If you are older than 40, you need to ensure that you are doing everything you can to keep your body healthy. One area that you should consider is your vitamin consumption. Each day, your body uses vitamins from the foods that you eat to perform thousands of chemical reactions in your body. If you do not consume the correct vitamins each day, your body will not be able to function properly.
The 13 Essential Vitamins
There are 13 vitamins that are considered essential. They are essential because your body needs them each day and is not able to make them. Therefore, you need to consume these vitamins through the foods you eat or through supplements and multivitamins. The 13 essential vitamins are vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the eight B vitamins. The B vitamins are known as thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate.
How Much Do You Need?
Each day, you should consume 700 to 900 mcg of vitamin A, 75 to 90 mg of vitamin C, 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D, 15 mg of vitamin E and 90 to 120 mcg of vitamin K. In addition, you need to include 1.0 to 1.2 mg of thiamine, 1.0 to 1.3 mg of riboflavin, 14 to 16 mg of niacin, 1.7 to 5 mg of pantothenic acid, 5 to 30 mcg of biotin, 1.3 to 1.7 mg of B-6, 0.9 to 2.4 mcg of B-12 and 400 mcg of folate. Men generally need a higher amount than women.
Food Sources and Multivitamins
The essential vitamins are found in foods such as green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and in lean meats such as fish and poultry. Eggs, dairy and beans are sources of the B vitamins. To get the proper amounts, eat a balanced diet that includes these food sources. To be sure that you get enough each day, the Harvard School of Public Health recommends that you include a daily multivitamin in your diet.
Considerations
Healthy aging is dependent on many factors. These include genetics, diet, exercise habits, stress and lifestyle habits such as drinking alcohol and smoking. If you are over 40, you can improve your health by avoiding smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation, engaging in daily exercise and eating a balanced diet that includes the essential vitamins and other nutrients that your body needs.
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