Supplement Review: A, C, E

There are myths and facts about these vitamins regarding their health effects. Vitamin A and E are fat soluble while VC is water soluble.

Vitamin A can be found in almost all fruits and vegetables, especially carrots, pumpkin, green leafy vegetables, mangos, melons, sweet potatoes, and peppers. Vitamin A is actually a collection of vitamins. Retinol is the most usable form. Cartenoids found in carrots and pumpkin are only converted when the body needs it. Vitamin A is important for immune function, wound healing, and red blood cell development. A deficiency in vitamin A can exacerbate iron deficiency anemia. Too much retinyl palmitate, a preformed vitamin A, can lead to toxicity. That's why the best sources include carrots and colored fruits.

Vitamin E can be found in almonds, avocados, seeds, apples, vegetable oils, and tomatoes. There's no evidence that it lowers prostate cancer risk or cardiovascular risk. Vitamin E scavenges free radicals and acts as an antioxidant. If you're on a low fat diet, aim for 400 IU of tocopherols, fat-soluble alchohols that have vitamin E, and tocotrienols, vitamin E compounds.

Vitamin C is found in most vegetables, peas, citrus fruits, asparagus, cauliflower, lemons, and tropical fruits. It protects cells from free radicals and improves iron absorption. It develop collagen and synthesizes carnitine, an amino acid. Vitamin C boost immunity, and new research shows that a 500 mg supplement could lower your LDL cholesterol by acting as anti-inflammatory.

Take home message: track these vitamins in your diet. Use an online tool such as fitday to track your vitamin intake. I suspect that if you eat a lot of fruits and vegetables, you're probably not deficient in A or C, but you probably don't get enough E.

Kevin

Injured athletes take supplements of these vitamin to facilitate the healing process.