Everybody needs vitamins for the body to function properly and to stay healthy, among other things. The foods that we eat are the most common sources of the vitamins that our body absorbs.

Each food contains a particular vitamin and the amount of vitamins we get depends on how much we eat of that particular food. But more often than not, the vitamins that they provide simply aren't enough. That is why we need to take in vitamin supplements.

As its name suggests, a vitamin supplement adds the necessary vitamins to a person's diet for the normal function of the body.

More so, these supplements are needed by people who are deficient in a particular vitamin because of a kind of diet that they are taking (as in the case of vegetarians) or their present condition (such as in pregnant women).

Some of the most common vitamins found in supplements are vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6 and C, among others. These vitamins are sold in a variety of forms such as capsules, tablets or gels.

It is said that each form has its set of advantages over the others in terms of effectiveness in delivering the vitamins to the body. Their differences will be discussed in another article.

All in all, vitamin supplements can help us become stronger and live healthier lives by providing us with the essential vitamins that we may not be getting from the foods that we eat.

Just a tablet per day can produce great results on our bodies if we take them.

An increasing number of people are becoming more conscious of the amount of vitamin intake that their diet does or does not provide and the need for new products, including vitamin water, that provide a convenient method of obtaining more of the essential vitamins is constantly being sought. One extremely popular brand of vitamin water is Glaceau Vitamin Water. This vitamin water is a low calorie nutrient enhanced water. The vitamin water is available in a number of different flavours and provides an extremely healthy alternative to other high calorie drinks.

The Glaceau vitamin water was developed by J. Darius Bikoff who wanted a vitamin enhanced drink that had a pleasant flavour. Unlike a lot of other so-called health drinks, the vitamin water is not overpowering but has a higher vitamin content than traditional drinks. The vitamin water is essentially biologically better water that ensures that a person has a sufficient intake of certain vitamins and minerals.

Glacaeau vitamin water is an industry leader in enhanced water beverages and it is available in a wide variety of flavours including perform lemon-lime vitamin water, formula 50 vitamin water, defense vitamin water, vital-t vitamin water, endurance peach mango vitamin water, rescue green tea vitamin water, multi-v lemonade vitamin water, stress b lemon-lime vitamin water, revive fruit punch vitamin water, focus kiwi-strawberry vitamin water, essential orange-orange vitamin water, balance cran-grapefruit vitamin water, power-c dragonfruit vitamin water and energy tropical citrus vitamin water.

The actual vitamin and mineral content of Glaceau vitamin water varies depending on the type. Here are some of the specific nutrition facts for a number of the flavours of Glaceau vitamin water available:

Defense

Calories 50; Total Fat 0g; Sodium 0mg; Total Carbohydrate 13g; Total Sugar 13g; Protein 0g; Vitamin C 60%; vitamin B3 10%; vitamin B6 10%; vitamin B12 10%; vitamin B5 10%, Zinc 10%

Vital-t

Calories 50; Total Fat 0g; Sodium 0mg; Total Carbohydrate 13g; Total Sugar 13g; Protein 0g; Vitamin C 60%; vitamin E 20%; vitamin B3 10%; vitamin B6 10%; vitamin B12 10%; vitamin B5 10%

Stress b lemon-lime

calories 40, total fat 0g, sodium 0mg, total carbohydrate 9g, sugar 8g, protein 0g, vitamin B2 25%, vitamin B3 25%, vitamin B5 25%, vitamin B6 25%, vitamin B12 25%, vitamin C 60%, st johns wort 25mg, kava kava 25mg

Revive fruit punch

calories 50, total fat 0g, sodium 0mg, potassium 30mg, total carbohydrate 13g, sugar 12g, protein 0g, vitamin A 10%, vitamin B3 10%, vitamin B5 10%, vitamin B6 10%, vitamin B12 10%, vitamin C 60%, vitamin E 10%, gotu kola 25mg, American ginseng 25mg

Every type of Glaceau vitamin water is made using distilled water and all natural flavourings to ensure that the beneficial effects of the vitamin enhanced drink are maximised.

It is a well-known fact that vitamin supplements have numerous benefits to our body especially when we take them regularly.

Not only do they keep the body functioning properly, they also keep us healthy so that we don't get sick easily.

However, they can have adverse effects too if we take them incorrectly. Below are some tips to keep us safe when taking supplements.

Only take as indicated

– before taking vitamin supplements, we have to look at the instructions on the box first. It is where information on things like dosage are indicated.

If we do otherwise, we may not be able to maximize the supplement's effect, or worse, get overdosed.

Seek your doctor's advice

– before taking a supplement, it would be good to seek your doctor's advice. This is especially the case if you are taking other forms of medication.

Your doctor can warn you if there is a risk of adverse effects if you take them with the supplement. The same goes if you have special needs for a particular vitamin.

The doctor may advise higher doses of it depending on his/her diagnosis.

Make sure it's genuine

– although there are a good number of reliable supplements, there are still some that are fake, ineffective or both.

Be wary of them because they may cause you more harm than good.

In sum, vitamin supplements can be harmful to you if you take them incorrectly. So be informed and make sure that the one you are taking is safe.

With a lot of information about vitamin supplements on the internet, you can easily get flooded by them without really finding what you're looking for.

That is why we have this list of Frequently-Asked-Questions (FAQs) which gives you everything you need to know about vitamin supplements.

What are vitamin supplements?

They are medicines that supply people with the vitamins that their body needs. The foods that we eat can only give us enough vitamins and we get the rest from these supplements.

Are they safe to take?

Yes but you have to make sure first that you are getting one made by a reputable manufacturer. Keep in mind that the product is only as good as the one producing it.

Are natural vitamin supplements better than synthetic ones?

A lot of people claim that natural ones are better, but unless they can provide hard scientific proof to back up that claim then feel free to make your choice.

I'm taking vitamin supplements but I still feel weak, what am I doing wrong?

Taking vitamin supplements is just one step towards a healthy life. Regular exercise and the proper nutrition also help in making you healthier and stronger.

I'm taking X medication, is it safe to take with a vitamin supplement?

Only your doctor can say. It is therefore important that you consult your physician first before taking a vitamin supplement.

I think my supplement's not working. Should I up the dosage?

That would be a very bad idea. Instead of doing that, consult your doctor first. He/she is the one who can tell you what to do. Also try to eat healthy and exercise regularly.

They can work wonders if you do them along with taking supplements.

Today, more and more people are taking vitamin supplements of some form. In the United States alone, more than half of its population do so.

While their primary intention is to be healthy, some things need to be considered first before buying these supplements.

– Do you really need it?

Good health is the rage right now especially since awareness on obesity is quickly spreading. Yes, you need supplements to keep yourself healthy. The only trouble is that a lot of people think that taking supplements is enough.

They should go hand in hand with regular exercise and the proper diet. Without the two, its effect is severely diminished.

– Which one do you choose?

The shelves of health and drug stores are filled with a wide variety of vitamin supplements and it can be quite daunting to choose among them.

To make your decision easier, it would be good to ask a friend who takes supplements about what he/she thinks works. The internet can also be a good source of information.

– Natural or synthetic?

A lot of people can't get along on this issue. But since there's no study as of yet that can definitely say that one is better than the other, let yourself be your guide.

Better yet, ask for opinions of friends who use one of the two options. Let them help you make your choice.

We hope that with the help of the list above, you would become a better buyer of vitamin supplements. By being one, you become extra sure that you are making the right choice.