In one of my recent articles I stated that I did not think multi vitamins were necessary.  I also said that it was very difficult to overdose on vitamins from food alone and that overdosing is normally the result of excessive vitamin supplement consumption.  After reading these articles you probably think I am completely against the consumption of vitamin supplements.  However, this is not the case.  Whilst I am generally against multi vitamin supplements (for the reasons discussed in my article) I do feel that other vitamin supplements are valuable tools in certain situations.  In this article I will be discussing four factors that can make vitamin supplementation necessary.

1) ALCOHOLISM:- Alcoholism and heavy alcohol consumption can lead to a person becoming deficient in any of the thirteen vitamins.  This is sometimes due to the poor diet consumed by alcoholics but generally a result of organ damage that is caused by excessive alcohol consumption.  Whilst I do not think vitamin supplements should be used to support heavy drinking they can be useful tools for recovering alcoholics.  They may also be necessary for alcoholics who have suffered permanent damage to their liver, pancreas or intestinal tract, all of which make it more difficult for the body to absorb vitamins.

2) DISEASES AND GENETIC DISORDERS:- There are a number of diseases and genetic disorders that can affect your body’s ability to absorb vitamins.  Stomach problems can lead to a vitamin B12 deficiency because absorption of this vitamin requires a substance called intrinsic factor to be present in the intestine.  If you have a problem with your stomach that inhibits the production of intrinsic fact then you may not be able to absorb enough vitamin B12 even if you are consuming the recommended daily allowance (RDA) through your diet.  Cancer, chron’s disease and liver disease are other conditions that can contribute to a vitamin deficiency.  Therefore, if you suffer from any conditions that affect your body’s ability to use vitamins you may need to take advantage of vitamin supplements.

3) MEDICATIONS:- There are a number of medications that can interfere with vitamin absorption.  Certain antibiotics can destroy the bacteria responsible for producing vitamin B7 and vitamin K and this may contribute to a deficiency.  Oral contraceptives and painkillers can impair your body’s ability to absorb vitamin B9.  Anticoagulants (medicines that thin the blood and prevent it from clotting) can also inhibit the absorption of vitamin K.  Therefore, if you are using any of the above medications you may need to supplement your diet with certain vitamins.

4) PREGNANCY:- During pregnancy your vitamin requirements will be increased.  Not only will you need to get enough vitamins for yourself but you will also need to consume enough for your growing baby.  Sometimes diet alone may not be enough to get the required vitamins for the two of you.  In these situations vitamin supplements may be required.

Overall, I believe that diet should be the first choice when it comes to getting your vitamins.  Supplements should not be used as an excuse for poor eating habits.  However, I understand there are factors that can compromise your ability to get the required levels of vitamins from the foods you eat.  In these situations vitamin supplements are useful and may even be necessary.

If you do think that you need vitamin supplements, go talk to your doctor first.  As I have discussed previously you can overdose on vitamins and in most cases supplements are the cause.  Your doctor will be able to advise you on which (if any) vitamin supplements you need based on your current health and any medications you are currently taking.  Using this advice you can then get the vitamin supplementation you need without over doing it.

What do you guys think?  Are there any other factors I have missed that may make vitamin supplementation necessary?  Do you always try and get your vitamins from food sources?

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Although you should try and get your vitamins from food where possible this is not always possible.  Sometimes supplementation is required.  In this case you should check out Vitabase who offer a fantastic selection of vitamin supplements at fantastic prices:

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Multi vitamins are one of the most popular health and fitness supplements around.  Even people who are not really into their fitness tend to purchase these supplements.  A lot of my friends take a daily multi vitamin but would never consider purchasing protein shakes.  I myself started purchasing multi vitamins when I moved out of my parent’s house to make sure I was getting the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of each of the thirteen vitamins.  I used to pop a multi vitamin in my mouth each morning and never thought twice.  However, I recently wrote some articles on each of the vitamins and this made me want to take another look at multi vitamins.

As I mentioned above a lot of people purchase multi vitamins because they want to make sure they are getting the recommended amount of each type.  In principal this is fine.  All the vitamins help the body perform essential functions and a deficiency can lead to a number of adverse side effects.  However, if you look a little deeper into the marketing claims made by multi vitamin supplment companies problems start to arise.  Below I will be discussing five of my biggest multi vitamin concerns.

