Compared to the generations that came before us, we have more access to the information that we need when it comes to our health. In this case, it’s the vitamins we need and how we can get them. Thanks to the abundance of reliable information that is universally accessible, we’re not as susceptible to complications that come with vitamin deficiency.
The unprecedented access to information gave us the chance to know what’s good for us, how and where we can find the vitamins we need, and knowing the healthy doses. But not everyone is lucky. Some individuals and families are unable to get the essential vitamins and minerals they need to protect themselves against chronic problems due to medical conditions, economic factors, and special diets.
On the flip side, people who have access to information and the vitamins they need are still prone to taking inadequate amounts of some vitamins. It can be because of your diet, lifestyle, and medical condition.
Today, we can get the vitamins we need through changing our diets, taking supplements, IV infusion therapy or treatment, and many more.
Here are the three types of vitamins with high risk for inadequate intake:
1. Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 or cobalamin helps in keeping your blood and nerve cells healthy. They also help your body when it comes to producing energy and deoxyribonucleic acid. To get those benefits, you need to get adequate amounts of vitamin B12.
It’s released by the protein which is broken down by the acid in your stomach. But as you age, the amount of acid in your stomach decreases. Conditions such as Crohn’s disease and intake of certain medications such as the diabetes drug metformin, H2 blockers, and proton pump inhibitors can also interfere with your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B12.
How can you get vitamin B12?
People aged 50 and other individuals at risk for having less than enough amounts of this vitamin should consult their doctor about supplement intake, but we can also get B12 by eating meat, poultry, milk, and its byproducts, eggs, and fish such as trout, salmon, and tuna.
People with special diets, such as vegans and vegetarians, are also at risk for having less than a sufficient amount of B12. They can continue their diets and use non-sugary fortified food as sources of B12.
2. Folic and Folate Acid
Folate is an umbrella term used in describing the various forms of vitamin B9. One of the eight B vitamins, B9 plays an important role in forming red blood cells and healthy cell growth and function. Women within their first three weeks of pregnancy are highly advised to take enough folate to avoid birth defects.
Folic, on the other hand, is the man-made form of folate that is found in supplements and fortified food.
How can you have enough folate and folic?
Because not everyone has enough fruits, legumes, and vegetables incorporated into their diets, it’s difficult for most to get the recommended levels of folate through food. But it’s not hard to get enough because modifying your diet to include folate and folic sources is good enough to help you get the right amount.
3. Vitamin D
Vitamin D works to help your body absorb the amount of calcium it needs to keep your bones and teeth healthy. Not getting enough vitamin D is also linked to heart disease and certain types of cancers. While we can get good amounts of this from the sun, there are also food sources we can rely on to deliver the amount we need.
This means individuals living in areas with high levels of air pollution, high latitudes, dense clouds, the ones who cover their skin up from the sun, and darker skin pigments are at risk for having low levels of vitamin D.
How can we get the right amount?
Fortunately, fortified food can give us the amount of vitamin D we need. The natural sources are also whole eggs, salmon, mushrooms, herring, sardines, and tuna. If you don’t eat fish, you can consult your doctor about the right vitamin D supplement.
Takeaways
Depending on factors such as diet, lifestyle, medical condition, and access to vitamin sources, we can all be deficient in many types of vitamins. What will help us avoid health complications that come with is staying informed, eating the right food, and consulting our doctors.
We should also be open to unlikely options of vitamin intake if there are factors that can prevent us from getting them naturally. This will help us be aware of ways to help better our health.
