What Happens To Your Body When You Start Taking Vitamins

Everyone has been in a grocery store or pharmacy and walked down the aisle filled with vitamins. But have you ever stopped to wonder why there are so many and what they could do for you? Not all vitamins will be helpful to you and your body, but some could have a significant impact.

Often the results of vitamins depend on the type of vitamin or mineral you’re taking. Some people may seek help in specific areas, like having more energy or better immune function. Or they may have a deficiency in specific vitamins and need a supplement to meet daily needs. Whatever your reason, vitamins can help improve your health and provide a wide range of everyday benefits.

Overall Effects

Vitamins and minerals have been known to offer a lot of things for health. They can help you feel more energized and less worn out, help your skin and quality of sleep, and boost the immune system. While all of these sound miraculous, they can depend on the vitamins you take and what your body needs. If someone takes a lot of extra zinc when they don’t need it, the effects won’t be the same as someone with a deficiency. 

When taking vitamins for the benefits, consider what you feel you need. You can even consult with a doctor to learn about the signs of vitamin deficiencies and how to get the proper daily doses.

Vitamin Expectations 

It’s important to note that vitamins are not a miracle cure. They can help your body meet its daily quota and give you a boost in some areas, but they do not cure ailments and fix all medical issues. 

While they provide plenty of benefits, you should not assume that taking a multivitamin or a zinc tablet daily will mean you can never get sick again. A vitamin is a supplement, meaning it is a bonus and should be paired with other healthy habits. To be at peak health, you must also maintain a healthy diet and get a good amount of exercise. A vitamin cannot wholly take the place of healthy foods or a walk in the sun. 

Some people notice a boost when they first start taking vitamins, but others may take some time. Your body may not register immediately that the vitamins are added to your system and helping out, so give it some time before you decide they aren’t working or useful. Many people won’t even notice specific benefits until they stop taking them.

Multivitamins

Multivitamins are one of the most common kinds of vitamins you’ll find, and some people may try and suggest they are a catchall for nutrition. Multivitamins contain many sources of your daily vitamins and minerals and can help you meet those values when you’d miss them in your diet. They can help you have more energy and boost your system to combat disease better. 

But you do have to be careful with multivitamins. They don’t all contain the same things, so be sure to check the label. Those advertising more than your daily value aren’t always the best. It can negatively impact your body when you overdo certain vitamin and mineral amounts. Consider the nutrients or impacts you might be looking for and search for a multivitamin that focuses on those.

You can also take individual vitamins to more specifically manage the dosage and what you’re getting. A multivitamin can be an easy option, but you should always check the labels to know what you’re putting in your body.

Other Common Vitamins

A multivitamin consists of many vitamins, often including things like niacin, B6, B12, Vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, riboflavin, and thiamin. But if you’re looking for a more specific vitamin regime, here are some of the most common ones you will encounter and what they can offer you. 

• Vitamin A (retinoids) – helps with vision, bone growth, immune system
• Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) – helps with the creation of new red blood cells and DNA and could lower the risk of heart disease
• Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) – could help prevent cancer and boost the immune system
• Vitamin D (calciferol) – helps maintain calcium levels and strengthen bones and teeth
• Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) – could help prevent Alzheimer’s and protect cells from damage

A lot of these do even more than what is listed here. The benefits of vitamins depend greatly on your body and what you need. You may not experience everything listed, but if your body experiences a deficiency, taking a vitamin can help. Often the best way to benefit from these vitamins is to eat foods where they are naturally occurring. 

Minerals

Minerals are also present in multivitamins and sold on the same shelves. Educating yourself on the kinds of minerals your body needs daily and where you can get them can be helpful. And if you have a deficiency, you can also take a mineral supplement to help. Some of the most common minerals include: 

• Calcium – helps bones and teeth, and maintenance of healthy blood pressure
• Iron – helps red blood cells and supports chemical reactions in the body 
• Magnesium – works in blood clotting and muscle contractions and helps with chemical reactions
• Potassium – helps keep a regular heartbeat, low blood pressure, balanced fluids, and good bones
• Sodium – helps with nerve impulses and balancing fluids in the body
• Zinc – helps with the immune system, wound healing, taste, and smell

All of these do much more than what is just listed. And most of these can be incorporated into your diet. But for those you miss, there are vitamins and mineral supplements that can help.

