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John McNett asked:


The question I would like to bring to your attention today is can vitamins help to fight Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). I decided to do some studying on the subject and what I found was some interesting facts that helped me support this idea. Let me start out by telling you a little more about RA. More than a million people in the United States have RA. RA typically develops between the ages of 25 and 50. RA is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints that affects an estimated 1.3 million Americans.

The disease occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the thin membrane that lines the joints. The results can be joint damage, ongoing pain, inflammation, loss function and disability. The joints most commonly affected by RA are those of the hands, feet, wrists, knees, elbows, and ankles. In RA, the primary site of the attack is in the thin layer of tissue that is around the joints.

Studies have shown that those Americans with RA have vitamins deficiencies. The most common vitamin deficiencies in RA is folic acid, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin E, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, and Selenium. Food of course is the preferred source for getting the vitamins and minerals. Vitamin Supplements will work in getting the vitamins and minerals that you don’t receive from food. I would like to discuss with you two particular vitamins that studies have shown to help fight RA.

Research has made a case that Vitamin D helps protect older women against RA. Recent Studies has also linked deficiencies of Vitamin D to other disorders such as certain cancers, heart disease, and diabetes. General population studies indicate that about one in three people are Vitamin D deficient especially during the winter months. The easiest way to make sure you are getting the proper amount of Vitamin D is through Vitamin Supplements.

Another Study used data from the Iowa’s Women Health Study, which followed almost 30,000 women, aged 55 to 69, for 11 years. Over the course of those 11 years, the women involved were questioned about their eating habits, their use of nutritional supplements and other health related issues.

During the test, 152 of the women developed RA. The investigators found that women whose diets were highest in Vitamin D had the lowest incidence of RA. Women who got less than 200 International Units (IU) of Vitamin D in their diets each day were 33% more likely to develop RA than women who got more. So how much is enough Vitamin D. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine says that older women should consume 400 to 600 IU per day in order to have an adequate Vitamin D intake.

Vitamin C can also be linked to lowering RA risks. In another study, researchers looked at the link between fruit and vegetable and dietary antioxidant intake and the development of inflammatory arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis in a group of 23,000 men and women who entered a large cancer study in the U.K. between 1993 and 1997. As a part of that study, the participants kept track of what they ate in a weekly food diary.

Between 1993 and 2001, 73 people developed inflammatory arthritis affecting two or more painfully swollen joints for at least a month, and 40% of them met the criteria for having RA. Compared with those who did not develop the disease, researchers found that those with arthritis ate fewer fruits and vegetables. Specifically, people who ate the least amount of fruits and vegetables had double the risk of developing inflammatory arthritis.

The study also showed that people who got less than 40 mg of Vitamin C from fruits and vegetables had four times the risk of developing inflammatory arthritis. In the United States, the recommended dietary allowance for men is 90mg of Vitamin C a day and for women is 75mg. Now by taking a look at just those two certain vitamins, I find that vitamins do have added benefits in fighting RA. The vitamins do this by fighting the free radicals (unstable molecules that cause damage to cells) associated with the development of the disease.

Now to get the benefits of all vitamins, it would your best option to take a multi-vitamin. I would also like to say that the best multi-vitamin is a liquid vitamin instead of the standard capsule/pill. Not only will you get the full benefits of the vitamins but the liquid vitamin will work faster because it will absorb into your body quicker.

I know a 74 yr old lady that has been taking a liquid vitamin for the past 6 months and says that it has definitely helped to fight her RA. She takes 2 oz of this vitamin a day. This liquid vitamin has 410mg of Vitamin C per ounce, 1107 IU of Vitamin D3 per ounce and many more essential vitamins and minerals.

If you would like more information (testimonies/articles) then visit me at www.healthnutty.com. You can also contact me at www.john@nitemarketing.com

Jake Saab asked:


There are a number of essential vitamins that the body needs to function properly and it is possible to take these in the form f a vitamin supplement. The majority of people do not have a balanced diet and they may be lacking in certain vitamins which means that they require a vitamin supplement to ensure that they do not have a deficiency of an essential vitamin. A health professional or dietary technician is the best person to give advice on any vitamin supplement that a person should take. It is important to seek professional advice before taking any vitamin supplement. This is because there are some vitamins that can be toxic if too much is consumed and a vitamin supplement may not be appropriate if there is enough of the vitamin already in the food a person eats.

Some categories of people may require more types of vitamin supplement than others. Vegetarians are often deficient in certain vitamins that are only found in animal products, for example, and a vitamin supplement is the ideal solution to this problem. Vegetarians do need to be aware that some vitamin supplement manufacturing processes involve animal products and it is important for them to read the labels. A large number of synthetic vitamin supplement products are available which will enable a vegetarian to take them without contravening their dietary beliefs or needs.

Children will often need a vitamin supplement, especially when they are extremely young. This is because a lot of children do not eat a sufficient variety of foods in their early years and a vitamin supplement can help compensate for this natural deficiency. ****** feeding has long been recommended as a source of all the essential nutrients but women who choose not to or are unable to bottle feed may be concerned as to whether their baby needs a vitamin supplement. The large majority of baby milk formulas contain additional vitamins to prevent the need for a vitamin supplement to be given. It is important to discuss any concerns over the need for a baby or child to take a vitamin supplement with a health professional to ensure that the correct solution is found.

