These days we all understand the importance of good nutrition. We know that we need a range of vitamins and minerals to support our health. Vitamin supplements are everywhere. In fact, more than 4 our of 5 Americans take vitamins or supplements to help ensure they are getting the nutrition they need. However, vitamins and vitamin supplements are only part of the story, and this is where vitamers come in. But before we can answer “what is a vitamer?”, let’s take a closer look at what a vitamin actually is.

What is a vitamin?

A vitamin is a type of organic molecule that our body requires for normal functioning. They involve a large range of functions including cell and tissue growth, hormone like function, managing mineral metabolism for organs and bones, and acting as antioxidants to help protect from disease  and damage.

Interestingly, the way they determine what is a vitamin is not by observing what our bodies need, but by observing what happens when we don’t get them. From this perspective, a vitamin is an organic molecule that prevents the associated vitamin deficiency disease. If you don’t get enough of a vitamin, you get the corresponding deficiency disease. For example, if you don’t get enough vitamin C you get scurvy.

It is important to note that the reason we can become deficient in the first place is because our bodies can’t manufacture the vitamin. Because of this, they need to come from our diet. There are many other organic molecules that our body needs, but our body can make them. An interesting thing to note is that something might be a vitamin for some species (e.g. vitamin C for humans) but not for others (vitamin C for, well, most other animals) because they can create their own

How much do we need?

The amount of vitamins our bodies need is actually quite small for each vitamin. Each vitamin has a daily requirement that we need to prevent the associated deficiency. This daily amount is the minimum requirement and we can safely consume more than this amount, but only to a point.

Routinely consuming too much of a particular vitamin can lead to toxic effects. The effects of overconsumption is different for each vitamin. Overconsumption typically doesn’t happen from the foods we eat, but from overdoing supplements and fortified foods.

Different molecules, same effect

It has been shown that there are, in many cases, more than one type of organic molecule that can prevent a specific nutritional deficiency. For example, ascorbic acid is a common form of vitamin C that prevents scurvy. However, some oxidized forms dehydroascorbic acid can also prevent scurvy.

This effect has been observed for all the vitamins. There are different molecules that can prevent the associated deficiency disease.

So what is a vitamer?

These different molecules that have the same effect toward a specific nutritional deficiency are called vitamers. They are grouped together under the same name (e.g. vitamin C) but they are not the same thing. They are, however, interchangeable. Getting a least one vitamer form of a vitamin will protect you from the deficiency.

Not all vitamers are created equally

While all vitamers within a vitamin family protect from the associated deficiency, some are more effective than others. For example, some forms of vitamin E have better antioxidant properties than others.

In addition to effectiveness, some vitamers are more bioavailable than others. This means that we can absorb some from our diet better than others. This can have an impact on how much actually becomes available to our bodies.

In addition to varying effectiveness, some vitamers can be more toxic if overconsumed. As I mention above, routine overconsumption of vitamin supplements and fortified foods has the potential to lead to negative consequences.

Where can you get vitamers

Now that you know what a vitamer is, you may be wondering about how to add more to your diet.

A healthy, well balanced diet contains a wide variety of naturally occurring vitamers. Because of this, it is important to eat a well balanced diet that contains a wide range of natural and minimally processed foods.

I know that not all of us have the luxury of eating perfectly all the time. Also, because of modern farming techniques, some scientists believe that the nutritional quality of our food is decreasing. Some people argue that we can no longer get all of our required nutrients from diet alone. This is why vitamin supplements are so popular. Responsible use of supplements are a good way to protect yourself from nutritional deficiencies, but supplements typically contain only a single vitamer for each vitamin.

As discussed above, while all vitamers within a vitamin family prevent the associated deficiency, different vitamers have different effects.

There is a new trend in vitamin supplementation and nutrition companies are starting to look for ways to add a range of vitamers to their products. If you are looking for a convenient way to add more vitamers to your diet, consider the Whole Blend IsaLean Shake. It contains a range of vitamers from whole food sources.

Give it a try and Shake Your Health Up!