03 Mar The Best Vitamins for Your Health

You should be getting the majority of your vitamins and nutrients from the food you eat. Vitamin supplements are intended to be just that—supplemental. That being said, it can be hard to get all of your daily recommended intakes from food. Below are the best vitamins you can take to boost your health.

For Men

Vitamin B12. This vitamin is crucial for your nervous system and brain health. Although men usually consume enough B12, the body doesn’t usually absorb it all. This is especially the case for older men who have to take multiple medications, or men who take medication for diabetes or blood pressure.

Potassium. Although men sometimes become deficient in potassium from not having enough of it in their diet, more often the culprit is hormone imbalance and medication usage (like steroids or diuretics). Potassium plays multiple roles in the body, one of which is helping your heart. That’s important because cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in men.

For Women

Iron. Women are more likely than men to have an iron deficiency because of blood loss during menstruation or pregnancy. Iron is important because it helps your body produce hemoglobin, a protein that carries oxygen to your muscles and tissues.

Calcium. Even though osteoporosis affects both men and women alike, women are more likely to see it sooner. Making sure you’re getting enough calcium can help you ward off the onset of osteoporosis. But calcium doesn’t just help your bones—it’s also vital for controlling your cholesterol and blood pressure, and it’s been known to help prevent diabetes and heart disease, which are two of the biggest health threats that women face.

For Both

Vitamin D. The sun is our main source of vitamin D, but most people nowadays don’t spend enough time outdoors to get it. As a result, the majority of Americans are deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D helps our bodies in a variety of ways, from reducing the risk of heart disease to boosting the immune system.

Antioxidants. As part of the metabolism process, our bodies produce something called free radicals. These free radicals are basically groups of atoms that start a chain reaction and can hurt other cells in the body. Antioxidant molecules are the body’s defense against free radical damage. These molecules go in and stop the chain reaction before it can hurt other cells. The best antioxidant vitamins include vitamins A, C, and E.

Omega-3. There are two kinds of omega fatty acids: omega-6 and omega-3. We need both of them, and the only way we can get them into our system is through food. In our society, we consume a lot more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3, but we should be consuming something closer to a 4:1 ratio. One way to boost our omega-3 intake is with fish oil supplements.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your health, schedule an appointment today! Give us a call at (817) 416-5698.