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Daily Vitamin Benefits

As more and more people become interested in their personal health, they begin adding daily vitamins to their diet. Some people question what benefits, if any, taking a daily vitamin provides. There are indeed some health benefits, and it's not a bad idea to supplement your diet with specific vitamins that provide positive, wide-ranging effects.

  1. Vitamin B12

    • Vitamin B12 gains more exposure as its health benefits become more widely known. It helps to prevent anemia, a common blood disorder characterized by a decrease in the number of red blood cells. B12 also helps promote growth of white blood cells in bone marrow. In addition, it is instrumental in helping to regulate neurological and gastrointestinal health. Vitamin B12 is available in pill or tablet form, as well as in a liquid form injected into the body. Though you can purchase liquid B12 yourself, consulting with your doctor before injecting yourself is highly recommended. Your doctor will show you the proper method, give you guidelines for future use and warn you of possible dangers.

    Vitamin C

    • Vitamin C is perhaps the most well known of all vitamins you might use to supplement your diet. It is widely available, and sold alone, as well as being a key ingredient in many multi-vitamins. Vitamin C is often taken to help bolster the immune system and aid in fighting sickness. It is also known to help speed up the healing of wounds, and helps destroy free radicals that can cause cancer and hasten the aging process. Vitamin C is sold in pill form, as well as chewable tablets. Many foods are high in this vitamin, such as citrus fruits, tomatoes and bell peppers. Typical vitamin C tablets come in 500 mg and 1000 mg doses. Don't take more than one tablet per day, as overdoses can lead to nausea, diarrhea, fever, back pain, vomiting and abdominal pain.

    Vitamin D

    • Vitamin D is instrumental in formation of teeth and bones, and also helps the body absorb calcium, which strengthens the bones. It also helps prevent osteoporosis (when bones become brittle and fracture much more easily). Vitamin D is often added to milk to increase the benefits of the calcium it contains. It is also present in eggs, tuna fish, fish liver oils and is added to some cereals. Vitamin D can also be acquired from sunlight, and all you need to do is take a walk on a sunny day. It is often added to multi-vitamin tablets, though it is not frequently taken alone.

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