Liquid Vitamins and Minerals Supplements, Versus Pills and Capsules

Vitamins and minerals are complex chemicals we need to stay fit and healthy. They occur naturally in food, which is the most natural way to take them in to our bodies, and are vital for regulating the body's metabolic functions. If you don't get enough vitamins you can see the effects on your health and well-being in any number of ways.

Vitamins are essential substances that cannot be manufactured by the body. We need small amounts of vitamins for growth and development. Without vitamins the body cannot survive.

The term vitamin is derived from the phrase vital amine and there are two types.

Fat-soluble vitamins(A, D, E and K) are mineral supplements found in meat, animal fat and vegetable oils, dairy products and fish. They are transported around the body in fat, and your body stores any excess in the liver and fatty tissues. This means you don't need to get them from food sources every day.

Water-soluble vitamins(B, C, folic acid) are found in meat, fish, fruit, vegetables and wholegrains. They are transported around the body in water. This means your body can't store them because you pass the excess through urine. You need to eat foods containing these vitamins every day. Water-soluble vitamins can be destroyed by cooking - so steam and grill rather than boil.

Minerals are inorganic elements that come from the soil and water and are absorbed by plants or eaten by animals. Your body needs larger amounts of some minerals, such as calcium, to grow and stay healthy. The 10 most important minerals are: calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, manganese, chromium, selenium, zinc.

A recent survey - the largest of its kind in the UK - conducted by the Health Supplement Information Service (HSIS) revealed that many of us do not get the vitamins we need for our basic nutritional needs. HSIS nutritionist Dr Pamela Mason states. 'Ideally, we'd get a healthy balance from our diet, but the nutrient value of much of what we eat is depleted by modern processing and farming methods. Erratic eating habits, stress, drinking or smoking, and simply getting older, also affect our vitamin and mineral intake.'

The findings of the survey show that over half of women questioned are deficient in calcium and many lack B vitamins. Men have low levels of zinc, magnestium and calcium. So what's the solution? 'Even taking one or two well-chosen supplements can make a marked difference to your health,' says Dr Mason.