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The Basics…
Vitamins play a vital role in the health of the body, yet it’s likely that a majority of people can’t recall what their function is and why they are integral. In fact, a recent study conducted as part of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicates that U.S. children and adults have high rates of deficiency of vitamins A, B6, B12, C, D, E, and folate, as well as the mineral iron. This makes sense, given the oversaturation, as well as affordability, of processed and unhealthy foods. On top of this, unless someone has a degree in the medical or nutrition field, learning about vitamins and their roles in the body may have never been an opportunity, making it easy for deficiencies to exist. Consequently, many people unconsciously ignore one of the eight pillars of health – nutrients. Thus, the following is a gentle introduction to vitamin’s role in the body and a helpful how-to on implementing this awareness.
First, it’s important to understand the difference between macro and micronutrients – the compounds only found in diet that are needed to sustain life. Macronutrients can be classified as carbohydrates, fats and proteins and provide the body with energy-giving caloric components. All foods contain some sort of macronutrient, however this is not the case with micronutrients. Micronutrients are the vitamins, minerals, trace elements, phytochemicals and antioxidants that are essential for good health. The necessity of macronutrients and of minerals for the body is neither new nor misunderstood and for the most part, has been a part of general knowledge for decades. Micronutrients like vitamins, on the other hand, are a relatively new addition to the global zeitgeist around nutrition, hence the statistics showing high numbers of vitamin deficiencies in populations around the world.
As a consumer, a better understanding of nutrition will help in evaluating what products will best support their specific body. To this end, there are two classifications of vitamins that are determined by their way of absorption and storage – either water or fat soluble. While a body that has balanced and healthy levels of vitamins in nutrients is able to be identified with the human eye, the vital role vitamins play in the body is at a cellular level and is best understood through the abstract. Simply put, cellular structures provide the machinery but its functioning is derived from chemical reactions. A car without fuel is just scrap metal just like a cell without chemical reactions is just functionless cellular structure. Vitamins help enzymes spark a reaction that helps with the body’s metabolic processes.
What are the different vitamins and are some more essential than others?
Each vitamin from A to K vitamins are organic substances that act as coenzymes, aka the non-protein parts of enzymes, and serve different roles in cellular chemical reactions. They are split into two major categories – water soluble and fat soluble. C and B vitamins are water soluble, easily absorbed and tightly regulated by the kidneys. Whereas, A, D, E, and K are fat soluble vitamins and once in the body, they are used or stored for later in fat or packed away in the liver. Vitamins level of abundance or lack impacts the metabolic processes going on in the different systems of the body – from the cardiovascular system to reproduction and even sleep.
A healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, legumes and low-fat protein is the best way to regulate sufficient vitamin levels in the body. This can be easier said than done and can leave for some nutritional gaps. Supplements and other nutritional products help in filling in these gaps in order to support whole body health. Each vitamin has a role in the body, each one uniquely important in its function. Therefore, filling in the gaps left after a healthy diet can illuminate the difference between feeling good and feeling great.
Determining what vitamins are more essential isn’t a one size fits all task and is largely dependent on numerous factors like lifestyle and diet. For example, vitamin D is likely more of a priority for someone who lives in cold temperatures because their climate makes it more difficult to get naturally. Similarly, some vitamins are more essential at different times in the life span as well. Vitamins A, B1, B2, and B9 are especially important to a healthy pregnancy because of their roles in DNA and RNA synthesis and regulation. Whereas, trying out a vegetarian or vegan diet may put the body at risk of vitamin B12 deficiency because the main source of B12 comes from meat products.
What are the different ways to support optimal levels of each vitamin and avoid deficiency?
For a lot of people, it can feel overwhelming and also expensive to think about all the energy and time that can be involved in optimizing their unique body’s health. They are aware of what’s on the other side – optimised energy, focus, emotional and physical health. But, the bridge between their current state and the results can seem overwhelmingly steep. Nevertheless, there are ways to make this hill less steep. Like with most things, small actionable steps have a greater chance for success. Achieving a perfectly balanced diet that works with lifestyle and preference, for many people, is not immediately small or actionable. The options are endless and the research on what to eat seems to be changing every day. The stress of decision fatigue alone can leave someone feeling and looking worse than when they first decided to make lifestyle changes.
Fortunately, one benefit to living in the 21st century is access to resources that take some of this stress away. For instance, USANA dedicates their resources to studying cellular nutrition in order to push past the boundaries of current health optimization products in order to find innovative solutions to help bridge the gap between where consumers’ health is at now and where they want it to be. USANA’s range of vitamins and supplements fill in the gaps where diet and nutrition might be lacking in order to support total body alignment and as a result, help people look and feel their best.
What makes USANA stand out is in their recognition and standards of excellence around not just avoiding health deficiencies, but also supporting bodily systems in reaching optimal health. This is because recommended nutrient levels are established on the premise of avoiding any nutritional deficiency, but as a result falls short in levels that allow for an embodied feeling of optimal health. For example, the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institutes of Medicine set a Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin D of 600 IU/day. Yet, research has shown that higher levels are needed, finding that actually 5,000 IU is necessary to reach optimal levels.
Another consideration that many people overlook is that many vitamins and nutrients affect each other and are not independently as effective as they are when combined. It’s for this reason that choosing a well-designed multivitamin rather than a specific vitamin is generally more effective in supporting bodily systems. Few products on the market are able to support embodied health down to the cellular level like USANA’s CellSentials. The CellSentials product line contains carefully balanced levels of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and the InCelligence Complex to nourish, protect, and renew cells. Rather than pack as much of one nutrient into one supplement, USANA focuses on understanding what a cell really needs and then using cutting edge science to develop the most advanced formulations and the highest quality ingredients to work. , From maintaining cardiovascular circulation to supporting a restful night’s sleep, vitamins and nutrients are essential building blocks to each body’s ability to sustain life and it starts at a cellular level.
Yet, it’s hard to escape factors like age, lifestyle and environment that can be limiting how effectively cells are communicating. With this in mind, USANA uses InCelligence Technology for intelligent supplement design. It’s a nutritional technology that utilizes molecular targeting of nutrients to optimize cellular function by supporting cell signalling and in turn maintaining a variety of cellular responses. As a result, key nutrients can cut through the biochemical noise and activate the body’s ability to maintain its health.
All in all, the unsettling statistics showing such large scale nutritional deficiencies across populations can hopefully serve as the catalyst needed for society to place greater value on nutrition. With such large scale deficiencies in mind, companies like USANA’s nutritional innovations via cutting edge research and technology can greatly help in making sure that statistic does not include USANA consumers.
