Vitamins are an essential part of a daily diet. It is important that students get an adequate amount of each vitamin in order to live healthy lives.
"Studies show that vitamin supplements improve overall health," said Nichole Riley, an employee at GNC.
Riley said supplements provided at GNC help boost immunity and help people live longer.
There are several types of vitamins including Vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B vitamin complex.
Vitamin B consists of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin V-6, vitamin B-12 and folate. These 13 vitamins are vital for healthy lives.
The Food and Drug Administration said vitamins are used for a variety of different bodily processes including growth, digestion and nerve function.
There are two types of vitamins -- fat-soluble and water-soluble. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble.
The body stores these vitamins to use as needed.
Vitamin C and much of the vitamin B complex make up the water-solubles. They are easily absorbed by the body, and kidneys remove the excess vitamins that are not needed.
Each vitamin plays a specific part in keeping bodies healthy.
Not getting enough of any vitamin may cause disease or other medical problems.
There are many ways one may obtain vitamins.
The first, most efficient way is to eat a balanced, healthy diet with a variety of different foods.
Vitamin A, which supports vision, skin, bone and tooth growth, immunity and reproduction, can be found in fruits and vegetables such as mangos, broccoli, carrots, tomato juice and sweet potatoes.
Vitamin B, which supports energy, metabolism, nerve function and red blood cell production, can be found in a variety of foods such as spinach, broccoli, tomato juice and chicken breast.
Eating foods such as spinach, broccoli, oranges, strawberries and grapefruit juice will give one an adequate serving of vitamin C, which helps collagen synthesis, amino acid metabolism, iron absorption and immunity.
Sunlight is absorbed by the body and stored as a source of vitamin D, which promotes bone mineralization.
Vitamin D can also be found in foods such as fish, egg yolk and fortified milk.
Vitamin E, which supports the cell membrane, can be consumed through shrimp, sweet potatoes, avocado and sunflower seeds.
Vitamin K, which aids in the synthesis of blood clotting proteins and regulates blood calcium, can be achieved through certain foods such as brussel sprouts, leafy green vegetables, spinach, broccoli and cabbage.
A second way to obtain vitamins is through supplementary pills.
Riley said there are no risks with taking supplements, and it is a simple, safe way of getting the vitamins bodies need to function well.
She said there are added nutrients in supplements, such as fiber, but they do not pose a health threat.
"There are normally small amounts that won't affect your body negatively," Riley said. "Vegetarians are often worried about the outer covering of the pills, which may contain gelatin, but it is more a personal preference rather than a health risk."
The American Academy of Family Physicians Web site says vegetarians, women who are pregnant or nursing and people with certain health problems should take vitamin supplementary pills in order to be sure to meet their dietary needs.
"There are specific formulas that tailor to specific needs," Riley said. "There are supplements high in iron for women and supplements that tailor to prostate needs for men."
Unfortunately, too much of any one vitamin can cause immune system problems.
"It's important to get your vitamins on a day-to-day basis, but you have to be careful because it is possible to get too much of a vitamin," said Jean Weese, professor and food scientist at Auburn University.
Too much of vitamin A can lead to nausea, vomiting, headaches, dizziness and blurred vision.
The more serious side effects include birth defects, liver problems and osteoporosis.
People who drink large amounts of alcohol, have low protein levels and high cholesterol are at greater risk.
Too much vitamin D can cause nausea, vomiting, constipation, weight loss, heart rhythm problems and calcium deposits in soft tissue.
High amounts of vitamin B can lead to redness of the skin and nerve damage to the limbs, causing numbness, trouble walking and pain. Too much vitamin C can lead to kidney stones and increased iron absorption.
Weese suggested getting vitamins and nutrients through food.
"It's definitely better to get your daily vitamins through foods because there are added things in supplements like fiber," Weese said. "There are nutrients in food, like antioxidants, that you can't get through a supplement."
Dr. John S. Bynon, who practices in Birmingham, said he advises his patients to eat balanced diets to get a sufficient amount of vitamins.
"I recommend that you get your vitamins through diet because if you take multi-vitamins, you'll miss out on a lot of dietary fiber and other essential nutrients your body needs," Bynon said.
Bynon said vitamins are not the only thing people need for good health, and "there is no substitute for a well-rounded diet, but vitamin supplements can help fill in the nutrient gaps in diets."
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