What Vitamins Should I Take?
Vitamins are essential micronutrients that we all need to sustain the proper function of our metabolisms, keep our bones strong, boost our immune system and many other vital tasks. We as humans are able to synthesize some vitamins to a certain point. Vitamin D for example, is produced when our skin is directly exposed to sunlight (whether or not we get enough sunlight is the real question, more info below!). Generally though, it is vital we obtain vitamins through our diet. In this blog we aim to answer what certain vitamins do, the best sources for vitamins, how many vitamins you need and should you take a vitamin supplement.
Here we have selected six key vitamins you should try and obtain daily.
Vitamins are typically measured in these units:
- Milligrams – one thousandth of a gram and written as mg
- Micrograms – one millionth of a gram written as μg or mcg
Vitamin A
What does Vitamin A do?
Also known as Retinol, Vitamin A helps your immune system fight illness and infection. Additionally, it helps keep your skin healthy and helps with vision in low light.
Where do we get Vitamin A from?
- Cheese, eggs, milk and yoghurt
- Oily fish
- Liver and liver products - A particularly rich source of Vitamin A, if you have liver or liver products more than once a week you may be in danger of having too much vitamin A. Pregnant women should avoid liver and liver products all together.
Your body can also convert beta-carotene into retinol. Beta-carotene can be found in:
- Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli and kale
- Yellow, red and orange vegetables such as sweetcorn, all types of squash, sweet potato, carrots, red peppers and tomatoes
- Yellow fruit, such as mango, papaya and apricots
How much Vitamin A do we need?
The NHS say that the amount of Vitamin A an adult aged between 19 to 64 needs is:
- 700μg a day for men
- 600μg a day for women
This is the equivalent of approximately nine eggs.
Vitamin B1
What does Vitamin B1 do?
Also known as Thiamine, Vitamin B1 allows the body to make energy from food, specifically carbohydrates. Thiamine is key in the production of enzymes that help breakdown blood sugar and also keeps the nervous system healthy.
Where do we get Vitamin B1 from?
- Peas
- Pork
- Some fresh fruits, such as bananas and oranges
- Nuts
- Wholegrain breads
How much Vitamin B1 do we need?
The NHS say that the amount of Vitamin B1 an adult aged between 19 to 64 needs is:
- 1mg a day for men
- 0.8mg a day for women
This is the equivalent of one lean pork chop.
Vitamin B12
What does Vitamin B12 do?
Essential for a healthy nervous system, Vitamin B12 is vital to cognitive function and your ability to think. It also helps in the creation of red blood cells and prevents certain types of anemia. Vitamin B12 also helps the body use folate, another B Vitamin, which is vital in the creation of DNA and other genetic material and for cell division.
Where do we get Vitamin B12 from?
- Cheese, eggs and milk
- Meat
- Fish, especially tuna and haddock
- Some nutritional yeast products
How much Vitamin B12 do we need?
The NHS say that the amount of Vitamin B12 an adult aged between 19 to 64 needs is:
- 1.5μg a day for men and women
This is the equivalent of approximately one boiled egg.
Vitamin C
What does Vitamin C do?
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, helps keep your cells healthy and helps you maintain and form new cartilage, blood vessels, muscles and collagen in bones. As an antioxidant, Vitamin C can ward off the aging effects of free radicals on the body. Additionally, Vitamin C will help with the absorption of iron, especially non-heme iron (iron from plants like broccoli). Quite a busy Vitamin!
Where do we get Vitamin C from?
- Citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruit and lemons
- Peppers
- Strawberries
- Broccoli
- Potato
How much Vitamin C do we need?
The NHS say that the amount of Vitamin C an adult aged between 19 to 64 needs is:
- 40mg for men and women
This is the equivalent of a small orange.
Vitamin D
What does Vitamin D do?
Unlike some vitamins, your body can produce Vitamin D, though we don’t always get the raw material to make enough. Regulating the amount of phosphate and calcium in your body, Vitamin D helps keep your teeth, bones and muscles healthy. Vitamin D may also guard against Type 2 Diabetes as it regulates insulin levels in the body.
Where do we get Vitamin D from?
The body creates Vitamin D from sunlight though it can be found in the following foods:
- Red Meat
- Liver
- Egg Yolk
- Oily fish
How much Vitamin D do we need?
The NHS say that the amount of Vitamin D adults aged between 19 to 64 need is:
- 10μg for men and women
From October to late March, in the UK, the sun is not strong enough for our bodies to make sufficient Vitamin D and it is difficult to obtain all the Vitamin D we need from food alone. For example, to meet the requirements set by the NHS, one would need to eat approximately four tins of tuna!
Vitamin K
What does Vitamin K do?
Not the most well-known vitamin, Vitamin K is needed by your body to make prothrombin, which is a protein vital to blood clotting and bone metabolism. Helping with blood clotting, Vitamin K is vital for helping wounds to heal.
Where do we get Vitamin K from?
- Leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli and kale
- Vegetable oils
How much Vitamin K do we need?
The NHS say that the amount of Vitamin K an adult needs is roughly 1μg per kilogram of body weight. Therefore, an 80kg adult would need:
- 80μg
A small head of broccoli will contain approximately 385μg Vitamin K.
Am I getting enough vitamins?
Diets that are varied and well balanced in theory should contain all the vitamins we need. However, there are some exceptions to this. The NHS say that between October and early March, people in the UK do not make enough Vitamin D from sunlight. They recommend that it is especially necessary to take a Vitamin D supplement during that time, but some people will not make enough Vitamin D throughout the year if they have very little sunshine exposure. Therefore if you who are not often outdoors or usually wear clothes that cover up most of your skin when outdoors you should consider taking a daily supplement all year round.
You should also consider taking supplements if you know you are missing a certain food group, for example those on restrictive diets such as the Vegan diet may struggle to get the recommended daily intake of Vitamin B12.
While we all try to eat a varied and balanced diet, it can be difficult to consume all the vitamins and minerals we need through food alone. Supplements can be used on top of your normal diet to ensure you are getting the recommended daily allowance of vitamins you need for a healthy body and can give your health and wellbeing a boost. Some people choose a multivitamin to ensure they are getting a good balance of essential vitamins.
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Vitamin supplements should not be taken in compensation for a poor diet. It is important to consult your doctor if you think you have a specific vitamin deficiency. and if you are on any medication you should always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any supplements. During pregnancy, you should always consult your GP before taking any supplements.
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