Vitamins» Essay Paper

Pharmaceutical companies spend millions of dollars promoting the benefits of their vitamin products. At the same time consumers spend billions of dollars buying hundreds of different vitamin pills. The manufacture of these vitamins comes in different forms which includes capsules, powders, and liquids. Capsules are more convenient because they are usually easy to store and are the usual supplement for oil soluble vitamins like Vitamin A, E and D. Apple says that vitamins are taken by individuals when under stress, in instances of sexual potency; athletes also take vitamins to maximize their achievements (6). This implies that vitamins are essential nutrients because people fall seriously ill when vitamins are missing from their diets.Vitamins» Essay Paper

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Pharmaceutical companies should continue manufacturing vitamins because they play a significant role in the health of individuals Brown says that vitamins do not have to be tested prior marketing or shown to be safe or effective. Brown further says that “vitamin supplements such as vitamins E or C, calcium or magnesium are among the wide variety of vitamin used by consumers” (24). He further says that intake levels of vitamins below the tolerable upper limits of the Dietary Reference intake values are safe for the vast majority of people although lower contents are associated with optimal functioning in the body (Brown 24). This implies that pharmaceutical companies should not stop manufacturing vitamins for human consumption.Vitamins» Essay Paper

The production of vitamins is seen as an important branch of the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and fodder industries. Merrell indicated that “the majority of commercially available vitamins are produced by chemical synthesis or by extraction from natural sources and other sources based on biotechnology” (25). The production of these vitamin supplements is known to be safe and therefore there are microbiological methods for production of vitamins of group B, carotene, and ergosterol and also methods used at some stages of vitamin C synthesis (Merrell 25). Vitamin B preparations by pharmaceutical companies are completely products of biotechnology.Vitamins» Essay Paper

Pharmaceutical companies should continue producing vitamins because of their positive effects on health of persons or the consumers. Brown says that people often take vitamins as a sort of insurance policy against problems caused by poor diets (24). Also vitamins can be used to fill in some of the nutrient gaps caused by poor food habits especially in developing countries and lower class people. On the contrary vitamins have not been found as an effective treatment for behavioral problems, sexual dysfunction, hair loss, autism, chronic fatigue syndrome, obesity, or stress.

Some of the importance people who should take vitamins include; people with vitamin deficiency diseases, people living in areas without a fluoridated water supply, pregnant women, people experiencing blood loss, elderly people on limited diets, adults with rheumatoid arthritis, people at risk for osteoporosis due to low calcium intake and poor vitamin D status and people being treated for depression (Brown 24).

Studies indicate that people in developed nations take an average of 3,000 calories and close to 40 g of protein daily. McDowell on the other hand says that people in developing countries consume up to two thirds as many calories and only one fifth as much protein (732). This shows the significance of vitamins for both groups of people in both developed and developing. Pharmaceutical companies should therefore not stop the manufacture of vitamins because vitamin deficiencies are the most important problems in nutrition. McDowell noted that “in developing countries vitamin deficiencies usually coexist with protein calorie deficiency while in developed countries inappropriate eating patterns leads to poor nutrition hence resulting to vitamin deficiencies” (732)Vitamins» Essay Paper

Pharmaceutical companies should not stop the manufacture of vitamins because some vitamin deficiencies occur even under conditions in which the diet of an individual is adequate by the majority of the standards. McDowell says that “these deficiencies normally referred to as secondary or conditioned deficiencies require the continued production of these vitamins because they caused by metabolic stress or organic disease” (732). The increased metabolic demands during pregnancy and lactation are some of the example of the metabolic stress states requiring extra vitamin therapy and therefore these calls for the need for pharmaceutical companies not to stop producing vitamins since even in times of good diets conditions push individuals to consume these vitamins.

