Vitamins in Your Daily Life (Pictures)

Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that your body needs in small amounts to work properly.

Most people should be able to get all the nutrients they need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you choose to take vitamin and mineral supplements, seek advice where appropriate.

Vitamins and minerals play a role in normalizing bodily functions and cannot be made by the body (except for vitamin D from the sun).

Adequate intake from food and/or supplements is necessary to prevent deficiency, promote optimal health, improve nutrient partitioning and promote fat loss and muscle gain.

The interest in vitamin/mineral supplementation to prevent diseases and/or increase longevity comes from the idea that supplementation is harmless. Yet, serious adverse events have been reported. Don’t supplement unless you need to. Avoid supertherapeutic doses — doses greatly in excess of recommendations.