1) MULTI VITAMINS INDIRECTLY PROMOTE POOR DIETARY CHOICES:- A lot of multi vitamins state that you need to take them because modern diets are rich in highly processed foods that do not contain adequate vitamins.  A multi vitamin will therefore allow you to correct the balance and top up on these missing vitamins.  So in other words these supplements are providing an excuse for poor dietary choices.  I know from experience that many people use multi vitamins as a reason to avoid fruits and vegetables and eat less healthy foods.  I have heard a numerous people say things along the lines of; “I don’t really like fruits and vegetables but it’s OK because I take multi vitamins”.  Whilst a poor diet will probably benefit from multi vitamin supplementation I do not think the right message is being sent out.  Instead of seeing multi vitamins as a magic pill for people who make poor dietary choices they need to be encouraged to eat healthier, vitamin rich foods.

2) MULTI VITAMINS ENCOURAGE OVERDOSING:- A lot of people read about the benefits of multi vitamins and get the idea in their head that the more they take the healthier they will be.  This is because many multi vitamin supplements fail to provide adequate warning about the possible consequences of overdosing.  Overdosing on water soluble vitamins is generally not a huge problem as the body excretes any it does not need (although it can lead to some unpleasant side effects such as headaches).  However, overdosing on fat soluble vitamins can lead to much more serious complications.  The body stores any excess fat soluble vitamins in the liver and fatty tissues for later use.  If these stores become too big they reach toxic levels which causes a number of problems.  Getting too much vitamin A can weaken your bones and stunt your growth.  Overdosing on vitamin D can lead to calcium deposits which cause significant damage to your body’s organs.  Consuming too much vitamin K can lead to your liver and red blood cells becoming damaged.  Whilst this problem is not specific to multi vitamins (you can overdose on vitamins through your diet) they are more concentrated than food sources and therefore make overdosing easier.  You do not hear of many people eating 10 apples a day to try and be healthier but most people think nothing of popping a few extra multi vitamins.

3) MULTI VITAMINS MAKE YOU MISS OUT ON OTHER IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS:- Taking multi vitamin tablets often means that you miss out on other important nutrients.  For example if you take a multi vitamin and skimp on the fruits and vegetables you will be missing out on a lot of dietary fibre.  If you consume a multi vitamin because you do not like nuts then you will be missing out on a lot of omega 3 fatty acids which are also required for good health.  Vitamins are not the only thing you need for good health and a lot of people that take multi vitamins forget this.

4) MULTI VITAMINS CAN BE UNBALANCED:- When I started writing about vitamins one of the first things I did was look at my current multi vitamin supplement to see what it contained.  I assumed it would contain 100% of the RDA for each of the thirteen vitamins.  However, I was quite surprised to see that it was very unbalanced.  It contained 100% of the recommended allowance for vitamin A but a huge 1000% of the RDA for vitamin B12.  Whilst this is not a huge problem as B12 is water soluble (and therefore very difficult to overdose on) the same supplement also contained 200% of the RDA for vitamin D which could lead to dangerous calcium deposits.  Furthermore, this is just one supplement.  Other supplements contain completely different concentrations of the various vitamins meaning they could potentially contain toxic levels of fat soluble vitamins.

5) MULTI VITAMINS DO NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT YOUR CURRENT DIET:- On top of the fact that different multi vitamin tablets contain different concentrations of each vitamin, most people do not think about their current diet when taking these supplements.  Your current diet may contain the RDA for certain vitamins and be lacking in others.  If you take a multi vitamin to fill these gaps you will also be overdosing on the vitamins for which your diet contains adequate levels.  People eat so many different foods and I don’t think one tablet can be relied upon to fill the various gaps in different people’s diets.

6) MULTI VITAMINS CAN BE TOXIC:- Many multi vitamins are synthetic which means they are laboratory simulations of natural vitamins.  These synthetic vitamins often contain a number of toxic by-products which can be damaging to your health.  This means that not only do multi vitamins encourage you to take potentially toxic doses but in a lot of cases they contain toxic ingredients too.

7) MULTI VITAMINS CANNOT BE ABSORBED AS EASILY:- Your body is designed to absorb vitamins in their natural form and often struggles to absorb synthetic versions.  Therefore, even if you are getting the RDA of the various vitamins through supplements you are unlikely to be getting the full benefits that natural alternatives would provide.

