Are Vitamins and Supplements Worth Taking?

There is an ongoing debate over the true value of taking vitamins and supplements. There are critics who look at the empirical data, and believe that taking a multivitamin is pointless, because most Americans receive sufficient nutrients in their daily diets.

Supplements are even foggier, because it can be hard to vouch for the therapeutic value of the loosely-regulated industry. Nevertheless, anecdotal evidence and the personal perception of many advocates for supplements continue to drive the market. Let's consider why we may or may not need vitamins and supplements below.

What Happens When Americans Lack Sufficient Vitamin D?

Americans who live in colder climates may not absorb enough sunlight. This often results in a deficiency of Vitamin D. Even though Vitamin D can be produced by the body, it quickly breaks down and requires regular exposure to sunlight for at least five or 10 minutes each day or thrice a week.

Vitamin D is important for the healthy development of teeth and bones. It also plays a critical role in supporting the health of the central nervous and immune systems. It helps to regulate insulin and can reduce the symptoms of diabetes. In addition, it is also important for cardiovascular and respiratory health. Some research even shows that Vitamin D may help the body to suppress the expression of cancerous genetic defects.

Osteoporosis and osteomalacia in older adults and rickets in children are the main diseases that are linked to low Vitamin D levels. The bones can become soft and cause children to appear bow-legged. Osteoporosis sufferers start to look hunched over, and develop a back hump as the spinal column degenerates.

When you consider all these virtues of Vitamin D, it is clear to see how many Americans are affected, and that deficiencies need to be addressed.

What Happens When Americans Lack Calcium?

Although Vitamin D deficiencies are the most common, Americans are also deficient in Calcium. When someone is deficient in Calcium, they develop a disease called Hypocalcemia. This disease can lead to muscle cramps, spasms, and tingling in the extremities or numbness. It can also lead to severe dental decay problems as the body starts to leach Calcium from teeth and bones to metabolize other important processes. Lethargy, eczema, brittle nails, osteopenia, and osteoporosis are additional symptoms.

The problem with Calcium deficiencies is that they can take years of bone density degradation before the symptoms manifest. This is because your body is recycling materials internally and using up any portion of the Calcium stored in your body before the metabolic processes become visible.

Unfortunately, Calcium deficiencies are something that catches up with adults slowly as they age. Because the effects and the toll are accumulative, most adults don't notice any problem until they are diagnosed with osteoporosis or another disorder. And because Calcium is hard to absorb, many people may think that they are taking enough Calcium in their diets.

What Are the Virtues of Supplements?

There are so many different types of supplement formulas on the market. Fish and krill oil are very popular for brain health. Glucosamine and chondroitin are vital for joint health. And milk thistle is very popular for improving liver function, and reducing inflammation.

The Gundry MD reviews are anecdotal evidence that custom-blended supplement formulas are even better than taking the most popular individual supplements. These supplemental formulas are formulated to protect everything from the eyes to the heart to the natural bacteria in the gut that aids in digestion.

People should start using these supplements even when they are young to prevent disease, instead of simply using them to alleviate the symptoms of diseases that they acquire later on in life. Many athletes are already using joint supplements and other formulas to improve their recovery after a workout.

Conclusion

The empirical evidence that Americans are deficient of vitamins is overwhelming. The anecdotal evidence demonstrates that supplements work to improve health without any of the side-effects of medications. This makes both the first lines of defense to strengthen your body against numerous ailments.