If you're a vegetarian, you can still obtain all the iron your body needs if you carefully plan your diet. Different types of iron exist, and are absorbed differently in the body. Although meat is an excellent source of dietary iron with a high...
Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that exists in several forms and is active in human metabolism. The vitamin is essential in the formation of red blood cells, neurological functioning and in the synthesis of DNA. Normally, vitamin B12 is...
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant mineral in your body. It is used by virtually every organ, but is particularly important to your heart, muscles and kidneys. A variety of plant or animal-based foods contain magnesium and you can get your...
Approximately 13 percent of all deaths worldwide are attributable to cancer, the World Health Organization, WHO, reports. WHO notes that cancers of the lung, liver and stomach are particularly deadly. The foods in your diet can help reduce your...
If you have ever watched an episode of the TV show "The Biggest Loser" you may be tempted to try this diet at home. Be forewarned -- this is not an easy endeavor but it is possible. Completing the Biggest Loser diet at home will require planning,...
Diet and human growth and development are so intertwined that the most accepted way to determine adequacy of nutrient intake is to evaluate growth and body composition. The U.S. Department of Agriculture publishes the Dietary Guidelines for...
Vitamins are important inorganic compounds found in food that help your body function and repair itself on a daily basis. They act as enzymatic co-factors, clotting agents, prohormones and metabolic regulators to ensure you are at your optimal...
Phosphorus is the second most abundant mineral in the body, after calcium. There is not one main function of phosphorus. Eighty-five percent of phosphorus in the body is found in bones, and the remaining 15 percent is spread throughout soft...
Niacin, or vitamin B-3, is one of eight B vitamins your body needs to stay healthy. Like the other B vitamins, niacin is water soluble, meaning that your body excretes excess amounts of the nutrient in urine. Maintaining appropriate levels of...
Vitamin C is a potent immune booster that has been researched perhaps more thoroughly than any other nutrient, according to Dr. William and Martha Sears of the Ask Dr. Sears website. This vitamin is capable of boosting your white blood-cell levels...
Consuming too many vitamins can cause vitamin toxicity, or hypervitaminosis. Vitamins absorbed from food rarely lead to toxicity, but taking too many supplemental vitamins can. While the body generally excretes excess water-soluble vitamins,...
Potassium is a mineral that maintains normal cell function and fluid balance inside and outside of cells. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, low blood potassium, or hypokalemia, is most commonly due to excessive loss of potassium from...
Many women use the birth control pill as their form of contraception. Reliance on a daily medication often provokes questions and concerns about what impact the drug has on a consumer's health and nutrition. Information about oral contraceptives...
Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin. Its functions include helping with the production of red blood cells, which may prevent pernicious anemia. Vitamin B12 is also necessary to make the genetic material of cells,...
Your cells can generate only a small amount of very few vitamins, so you must get most vitamins from foods. Your body converts vitamins into coenzymes that fuel your body so you can perform all your daily activities. The amounts of vitamins you...
Family Doctor notes that potassium helps your body regulate blood pressure while magnesium supports the function of your heart and arteries. A balanced diet normally provides a sufficient intake to meet your body's requirements. The U.S....
Unless you're a strict vegetarian or have an underlying disorder that prevents adequate absorption of nutrients from the foods you eat, you're probably receiving enough vitamin B12 through dietary sources. Some conditions can hamper your ability...
Most animals and all humans require vitamin E. Alpha-tocopherol is the chemical name for vitamin E. The word "tocopherol" comes from the Greek words for "offspring" and "to bear." People who are deficient in vitamin E are unable to reproduce....
Many people lose weight to improve their appearance but are disappointed when they lose their hair too. Normal hair loss is 50 to 100 hairs a day according to the New York Times. But when hair loss accelerates, or new growth fails to counteract...
Vitamin B-12 is important in the formation of red blood cells and the maintenance of your central nervous system, which includes your brain and spinal cord. Deficiencies in vitamin B-12 can occur if the body is unable to absorb it properly, or...
DHA is widely accepted as supporting cardiovascular health. Adequate DHA intake may also contribute to optimal pregnancy outcomes for both mother and baby, so many health professionals recommend increasing DHA consumption during pregnancy and...
Vitamin A is a group of compounds. As explained by the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, vitamin A from animal sources is called preformed vitamin A, and absorbs as retinol, which can then be converted to other forms of...
In an average group of 10 Americans, at least one has heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fish oil has become a popular nutritional supplement, as rampant heart disease provokes the American population into...
Nutrient deficiencies develop when the body's level of a vitamin or mineral becomes so low that it can't keep up with the normal functions that the specific nutrient helps with. Deficiency can result from inadequate amounts of the vitamin or...
Vitamin B-12 injections, supplements and fortified energy drinks are commonly marketed as a means to increase your energy level. However, MayoClinic.Com notes that injections typically only work for this purpose if you're deficient in the vitamin....
The mineral zinc is required by your body in trace amounts. It performs a variety of normal biochemical functions, including maintaining your immune system, synthesizing proteins and permitting catalytic activity in enzymes, and it supports proper...
Folic acid, also known as folate, is one of the B vitamins. The Office of Dietary Supplements recommends 400 micrograms, or ug, per day for adults, 600 for pregnant women and 500 for lactating women. You can get the vitamin in supplement form in...
Osteoporosis is a medical condition that occurs when the bones become significantly porous and weak. This condition allows bones to fracture extremely easy. The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that 10 million Americans are diagnosed...
Vitamins are essential for life, and the functions of vitamin B-6, folic acid and vitamin B-12 are many and varied. These B-complex vitamins perform a variety of functions in your body, including keeping your nerves, heart and blood cells...
