VITAMINS DECODED

You only have to wander into a health-food shop to see a host of vitamins and minerals you could be taking. But which ones do you actually need? Here’s our guide to the essentials…
VITAMIN A
Important for strengthening immunity, keeping skin healthy and enabling us to see in dim light. Women need 0.6mg a day, men 0.7mg.
Natural source Cheese, eggs, fi sh.
3 of the best
  • Selenium & Vitamins A, C & E, 60 tablets, £1, Asda: 0800952 0101, www.asda.com ◆
  • Megavit Vitamins With Extra Vitamin A, 60 tablets, £8.25, Nature’s Best: 01892552030, www.naturesbest.co.uk 
  • HealthAid Vitamin A, 100 capsules, £7.49: www.amazon.com

VITAMIN B6
Allows the body to store energy obtained from protein and helps to form haemoglobin. Women need 1.2mg a day, men 1.4mg.
Natural source Pork, fish, peanuts.
3 of the best

  • Vitamin B Complex, 90 tablets, £1.69, Tesco: 0845722 5533, www.tesco.com
  • Asda Vitamin B6, 180 tablets, £1, Asda: as before
  • Magnesium and Vitamin B6, 30 tablets, £2.39, Sainsbury’s: 0800636262, www. sainsburys.co.uk

VITAMIN B12
Helps to form red blood cells, keeps nervous system healthy and helps to process folic acid. Adults need 0.0015mg a day. Natural source Salmon, milk, meat.
3 of the best

  • Vitamin B12, 100 tablets, £4.60, Nature’s Best: as before
  • Vitamin B12, 100 caplets, £5.35, Holland & Barrett: 0844-372 8926, www.hollandandbarrett.com
  • Vitamin B12, 60 tablets, £2.79, Superdrug: 0845-671 0709, www.superdrug.com

Vitamin C
Needed to maintain healthy cells and connective tissue and helps wounds to heal. Adults need 40mg a day.
Natural source Many fruit and vegetables, including oranges, red or green peppers, Brussels sprouts.
3 of the best

  • Vitamin C Time Release, 100 tablets, £5.50, Nature’s Best: as before
  • Superdrug Vitamin C, 180 tablets, £3.99, Superdrug: as before
  • Chewable Vitamin C, 120 tablets, £4, Asda: as before

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Vitamin D
Maintains strong bones and teeth. A deficiency can lead to bone pain and Rickets disease in children.
Natural source Fish, eggs, sunlight.
3 of the best

  • Vitamin D3, 180 tablets, £8.95, Nature’s Best: as before
  • Tesco Vitamin D, 90 tablets, £1.99, Tesco: as before
  • Boots Calcium with Vitamin D, 90 tablets, £3.59, Boots: 0845-609 0055, www.boots.com

Vitamin E
Helps maintain healthy capillaries, strengthens the blood vessels and helps maintain healthy skin. Women need 3mg a day, men 4mg.
Natural source Nuts, seeds, wheat germ.
3 of the best

  • Vitamin E, 100 capsules, £10.45, Nature’s Best: as before
  • Asda Vitamin E, 90 capsules, £4, Asda: as before
  • Sainsbury’s Vitamin E, 60 capsules, £2.99, Sainsbury’s: as before

Calcium
Helps to maintain healthy teeth and bones, regulates muscle contractions and ensures blood clots properly. Adults need 700mg a day.
Natural source Milk, tofu, broccoli.
3 of the best

  • Wholefood Calcium from Seaweed, 60 capsules, £9.79: www.vitaminsuk. com
  • Chewable Calcium, 60 tablets, £5.25, Nature’s Best: as before
  • Tesco Calcium And Vitamin D, 90 tablets, £2.04, Tesco: as before

Folic acid
Helps to form healthy red blood cells and reduces the risk of central nervous system defects in unborn children. Adults need 0.2mg a day.
Natural source Spinach, asparagus, brown rice.
3 of the best

  • Folic Acid, 180 tablets, £4.95, Nature’s Best: as before
  • Folic Plus, 90 tablets, £3.55, Waitrose: 0800-188884, www.waitrose.com
  • Superdrug Folic Acid, 112 tablets, £3.49, Superdrug: as before.

Magnesium
Turns the food we eat into energy, ensures the parathyroid glands (they produce hormones) works efficiently. Women need 270mg a day, men 300mg.
Natural source Dairy food, wholegrain bread, spinach.
3 of the best

  • Magnesium OK, 30 tablets, £4.38, Ocado: 0845-399 1122, www.ocado.com
  • Wassen Magnesium-OK, 30 tablets, £4.72, Boots: as before
  • True Food Magnesium Supplement, 30 tablets, £5.90, Real Foods: 0131-557 1911, www.realfoods.co.uk

Omega 3
Decreases the level of triglyceride, which can lead to heart disease, reduces risks of blood clots and lowers blood pressure. Adults need 500mg a day.
Natural source Oily fish.
3 of the best

  • High-potency fish oil, 180 capsules, £14.50, Nature’s Best: as before
  • Abidec Multi Vitamins Syrup and Omega 3, £3.93, Tesco: as before
  • Seven Seas Extra High Strength Omega-3 Pure Cod Liver Oil, 300ml, £9.29, Boots: as before.

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Riboflavin (B2 Vitamin)
Helps to keep skin, eyes and nervous system healthy and enables the body to release energy from carbohydrates. Women need 1.1mg a day, men 1.3mg.
Natural source Milk, eggs, rice.
3 of the best

  • Vitamin B2, 100 tablets, £6.35, Holland & Barrett: as before
  • Vitamin B12, 30 tablets, £2.64, Tesco: as before
  • Vitamin B Complex, 300 tablets, £4, Asda: as before.

Selenium
Helps the immune system to function properly and prevents cell and tissue damage. Women need 0.06mg a day, men 0.075mg.
Natural source Fish, eggs, Brazil nuts.
3 of the best

  • Viridian Selenium, 90 capsules, £14.10, Real Foods: as before
  • Wassen Selenium Xtra tablets, 30 tablets, £7.79, Boots: as before 
  • Selenium A C E, 30 tablets, £4.34, Tesco: as before.

Thiamin (B1 Vitamin)
Works with other B vitamins to release energy from food and keeps nerves and muscles healthy. Women need 0.8mg a day, men 1mg.
Natural source Peas, fresh/dried fruits, wholegrain breads.
3 of the best

  • Vitamin B1, 100 tablets, £3.45, Holland & Barrett: as before
  • Biocare Vitamin B1, 30 tablets, £4.50, Tesco: as before
  • Seven Seas Essentials Vitamin B complex, 30 tablets, £3.39, Boots: as before.

Zinc
Helps the renewal of cells and enzymes and to process carbohydrate in food. Women need 4-7mg a day, men 5.5-9.5mg. Natural source Milk, shellfish, cheese.
3 of the best

  • Zinc, 90 tablets, £2.16, Tesco: as before
  • Zinc, 250 tablets, £18.65, Holland & Barrett: as before
  • Zinc, 60 tablets, £2.99, Superdrug: as before.