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Vitamin Quiz

Vitamins are necessary for the body to function normally. Ideally, we should get all of the vitamins and minerals we need from our diet.

This is not possible for most women, especially for menopausal women who require more of certain nutrients to prevent bone loss and heart disease. In order to obtain the daily requirements, supplements are needed. We take vitamin supplements to try to stay in optimal health, however, taking too many vitamins can sometimes be harmful.

Take this quiz to assess how vitamin savvy you are.

1. Vitamins should be taken after a meal to avoid side effects.

a-true
b-false

True. Vitamins should be taken after a meal. Vitamin pills or powders can cause nausea, heartburn, and other gastric disturbances when taken on an empty stomach.

2. Natural vitamins are better than synthetic vitamins

a-true
b-false

False. Natural and synthetic vitamins are essentially the same, unless the natural forms provide traces of other elements that might enhance their activity.

3. Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) can be helpful for those suffering from the following:

a- carpal tunnel syndrome
b- premenstrual syndrome
c- heart disease
d- all of the above

D - all of the above. Vitamin B-6 also helps protect immunity and increases the incidence of remembered dreams.  he recommended dosage is 25 to 50 mg per day. High doses of vitamin B-6 (100 milligrams two or three times a day) help relieve nerve compression injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, premenstrual syndrome (PMS).  A few cases of nerve damage have occurred, but only in people taking more than 300 milligrams of pyridoxine a day.  Vitamin B6 has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease.

4. The following vitamin(s) is (are) considered antioxidant(s).

a- vitamin A
b- vitamin C
c - vitamin E
d- all of the above
e. none of the above

D - all of the above. Antioxidants are vitamins and minerals that neutralize free radicals by lending them electrons so they don't have a chance to damage the cells.

Vitamins A, C, and E, as well as minerals like zinc and selenium, are considered antioxidants. Pregnant women should not take large doses of vitamin A because of the risk of toxicity to their fetus.

5. Taking large dosages antioxidant supplements can be harmful.

a- true
b- false

True. Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant, it is also a natural anticoagulant that offers some protection against heart attacks and strokes, and can helpwith breast tenderness, hot flashes, and vaginal dryness. Large doses of Vitamin E, greater than 800 IU/day, may have a blood-thinning effect. Selenium, another antioxidant, may cause selenosis, resulting in loss of hair and fingernails.

6. Fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamin B-12

a- true
b- false

False. Fruits and vegetables are deficient in Vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin). Dairy products, fish, and meats, are rich in Vitamin B-12. Vitamin B12 is also present in most multivitamins. Anyone over the age of 50 should make sure that they get about 100 micrograms of Vitamin B-12 per day.

7.  Vitamin C can be taken in large doses to prevent the flu and to protect the immune system.

a- true
b- false

False. A recent study demonstrated an association between vitamin C supplements in doses greater than 500 mg per day and in increase in the wall of arteries. The best source of vitamin C is fruits and vegetables.

8.  Pregnant women can take high doses of regular vitamins instead of prenatal vitamins.

a- true
b- false

False. Pregnant women who are used to taking mega- doses of vitamins should change to prenatal vitamins while pregnant and breast feeding. Doses of vitamins or minerals beyond the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) can poison the fetus, and may cause birth defects.

9. Vitamin D is necessary for the absorption of calcium.

a- true
b- false

True. Vitamin D is necessary for the proper absorption of calcium. The recommended daily dosage of calcium is 400 IU per day, which is easily obtained through diet and spending few minutes in the sun.

10. Folic acid has been shown to be an important B vitamin for women of childbearing age

a- true
b- false

True. Folic acid has been demonstrated to be protective against a birth defect called neural tube defects (NTDs), which develops early in pregnancy. The recommended dose for women who are planing pregnancy is 400 to 600 mcgs of folic acid before and during pregnancy.

Unfortunately, only 50 percent of women get the recommended daily doses of folic acid and b vitamins.

11.  Other benefits of folic acid include

a- reversal of cervical precancerous lesions
b- decreases the chance of recurrent miscarriages
c- decreases the risk of heart disease
d- all of the above
e- none of the above

D all of the above.  It has been demonstrated that Folic acid can reverse mild to moderate cervical dysplasia, a precancerous condition in women. Women who have low serum folate concentrations are at an increased risk of recurrent spontaneous early miscarriages, according to researchers in the Netherlands.

Homocysteine, an amino acid derived from dietary protein, plays a critical role in causing injury to the walls of arteries—a role as injurious as smoking. Taking 1 mg of folic acid per day has been shown to decrease homocysteine levels in the blood.

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