Introduction
The human body requires different minerals and vitamins to function optimally. The formulated guidelines for diet offer specific quantities and types of nutrients that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Some of the common vitamins include A, several Bs, C, D, K, and E. The sub-categories associated with B include niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin. Many specialists present divergent opinions regarding the best sources of most of the required complementary vitamins. A person’s diet should form the basis for any decision-making process revolving around the best source of complementary vitamins. This paper consults different research materials to support the use of diet and supplements as the best sources of complementary vitamins.
Best Sources of Complementary Vitamins
While the body requires vitamins in small quantities, they support a wide range of biological functions. Any form of deficiency could trigger various medical problems, such as health palpitations and fatigue. Tayyem (2018) acknowledges that the vitamins available from food sources are natural and easy to absorb in the human body. People who balance their diets and consider healthy foods will have increased chances of getting adequate complementary vitamins (Skrypnik et al., 2021). However, the changing lifestyles and agricultural production processes are affecting the overall availability of such nutrients in the body.
When the available food materials are incapable of delivering beneficial vitamins to the body, the use of supplements becomes a convenient choice. A study by Oh et al. (2020) revealed that the use of supplements to supply vitamins was not a bad practice. In most cases, some people were observed to record positive health outcomes through their continued use (Lehman, 2020). In specific patients, autoimmune diseases and other conditions interfere with the natural process of obtaining such vitamins from dietary intake. A good example of such illness is pernicious anemia whereby the human body becomes unable to absorb vitamin B12 (Lee et al., 2020). Affected individuals would need to receive such supplies from specified drugs or shots.
Some situations compel people to consider the use of additional medicines to increase the supply of vitamins and folic acid in the body. A good example is that of women during their pregnancies (Campbell et al., 2018). Additionally, patients suffering from kidney failure would record positive health outcomes when subjected to supplies of different vitamin supplements, such as folic acid (Binns et al., 2018). People operating in strenuous environments or completing demanding tasks would be compelled to consider the use of vitamin supplements if they are to record overall positive health outcomes.
This analysis reveals that human beings need to consider the best approaches to increase the supply of vitamins by striking a balance between dietary and supplement sources. In the modern world, people are usually busy and might be unable to eat healthy foods every single day (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, n.d.). When such situations happen, it becomes necessary for them to consider the best solutions for maximizing the supply of vitamins and nutrients in the body. Supplements become favorable sources for boosting the quantities needed in the body (Klemm, 2020). This mix will help reduce the chances of developing unanticipated medical conditions while allowing the individuals to pursue their social and economic aims.
Some analysts have gone further to offer additional insights for getting the best from these two distinctive sources. For instance, Incze (2019) argues that vitamin supplementary pills could result in unnecessary quantities in the body. This knowledge needs to guide all individuals to liaise with their health providers to make the most appropriate choices (Wang et al., 2017). Such professionals will guide patients and clients to understand the nutrients needed in the body and the right quantities (Kang et al., 2017). These efforts would amount to evidence-based practices and eventually ensure that the individuals record the best health experiences or outcomes.
This analysis reveals that people who focus on food sources might be in a position to lead high-quality lives. However, some circumstances and conditions might emerge and compel individuals to consider other sources of vitamins (Kilchoer et al., 2020). The hectic life associated with modernism, the existence of various medical conditions, and cases of pregnancy are compelling reasons for embracing supplements. Health professionals rely on this understanding to encourage more people to embrace these two sources.
The health benefits of receiving the specific nutrients and outweigh the predicaments emerging when people ignore them. For example, pregnant women who fail to take additional supplements while relying on food sources might increase their chances of giving birth to low-weight or unhealthy babies (Keats et al., 2021). These key findings should guide more decision-makers, policy experts, and clinicians to help more citizens make informed and beneficial choices regarding the source of complementary vitamins.
Conclusion
The issue of complementary vitamins forms an integral part of all discussions focusing on health outcomes. The completed discussion has supported the argument that humans should get vitamins from their diets and supplements whenever necessary. This arrangement can promote healthy outcomes and reduce most of the challenges associated with poor intake of nutrients. This practice is evidence-based and resonates with the demands of modern-day life.
References
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Campbell, R. K., Hurley, K. M., Shamim, A. A., Shaikh, S., Chowdhury, Z. T., Mehra, S., Wu, L., & Christian, P. (2018). Complementary food supplements increase dietary nutrient adequacy and do not replace home food consumption in children 6–18 months old in a randomized controlled trial in rural Bangladesh. The Journal of Nutrition, 148(9), 1484-1492.
Incze, M. (2019). Vitamins and nutritional supplements: What do I need to know? JAMA International Medicine Patient Page, 179(3), 460.
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