Should I Be Taking Vitamin Supplements?

Should I Be Taking Vitamin Supplements?
 by: Ruth Stattmiller
Most people believe that they are reasonably healthy. Exercise, having a solid diet, and keeping stress to a minimum is a great way to live a longer, happier, and healthier life. That being said, will taking vitamin supplements help you even more? Who should take vitamin supplements? Are vitamin supplements only for extremely unhealthy people who simply don't have the time to exercise and eat right? You may be surprised to find out that vitamin supplements are a good idea for everyone, even the healthiest people.
Consider an average person, on an average day. How many items does the average person eat that are simply loaded with useless calories and no nutritional value? Today, more and more people are "too busy" to prepare healthy meals and eat specific foods in order to get their daily recommended amounts of vitamins. Some of these people may exercise, but exercising is only doing half of the requirements for healthy living. Eating right is just as important as exercise. If you are finding yourself too busy to sit down and prepare a solid meal, then you should be taking vitamin supplements. Taking vitamins with breakfast is always a good idea. Breakfast is probably the most important meal of the day (yet many people skip it), and so it can be enhanced by taking special vitamin supplements.
What about people who eat right and exercise? Yes, they too should be taking vitamin supplements. It would be a very rare case to find someone who was able to get all of his or her daily-recommended vitamins through prepared food. Vitamin supplements can also give people more than they need. Having more Vitamin C than needed is certainly better than not having enough. If you are someone who exercises frequently, then having your recommended amount of vitamins is even more crucial. Consider the amount of energy that is spent when exercising? Vitamins leave the body through the sweat glands, and it is important to replenish these vitamins.
Even the most active children should have vitamin supplements. Studies have shown that children who take vitamins daily are, on average, healthier than children who do not. Children are growing constantly, and exerting large amounts of energy. In truth, children need more vitamins than their parents because they need to have enough vitamins for growth.
A common misconception is that vitamin supplements replace vitamins from actual foods. Therefore, you don't need to eat vegetables if you are on vitamin supplements. This could not be farther from the truth. Vitamins are supposed to improve your physical well being by making sure you get your recommended amounts of vitamins, or even more than what is needed. For this reason, even someone who is eating healthy should be on vitamin supplements. Many people who have used vitamin supplements notice significant changes in their energy levels if they stop taking the supplements. People who have never taken supplements, and begin to take them notice a dramatic increase in their energy levels, and they even feel healthier.
The human body is always changing. Vitamins are constantly lost, and need to be replenished. Many people do not acquire enough vitamins to constitute half of the recommended daily amount. For these people, vitamin supplements are a must. However, even the healthiest person should consider taking vitamin supplements to ensure that he or she is getting the daily-recommended amounts, and that he or she has all the energy they need for the day. Healthy living is no easy feat. In order to be healthy, one must work at it constantly. Vitamins supplements should be used in addition to a healthy diet, so everyone should take vitamin supplements.