All about Vitamins

vitaminThe term “vitamin” was used for the first time in 1912 by Casimir Funk. It appeared from the Latin word “vita” that means life. This term was used for designation of specific chemical compounds which in small doses led to the disappearance of certain diseases symptoms. Now, these diseases are united in a group of vitamin insufficiency.

Now 13 substances which get under an initial definition of vitamins are known and effectively work in a human body. These are fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, K; C and eight vitamins of group B (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12). Scientists consider the possibility of reference to a group of vitamins of several more chemicals, first of all, carnitine and inositol. Now vitamins and polyvitamins often call any food additives containing cod-liver oil or complexes of minerals that lead to terminological confusion.

Various Types of Vitamin Insufficiency

Deficiency of each vitamin has the symptoms, therefore each vitamin insufficiency — it is a separate disease with the symptoms and demanding the treatment. The most known disease from a group of its insufficiency is scurvy, it arises because of vitamin C insufficiency. To the middle of the 18th century, the scurvy had terrible manifestations and claimed the lives of many people. Most of all sailors who in long swimmings couldn’t use enough fresh fruit and they suffered from this disorder.

In 1747 the British doctor-surgeon James Lind had an opportunity to make an experiment: he appointed the patient with a scurvy by the ship of 6 different types of treatment, having paired patients off. Two received cider, two more — Vic, other couples had to accept vinegar, sea water, a nutmeg with laxative and citrus. In 6 days sailors who used citrus, recovered while at the others the illness progressed. In 1753 Lind published “The treatise about a scurvy”, in it he suggested using citrus for prevention of this disease.

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The great seafarer James Cook, besides the main merits, is known also that for prevention of scurvy at the sailors he used sourcrout, malt and citrus. As a result of its ship any sailor that was an improbable success then wasn’t lost from scurvy.

Complexes

In old times vitamin insufficiency met much more often, their prevalence was promoted by a deficiency of food and absence of knowledge of the development reasons. Discovery of vitamins which allowed to save lives of thousands of people led to a revolution in medicine of that time.

In 1920 food marketing specialists began bulk selling of the supplements. They found need of intake of high doses of vitamins. There is the following explanation: if vitamins B are capable in small amounts to prevent diseases, in high doses they will be even more effective. Now many people have the opportunity fully to eat at all seasons of the year, but they still are under the power of old advertising slogans about the need for additional reception of vitamin complexes. We see everyday advertising of the vitaminized children’s breakfasts and useful to mind and health of chocolate and at heart still we trust it.

Medical History

Quickly enough physicians of the whole world understood that there is no need for regular intake of vitamins for healthy people if they can receive healthy nutrition. Since 1994 in the USA there was a law which ordered to rename all vitamin preparations from medicinal substances into dietary supplements as in reality for the purpose of health preservation they are necessary for continuous intake for the only very limited circle of people. My Canadian Pharmacy also points out that it is very important if you have some predispositions to suffer from insufficiency to take vitamins ordered via our service.

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Hypervitaminosis

Rather often people start intake of vitamins independently, without consultation of the competent doctor. But that is well not every time is also used in small amounts, can appear extremely dangerously in excess of the recommended doses.

Having opened the summary to any vitamin, you will find the list of contraindications to intake and side effects there. For example, any vitamins can cause serious allergic reactions. Even small excess of vitamin, and is extremely dangerous to pregnant women as results in anomalies of fetus development and increases risks of an abortion. Abuse of vitamin increases risks of lung malignant diseases development in the smoking people. And a long excess of the recommended dosages of intake of the B12 vitamin can lead to the development of diseases of blood circulatory system. Besides, many vitamins compete among themselves at absorption in the gastrointestinal tract. So, at different times it is necessary to take vitamins from the following couples: B12 and B1, D and E, K and, A that is extremely seldom considered at the creation of polyvitaminic complexes.