Vitamins

WHAT VITAMINS DO FOR YOUR BODY

1. Vitamin A helps you see in color, from the brightest yellow to the darkest purple. In addition, it helps you grow properly and aids in healthy skin. (5)

2. Vitamin A also speeds up the production and activity of your white blood cells, helps to remodel bone, maintains the health of endothelial cells (the lining the body's interior surfaces), and controls cell growth and division. (1)

3. Vitamin B helps make energy and then sets it free when your body needs it. This group of vitamins is also important in the making of red blood cells, which carry oxygen inside of the body. Every part of your body needs oxygen and that’s why these are so important. (5)

4. Vitamin C is important for keeping body tissues, such as gums and muscles in good shape. C is also important if you get a cut or wound because it helps you heal. This vitamin also helps your body resist infection. (5)

5. Vitamin D is important for strong bones and teeth. It helps your body absorb calcium. (5)

6. Vitamin E is important for maintaining your body's tissues, like your eyes, skin, and liver. It also protects your lungs from damage from polluted air. It’s also helpful in creating more red blood cells. (5)

7. Vitamin K helps out with blood clotting in your body and is very important to helping your body to function properly. (5)

VITAMINS AND TEENS

Vitamins are just as important to teens as anyone else, if not more so than anyone else. Teens’ bodies are developing and growing everyday and they need each of these vitamins to ensure that they are getting the proper nutrition to have strong functioning bodies when they become adults. “Your body is one powerful machine, capable of doing all sorts of things by itself. But one thing it can't do is make vitamins.” (5) This fact proves that teens need to find vitamins through one of 2 ways, by using synthetic vitamins or natural vitamins. “Though some kids take a daily vitamin, most kids don't need one if they're eating healthy foods.”(5) This shows that either of these ways will help teens to create healthy bodies that will help them to function better in their everyday lives. That is why I believe that it’s so important for teens to learn more about vitamins.

NATURAL VS. SYNTHETIC VITAMINS OVERALL

1. Synthetic vitamins have a few vitamins known for maintaining health, but they can’t compare to what you can get from eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.(1)

2. Though many children take a daily vitamin, most of them don't even need one if they're eating the right healthy foods. (5)

3. Most synthetically made vitamins are either identical to their natural vitamins or are easily changed to the natural form inside the human body. (7)

4. Most synthetic vitamins and nutrients are cheaper and purer, with less chance of contamination. (7)

5. “Natural health authorities say that synthetic vitamins are useless and ineffective. Orthodox doctors and even some nutritionists claim that synthetic vitamins have a molecular chemical structure identical to the natural vitamin and that they are just as effective.” (7)

6. The molecules in synthetic and natural vitamins are identical and perform the exact same functions inside of the human body. (7)

7. One of the better ways to get all the vitamins you need is by taking a high-quality liquid multivitamin so you know exactly how much of each vitamin you have in body daily. (7)

OTHER IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT VITAMINS

1. Lack of little folic acid, any of the eight B vitamins, is linked to birth defects like spina bifida and anencephaly. (1)

2. Linus Pauling promoted daily intake of vitamin C to prevent colds and protect the body from several other diseases. (1)

3. Fat-soluble vitamins are the vitamins that