Articles

Nutrition 101: Vitamins

By Steve Baldwin, MS, RD
February 2008

Vitamins have captured the interest of the media, researchers, and consumers like no other area of nutrition.

Americans gobble up vitamins like they’re candy (incidentally, candy shaped “gummy” vitamins are a big seller), yet many of us take them daily without knowing the facts. How much do you really need? Should you take them in a pill or capsule form…or is food the best source? And what exactly do they do?

The name “vitamin” was coined in 1912 by Polish biochemist Cashmir Funk, who erroneously believed them to contain “vital amines”: nitrogen-containing molecules that are vital to wellbeing. He was only half right – vitamins are vital. More precisely, they are essential, meaning that our bodies must have an outside source in order to maintain health.

But unlike other amines, like the amino acids that make up proteins, vitamins need not contain nitrogen. In fact, vitamins do not contain protein, carbohydrates, or fats, and therefore do not provide energy in the form of calories. Instead, they perform a variety of roles in the body, from supporting tissue growth and maintenance (Vitamins A, C, and D) to supporting enzymes and other factors that work to create energy from the foods we eat (Vitamins B1, B2, B3, Pantothentic Acid, and Biotin).

Some vitamins help your blood clot (Vitamin K) while others help grow red blood cells that transport oxygen throughout the body (Vitamins B6, B12 and Folate). Some work as anti-oxidants, which help neutralize the damaging effects of oxidation on body tissues (Vitamins A, C, and E).

The dietitian’s mantra has always been that by eating a balanced diet, including plenty of whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, individuals can obtain the vitamins they need to maintain health. Years of good research suggest that diets high in fruits and vegetables should be the first line of protection against heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other illnesses. Food is always the best source of most nutrients. But for those Americans who have yet to reach that level of dietary excellence, a vitamin supplement may help bridge the gap.

Whether taken in pill or capsule form, your supplement need not provide more than 100% of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for each vitamin and mineral. This is particularly important in the case of fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) as they can become toxic over time if taken in large amounts.

Keep in mind that while you’re getting 100% of your vitamin and mineral needs from your supplement, you’re also getting some from the foods you eat. So, sticking to the 100% rule for your supplement can help ensure that you won’t take in too much of any one vitamin or mineral. Vitamin toxicity from foods is nearly unheard of; vitamin or mineral toxicity from supplements is not uncommon.

If you take supplements in a pill or capsule, give yours the vinegar test: place one of your supplements in a glass filled with an inch of household vinegar, which is about the same pH (or level of acidity) as your stomach. Since food stays in your stomach for about 30 minutes, your vitamin should break open in the vinegar within the same length of time. If your supplement fails to open, consider buying a different brand.

In the end, a balanced diet is usually the best way to go. Serve a variety of colored fruits and vegetables to your family at every meal, and offer them for snacks as well. They’ll be getting the vitamins they need, which can’t help but do their body good.