Eating whole foods is the best way to attain vitamins and minerals. However, if your diet lacks certain foods or nutrients, or you cannot eat enough healthy foods, you may become deficient and require a supplement. Vitamin and mineral supplements are dispensed in capsules, liquid, powder or pill form, and can compensate for a vitamin or mineral deficiency. Most multivitamin supplements combine both vitamins and minerals.
Vitamin Supplements
Vitamins are required for growth and for maintaining health. Supplements are available in fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and water-soluble vitamins B and C. Fat-soluble vitamins store in fat, remain there and are used by the body as required. Therefore, too much of a fat-soluble vitamin may cause health problems. Your body does not store water-soluble vitamins. They dissolve when ingested and move quickly into the bloodstream. Excess amounts are eliminated during urination.
Vitamin Supplement Purpose
Your body requires A, C, D, E, K and B vitamins for optimal health. The B vitamins include thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and folate. A balanced diet, with an assortment of foods, usually provides enough vitamins for your body. Vitamins D and K can be made by the body. Each vitamin has a precise purpose. Your doctor may prescribe a supplement to alleviate a vitamin deficiency.
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic nutrients essential for the proper function of cells, tissues and organs. They also help build muscle and bone. Mineral supplements are composed of simple elements and ions in powder or pill form. They may be added to liquid, chewed or swallowed whole to balance a mineral deficiency. Important minerals for body function include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and sodium.
Mineral Supplement Purpose
According to the University of California Health System, abnormal amounts of minerals in your blood may cause a mineral metabolism disorder. A high concentration of minerals in your blood may be toxic. Too few minerals may warrant a mineral supplement to alleviate a deficiency. A mineral deficiency may be passed through genes from parent to child. Starvation, diarrhea or alcoholism may also trigger a mineral deficiency. Elderly people who don't eat enough to maintain a healthy diet may require mineral supplements to correct deficiencies.
Member Comments