How to take

Nowadays, purchasing vitamin or supplement is very easy. However, do you know that taking too much nutrients may cause danger in some cases. Dr. Ornkamol Inkongngam, the specialist in anti-aging medicine, Phyathai 3 Hospital, advised the appropriate ways to adjust the vitamin levels to keep us healthy and look younger.

What is vitamin?

Dr. Ornkamol explained that a vitamin is an organic compound, which is necessary for cell function of the body. Most essential vitamins cannot be synthesized in the body and must be obtained through foods (except vitamin D, which can be produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight).

We can group vitamins into 2 categories:

• • Water-soluble vitamins: vitamins B, C

• Fat-soluble vitamins: vitamins A, D, E, K

These aforementioned vitamins are imperative for the body to function properly, as follows:

• • Vitamin A, is essential for vision and growth.

• • Vitamin B, helps the nervous system and promotes your energy level and red blood cell production

• • Vitamin C, stimulates collagen synthesis and aids in antioxidant protection

• • Vitamin D, helps keep your bone strong

• • Vitamin E, is an antioxidant

• Vitamin K, aids in blood clotting and bone metabolism

Vitamins with age-fighting power

“The reasons that vitamins can help slowly down ageing are because they play the important role in boosting energy and immune system, repairing body, containing antioxidants, especially vitamin A, C and E, are well-known antioxidants sources.” Dr. Ornkamon said.

However, in Thailand, there are recommendations for the daily suitable dosage of vitamins, called Thai recommended daily intakes or Thai RDI. These recommendations help in normalizing the body’s function and preventing severe vitamin deficiency.

Who is at risk for a vitamin deficiency?

Food is the best source of vitamins; Dr. Ornkamon suggested that eating a wide variety of foods from each of the five food groups essentially helps the body gets enough vitamins. Although vitamin deficiency has been found less at present, but it is still important to have a balance diet carefully.

Risk factors for vitamin deficiency

• • The elderly

• • Abstaining from meat

• • Gastrointestinal surgery

• • Taking some medications that cause the body to absorb less vitamins

• • Inadequate exposure to sunlight

• Some behaviors affecting the vitamins level, such as smoking, drinking alcohols and caffeinated beverages

Signs of “Vitamin Deficiency” can be categorized into 2 cases;

• • Hypovitaminosis which leads to signs of diseases such as Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency, causes the abnormality of red blood cells, vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy (bleeding per gum).

• Suboptimal vitamin intake such as Vitamin B12 and folate deficiency from vegan eating habit, underlying diseases, fatigue, abnormal metabolism, insomnia, unhealthy skin. In this case, the physician usually will inquire the medical history and perform physical examination to acknowledge of eating habits and behaviors.

What vitamin are you lacking of?

Dr. Ornkamol informed that nowadays it is possible to entirely check antioxidants and vitamin level, such as vitamin A (alfa-carotene, beta- carotene, lycopene), vitamin B, C, D, E (alfa-tocopherol, gamma- tocopherol), Coenzyme Q10, including minerals which need to cooperate with vitamins.

Anti-aging doctor will inquire medical history and analyze problems of patient; the lifestyle is the significant factor to affect patient’s health. Initially, blood test is recommended to check whether the patient getting enough amounts of the vitamins. Then follows the guidance to adjust the level of vitamins, in order to have the suitable level, for example, the doctor will advise the foods containing rich vitamins, as well as the individual dose of supplement.

How to take vitamin safely

If you purchase vitamin over the counter for your stressful period or malnourishment, Dr. Ornkamol suggested that it is quite safe in case you follow “Thai RDI” guidance, or make sure that the supplement is from standard manufacturer. Anyway, you need to ensure that your body is lacking of that vitamin or need the amount that vitamin rather than normal.

Too much, too harmful

In the contrary, taking the vitamin too much can harm your body, specifically the group of fat-soluble vitamins.

• • Vitamin A; in the first 3 months of pregnancy, the mother should avoid consuming too much of vitamin A, since it may cause some of abnormalities in the baby.

• • Beta-carotene; it can significantly cause risk of lung cancer in the smokers or Chrysotile Asbestos contacts.

• Vitamin D; can impact the calcium level in the blood vessel, so blood checkup should be performed to maintain the vitamin D level.

Being strong and look younger are simple, just follow this.

• The necessity of self-care is to balance your living, reduce both physical and mental stress, have proper period of sleep, exercise regularly, have low-temperature cooking, avoid processed foods, have variety types of food to gain all kind and amount of nutrients.