What vitamins should I be taking daily?

This is part 1 of what will be a 2-part series on vitamins and supplements!

THE ALPHABET

Today I decided to put my pharmacy education to good use! As a pharmacist I tend to be asked a lot of questions regarding vitamins and supplements by dancers and friends who are curious about what they should take and what they really “need" to take.

Overall, I have compiled a list of what you “should” know to have some sort of reference when you go down the pharmacy aisle at Target. (As for me: I only take vitamins in gummy form…)

Today I will focus just on the Alphabet (Vitamins):

VITAMIN A

Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin (this means you CAN take too much of it). Some of the foods it is naturally found in are fruits, vegetables, eggs, and saltwater fish. Vitamin A is taken for a variety of issues, but the highlights are: vision health, fertility health in men and women, skin healing (both supplements you take by mouth or creams that can be used for acne, sunburn, rash, or wrinkles), and there has been some evidence to show this vitamin is effective against fighting breast cancer cells.

A history of breast cancer in the family may lead you to take Vitamin A daily.

Vitamin A Daily intake: [Males= 900mcg/day, Females= 700 mcg/day, Pregnant Females= 770 mcg/day]*

VITAMIN B Vitamin B is clearly a confusing vitamin. There are usually all kinds of like numbers after it. I will do my best to break it down for you. *Thumbs up emoji.*

Overall vitamin B can usually be found in a B-complex tablet (you can take it all at once), and can all be under the subheading: “used to enhance athletic and cognitive performance.”

Vitamin B is water soluble (this means you probably CAN’T overdose on it- you pee it out. I mean, like, don’t try it though…) and is found out in the wild in real grains, beans, nuts, meat, and some dairy products. Here are the components of Vitamin B. You can get these as separate supplements or within a B-complex supplement:

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)= improves memory, aids in metabolic disorders, evidence to aid with weight loss, given to patient with nerve pain (think fibromyalgia or other temporary pinched nerves).

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)= boosts immune function, activates tissue respiration (increases oxygen supply to muscles etc to help with athletic performance), evidence shows it aids with migraines

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)= decreases high cholesterol

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)= Helps with dryness! helps with dry eyes/nose, constipation, and dry skin

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) and Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)= these are usually given for red blood cell health.

If you have a family history of anemia or other blood disorders you might consider Vitamin B6 and B12.

Vitamin B7 (Biotin)= the hair, skin, and nails vitamin

Vitamin B9 (Folate)= Helps cells divide and repair themselves (especially important for pregnant women to take!), it is easy to become deficient in folate and not know it. So just take the B-complex.

Folate (B9) is EXTREMELY important for pregnant women to take since it aids in the formation of the baby's spinal cord, and by consuming enough in her diet the mother has a better chance of preventing birth defects during pregnancy.

Vitamin BT (L-Carnitine) = this is advertised for weight loss/performance, you might see it with the protein powders, or body builders pushing it on tv. There is no evidence to support that it helps with weight loss, but it does help patients who are on insulin (or are very sick in other ways) absorb the rest of the B-vitamins better.

VITAMIN C

Vitamin C: as long as you’re eating oranges you won’t get scurvy. Thank God, we’re not all pirates. (No offense to anyone who identifies as a pirate.)

Many fruits and green leafy vegetables contain this vitamin. Vitamin C helps maintain cartilage and other connective tissue (like your gums) in your body. Its water soluble (you pee it out) so you can’t overdose on those lozenges you love so much.

Ironically Vitamin C plays a very very small role in immunity boosting during illness.

Vitamin C Daily Intake: [Males=90mg/day, Females= 75mg/day; Fun fact: smokers need an additional 35mg/day- actually not so fun. Don’t smoke.]*

VITAMIN D Vitamin D is a very important vitamin, especially for women who tend to lose bone strength as they age.

Vitamin D is vital for bone health, can decrease chances of cardiovascular diseases, and the most obviously aids calcium absorption into bones (think Vitamin D fortified milk for kids).

Vitamin D can also can be used to help treat and even prevent hereditary multiple sclerosis. (This is important for me since my Dad has MS; I make sure to take Vitamin D daily as a preventative measure.)

Vitamin D can be D2, D3, or D4. Generally they can all be lumped together. You can buy supplements over the counter. Or if you’re super deficient (that’s not like super hero), a doctor will give you a prescription for a once weekly pill that is very strong. (As a pharmacist I’m telling you: its hard to remember to take a once weekly pill. Just do the daily if you can…).

Not many foods have Vitamin D in them, and of course standing out in the sun (for a reasonable about of time) will cause vitamin D to be made by your skin cells. (But you know skin cancer etc etc etc... sun screen... etc etc etc).

This is a fat soluble vitamin and you CAN overdose on it. Overdose symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, frequent urination, and weakness.

Vitamin D Daily Intake: [600 units/day dose average]*

VITAMIN E Vitamin E is fat soluble vitamin (again, don’t overdose ok?) which is good for membrane health throughout the body. It is also an antioxidant (fights bad potential cancer-causing stuff in your body), and can decrease effects of ataxia (sharp, rigid, uncontrollable movements) in degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease.

Vitamin E can also be applied topically to promote healing of membranes on the outside of the body. (You can puncture a Vitamin E capsule and use the gelatin stuff inside as scar gel or put it on a small cut to make it heal faster.)

Vitamin E can be found in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. This vitamin should not be taken with blood thinners since it can increase their effects.

Vitamin E Daily Intake: [100-400 units/day]*

* A NOTE ABOUT THE DAILY INTAKES: These amounts may not be the typical amounts found in a tablet or capsule. That’s ok. Usually what is on the shelf is the recommended daily dose (or half of the recommended daily dose). It has to do with some boring math stuff where only some of the pill is actual vitamin and the rest is like a filler…