Do you get confused when it comes to your A, B, and Cs? At Whelan’s Pharmacy the friendly and professional staff are trained to advise on a whole range of topics including vitamins and essential minerals.
Winter can be a testing time for our bodies. The lack of sunlight can leave some people deficient in vitamin D, and poor diets can leave our bodies deficient in many other nutrients.
Vitamins are classified as either water-soluble or fat-soluble. The B vitamins encompass a large group of vitamins, each of which plays a vital role in our body, from nerve and muscle health and to releasing energy from our food. Therefore it can often be best to take a B complex.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin responsible for intestinal absorption of calcium and phosphate. It is made in the skin when exposed to sunlight. However here in Ireland we can have a lack of direct sunlight which can affect the vitamin D levels in the body, leading to a poor uptake of calcium, which in turn is vital for strong bones. In Ireland today Vitamin D is most important for newborn children and the elderly.
In pregnancy, a mother’s need for vitamins changes. It is important that any women trying to conceive take folic acid (vitamin B9 ). Folic acid intake helps prevent neural tube defects, for example spina bifida, in newborns. Vitamin A supplements, on the other hand, are not recommended in pregnancy.
If you have any further queries, why not drop in to Whelan’s and talk to one of the pharmacists to see if taking a vitamin preparation is right for you.
