As important as it is to find a diet that aligns with your beliefs and that your body responds to,
there's one thing that cannot be ignored: As human beings, our bodies require specific nutrients
and vitamins to run like a well-oiled machine. 

Despite this fact, nutrient and vitamin deficiencies are incredibly common. In fact, ​a study showed that 42% of Americans are Vitamin D deficient. Unfortunately, this isn't the only deficiency plaguing over two-thirds of the population; 40% of Americans also experience vitaminB12 deficiency. Omega-3 fatty acids are another vital nutrient that ​U.S. adults are lacking​.

Busy lives are a common reason for these vitamin deficiencies. Most of us spend long days at work and divide the rest of our time between family, friends, or the gym. Making undesirable or perhaps time-consuming changes to your diet probably isn't a top concern.

However, failing to correct vitamin deficiencies can put your health at risk. Vitamin supplements are a popular solution, but the quality of these supplements is often a concern due to the use of subpar ingredients.

Let’s examine the top three vitamins you should be taking every day, as well as the best way to ensure you know what high-quality vitamins look like.

Essential Vitamin #1: Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12, less commonly known as cobalamin, is an essential vitamin that your body uses for blood cell formation, cardiac function, nerve function, and sleep.. Despite every cell in your body needing B12 to function properly, the human body cannot produce it naturally.

Obviously, this means you must get vitamin B12 from your diet or through supplementation. Since vitamin B12 is most abundant in meat and other food products that come from animals, it's very common for vegans and vegetarians to be vitamin B12 deficient. In fact, ​as much as 90%​ of people who favor plant-based diets could be deficient. 

While a vitamin B12 deficiency can easily be solved with a vitamin supplement, the source of B12 is very important.

The two most common sources of vitamin B12 used in supplements are methylcobalamin and cyanocobalamin. It’s in your best interested to choose a vitamin B12 supplement containing methylcobalamin for a few important reasons.

First, cyanocobalamin is a synthetic form of B12 that cannot be found in nature, while methylcobalamin is naturally occurring. If you have the option to choose between natural and synthetic ingredients, it’s always a good choice to select natural.

Cyanocobalamin is the B12 source of choice for many supplement manufacturers mainly because it's cheaper.

While this might not bother some people, there’s another important reason why methylcobalamin is preferred over cyanocobalamin: Your body absorbs them differently.

When cyanocobalamin is the active ingredient, your liver must first detoxify and modify it to create methylcobalamin. Methylcobalamin is the active form of vitamin B12 that your body uses for essential processes like cardiac function and blood cell formation. There's no need to choose a supplement containing cyanocobalamin because it just means your body will have to work to turn it into methylcobalamin.

Your body will use methylcobalamin more efficiently than cyanocobalamin and your body ​retains it better​, too.

Essential Vitamin #2: Vitamin D

You probably know that we get vitamin D from exposure to sunlight. More specifically, it’s produced from cholesterol in your skin as a response to sun exposure. This fat-soluble vitamin is important for every cell in your body, helping with calcium absorption as well as bone growth and immune function.

Despite vitamin D being easy enough to get, about 42% of Americans are deficient. This number is even higher in older age groups and for people with darker skin since their skin generates less vitamin D from sunshine.

But vitamin D isn't one specific vitamin. It's actually part of a family of nutrients with similar chemical structures. Vitamin D supplements make use of two common forms of this nutrient: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Both forms help your body get what it needs, but they have a few important differences.

The main difference between D2 and D3 is that your skin produces D3 in response to sunlight exposure. So, it should come as no surprise that D3 is much more effective than D2 when it comes to raising your body's vitamin D status.

Though both D2 and D3 are effectively absorbed into your bloodstream, your liver metabolizes them differently. Studies have ​repeatedly shown​ that vitamin D3 is better at raising blood levels of calcifediol, which is the circulating form of vitamin D.

In addition to being less effective, vitamin D2 supplements tend to be lower-quality than their D3 counterparts. Studies show that D2 supplements are more sensitive to fluctuations in
temperature and humidity, so they are more likely to degrade over time. If you're selecting a
vitamin D supplement, make sure to choose vitamin D3. 

Essential Vitamin #3: Omega-3

Omega-3 fatty acids are essential fats that also provide a variety of health benefits, yet this is another nutrient where many people are deficient.

These fatty acids are so important for your diet because they cannot be made by the human body. Omega-3s are important to a number of processes in the body, including heart health, brain function, and inflammation.

Two very important omega-3s that people tend to be deficient in are docosahexaenoic acid(DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). DHA deficiency is known to negatively impact mental health and brain function, whereas EPA deficiency can increase inflammation and a number of physiological issues.

Of course, fish are a great source of DHA and EPA, but that's not the only thing to consider. Certain fish populations are known to contain contaminants and other pesticides that humans should avoid eating. In many ways, getting your DHA and EPA from supplements is much safer and healthier.

Fish oil supplements are a popular solution, but many supplement companies use unpurified fish oil that contains unsafe levels of environmental contaminants. Instead, find a supplement that uses algal oil. Not only does it come straight from the same microalgae fish get it from, but it's better formulated for human metabolism.

Get All Three Essentials in One Capsule

It’s clear that vitamin B12, vitamin D3, and omega-3 fatty acids are essential to supporting cardiovascular function, immune systems, bone health, memory, mental clarity, and more.

Though you can get these essential nutrients in many ways, the science is clear that some ways are better than others.

That’s why Vedge Nutrition set out to create the ​Essential Vitamin​. The Essential Vitamin is nature's perfect supplement, combining three daily nutrients together in one easy-to-take capsule. Formulated specifically to complement your diet, the Essential Vitamin ensures all of your daily essentials are met and keeps you at peak performance.

With Essential you get:

● Your daily dose of vitamin B12​ in the superior form of methylcobalamin. Don't settle for cyanocobalamin when there's something better for your body

● Your daily dose of vitamin D3​, which is superior to vitamin D2. Studies have repeatedly shown that D3 is better at raising blood levels of calcifediol, which is the circulating form of vitamin D.

● Your daily dose of omega-3s​ in the natural form of algal oil, which contains DHA and EPA. Don’t settle for supplements that may use unpurified, contaminated fish oils when you can get your omega-3s from a controlled and safe environment free from contaminants

Get the Essential today!

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