Vitamins for Smokers

Numerous studies and surveys have consistently shown that a majority of adults frequently eat foods that contain too little vitamin B-6 and vitamin E. We consume far too many calories, and too much total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium. Women frequently eat too little folic acid, iron, calcium, and zinc. This is why it is so important to take a multi-vitamin daily.

The basic nutritional needs of men and women who smoke are similar to those who don’t use tobacco. However, conclusive evidence exists that smokers need much more antioxidant nutrients than non-smokers.

Essentially, smokers need antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid), and vitamin E. It was once believed that beta-carotene was an attribute for non-smokers, but recent clinical studies have found that beta-carotene can actually be harmful to smokers’ health. Beta-carotene can be found in most multi-vitamins and an excess of beta-carotene is risky for good nutritional health. If you are a smoker and going to take a multi-vitamin, be sure it doesn’t list beta-carotene as one of the ingredients.

Too many smokers have inadequate intakes of antioxidants. Smokers are reported to consume lower quantities of antioxidant nutrients than nonsmokers. Antioxidant nutrients have protective roles with regard to cancer, heart disease, cataract formation, cognitive (mind) dysfunction, and other diseases. Researches believe there is a balance between antioxidant protectors and components that promote oxidation in the body. This balance seems to be related to health or disease. Some components of cigarette smoke promote oxidation that provides high levels of oxidant stress. Free radicals, which also promote oxidation, are derived from tobacco. Cigarette smoke has been estimated to contain 1,000,000,000,000,000 free radicals per inhalation. These free radicals can oxidize the fat components of the body and this is quite harmful.

For instance, cigarette smokers have lower vitamin C (natural antioxidant) intakes and plasma vitamin C levels than nonsmokers. The incidence of cancer, heart disease, and cataracts is lower in populations that have high intakes of fruits or leafy green vegetables, all replete with vitamin C. Smokers who ate foods containing more than 200 mg vitamin C daily had serum vitamin C levels equivalent to those of nonsmokers who consumed 60 mg or more of the vitamin, according to a recent national survey. The most recent edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances recommends that regular cigarette smokers take in at least 100 mg of vitamin C daily. Smokers have been found to have higher levels of vitamin C in the lung tissues than nonsmokers. This clearly reflects a positive defense mechanism against the free radical species from cigarette smoke.

Studies have found that smokers have a 30 percent lower vitamin C level than nonsmokers. Researchers believe that nicotine may interfere with vitamin C absorption. Nicotine boosts metabolic rate, therefore increasing the rate that vitamin C is metabolized. Individuals who smoke need 100 milligrams of vitamin C (versus 60 milligrams for nonsmokers) every day.

The body’s most effective antioxidant is vitamin E. Smokers have been found to have lower levels of plasma vitamin E than nonsmokers.

Smokers seeking nutritional supplementation should look for a multi-vitamin that contains at least all of the following: Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid), Vitamin E, Vitamin B1 (Thiamine), Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), Niacin, Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid), Zinc Picolinate, Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine), and the antioxidant Co-Q10. Some supplements add Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Powder, Inositol, Rutin, Citrus Bioflavonoid Complex, Choline Bitartrate and PABA.

If you smoke, or live with someone who smokes, it is important that you make the right choices to safeguard you health against the risks associated with smoking. One of the most important decisions you can make is choosing the right multi-vitamin. It’s a fact that smoking depletes the body of important nutrients. It’s also a fact that one nutrient, beta-carotene, has been found in clinical studies to adversely effect smokers’ health. Beta-carotene, a form of Vitamin A, can be found in most multi-vitamins.

Link to: Betacarotene info

http://www.lungUSA.org

Information on quitting

Information on Quitting and Preventing Smoking from the National Cancer Institute

Available Smoker's multi-vitamin products

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Vitamins and Minerals Supplements - Why Everyone Needs Them

By Harold M Stokes

For those whose health could use improvement or who are recovering from an illness, it's easy to see why vitamins and minerals supplements are important and essential. But even those of us who consider ourselves to be very healthy need vitamins and minerals supplements.

No matter how healthy your diet might be, you're most likely not getting all of the nutrients you need in their full requirement every single day. Your body needs supplemental support for times when conditions veer off the path of normal life.

If you do find yourself ill, your body will do much better if you've consistently been supplementing your diet with high-quality vitamins and minerals supplements. Here are some reasons why nutritional supplements are a good idea:

Your health needs a boost. If you aren't in peak health and are working to become healthier, you've probably started eating healthier and exercising. That's a great start! But you need to supplement your diet and fitness routines to help your body build itself back up. The immune system and every other body system needs nutritional supplements to get into the very best form. If you're recovering from an illness or injury, your body needs the supplements in order to rebuild itself.

Even though your diet is healthy, you still need nutritional supplements. Unless you eat a wide variety of only natural, unprocessed, whole foods exclusively, you need supplements. With fast food, processed foods and dinners out, you're losing the full value of the nutrition that the foods you're eating may have originally had. Even if you're eating a pretty healthy diet, nutritional supplements are a great insurance policy against nutritional shortages.

Your normal life gets upset. You may be a very healthy person, but daily stress, or sudden, acute stress can deplete your body of vitamins and minerals. So can injuries. Most of us can't avoid at least occasional stress, and unfortunately, injuries do happen. You need to have a vitamins and minerals supplement to guard against unexpected things that deplete your body's stores of vitamins and minerals.

You may be healthy, but you might get sick anyway. It's unfortunate, but even the seemingly healthiest person may end up battling illness or disease. Your body needs the extra defense and healing properties that vitamins and minerals supplements provide when you really need them.

All of us, regardless of age, sex, or current level of health need vitamins and minerals supplements to keep our bodies strong and capable. Vitamin and mineral supplements help with mental health and brain function also, by assisting with regulating mood, helping with concentration and mental acuity.

For children, supplements are necessary for growth - both physical and mental. For adults, supplements battle stress, fatigue and susceptibility to illness. For older adults, vitamins and minerals supplements help ward off age-related illnesses and help keep our older citizens active and vibrant.

Seasilver Liquid Vitamins and Minerals is an all natural whole food nutritional health supplement with over 80 nutrients and all essential amino acids. Seasilver is now distributed under the new name and label of SeaAloe. You can order SeaAloe/Seasilver at http://www.seasilverfactorydirect.com/index.html

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