The Best Supplements to Start Taking in 2009

Vitamins are sort of like building blocks for the human anatomy when it comes right down to it. They are organic byproducts of the fruits and vegetables we eat, and are even found in some of the meats we consume, pastas, grains and most other foods that aren't processed to death, usually in trace amounts.

Of course, the ideal way to get the vitamin nutrition that your body needs to keep on functioning at peak levels is to get them all through eating the fresh fruits, vegetables and grains that contain them in the highest amounts.

However, in this day and age, it's hard for us to actually "eat" our vitamins and minerals in the proper amounts by consuming the foods, so we're lucky enough to have highly advanced and effective vitamin and mineral supplements at our disposal to help us meet those crucial daily requirements.

The amazing part about our bodies is that we actually are able to synthesize the needed vitamins and trace elements that are needed for us to continue functioning, on our own, without the supplementation of the diet and vitamin supplements that are taken orally.

Vitamin D is a well known example of how our amazing abilities to synthesize certain vitamins works. We actually are able to convert natural sunlight into vitamin D in our bodies, and this is the best form of that particular compound that can be attained - pill forms are inferior in this case.

However, there are some that are needed in greater amounts than what our bodies are capable of manufacturing through other means, and that is when it is necessary that we either get these additional requirements through our diet or through some sort of supplementation. This is where a good pill-form product can help you achieve the necessary levels and maintain optimal health.

The first vitamin I think everyone should be taking on a daily basis, since it is expelled from the body regularly and needs to be replenished every day, is vitamin C esther. The difference between vitamin C esther and regular ascorbic acid is that some argue the esther form is actually more readily absorbed into the body, and better able to protect cells from free radical damage.

This nutrient is a valuable antioxidant and is often overlooked because so many people feel that it's easily obtained through diet. However, in the winter months, you may not be so inclined to eat the fresh citrus that tends to be rich in this compound, and additional supplementation is needed.

The second recommendation is a good fish oil or flax oil pill. These usually come in a liquid gel form, and although it's not technically a "vitamin", it's very much needed by the body since the omega 3 fatty acids it contains are vital for many of your body's functions, and it has a reputation for enhancing heart and circulatory health, is excellent for the skin, hair and nails and other connective tissues, and may even help to enhance brain function and mood. That's not the end of the list either, there are numerous implication to the benefits of omega 3 fatty acids.

If you feel that you lack energy a lot of the time, a good vitamin B12 supplement may do the trick for added energy, and it may also enhance brain function as well.

Some people take vitamin E as a daily supplement, but you have to be careful with this one, because this one is not like vitamin C in that it is not expelled from the body regularly, so it's easy for one to build up the nutrient to levels that are too high.

Just be sure to follow the labeling and take it as recommended. This one is good for the skin, is a very powerful antioxidant that helps to destroy free radicals which harm the integrity and health of all cells, and may also be integral in immune function and heart health and function.

Some people argue that supplements don't do much of anything, because they are not real food and the body is not designed to absorb them in the same effective way. While I cannot argue that whole foods are the best source of nutrition, I disagree wholeheartedly that taking supplements is in vain.

While I may not be a scientist, I know that from personal experience when I have stopped taking my supplements, not only do I feel different, I notice the signs physiologically as well that I have stopped them.

Not only that, but logically it seems absurd to say that your body cannot synthesize supplements when we certainly can synthesize and come under the influence of a myriad of pharmaceuticals that cause notable and obvious physiological and mental outcomes, and yet a vitamin cannot do this same thing.

In the end, the choice is a personal one when deciding on whether you want to supplement your diet with oral dosages of certain natural compounds, however, just know that millions of people can't be wrong, some of them really do make a difference in your health and state of mind.