Vitamins & minerals are not important for our health, they are vital. The body needs vitamins & minerals to help regulate every process it goes through such as cell division, growth & repair, digestion & reproduction.
There are 13 essential vitamins; fat soluble vitamins can be stored in the body & they are vitamins A, D, E & K. Water soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body so need to be replenished frequently, they are vitamin C & the B vitamins.
Although eating a balance diet should be sufficient for you to obtain the nutrients the body needs, some research has suggested that the body uses up more vitamins & minerals when we are under stress. It is also sometimes difficult to eat a balanced diet all of the time due to work commitments & the stresses of daily life so supplementing with vitamins & minerals can be very beneficial. Alcohol & smoking affect the body’s ability to absorb vitamins & minerals, so if you smoke or drink heavily, you should pay special attention to your diet & take a vitamin& mineral supplement.
The body is unable to make any minerals on its own. Since not everyone can readily eat or have allergic reactions to some of the foods that these minerals are found in, the best way to ensure that you're getting enough minerals is through a high-potency nutritional supplement.
