Substances of life
Vitamins are organic compounds found in food. Most of them our body is not able to produce independently. About a hundred years ago, scientists discovered how important they are to health. (No wonder this word comes from the Latin vita - "life"). It was proved that a whole bunch of diseases is caused not by viruses and bacteria, but by a lack of vitamins. But for a long time it was believed that these troubles can be avoided thanks to only one balanced diet. Revolutionary revolution was made in the late 1960s by American chemist Linus Pauling, twice Nobel laureate (in 1954 - for studying the nature of chemical bonding and determining the structure of proteins, and in 1962 for fighting against nuclear weapons tests), whom he considered a genius himself Albert Einstein. He came up with the idea that large doses of vitamins are a panacea for diseases.
For example , he recommended daily intake of up to 10 g (!) Ascorbic acid vitamins and pastilles - the keys to health for the prevention of colds. In fact, this learned man took the "substance of life" from doctors and brought in millions of houses. Since then, the world has literally been obsessed with artificial vitamin supplements.
A few decades later, the theory of the wonderful effect of vitamin C on colds was somewhat spoiled by the director of the Linus Pauling Institute (Oregon, USA) Baiirs Fry, who is now considered one of the world's leading experts in ascorbic. He studied the research data, which involved thousands of volunteers, and concluded that vitamin C only softens the symptoms and reduces by about 20% the duration of the disease, but does not prevent it.
Simply the same "physiologically sound dose" is contained, for example, in two oranges. We at the first signs of a cold run to the pharmacy for artificially synthesized acid.
Medicine or poison?
But in some cases it was not possible to calculate it in some cases. For example, the British Ministry of Health admitted that it can not determine the minimum safe dose of vitamin A. Studies show that people whose diet is rich in beta-carotene (it is found in carrots and all orange fruits and vegetables) are less likely to develop lung cancer. The body processes it into vitamin A, the most powerful antioxidant involved in the fight against free radicals. It would seem that a medicine against cancer is finally found! But then in the United States conducted experiments, which involved 15 thousand people. For eight years, people every day received a pill of beta-carotene. The test was stopped because his result shocked: among smokers, the incidence of lung cancer increased by 28%. Scientists until the end and did not understand why beta-carotene from food is useful, but in a concentrated form is harmful.
No less controversy is another type of vitamins and pastilles - the keys to health, vitamin A - retinol. The alarm was scored by Swedish researchers. The fact is that this country ranks first in the world for the incidence of osteoporosis. Most often they suffer from women older than 50 years. This disease gradually thinens the bones, increasing the risk of fractures. It turned out that the Swedish diet is to blame. On the one hand, it seems to be rich in calcium, which should protect the bones. But on the other - it has a lot of vitamin A (they are enriched with low-fat milk, Swedes adore fatty fish, cod liver oil, etc.).
It turned out that taking even small doses of retinol (1.5 mg per day) for a long time increases the risk of a fracture of the neck of the thigh twice. These studies were subsequently confirmed by American specialists.
The daily dose of vitamin A is 800 - 1000 micrograms (2667 - 3333 ME), beta-carotene - 7 mg. Excess is fraught with headaches, increased fatigue, weight loss, liver hepatosis. Particular care should be exercised in pregnant women, as excessive intake of vitamin A can cause serious impairments in the development of hearing, vision, genitourinary, cardiovascular and nervous systems in the fetus. Care must also be taken to excessive use of beta-carotene. If, for example, to drink 2 to 3 glasses of carrot juice per day for several weeks, the skin can acquire a yellow tint. Elevated doses of this vitamin can provoke a repeated myocardial infarction in people who have undergone it, the development of lung cancer, especially in smokers.
Another popular vitamin is E. It is also a powerful antioxidant.
If there is a need to apply a dose of vitamin E exceeding physiological, it is recommended that the intake be short-lived, and it does not exceed 100 mg per day. Thus it is necessary to consider, that vitamin E in sufficient quantities is contained in vegetable oils, grain and leguminous cultures, vegetables, nuts.
