork chops, ham, soymilk, watermelons, acorn squash
      • Recommended Daily Dose – 10mg to 50mg

 

  • RIBOFLAVIN (Vitamin B2) - Helps in the conversion of carbohydrates to sugar, which fuels the body’s many functions. Riboflavin also plays an active part in the electron transport chain that produces cellular energy. Riboflavin helps in the processing of amino acids and fats and it can also serve as an antioxidant, which slows the pace of aging.  A key benefit of B2, for active individuals is it helps regulate thyroid activity. (Metabolism)
    • Quick Notes
      • Water-Soluble Vitamin
      • Food Sources – Various meats, milk, yogurt, cheese, whole and enriched grains and cereals, liver
      • Recommended Daily Dose – 10mg to 50mg

 

  • NIACIN (vitamin B3, nicotinic acid) – Niacin gets confused for beta-alanine, all the time. Niacin, gives you that red flush feeling/look.  Niacin helps to maintain good blood circulation, helps with skin care, help in normal functioning of the brain, boosting memory, aiding the digestive tract to absorb sufficient carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and even helps reducing the effects of arthritis. The most important benefit, however, is its ability to lower cholesterol levels.
    • Quick Notes
      • Water-Soluble Vitamin
      • Food Sources – Various meats, poultry, fish, fortified and whole grains, mushrooms, potatoes, peanut butter.
      • Recommended Daily Dose – 20mg to 50mg

 

  • PANTOTHENIC ACID (vitamin B5) – This is one of the most underrated B Vitamins. Here are just some of the things B5 does for us.  It helps with the alleviation of conditions like asthma, hair loss, allergies, stress and anxiety, respiratory disorders and heart problems.  It also helps to boost immunity, reduce osteoarthritis and signs of aging, increase resistance to various types of infections, stimulate physical growth, and manage diabetes and skin disorders.  B5 also plays a role in the production of neurotransmitters in the brain, the fabrication of steroids, and the extraction of fats, proteins and other vital nutrients from food.
    • Quick Notes
      • Water-Soluble Vitamin
      • Food Sources – Various meats, chicken, whole grains, broccoli, mushrooms, avocados, tomato products
      • Recommended Daily Dose – 10mg to 50mg

 

  • VITAMIN B6 (pyridoxamine) – Some benefits of B6 include stimulating co-enzymatic activities, protecting the immune system, having positive effects on metabolism, premenstrual syndrome, hormone control, emotional disorders, cardiac diseases, kidney disorders, carpal tunnel syndrome, multiple sclerosis, anemia, arthritis and influenza. B6 is also helpful in treating a vast number of problems related to the heart and skin, as well as depression, fatigue, the nervous system and much more.  One big benefit of B6 for active individuals is that it helps convert tryptophan to niacin and serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays key roles in sleep, appetite, and moods. Helps make red blood cells Influences cognitive abilities and immune function.
    • Quick Notes
      • Water-Soluble Vitamin
      • Food Sources – Various meats, fish, poultry, legumes, tofu and other soy products, potatoes, bananas and watermelons
      • Recommended Daily Dose – 10mg to 50mg

 

  • BIOTIN (Vitamin B7) – Some benefits of B7 include an improved metabolism, tissue maintenance, healthy skin, weight loss, relief from heart problems, alopecia, Parkinson’s disease, and Rett syndrome. It also helps convert food into energy and synthesize glucose.  It also helps make and break down some fatty acids.
    • Quick Notes
      • Water-Soluble Vitamin
      • Food Sources – Various meats, whole grains, egg yolks, soybeans, and fish
      • Recommended Daily Dose – 50mcg to 600mcg

 

  • Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) – The most famous of the B Vitamins. B12 can be taken in capsules, tablets, liquid, and can even be injected into the body. (Through a doctor).  People typically take B12 for “energy.”  The energy you feel from taking B12 is more of a mood enhancer, rather than a caffeine type feeling.  Besides the “energy” you get from B12, other benefits include improved cell maintenance, DNA formation, and relief from fatigue.   It also helps to lower high cholesterol levels, helps in the treatment of sickle cell disorder, Alzheimer’s disease, and breast cancer.  In addition, B12 assists in making new cells and breaking down some fatty acids and amino acids.  It also protects nerve cells and encourages their normal growth.  It also helps to make red blood cells.
    • Quick Notes
      • Water-Soluble Vitamin
      • Food Sources – Various meats, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, fortified cereals, fortified soymilk.
      • Recommended Daily Dose – 250mcg to 1000mcg
    • Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) – Folic Acid is another underrated B Vitamin. There are many benefits it provides.  Some of those include the prevention of heart disorders, stroke, cancer, and birth defects during pregnancy. It also helps in cell enhancement, hemoglobin formation, and even provides relief from mental and emotional disorders.  However, the biggest benefit to those who are reading this blog is the role it plays in building muscle.  Folic Acid plays a major role in our bodies when it comes to the growth and maintenance of muscle tissues.  Now, are you going to get “Hulk like Gains” from taking big amounts of Folic Acid?  Of course not.  But again, if you are one of those individuals that comes into stores like mine saying, “I just can’t get any stronger” or “I just can’t seem to get any bigger” and you are not taking a multi-vitamin….it could be the make or break factor in you achieving your fitness goals.
      • Quick Notes
        • Water-Soluble Vitamin
        • Food Sources - Fortified grains and cereals, asparagus, okra, spinach, turnip greens, broccoli, legumes like black-eyed peas and chickpeas, orange juice, tomato juice
        • Recommended Daily Dose – 400mcg to 1000mcg

 

Natural (Organic) Vitamins vs. Synthetic Vitamins

There are two types of vitamins that are produced and sold on the market today.  Natural and Synthetic.  Synthetic vitamins, make up the bulk of the vitamins that are sold around the world.  Synthetic vitamins are vitamins that are made in a lab.  Natural vitamins are vitamins that are derived from real food and are also sometimes referred to as organic.  So, which one is better??  Well, picking a side on this topic does nothing but start fights.  LOL.  Some critics of synthetic vitamins claim that they lack the transporters and co-factors associated with naturally occurring vitamins because they have been “isolated.”  However, there are SO many studies and reports that both discredit both sides on this issue.  I will tell you that natural vitamins are much more expensive than synthetic vitamins.

 

Don’t over think it!

If you do a quick Google search on vitamins, you will see pages and pages of companies trying to sell you something.  They are either selling you their vitamins or they are selling you on their point of view on vitamins. (Which leads you back to them selling on their brand of vitamins.).  Trust me…I know the industry.  Here are some points that I really want you to know about vitamins….

 

1 – You need to take a Multi-vitamin, daily!

  • Like I said in the beginning of this blog, there is no way an active person is going to get in all of the nutrients they need through food alone. Too many factors from the quality of food, to pesticides, etc.  Even if you only eat organic, you will lose some nutrients during the cooking process.

 

2 – Take it with Food

  • Your body is used to getting vitamins through foods. So, you need to make sure to take you daily multi-vitamin with food.  Real food…not a protein bar or shake.  Never take your multi-vitamin on an empty stomach.  (If you are taking a multi-vitamin that tells you to take it on an empty stomach, go and purchase another vitamin.).  Your body will just pass the majority of those vitamins right through you if you take them on an empty stomach.

 

3 – It doesn’t matter what time of day you take your Multi-vitamin.

  • Take it in the morning with breakfast or dinner…it doesn’t matter. Some people think that they better take it in the morning because it will give them energy and keep them up.  Well, unless you are buying a multi-vitamin that is sneaking in a stimulant in the mix, it won’t matter when you take your vitamin.

 

4 – Get a quality vitamin from a specialty store.

  • I can hear it now, “See here is where he starts to sell us something.”   I am writing this blog with the active individuals in mind.  The people that get up and run, lift weights, etc.  You people are NOT average.  The multi-vitamins that are sold in the big box stores (those stores where you can buy a loaf of bread, get your tires rotated, and get a haircut in stop) and those big chain pharmacy stores, are made for the average person.  Well, you are NOT average.  You need a multi-vitamin that was created to fit your dietary needs and your active life style.  You will only find those locally at a specialty store.

 

I hope that you found this blog both informative as well as easy to understand.  That was my goal as I was writing it up.  If you have any questions regarding this blog, any of our other blog posts, or if we can help you in any other way, please stop by the store or send me an email – [email protected]

 

***Consult your doctor or healthcare professional before you start any diet or exercise program.  This blog is strictly information to help you with your fitness goals.  It is not intended to override your healthcare professional’s recommendation. ***

 

Mark Miller

Discount Sport Nutrition – Denton

2215 S. Loop 288, Ste 320

Denton, TX 76205

940-243-8990

 

References:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21154195

http://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/listing_of_vitamins

http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/supplement/vitamin-b12-cobalamin

http://www.umm.edu/health/medical/reports/images/vitamin-b12-benefits

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMHT0022013/

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