Vital Vitamins
spoon with variety of pills, dietary supplements on blurred vegetables background
Image Courtesy of Harvard Health
By Kat Kaderabek
We’re told as children to take our vitamins. Eat vegetables. Avoid sweets. But as newly independent young adults, there is no longer a person there to remind us to do such things. Why should college students take vitamins? What vitamins should we take? Can this childhood annoyance truly be vital to our success, in and out of the classroom?
Believe it or not, there are actually vitamins that are perfect to take while studying. Remember, if you want to get higher than a B, you need to take some B vitamins. Vitamin B6 and B12 can prevent fatigue when studying and help students to focus better. These vitamins assist in creating cells within the immune system which will boost immunity to disease. The body normally receives these vitamins through dietary intakes. However, after long hours of studying and no snack breads, taking vitamin B supplements is an alternative to going to bed hungry and tired.
Stress can also be a huge issue amongst college students. FOMO about Greek Life got you down? Worrying about a final exam when others are out partying at fraternities can cause even more stress. This is where Omega comes in handy, specifically Omega-3 vitamins. According to Cooper Complete Nutritional Supplements, “Omega-3’s ability to reduce inflammation and improve heart health makes it one of the best supplements for college students in managing stress.”
The winter is also a stressful and dark time – literally. Many people suffer from a lack of vitamin D during the colder months due to extended time spent indoor due to inclement weather and daylight’s savings time. Vitamin D supplements can help with many issues that may arise during this time.
One of these issues is lack of sleep. As college students, sleep schedules are constantly changing. Vitamin D assists in the regulation of sleep. Also, according to a Harvard Nutritionist, vitamin D is great for bone health and reduction of cancer cell growth. Taking a vitamin D supplement may be the difference between a fracture or a sprain, making it crucial for contact-sport athletes.
Vitamin D, especially in the winter months, is harder to come by. Few foods possess the proper amount of vitamin D needed to access its beneficial elements. This is why a vitamin D supplement is crucial to college students, whose diet is already limited by dining halls and cafeterias.
As college students, alcohol is a factor present within our diets. Our first introductions to alcohol happen during college. While 21st birthday parties may be exciting and leave us with lifetime memories, they could actually be taking something away from us: magnesium.
The NCBI reports that most alcoholics suffer from a magnesium deficiency. Alcohol limits the body from receiving the amount of magnesium it needs, so investing in a magnesium supplement with the proper dosage would be wise. However, magnesium supplements are not the perfect hangover cure. Magnesium simply helps regulate blood sugar levels and assists in the creation of protein, bone, and even DNA.
Vitamin supplements are readily available at local drugstores and could greatly assist college students with their ever-changing lifestyles. According to the U.S. Center for Disease Control, only 40% of adults take vitamins. As young adults amidst a global pandemic, investing in a good vitamin brand for supplemental needs is a smart idea. And the best news? Gummy vitamins are still available.
