HCFS ; Vitamins In General & Vitamins As An Supplement

Vitamins In General & Vitamins As An Supplement

(March 12, 2013)

When you hear the word vitamin, most usually associate it with a pill or supplement of some sort. Although vitamins can be taken in the form of a pill, vitamin in and of its self means “organic substances necessary for life” not pills or supplements for good health. Basically meaning nutrients found in and from food, opposed from other places. Vitamins are essential for normal metabolism, growth, and development of your body. The most effective approach to obtaining all of the necessary vitamins and nutrients for optimal performance is to eat a healthy and well balanced diet. The established basic food groups and the Food Guide Pyramid are adequate guidelines for proper nutrition. Not following these guidelines can lead to consumption of too many of the wrong types of foods. This can lead to eating too many foods high in fat, cholesterol, and calories at the expense of complex carbohydrates and other things you need. The body can only absorb so much at a time too, and if it is absorbing the wrong things from the wrong foods, if you eat healthy things thereafter, the body will not draw the best or majority of nutrients from these things. You cannot have a fit lifestyle just through training and working out alone. It begins with proper nutrition and what to put into your body, and in what portions. Without the right diet, you will not have the energy or recuperative abilities for hard or intense training, not will you lose weight, fat, or gain muscle or lean muscle mass.

Nutrient guidelines

The foods you consume directly affect your ability to function. Those whom do not know about proper nutrition or want the quickest route to development tend to rely heavily on nutritional supplements opposed to changing their diet to get the desired results they seek. Supplements are just that, they are meant to “supplement” a healthy diet that involves a lifestyle of training and working out, they are not meant to “replace” food or proper eating habits / diet. Supplements can come in multiple forms from pills to powders and even liquids. They usually are a great way for the attainment of vitamins for those whom cannot eat enough food or take medicines that interact with certain nutrients. Sometimes people take much more than the recommended daily allowance for certain vitamins and minerals. This can have the same effects as taking harmful drugs and result in side effects or poisoning. Supplements can provide great results and aid the individual whom level of activity is above average, but supplements should “supplement” a well balanced diet and exercise program, not replace the eating of food or be overdosed / misused. The foundational difference between a diet for someone whom trains heavily and for weight reduction is the number or amount of calories consumed. Both diets should have the characteristics of positive nutrition ;

– Low fat

– Low cholesterol

– Low intake if refined sugar

– Low intake of salt

– Moderate intake of protein

– High consumption of complex carbohydrates

– High consumption of fiber

For the very physically active individual, carbohydrates and calories will have to be increased to meet the level of activity they put themselves through in training. While not wanting to consume to much of the wrong things, for the heavily active trainee, they do not want to under eat or consume less than what their body needs for muscle building and repair. The macro nutrients of fat, carbohydrates and protein are required in large doses (grams) but vitamins and minerals are only needed in milligrams or micro grams which are smaller doses. Vitamins regulate chemical reactions within the body while minerals give structure to the bones and affect heart and muscle contraction. They do not supply the body with calories and therefore they do not supply energy. They are in involved in energy metabolism though. Food is always the best source for attaining vitamins and minerals, with the more wholesome and less refined / processed being the better.

Food is the best source for vitamins and minerals period, as mentioned here repeatedly. Eating a variety of healthy foods is the best way, giving your body a multitude of sources to attain nourishment. Foods low in nutrients can cause a deficiency in vitamins and minerals (leading to ailment and illnesses). A diet high in processed food is an example of how this could happen, because the “processing” process depletes the amount of vitamins and minerals. Other factors that deplete or effect the nutrient content of food are ;

– Soil conditions

– Ripeness

– Canning

– Freezing

– Storage

– Shipping

Processed foods labeled as fortified, enriched and other things are “supplemented” with some vitamins and minerals but still are not as good as natural or whole food sources.

Supplementing For Athletes

While a dietary regimen for the highly active trainee should possess the fundamentals such as being active such as a healthy diet, training / working out, plenty of rest nightly as well as time off from training periodically and so forth, the athlete, specially the combat athlete, had differing needs. Due to the types of training and the high level of intensity of it, they probably should supplement their diet. Emphasis is placed on “supplement” or adding supplements to their regimen, opposed to “replacing” what they need with supplements. Unless needed for medical reasons, a good multi vitamin is always better than single- vitamin use (this prevents overdosing and poisoning). Protein never huts as it will aid in the recovery process and directly aid the muscles. Something for bone and joint health will also probably be a good idea. As one trains, they should do research on any supplement they consider taking, decided if they really need it, and only take what they need when they need it, not abusing it. While scientists for some time tried to state that the athlete did not need any more nutrition than the average individual, those scientists were not athletes. Since then, not only has common sense proved otherwise, but later studies and research has shown it too.