Elderly people or those suffering from certain diseases or illnesses are other groups of people that may need to take a vitamin supplement. The body may often need a vitamin supplement to compensate for a person not being able to consume the recommended daily allowance of certain vitamins through their normal diet.

JR Ulderport asked:


The majority of Americans suffer from at least one vitamin deficiency, but don’t even know it. It’s easy to pass off that fatigue as not getting enough sleep, or attribute the brittle hair to stress. It’s a growing problem, however, and it helps to know what you’re looking for so you can live a fuller life.

What Causes Vitamin Deficiency

The SAD (Standard American Diet) is one of the more varied diets on the planet. We have access to so many different foods that it should be easy to get all or most of the vitamins we need. Unfortunately, so many foods are processed that they’ve lost the majority of their nutrients. Some of the most important vitamins are replaced, which is why you’ll find cereals and milk that are fortified with things like iron, Vitamin A and Vitamin D. What many don’t realize is that there are far more vitamins and minerals that are required in order for our bodies to function properly.

Even if you eat well, plenty of fresh fruit and veggies, it can be difficult to cover all the bases and it’s not uncommon even for those who pay careful attention to their diet to be lacking in one or more vitamins.

Correcting a Vitamin Deficiency

While the ideal solution would be to eat the perfect combination of foods to get the right amount of vitamins, it isn’t very practical in today’s hectic world. Most people simply don’t have the time to meticulously plan and source their meals for maximum vitamin absorption. Eating right is definitely a step in the right direction, but you will probably need to use supplements, as well.

Vitamin supplements can be purchased individually or in multi-vitamins. If you just want to be sure that you’re getting a good mix of vitamins, then the multi is a good choice. However, for those who are receiving what they need in their diet and are only deficient in one or two things, then the individual supplements can be the way to go. This allows you to tailor the mix to fit your individual needs.

Signs of Vitamin Deficiency

While each vitamin has its own problems brought on by its lack, there are some general indications that you need to look into a multi-vitamin. When your body doesn’t receive the nutrition it needs, you’ll find that you are worn out, even after sleeping a full night. Fatigue is a very common symptom of a deficiency. Excessive hair loss, skin rashes and anemia are also signs that you are lacking something.

When the body is low on one or more vitamins, the immune system is often compromised, as well. This means that diseases like a simple cold or the flu will tend to last longer than normal and you may find that you are more prone to infections than usual. If you pay attention to your body, you will notice if something is wrong.

Vitamin A: When you are low in this vitamin, eye problems result. First, night blindness and dry eyes, then more severe issues indicate problems. In countries where Vitamin A is not available readily, people can even go blind from lack of it. In children, a deficiency could be apparent with a failure to grow properly.

Vitamin B: There are several vitamins included in this group. B1 causes beriberi in its absence, a disease that results in muscle weakness and brain damage. Lack of B2 can cause hair loss, ulcers in the mouth and on the skin, rashes and itchiness, among other symptoms.

If you don’t have enough B3, you could develop pellagra, which usually presents itself in the form of stomach problems and diarrhea, as well as rashes caused by the sun. Too little B5 and you’ll suffer from fatigue, nausea, headaches and tingling in the hands and feet. B6 deficiency usually results in anemia, feelings of dizziness and loss of hair.

Vitamin B9, also known as folic acid, is particularly important for women of child-bearing age. A lack of it during pregnancy could cause spina bifida in the unborn child or spontaneous abortion. B12 is another important vitamin, without which you suffer from the same symptoms as B5 deficiency.

Vitamin C: It’s fairly rare to find a deficiency in Vitamin C, since so many processed foods are already fortified, but taking extra means your immune system will be stronger. Signs that you are lacking in this important vitamin include fatigue, bleeding gums and slow healing of wounds.

Vitamin D: The lack of this vitamin has been named as a cause of certain kinds of cancer, such as ****** and colon cancer. Less severe symptoms of deficiency include twitching muscles, sleep issues (particularly in small children), pain in the joints and osteoporosis.

Vitamin E: Not enough Vitamin E usually results in eye problems, especially a limit to how far you can move your eyes upwards. Severe deficiency could result in blindness. Lack of this vitamin can also cause fertility issues, miscarriages, as well as problems with the liver, brain and bone marrow.

Vitamin K: Anyone low on this vitamin will find that they bruise easily and tend to bleed more than normal with small cuts and scratches. Frequent nosebleeds could be a sign that you are low on Vitamin K.

Even if you feel that you get enough of each vitamin, that might not be true. Some foods, such as carbonated beverages, act as barriers, preventing the absorption of certain vitamins, so while you may be ingesting enough, your body might not be actually absorbing everything. This is one area that multi-vitamins treat well, since they have the optimum mix of vitamins to enhance the actual absorption.

To stay strong and healthy, it’s important to let your body have what it needs. Vitamin deficiencies are often mild in Western countries, but they do affect the quality of life and when it’s something so easy to treat, why not fix the problem?

Remember, this article is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease. If you suspect there is something wrong, be sure to see your doctor.