According to Micozzi pharmaceutical companies should not stop manufacturing vitamin supplements because they are considered as alternative therapies. This is because some therapies may be integrated into standard treatment while others may remain unconventional (220). Micozzi also indicated that with respect to vitamins there is some laboratory evidence and also some clinical evidence that they have potential as anticancer therapies (220). This limited evidence is the basis for recommending the use of vitamin A, C and E to some cancer patients it thus falls short of the solid scientific evidence that should be available before agent is provided to the general public other than those individuals participating in research trails (Micozzi 220).Vitamins» Essay Paper

Another reason why pharmaceutical companies should not stop making vitamins is because they are readily available and thus they can usually be provided. Micozzi says consultation with the oncologist should ensure that undesirable interactions are avoided to the greatest extent possible (220). In addition, combination of vitamins supplements has been reported to bring improvements in quality of life and survival of individuals. Micozzi continues to indicate that combinations of vitamins manufactured by pharmaceutical companies confer a greater benefit than might be expected from the use of each agent separately (221).

Individuals take vitamins made by pharmaceutical companies to reduce the risk of heart disease, osteoporosis, and other serious chronic diseases. Another importance is that pregnant and breast feeding women often need calcium and folic acid often found in already made vitamins. It is essential to note that some vegetarians need calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin B and D which is often manufactured by pharmaceuticals.Vitamins» Essay Paper

The majority of readymade vitamins assist in releasing energy from fuels and transporting oxygen thus many people believe that vitamins offer physically active people both health benefits and athletic advantages thus in this context vitamins constitute a specific market. Leonard says that despite the knowledge that processed foods are as beneficial as raw food pharmaceutical vitamins are increasingly taking market presence. Leonard also says that “warnings have been issued about the dangers of high doses of synthetic vitamin C, B and A have similar problems that are suspected with synthetic vitamin E” (170).Vitamins» Essay Paper

Pharmaceutical vitamins can take the place of living nutrients in supplying material for our cells to regenerate new living cells and build health immune system (Leonard 170). These vitamins supplements should however be taken with balanced diet.  It is important to understand that vitamin concentrates that contain known vitamins. Leonard further says that manufactured Amino acids now produced by pharmaceuticals contain only the known amino acids. Thousands of people are taking vitamin pills, pellets, powders; vitamins extracts are taking these types of synthetic vitamins (170).

Individuals are thus supplementing their diet with these vitamins. Vitamins are taken with in specific doses for supposed specific conditions. Leonard says that pharmaceutical vitamin devotees indicate that vitamin A dissolves kidney stones, vitamin B aids the deaf, vitamin C softens cataracts, and vitamin C helps hay fever, and also relieves arthritis (170). Raupp indicates that “with the state of foods and the ghastly typical American diets there is a need to supplement certain nutrients” (23). Studies indicate that only 8-15% of any synthesized nutritional supplement is absorbable by the human body.

Pharmaceutical vitamins on the market are made in laboratories where individual’s nutrients are created and then packed into little capsules. Raupp also says that vitamin A or B6 do not exist in nature all by them (20). Vitamins coexist with other vitamins and phytonutrients and therefore in order for the human body to assimilate these vitamins and use them to optimize bodily functions. Pharmaceutical vitamins are made with intentions to offer people nutritional value and not a complete waste of money (Raupp 20). These vitamins deliver nutrients with their vitamin and phytonutrient friends so that we can absorb them and use them for all they are worth. There also some good companies making good vitamins that are almost 100% absorbable.

Pharmaceutical vitamins are an excellent way to treat and prevent severe vitamin deficiencies. Dunford says that “a one a day type of vitamin has long been used as an insurance policy, providing an adequate amount of vitamins if the foods eaten do not” (93). Many foods today are fortified with many vitamins including cereals, energy bars, and meal replacement beverages (Dunford 93). On the same context vitamin intake plays an important role in preventing or delaying the onset of chronic diseases. Dunford also says that concerns have been expressed about the routine intake of pharmaceutical vitamin have lead to the increased risk for health problems (93). For example high intake of retinol is associated with hip fractures which is performed Vitamin A found in these synthetic vitamins.

Considering that our bodies cannot make most of the vitamins it requires this means that individuals need pharmaceutical produced vitamins (Challem and Brown 3). Vitamins are needed to fight disease, repair injured body tissues as well as maintain good health. Pharmaceutical companies should not stop making vitamins because many doctors use vitamins to treat diseases. For example vitamin E supplements dramatically reduce coronary heart disease. Challem and Brown have also found out that high intake of vitamins reduces the risk of diabetes, arthritis and other types of cancer (5).Vitamins» Essay Paper