Since I wrote my original articles on vitamins I have not touched my multi vitamin supplement.  The main reason for this is that I did not know how damaging overdosing on certain vitamins could be.  After doing my research and finding this out I did not want to take the risk.  People may have a genuine reason for being deficient in certain vitamins.  For example, certain medicines can interfere with the absorption of vitamin K.  In these instances supplementation for that specific vitamin may be required.  However, I do not think ‘one size fits all’ multi vitamins are the answer.  Everyone eats differently and therefore has different vitamin requirements.  My advice is to look at your current diet and then try to address the vitamin deficiencies by adding some additional foods.  For example, if you are lacking in vitamin A try and add some liver, milk, carrots or spinach to your diet.  Not only will you be topping up on vitamin A but you will be getting some dietary fibre and other important nutrients too.  If there is a genuine reason that you cannot get the RDA of certain vitamins from the foods you eat then get some supplements that provide you with just those vitamins.

In my opinion you should not try and substitute real, whole foods with synthetic tablets.  You can get adequate amounts of each of the thirteen vitamins by eating a healthy, well balanced diet and getting some sunlight each day (for vitamin D).  There will be exceptions where your require a supplement for a specific vitamin but overall diet should be the focus when getting your RDA of the thirteen vitamins.

What’s your opinion on multi vitamins?  Do you currently take them?  Has this article made you rethink your approach?  Do you have any counter arguments that promote multi vitamins?  Are there any other adverse effects I have missed?

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Supplementing your daily diet with protein shakes is an effective way to lose weight. Indeed protein has been linked with a temporary boost in metabolism boost in metabolism and a suppressed appetite suppressed appetite. Protein shakes are also great for bulking up or toning your existing muscle. However, having the same shake every day can get boring quite quickly. In this article I outline how you can make your protein supplements a little more interesting and provide a couple of quick recipes.

A great way to spice up your protein shakes is to add fruits such as apples, oranges and mango juice. Milk is another good addition with regular milk, soy milk and rice milk all interesting options. What’s more these additions to your protein shake help pack in extra nutritional value. Frozen fruits are a particularly good source of nutrition because they keep their nutritional value for extended periods. Plus, they can be used as natural ice cubes to give your shake body and thicken it up a bit. There are many more things that you can add to your protein shake. Just let your imagination run wild.

If you are struggling for inspiration here are a couple of quick recipes:

1) TANGERINE CREAM:
- 12 oz. Tangerine Diet Rite
- 4 Ice Cubes
- 1 to 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 to 3 scoops vanilla protein powder

2) ROOT BEER FLOAT:
- 1 can Diet Root Beer
- 1 to 2 tablespoons Heavy Cream
- 4 ice cubes
- 1 to 3 scoops vanilla protein powder

I hope this article has helped you realise that you do not have to stick to the tried and tested chocolate, vanilla and strawberry flavours with your protein shakes. Protein shakes can help you lose weight, tone up or bulk up but that does not mean they should be bland and uninteresting. Mix it up a bit and get creative or if you prefer check out these additional protein shake recipes.

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A key factor in any effective diet is controlling hunger pangs. Once you can control your hunger you have mastered the difficult part. The remainder of the diet should become relatively easy to tolerate. But how do you go about controlling hunger? There are a number of ways but in this article I will focus on how protein shakes can be used to reduce hunger cravings.

Protein shakes are not just rich in protein but most also have a high nutritional value. Studies show that protein can boost your metabolism temporarily and can suppress your appetite. Therefore, by drinking protein shakes you can take advantage of all these benefits without consuming the excess fat associated with many solid protein sources such as beef and cheese.

HOW DO PROTEIN SHAKES WORK?:- A major function of protein is to build and maintain lean muscle mass. However, protein in the form of meat is often more difficult to digest. Solid food proteins can take over an hour to digest and reach the muscles. That’s where protein shakes come in. They take around half an hour to digest and are much easier on the digestive system.

Protein shakes can be consumed after working out to help the body heal and strengthen muscles. Hence, they are very popular with bodybuilders and athletes. However, as discussed earlier in this article protein can also boost your metabolism and suppress your appetite. Therefore, you can also drink protein shakes in the morning to rev up your metabolism or during the day to suppress your appetite and continue the calorie burning process.

