Essential to the body, vitamins are organic substances that we ingest through our food or through chemical or natural supplementation. It is an unjustified habit to give vitamins to children as soon as fall or early winter arrives. As a routine obligation to be healthy.

Indeed, we are used to taking a vitamin pill in the morning, usually on an empty stomach, to start the day off right, but in the end we know very little about the molecules we ingest. Why take vitamins? How to ingest them? Which ones do we need the most? A zoom on the vitamins seems to me essential to understand and complete oneself accordingly.

First of all, let's split the vitamins into two groups. In fact, there are water-soluble vitamins and others that are considered fat-soluble.

• The water-soluble vitamins are soluble in water. They are not stored by the body and a daily intake through food is therefore essential. In this group appear the vitamins of the B group as well as the vitamin C.
  • Vitamin B1 also called thiamine
  • Vitamin B2 also called riboflavin
  • Vitamin B3 also called nicotinamide
  • Vitamin B5 also called pantothenic acid
  • Vitamin B6 also called pyridoxine
  • Vitamin B8 / H also called biotin
  • Vitamin B9 also called folic acid
  • Vitamin B12 also called cyanocobalamin
  • Vitamin C also called ascorbic acid

• The fat-soluble vitamins are soluble in fat and are, in turn, stored in the body. It is then :
  • The vitamin A or beta-carotene which will be appreciated for its benefits on the vision and the immunity because it allows to fight actively against the infections.
  • Vitamin D (ergocalciferol, cholecalciferol) which has an action on the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus.
  • Vitamin E, an antioxidant, potentiates certain vitamins such as ascorbic acid or vitamin D.
  • Vitamin K.

This liposoluble character brings a risk for the organism. Indeed, with these nutrients there is a danger of hypervitaminosis. This is explained by the fact that by being stored by the body in fatty tissues, we then risk having too much in our body. This one is very rare but it is possible.

Vitamin A overdose is about 3500 I.U. per day for several weeks, for a healthy person. In addition, in case of supplementation, we recommend a natural vitamin A.

Vitamin D overdose is dangerous mainly for the liver. Beyond 2500 I.U. daily, the danger begins to appear in a healthy adult. Vitamin D intake should be done only through sunlight or, failing that, in a cure each fall but not beyond.
For information: 1 IU of vitamin D = 0.025 micrograms

Our needs in vitamin D being more or less 1000 to 1500 IU in autumn period in our colder countries, the food intake seems insufficient to fill the lack and the risk of deficiency. For example, we would need to ingest one tablespoon of cod liver oil per day to meet these needs.
Depending on our age, our sedentary lifestyle, our state of health, our vitality, our place of living, etc... our intakes are different and therefore we are unique and unequal to any defined and fixed dosage. Vitamin D is one of those vitamins that should be measured by blood test to avoid hypervitaminosis or deficiency. In a child, a vitamin D deficiency could result in rickets, for example.

Therefore, avoid self-medication for fat-soluble vitamins and do not hesitate to consult your doctor or naturopath who will be able to advise you according to your real needs.