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Top 10 Vitamin Must-Haves

Every few months a news report questions the need to take vitamins. Conventional thinking is that if you eat a balanced diet every day you don’t need supplements. While a balanced diet is something we should all strive for, few of us can manage that. Instead we cut corners and our health suffers.

Despite these discouraging reports, vitamin consumption is at an all-time high - nearly 70% of Americans now take them.

But the question that still confounds many of us is exactly what do we need. A stroll down the vitamin aisle at your local retailer just adds to the confusion with literally thousands of choices.

Here we clear things up with a list of the top 10 daily must-have vitamins.

1. Vitamin A. This traditional vision supporter is also great for your heart, immune function and digestion.
2. Vitamin Bs. The eight water-soluble B-vitamins support heart, energy and mind. Vitamin B-6 alone is involved in over 100 bodily functions – more than almost any other nutrient. Folic acid and B-12 support healthy heart function.
3. Vitamin C. In addition to oranges and grapefruits, did you know you can also find Vitamin C in broccoli and tomatoes? Since your body does not store Vitamin C, daily supplementation is mandatory to support your immune system and give you antioxidants to fight free radicals that can cause premature aging.
4. Vitamin D. Recent national news programs have praised the benefits of the “sunshine vitamin.” Turns out slathering all that sunscreen on our bodies over the last few decades has resulted in millions of us being deficient in Vitamin D. It’s needed for strong bones and for proper absorption of calcium.
5. Vitamin E. Lots of people keep Vitamin E capsules handy for cuts, scrapes and scars. Internally, Vitamin E supports circulation and protects blood vessels. It also fights free radicals throughout your system.
6. Calcium. The most abundant mineral in the body, calcium is mainly found in the bones and teeth where it works to keep them strong. Only about 1% of calcium is found in the blood, but it has an important role in assisting several metabolic processes. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average American gets less than half their needed calcium from their daily diet. And if you consume a diet with a substantial amount of protein and caffeine, your calcium could be further depleted.
7. Essential fatty acids (EFAs). Like any machine, your heart needs oil to run smoothly. But not just any oil. Researchers have identified the right oil as essential fatty acids, (EFAs), oily substances found in plants and fish. EFAs are necessary fats that the human body cannot produce, therefore must be obtained through diet. There are three families of EFAs: Omega-3, Omega-6, Omega-9. EFA deficiencies or imbalances are linked to many health concerns. That’s why a good daily EFA is recommended for maximum protection.
8. Coenzyme Q-10 (CoQ-10). CoQ-10 is an essential nutrient for the functioning of every cell in your body, especially for the heart’s high energy activities. Your ability to produce CoQ-10 declines with age. And, if you’re on a cholesterol-lowering statin, it can deplete your supply of CoQ-10 even further. An extra benefit -- CoQ-10 is an antioxidant that helps protect cells against free radical damage.
9. Magnesium. Did you know magnesium is essential for more than 300 reactions in your body? It is involved in strong bones and teeth, muscle strength, mood, body temperature and more.
10. Lutein. If you’re over 40 you probably noticed a change in your vision already and you’d certainly like to preserve as much of your eyesight as possible. Research shows that a minimum of 10 mg. of lutein, especially absorbable FloraGLO® lutein, shields your retina from harmful UV rays and actually helps build macular pigment density for life-long healthy vision.

You can get many of these vitamins as single nutrients or as a multivitamin. You can even find them in specialized formulas that give you a range of nutrients with additional benefits. Just give them time to work and make sure you’ve selected one that’s high quality.

Speaking of quality….

Are big national brands better than lesser-known brands?

If you’re like a lot of people when you want to save money you may buy a less expensive store brand instead a big national brand. Nine times out of ten, the store brand works just as well, if not better and saves you a lot of money in the long run, especially if it’s something you use regularly.

Here’s how to get the biggest bang for your vitamin buck:

• High price doesn’t always mean high quality. The supplements industry follows federal guidelines, so every reputable retailer large and small must comply with the same standards in order to stay in business. Oftentimes lesser-known brands are equal to the big players and can even surpass their quality because they don’t have expensive advertising budgets and fancy packaging. This way the smaller brands can pass the savings on to you, making them a better value.
• Choose a reputable retailer. Look for a vitamin company that has a thriving business because this means they restock frequently and their products are always new on the shelf. You want a company that has stood the test of time and belongs to industry trade associations and the Better Business Bureau. Of course, you want a company that stands behind what it sells with a money-back guarantee on every product unconditionally.
• Make sure they sell fresh vitamins your body can absorb. In order for your body to realize maximum benefit from a vitamin, it must dissolve in your system. You can determine the freshness of yours with this simple test: Pour one cup of white vinegar into a glass container. Heat a bowl of water to 98 degrees and place the vinegar cup into the bowl of hot water. Place the vitamin into the vinegar cup then gently shake the vinegar every five minutes. A fresh, absorbable tablet should dissolve in 30 to 60 minutes.

Stay healthy with these top ten must-have vitamins and make sure you’re always getting the best quality at the best price.