Written by: Anna L. Lyall, PharmD Clinical Health Coach

Vitamins are essential for maintaining optimal health, but sometimes our diet does not provide the needed nutrients. Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients our body utilizes for areas of development, growth, disease prevention, and wellness. Apart from Vitamin D, micronutrients are not produced by the body. Therefore, we must get them through our diet. We only need small amounts of micronutrients, but deficiencies can have devastating consequences. 

 

Micronutrient Highlights:

Broadly speaking, vitamins can be divided into two groups: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins include Vitamin C and B vitamins. Water soluble vitamins are not typically stored in the body for long periods and are excreted through the urine. Fat-soluble vitamins include Vitamin A (Retinol), Vitamin D, E, and K. Fat soluble vitamins are stored by the body’s liver and fatty tissues. Toxicity may occur if you consume too many fat-soluble vitamins.

 

Definitions: 

Throughout this article, we will mark vitamins that are also antioxidants with an asterisks (*) 

Antioxidant: “A substance that protects cells from the damage caused by free radicals... Free radicals may play a part in cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other diseases of aging. Antioxidants include beta-carotene, lycopene, vitamins A, C, and E, and other natural and manufactured substances.” – NIH National Cancer Institute

 

Pharmacist Considerations for Patients:

Micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants should be obtained through a well-balanced diet rather than relying solely on supplementation. 

It is also crucial to know that certain vitamins and antioxidants through the diet or through OTC supplementation can interact with medications or worsen diseases. Please consult your Food City Pharmacist if you have questions regarding your medication profile, disease state considerations, and interactions. Common interacting medications include blood thinners like warfarin or statins like Lipitor. In addition, certain patient populations require different micronutrient needs. For instance, pregnant women require folic acid during pregnancy to prevent birth defects but Vitamin A can be dangerous if overconsumed. Through our Wellness Club, we offer free TopCare prenatal vitamins to keep you and your baby healthy throughout pregnancy! Please speak with your Food City Pharmacy team about this benefit. All you will need is a TopCare Prenatal and your Food City ValuCard at checkout

 

Vitamin Fun Fast Facts:

Vitamin C*: Immune Function, wound healing, and collagen synthesis.

B Vitamins: Energy metabolism, cholesterol and blood pressure regulation, brain and skin health, mood regulation, red blood cell production, DNA repair and synthesis, Fetal Development

Vitamin A*: Eye health

Vitamin D: Bone and muscle health

Vitamin E*: Powerful antioxidant, research suggests some protection from heart disease, cancer, eye disorders, and cognitive decline. 

Vitamin K: Blood clotting, blood pressure, and bone health

 

Conclusion:

During the new year we encourage each of you to explore new foods, add variety, and search Food City’s produce department to stock your pantry with health and wellness. If you and your health care provider determine that supplementation is absolutely necessary, our Food City Pharmacists are ready to help you pick an over the counter product that suits you best!  We also encourage all patients to speak with their health care provider before making major dietary changes due to potential worsening of disease states and interactions with other medications. 

 

This article is intended for information purposes, please speak with your health care provider about individualized dietary considerations.

 

_References:

_{https://www.foodcity.com/content/243/}

_{https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/antioxidant}

_{https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/features/micronutrient-facts.html}

_{https://health.clevelandclinic.org/water-soluble-vitamins}

_{https://health.clevelandclinic.org/fat-soluble-vitamins}