Your Body On Vitamins

Generally, the impact of vitamins is positive. They help your body perform a lot of necessary functions and give a boost to areas you might be lacking. They’re especially advantageous to individuals who suffer from certain vitamin deficiencies. 

While the vitamins listed above can help in certain areas, there are some overall benefits you may want to consider. When you start taking vitamins or even a multivitamin daily, you might experience some of these benefits. 

Immune Boost

Your immune system constantly works to fight off infections, illnesses, and foreign bodies you encounter. And while vitamins are not a substitute for a healthy immune system, they have been said to reinforce it and give it some extra power. This includes helping with wound healing, staving off certain illnesses, and giving your body more ammunition when fighting off sickness. 

Some people will take vitamins only when they get sick. But if you want to reap the full benefits, it is best to find a more regular schedule to prevent sickness to begin with possibly. 

Vitamins: More Energy

Some people report feeling more energized only days after they begin taking vitamins. This won’t be the case for everyone, but they can help your body better absorb nutrients from the foods you eat. And if you have a deficiency, you may notice a big difference initially since you’d been running on less of what your body needed.

Better Memory

Vitamins can help certain cognitive functions and have been considered beneficial to short-term memory. Not all vitamins will do this, so consider if you want to target your cognition and if you lack those vitamins. 

Certain vitamins help with cell regeneration and could help cognitive functions in that way. These become especially important as people age and certain functions become harder or slower. 

Strong Bones

Many of these vitamins help you maintain strong bones and teeth and can work to prevent brittleness and the development of issues like osteoporosis. They will not completely cure an issue or make it impossible for osteoporosis, but they can serve as an added defense. 

Skin, Hair, and Nails

Vitamins can do great things for our outer image. Vitamin’s C and E are instrumental in helping to regenerate skin and keeping our outside as healthy as the inside. There is a reason a lot of antiaging and hair products include things like biotin and retinoids. 

If you decide to take vitamins to help with your hair, nails, or skin, be mindful when taking them. Some people are more sensitive to overdoing specific vitamins, which could result in a breakout or other adverse effects. Temper your introduction of vitamins into your system, and be patient when waiting for results.

Who Could Use Vitamins

Vitamins can be extra beneficial to specific groups. These include people who suffer from absorption issues in their bodies. This could be due to an illness that leads to frequent vomiting or diarrhea or someone who has celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, or alcoholism. When someone’s body rejects an everyday diet or cannot absorb the nutrients through food, supplementing with vitamins can make a massive difference in health and healing. 

Vitamins can also benefit postmenopausal women and individuals over 50. Calcium, vitamin D, and B12 can provide good support to the body in terms of bones and nerve functions. As we age, the body may struggle to absorb nutrients from food, especially B12. Taking a vitamin daily or weekly can help prevent a lack of crucial nutrients. 

Some people may take medications that prevent or inhibit the absorption and retention of certain nutrients. In those cases, taking vitamins can help them reach normal levels. Consult with a physician to better understand if you may need vitamins to help while taking certain medications.

Side Effects

While taking vitamins is generally viewed as a net positive, there are a few things to watch out for. Some vitamin and mineral supplements may cause side effects depending on your body and how you take them. 

Most of the time, these side effects can be helped by adjusting what you’re taking and how you’re taking it, but it’s important to note any side effects you experience. If you experience anything more severe than what is listed below, you should consult with a healthcare professional about the cause and how to prevent it in the future. 

The most common side effects include nausea, abdominal pain, cramps, and diarrhea. Often side effects like nausea have to do with how you took the vitamins. Taking them after a meal and on a full stomach can make a big difference. You should also try and take them with water the help break them down and spread out the absorption, so it isn’t all at once. 

If your side effects are more severe or do not go away after a few days of taking the vitamins, it could be something more serious. While the body has daily requirements, it is possible to overshoot those. Be cautious with how much you take, and don’t push past the daily dose. Also, keep in mind that on most vitamin bottles, the percentage of daily dose listed is based on a 2000-calories-a-day diet. If you need to eat more or less, take that into consideration. 

A Vitamin a Day

Vitamins can add a lot to our everyday health, but it’s essential to remain mindful and consider how much you are already getting. The best way to get vitamins is through foods first and then fill in deficiencies with supplements as needed. 
A great way to figure out what you might be missing and how your body could be working better is to speak with a nutritionist. Speaking with an expert like those at CORR will help you get on track to leading a healthy, long life.