A separate place is taken by vitamin D3. The inadequacy of this substance leads to the development of rickets in children, and in adults - to osteoporosis. Experiments have shown that most vitamins and troches are keys to health and vitamin D prevents metastasis of tumors, halves the growth of leukemia cells, prevents the development of diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, etc. It is necessary for the inhabitants of Ukraine as air.
How can we provide them? This substance is synthesized in the skin under the influence of ultraviolet radiation, but, unfortunately, not in sufficient quantity. Vitamin D3 can also be obtained with certain foods, for example, cod liver, fish oil, milk, eggs. However, even there it is ten times less than the necessary norm. The World Health Organization recommends a daily dose of 200 - 500 ME. This amount can be obtained only through special vitamin supplements.
Attention to food
Today in pharmacies a huge range of drugs containing in one tablet almost all vitamins and minerals. It is very convenient: swallowed a pill and do not think about a healthy and balanced diet. But, it turns out, such a "cocktail" does not guarantee that your body still got all the substances necessary to it. The fact is that one component of the complex can affect the efficiency of the other. For example, vitamin D3 helps regulate calcium absorption, but with the correct ratio of these substances in the preparation, vitamin C is poorly compatible with Group B vitamins, and beta-carotene reduces the level of vitamin E. This is without mentioning that some of these substances are fat-soluble, while others are water-soluble. However, this approach to the creation of vitamin-mineral complexes is not always used by manufacturers of pharmaceuticals.
What to do? After all, without vitamins can not. Do not mindlessly addicted to synthetic drugs. For example, vitamin C has six isomers (these are chemical compounds that are the same in composition and molecular weight, but differ in structure and properties). Synthesize the same artificial way so far only one - ascorbic acid. But the most useful - ascorbic acid (has an antitumor effect, is contained in large quantities in cabbage), until it turns out. Therefore, it is better to get all the useful substances with food. In addition, the food contains many auxiliary substances, for example, flavonoids, which, on the one hand, help the basic substance act, and on the other, eliminate the undesirable effect.
To provide the body with a daily rate of all vitamins, enough to eat 400 grams of vegetables a day. And this is even despite the fact that in the spring their content in products is decreasing. And, if necessary, additional doses can be obtained, for example, from extracts of berries, grasses, etc. Very useful extract or broth of dogrose, hawthorn, gooseberries, which are rich in vitamin C.
Vitamin E is rich in vegetable unrefined oils. To get vitamin A, add butter to a carrot salad or carrot fresh.
(It is recommended to use no more than once in two or three days, if you do not have serious physical exertion). But Kostinskaya recommends treating with products specially enriched with vitamins with caution. Remember at least a story with Swedish milk with retinol.
Several years ago, after the research conducted by the Ukrainian Research Institute of Nutrition, we completely refused to give artificial vitamin supplements to athletes. Today, the emphasis is on diet. And in Moscow, for example, on the Olympic base no longer make up a special diet for their athletes. There food is organized according to the buffet system - it is believed that with natural products a person will receive his dose of vitamins. Moreover, it turned out that if the body gets used to the use of synthetic substances, it no longer perceives them "in kind".
This is the paradox. Therefore, vitamin supplements are recommended only in special cases, when, for example, a person is sick. But healthy - it's better to pay attention to a balanced diet.
In some cases, you still have to increase the usual daily intake of vitamins. For example, doctors recommend that future mothers take folic acid 12 weeks before and after conception to prevent birth defects in children. This substance, by the way, is very much in leaves of lettuce, nuts, seeds. Therefore, pregnant women are advised to eat more salad with fish, meat or chicken to better assimilate the protein necessary for the growth of the child.
Every time, getting an innocuous, at first glance, pill, think: what kind of account is it on this day? Carefully read the instructions, or even better - ask before going to the doctor.