Thanks to technology and more knowledge about vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients that the human body should have, doctors now have a wider, wonderful arsenal of ways to keep us healthy. One of these is vitamin tablets, which we can take during or after meals in order to supplement the nutrients that we get from our food. Because of our speedier, but often dangerous lifestyle, we tend to eat less nutritious food that is more convenient that healthful. As a result, we miss out on important vitamins that we can get only from the freshest fruits and vegetables, and the leanest meat.

Taking supplemental vitamins or dietary supplements, therefore, can help ensure that we receive the right amounts of essential vitamins and minerals that our bodies are required to have each day. The contents of vitamin supplements are well measured, so that taking one pill can help you receive the right amount of essential vitamins and minerals. Most of the essential vitamins have a minimum requirement for daily consumption; some vitamin deficiencies can lead to debilitating, sometimes even fatal diseases.

For instance, we need at least ninety milligrams of the essential vitamin ascorbic acid, or Vitamin C. Although we can obtain this vitamin from regular servings of orange or lemon juice, vegetables, and sometimes even from fortified candies, we don’t always have the chance to pick up fresh fruit or vegetables, drink fresh juice, or buy Vitamin C fortified candy. We aren’t able to constantly monitor our Vitamin C intake. Vitamin C deficiency can lead to a number of disorders, among them scurvy, which can cause the skin and nails to crack; and some immune system disorders, as the immune system needs ascorbic acid in order to function.

We can therefore see how important supplemental vitamins are. They can make life more convenient for us, so that if we miss out on the regular doses of essential vitamins, we can still take a small pill and get the vitamins that our bodies need. This convenience shouldn’t deceive you, however: taking supplemental vitamins doesn’t exempt anyone from eating fresh fruit and vegetables along with lean meats in the context of a balanced diet. As their name implies, supplemental vitamins merely support a good diet; the supplemental vitamins don’t replace them.

Supplemental vitamins, moreover, shouldn’t be taken indiscriminately. Indeed, many doctors discourage buying supplemental vitamins over the counter unless a patient has been checked and assessed completely. This is because some vitamins can only be taken in moderate amounts, beyond which they can, in turn, exacerbate certain medical conditions. Further, some vitamins can interfere with medications; for instance, some painkillers can be destroyed by acids, so if you are taking ascorbic acid, you may need to wait a while before taking your painkillers.

Because of the promise of dietary supplements, some countries have passed legislation in the hope of curbing indiscriminate use of supplements. For instance, the United States government requires that all advertisements featuring dietary supplements should also contain a disclaimer that the dietary supplement isn’t designed to treat any specific diseases, that the supplement isn’t made to prevent or cure any disorder, and that the supplement has no health claims that have been evaluated or discovered by the United States Food and Drug Administration, or FDA.

Many bottles of supplemental vitamins sold in the United States not only have this disclaimer, but also contain descriptions of the vitamins in the supplement. This is because some vitamins present in supplements are different in molecular form and chemistry from the vitamins that are found in food. Moreover, most bottles of supplemental vitamins exhort the consumer to always consult with his or her physician before taking any supplemental vitamins.

If you are consuming supplemental vitamins, take only the recommended dosage, or as recommended by your doctor. Avoid self diagnosis. Read the label of your vitamin bottle, and look through the amounts of vitamins present in each pill. You will need to consume some vitamins at a recommended amount, or you may suffer from vitamin poisoning. For instance, iron is often added to vitamin supplements, but at extremely high doses, iron can damage the kidneys.

Moreover, look at the rest of the nutrients and, possibly, herbal additives in the vitamin supplement. Some supplements come with ginseng, an herb that has been found to increase energy, but which can be dangerous if you have high blood pressure. Always check with your doctor on what herbs are good for you, and what you might have to avoid. Although vitamin supplements cater to keeping you healthy, you should still do your utmost to ensure that you aren’t endangered by them.