Stress, fatigue, exhaustion ... do I need vitamins?
Who has not felt with little strength at some point in his life? Sometimes, stress, fatigue and fatigue cause lack of energy. That is when the vitaminsthey can be beneficial as long as they are prescribed by the doctor, but in an abusive and uncontrolled way they also cause disorders.
The physical and intellectual demand resulting from the frantic pace of life which we are subjected to daily, is increased throughout the year by other factors that reduce our capacity for response and enjoyment such as seasonal changes, return to work, post-holiday syndrome or the convalescence of a disease.
The Fatigue and fatigue they take over us, compromising our capacity to take full advantage of our day to day life and thus diminishing our vitality and well-being. These are some of the reasons why currently the consumption of vitamins in the form of supplements has proliferated in our country, a practice imported from the United States where it began 25 years ago.
Excessive stress improves with vitamins
Stress is something that is part of the living being. What happens is that when we have a excessive stress for a long period of time this can generate physical illnesses that prevent us from carrying out our normal daily tasks.
"It is something we should not be afraid of because almost all the problems generated by stress are reversible," says Dr. Antonio Cano, president of the Spanish Society for the Study of Anxiety and Stress.
It is estimated that of the 147 million workers what's in Europe, the 28% consider themselves stressed. In Spain, there is no specific study, but the estimates are based on the same figures. In order to maintain the vitality and serenity when carrying out all these tasks, the European LeGal study was carried out in which 232 people were selected under conditions of functional exhaustion for more than 15 years and were randomly divided into two groups
The first was given twice a day a capsule with a special combination of vital substances (vitamins, minerals, trace elements and G115 ginseng extract), while the second received a placebo. All the subjects improved their physical and mental well-being as well as the symptoms caused by the exhaustion that they had been suffering for 15 years.
Vitamins: avoid self-medication
When fatigue and excessive fatigue take us, we must rule out any disease that may appear through these symptoms. Once analized our diet and the habits of life that we carry, we should go to the doctor to see what kind of vitamin supplement take and how long to do it, especially in times when the effort required to our body is excessive.
There is also a risk group, as are the debilitating chronic diseases, pregnancy, aging, childhood and intense stress which constitute cases in which it is advisable and necessary to administer vitamin supplements. Currently, in the market there are an infinity of vitamin complexes. The best known are multivitamins or multivitamins in which several vitamins, minerals, ginseng (Chinese plant) etc. are combined.
Those who do not want to go to the doctor and start using these drugs is very important to follow exhaustively the recommendations of the technical sheet of each product.
Time and consumption of vitamins
In any case, it is essential that the vitamins are consumed during the period that we suffer symptoms of fatigue and excessive fatigue and abandon it when these have disappeared. "When supplements include minerals, it is important to consult a specialist who will dictate the rest period," says Dr. Javier Lavilla, a specialist at the University Clinic of Navarra.
Under no circumstances is an intake of vitamins recommended above that recommended by the doctor, since a excessive consumption of vitamins It is not free of risks, such is the case of vitamin C that has become a fad and that can cause the formation of crystals in the urine.
Vitamins and balanced diet
In any case, the balanced diet is the one that provides all the sufficient elements to maintain our health and the vitamin complexes are a supplement and never a substitute. It is important to remember it ad nauseam since a large majority of people follow a wrong and unbalanced diet with an increase in the consumption of fats and an abandonment of basic foods in our diet such as fruits, vegetables and legumes. For example, the increase in the consumption of salt and fats harmful to health have increased the incidence of hypercholesterolemia, obesity and hypertension, even in children.
Vitamins, also for children?
In principle, if children follow a correct diet, they do not require any contribution from vitamins. It is true that because of their activity and growth, they need a sufficient amount of vitamins and minerals, mainly calcium that can be received through the consumption of dairy products, cereals and fruit, except in deficiency or relative immunodeficiency states, which are necessary. Sometimes they are administered vitamins to school-age children when they show symptoms of fatigue or poor performance. And in newborns or babies it is common to administer supplements vitamin D to improve bone mineralization.
Macarena Funes
Advice: doctor Javier Lavilla, specialist of the University Clinic of Navarra.
