Vitamins and Their Role in Our Lives

Vitamins, like minerals, are an essential part of the function and health of the body system. While many vitamins serve individual purposes, the more common way for vitamins to function properly is as cofactors to or in partnership with other vitamins, minerals, nutrients and other substances in the body such as enzymes. Some of the most important processes in the body are the result of Vitamins partnering with each other to achieve certain affects, processes or functions.

Two of the most essential and most powerful vitamin partnerships are the group of eight vitamins that make up the nutritional powerhouse that is collectively known as the Vitamin B complex and the group of three vitamins that are known as the antioxidant vitamins. In addition to these, there are varieties of other combinations of vitamins that serve essential purposes within the body thus preserving health and enhancing function.

The vitamins that make up the Vitamin B complex include Vitamin B1 (Thiamin), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Vitamin B3 (Niacin), Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid or simply Folate), Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) and Biotin (Vitamin H).

The degree to which the Vitamin B complex affects bodily function and health, as well as the function and health of the mind in terms of cognitive processes and emotional balance and stability is nothing but amazing. The Vitamin B complex is at work in and is essential to every major system of the body and is a part of almost every important function and process.

The group of vitamins that is known as the antioxidant group is made up of Vitamin C, Vitamin E and Vitamin A. Each of these vitamins are powerful agents on their own, serving individual essential purposes in the body. But they are their most powerful and useful when they combine their strengths thus serving as antioxidants. They function to rid the body of the cell and tissue damaging free radicals that have been associated with a variety of degenerative processes and diseases including the effects of the basic aging process and the declining abilities of the mind. Some studies have suggested connections between free radicals and such infirmities as heart disease and Alzheimer's disease.

Free radicals are destabilized molecules, created when a weakened molecule splits and leaves the free radical without one of the electrons it needs. Weakened molecules can result from the body's natural metabolic processes as well as from environmental contaminants such as pollution. The free radicals attack other molecules in the effort to take the electron that it is missing. This damages the attacked molecule, making it a free radical too. When enough free radicals emerge in a cell, it can cause cellular damage, which, as more free radicals continue to be produces, can cause tissue damage. Antioxidants bring these free radicals under control by giving them the electron that they need, bringing to an end their aggressive behavior against other molecules. Because of this, antioxidants are sometimes even coined as the Fountain of Youth of the New Age.

Nutritional supplements can ensure that your body has enough of the nutrients it needs to support these important partnerships. Attention to nutrition is one of the most important things you can do for the overall health of mind and body.

Note: This article may be freely reproduced as long as the AUTHOR'S resource box at the bottom of this article is included and and all links must be Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.

Charlene J. Nuble 2005.

For up to date links and information about Vitamins, please go to: http://vitamins.besthealthlink.net/ or for updated links and information on all health related topics, go to: http://www.besthealthlink.net/

---

Ephedra Ban Lifted

April 14,2005 federal judge Tena Campbell of the federal district... Read More

Take Back Your Life 2

In part one of this series, titled "Take Back Your... Read More

The Most Important Supplement You Can Take For Better Health

This article will reveal one easy change you can make... Read More

Getting In-Zinc

As with most nutrients and minerals, zinc is often ignored... Read More

Using Weight Loss Supplements To Reach Your Weight Loss Goals

Supplement is a word defined by Webster as such: Something... Read More

Why Supplements and Glyconutritionals?

Food is one of our most basic needs. However, in... Read More

The Liquid Vitamin Supplement

Not many years ago the liquid vitamin supplement was unheard... Read More

Side Effects of Hyaluronic Acid Products

Currently, there are no known side effects for most hyaluronic... Read More

Store Bought Vitamins - Synthetic?

Did you know that most store bought vitamins and minerals... Read More

Using Antioxidants in Your Weight Loss Program

If you're smart, you should not only be focused on... Read More

Research on Hyaluronic Acid Knee Injections

Hyaluronic acid, a key component of human tissue, aiding the... Read More

Health Benefits of CoQ10 - A Powerful, Important Heart Compound

Coenzyme Q10 (also known as ubiquinone, but most widely referred... Read More

Learn Why Digestive Enzymes are Crucial for Optimal Health

Your body produces over 20 separate digestive enzymes that are... Read More

Folate (Folic Acid) - A Health Supplement

You probably know that ladies who are planning on having... Read More

Side Effects of Fish Oil

Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of fatty... Read More

Revealed! The Secrets of Mangosteen

Do you spend at least some time in your day... Read More

The Effects of Creatine Supplements on Your Body

The skeletal muscle component known as creatine is not only... Read More

Multivitamins: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Ideally, humans would eat wholly nutritious diets rich in protein,... Read More

Body Calling: The Healthiest Women in the World

In September 2004 Orange County, California published an article "OC... Read More

Looking For Health Care Supplements ? The Easy Way To Order

When looking for health care supplements Texas residents can enjoy... Read More

Nutritional Supplement - The Good Food, Bad Food Myth

Will common sense ever prevail? We've all seen stories on... Read More

Vitamin Supplement Ratings ? Proof Of Popularity

Vitamin supplement ratings quite clearly show just how popular nutritional... Read More

Increase Your Production Of Nitric Oxide

What Is Nitric Oxide (NO)?Nitric oxide (NO) is produced by... Read More

Calcium Supplement

Calcium Supplement ? why calcium.Why is calcium supplement so important?... Read More

Amino Acid Basics ? Why Do We Need Them?

Finding out a little about amino acid basics enables you... Read More

How to Neutralize the Terrorists Within Your Body

Did you know that there are free radical biochemical "terrorists"... Read More

Discount Supplement

Discount Supplement ? what is it?Discount supplement is a term... Read More

Enzyme Supplements for Digestion and Health

Most people understand the concept of vitamin and mineral supplementation,... Read More

To Supplement or Not to Supplement; That is the Question

Some fitness adherents are supplement crazy and spend money like... Read More

Vitamin Supplements, Do We Need Them?

We live in a health conscious generation where vitamins and... Read More

Top Ten Reasons To Supplement Your Diet With EPA Fish Oil

1. Most of the modern western diets contain way too... Read More

Know Your Bodybuilding Supplement - L-Taurine

Taurine is the second most abundant amino acid in the... Read More

Creatine, Caffeine, and Carbohydrates - Supplements That Work

It would seem that everyone is looking to squeeze the... Read More