When you go to a pharmacy, or talk to a doctor, or read an article about nutrition, you must have heard the words "Vitamins" and "Supplements" one by one, right? Sometimes when you hear these words, you think, "What does this mean?" Antioxidant, RDA,
fat -Soluble, Water-Soluble... There are many words like this. So today we thought, take these frequently heard words and explain to you what their simple meaning is. This is like a small dictionary.
What are vitamins and minerals basically?
Let's start with two words we hear often.
- Vitamins: Simply put, these are naturally occurring nutrients found in plants and animals that are essential for our body's growth, energy, and nerve function. There are two types of vitamins that help maintain our health. They are fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins. We'll talk about them in a bit.
- Minerals : These are nutrients found in the soil or water and absorbed by plants and animals. These minerals are the main components of our teeth and bones. They also help build cells and make nerve impulses work properly. Calcium and magnesium are good examples of this.
- Micronutrients: This is the general name for both vitamins and minerals. They are called "micro" because our bodies need them in very small amounts. Although they are small in size, they are essential for the proper functioning of the "macronutrients" that our bodies need in large amounts, such as fats , proteins, and carbohydrates.
What is the difference between "Fat-Soluble" and "Water-Soluble" vitamins?
This is very important because the way a vitamin is taken and the effects it can have are determined by the type. Let's clearly see the difference between the two.
| Characteristic | Fat-Soluble Vitamins | Water-Soluble Vitamins |
|---|
| Types | Vitamins A, D, E, and K | Vitamin C and B vitamins (e.g. folic acid, B6, B12) |
| Storage in the body | Yes. It is stored in the liver and fatty tissues and used when needed. | No. The body takes in the amount it needs and excretes the rest in urine. |
| Risk of poisoning (Toxicity) | If you take more than the recommended amount, it can accumulate in the body and become toxic. This can cause serious conditions such as nausea, vomiting, and liver damage. | The risk of poisoning is very low because the excess is eliminated from the body. |
| Deficiency risk | It takes time for a deficiency to occur because it is stored in the body. | Because it is not stored in the body, deficiencies can quickly occur if not obtained through daily diet. |
The most important thing is to never take any vitamins, especially fat-soluble vitamins, in large doses without consulting a doctor. If you suspect any poisoning, contact your doctor immediately. In an emergency, you can also call the National Poisons Information Center at the Colombo National Hospital.
Our Body's Defenders: Learn About Antioxidants and Free Radicals
These two words are heard everywhere now. The simple story behind this is as follows.
- Free Radicals: Think of these as little naughty, unstable particles inside our bodies. Since they are missing an electron, they try to 'steal' electrons from other molecules to become stable. We call this process oxidation . This oxidation can damage our cells. It's like rusting iron.
- Antioxidants: These are the heroes of the story. What these antioxidants do is give those pesky free radicals an electron of their own, stabilizing them. That is, they stop them from damaging cells. Vitamins A, C, E and beta-caroteneThey are powerful antioxidants.
- Phytochemicals: These are compounds found in fruits, vegetables, and other plants that have health benefits. They often act as antioxidants. Examples include lycopene in tomatoes and resveratrol in grapes.
We often say, "Take a supplement." Let's look at the words associated with that.
- Supplements: Simply put, supplements are things that we take from outside to make up for a nutrient deficiency in our daily diet. These can be vitamins, minerals, herbs , or other things. The important thing is that supplements are not a replacement for a balanced diet, but only a supplement.
- Amino Acids : These are the building blocks of proteins. Our bodies need 21 different amino acids to function properly. Some of them are made in the body. But some essential amino acids must be obtained from food.
- Botanicals / Herbs: Both are substances derived from plants and are used as supplements for health reasons.
- Fortify: This is the name given to the process of adding vitamins and minerals to a food or beverage to increase its nutritional value. For example, milk packets are 'fortified' by adding vitamins A and D.
- Multivitamin : If a pill, syrup, or other form contains more than one vitamin, we call it a multivitamin.
Prenatal Vitamins for Pregnant Mothers
This is also a very important part.
Prenatal vitamins are a type of multivitamin that is specially formulated to provide a pregnant mother with exactly the micronutrients she needs. They contain more
folic acid, iron, and
calcium than a regular multivitamin. It is very important to take these exactly as your doctor recommends.
What do these things on the label mean?
When you pick up a bottle of supplements or a packet of food, it's worth knowing about these two words on it.
- Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA):This is the amount of nutrients that most healthy people need per day to prevent disease. This varies by age and gender. For example, the RDA for vitamin C can range from 15 to 120 milligrams per day.
- Daily Value (%DV): This is found on food or beverage labels. It tells you how much of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) you get from one serving of that food. For example, if a food has a %DV of 30% for calcium, that means that you get 30% of your daily calcium needs in one serving.
- Megadose : This is the term used to describe supplements that provide more than 100% of the daily recommended amount of vitamins and minerals. Again, taking such high doses without medical advice can be very dangerous.
Take-Home Message
- Vitamins and minerals are essential for our health. But the most important thing is balance . Both too much and too little are not good.
- Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are stored in the body and can be toxic if taken in excess. Water-soluble vitamins (C, B) have a lower risk.
- Supplements are a 'supplement' to a good diet, not a 'replacement'.
- Most importantly: Avoid taking any vitamins or supplements, especially megadoses, without talking to your doctor.
- Read the label of any food or supplement you take and understand what it contains (RDA, %DV).
Vitamins, Supplements, Nutrition, RDA, Antioxidants, Minerals, Sri Lanka
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