Do Vitamins Actually Work?

This is the final guest post for 2013. My thanks to Sarah Atkinson for her submission.

Do vitamins actually work?

Overwhelmed by the hectic lifestyle, the majority of people seek a magic solution to
improve their health and are easily swayed to believe the information they are presented with on-screen. Can a single vitamin tablet counteract the lack of proper nutrition and exercise? Unfortunately, nothing in life can be hastened by wrong decisions, things can only fall further apart when it comes to our body and mind union. But should vitamins be part of your natural diet to help oil the machinery?

How should vitamins work?

Contrary to popular belief taking vitamin C in between meals strengthens your immune
system to fend off colds. The research on the link between artificial vitamin C and
immunity has been largely inconclusive at best. Research points to the vitamin whose use could potentially reduce the time it takes one to recover from common flu, but it doesn’t mean that you can’t fight off a cold in a different way, eg. by selecting some of its natural sources like vegetables.

On the other hand, you may as well benefit from adding a couple of extra lozenges if you really have to, but be aware that you are more likely to experience the placebo effect than anything else. For what it is worth, the quicker you get on the fast track to the complete recovery, the better.

Popular vitamins

Many artificial vitamins contain varying amounts of additives and colorants, something that should tip the scale more effectively towards the decision for a more balanced approach to diet and sport. The time-effectiveness that the vitamin tablets guarantee speaks for itself and suggests that fruit and vegetable consumption are something of a bother, whereas it is hardly the case.

Even though our natural preference when under time pressure for prepackaged food wins
hands down, adding another artificial component to the mix stands in clear opposition to the common sense. If you imagine someone fed on hormone injected bacon and a high
intake of soft drinks and artificial sweetners, coupled with the vitamin dessert, you may want to conclude that this vision does not translate into a healthy lifestyle at all.

Can vitamins ever be of help?

Those people who are at the risk of malnutrition or recovering patients who have received long time treatment could greatly benefit from more synthetic vitamins. Also, anyone who practices sport or undertakes more draining jobs or challenges could be best advised to consult their dietician or seek counsel with their general health provider. It is these types of conditions and activities that vitamins are put to best use – although they should be used as dietary supplements rather than a substitute for healthy food.

Indeed, vitamin consumption is becoming more important in today´s world given that
genetically modified food is devoid of natural nutrients the body needs. Due to a depletion of certain minerals and vitamins, reduced drastically through the use of artificials and excessive fertilization, vitamin intake could prove inevitable to provide the body with the nutrition it needs to stay healthy.

Bio:

Sarah is a content writer and blogger who has a special interest in health and nutrition. She is currently working alongside advanced medical experts Nutricia.