DRINKING PROTEIN SHAKES FOR DIETING:- When dieting you can use protein shakes to replaces certain daily meals and snacks. For example, if your normal routine involves eating breakfast at 8am and a bag of crisps at 10am you could substitute this bag of crisps for a protein shake and maybe a banana too for some slow release carbohydrates. Not only will this be a much more nutritional snack but it will also stay in your system longer and keep you feeling full for longer.

Although protein shakes are a great dietary supplement you should try to drink a maximum of two per day. It is OK to replace a couple of meals or snacks each day but you do not want to have a diet which consists completely of liquid. Solid foods are still important and contain other important nutrients and carbohydrates that are not found in protein shakes. Plus, most people cannot handle the thought of consuming all their calories in liquid form so it helps to keep you sane. Finally, although increasing your protein intake is a good way to lose weight, excessive protein consumption can be damaging to your body and your health.

Overall, protein shakes are a great way to supplement a healthy diet. They will help your body burn excess calories and keep you satisfied for much longer than a chocolate bar or other sugary snacks. However, remember that protein shakes are a supplement and not a food replacement. They should be used to complement a healthy diet and not consumed in excess.

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For many of us the protein we consume in our diets is sufficient for our day to day activities. However, those of us who are trying to gain muscle mass place additional strain on our muscles through regular weight training and therefore require an increased amount of protein to make our muscles grow. Protein supplements are a quick, convenient source of protein and an effective way to build muscle mass. In this article I discuss the various types of protein supplements available and the key considerations that should be made before purchasing.

Many believe that carbohydrates are the most important food group. Carbohydrates provide us with energy and allow the body to carry out its normal functions. However, we should not neglect the significance of protein which helps build the body and repairs muscles. For those who are training to gain muscle mass protein is a very useful supplement. Why? Because the protein we take in through our diets is often not enough to compensate for the excess wear and tear of the muscles caused by weight training. The body requires this extra protein to repair the muscles and if it does not get it these muscles will not be repaired properly. In the worst cases the body will even start to burn existing muscle to get the extra energy it requires.

Even those who are looking to lose weight may want to consider using protein supplements because protein has been associated with a temporary boost in metabolism and can also suppress your appetite. Protein supplements can also be useful if you are looking to tone your existing muscles as part of a training routine.

There are hundreds of varieties and types of protein supplements available. The first thing you need to consider which protein supplement you purchase is to think about what your goals are. Are you trying to burn fat? Do you want to tone your muscles? Is your aim to build some serious size? The type of protein supplement you require will depend upon your answers to these questions. It is advisable to consult your personal trainer and/or dietician before making such a decision. If you outline your goals to them they should be able to help you make a more informed choice. Below I have outlined some of the more popular types of protein available:

1) WHEY PROTEIN:- Whey protein is formed from milk protein and is considered natural because of this. It is believed to be more efficient than other types of protein because it provides the highest value of branch chain amino acids (which are required for muscle building). Whey protein also helps the body build amino acids with the concentration and makeup of amino acid builders in whey protein believed to be most suitable for the needs and requirements of bodybuilders. Whey protein is relatively easy to digest and is usually consumed after a workout for an instant fix of protein. The main limitation of whey protein is that it is absorbed very quickly and only is only effective for a short period after consumption.

2) MISCELLAR CASEIN:- Micellar casein (sometimes just referred to as casein) is a relatively rich protein which is difficult to digest. It allows amino acid elevations for up to 7 hours after consumption which is much longer than whey protein allows. It is usually consumed on days when you do not work out or just before bed to ensure that your body has an extended supply of protein available. The main limitation of micellar casein is that it takes longer to absorb so is not suitable when an instant fix of protein is needed.

3) EGG AND SOY PROTEIN:- Egg and soy are also rich sources of protein that can be processed into supplements. Like with whey protein they are made from mostly natural ingredients. Although they are not as rich as micellar casein they are easier to digest. Egg and soy protein supplements are usually taken by people who are focussing on toning up.

All the proteins mentioned in this article can be purchased in shake, bar and powder form. You can buy protein supplements from shops that specialise in dietary supplements, your local gym, certain department stores and online. Protein can be a really effective supplement if your goals are to gain muscle mass, tone up or even burn fat. Speak to your personal trainer and/or dietician and they should be able to find the right protein for you.

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You can learn more about muscle building supplements here.

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