WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMIN—B’s & C As a health coach I am asked on a regular basis, what vitamins should I be taking. How should I be taking the vitamins and when should I be taking the vitamins. I offer the following advice and just give a little bit of basic information. VITAMIN C is an essential vitamin which means that it can’t be manufactured by the body—Vitamin C is safe to take in recommended amounts at any time of day. It occurs naturally in a variety of fruits & vegetable including oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, kiwi fruit, broccoli, kale, spinach & lemons. Our bodies don’t store Vitamin C & so it needs to be taken on a daily basis & ideally in smaller doses throughout the day. B VITAMIN’S—Because of their energy-boosting abilities, the best time of day to take a B vitamin is after waking up. Why do you need B Vitamins? The B vitamin’s play a special role in your body. The B vitamins help enzymes (which break down what you eat and drink) with several functions including: Releasing energy from proteins, carbs, fats, breaking down amino acids & moving oxygen & energy around your body. They also help your cells grow & multiply. Some B vitamins also help the body’s production of haemoglobin (important for red blood cells). Haemoglobin gives blood its red colour & also helps transport oxygen throughout the body. It is generally safe to take several B vitamins at the same time in the form of a Vitamin B complex.
There are eight different types of B vitamins, each of which has a separate function for the body and some work together. They are B1—Thiamin, B2—Riboflavin, B3—Niacin, B5—Pantothenic Acid, B6—Pyridoxin, B7—Biotin, B9—Folate/Folic acid, B12—Cyanocobalamin. As a health coach it is also important to warn that there can be risks & there have to be considerations when taking any supplementation. Take care when considering the use of vitamin & mineral supplements. Caution is necessary because the link between claims of effectiveness & the actual benefits may vary greatly. Also, many vitamins & minerals can be harmful if taken in large doses. Some vitamins may also interact adversely with regular medications. Also spend money on your supplements. You get what you pay for! I will be discussing Fat-soluble vitamins and when might be best to take them in our next blog. Your health coach - Colleen
