Vitamins and minerals promote essential biochemical reactions in the cells of the body. Multivitamins help support the cardiovascular system, the nervous, system, the circulatory system, tissue and cell regeneration, and muscular response. Vitamins and minerals together are called micronutrients.

A micronutreint deficiency can cause a disease or health problem that is most often reversed when the micronutrient is replenished. For centuries sailors on long voyages often suffered from brittle bones, bleeding gums, and even death. There was a suspicion that scurvy was caused by lack of fresh fruit, but the correlation was not proven until 1747. It was finally discovered that lemons and oranges prevented the disease, however it took until 1928 for a scientist to give the name "Vitamin C" to the active ingredient that cured or prevented scurvy.

Vitamins and minerals are vital for all metabolic processes. They play a critical role in normal growth, proper digestion, hormone synthesis, energy metabolism, immune system response, nerve and muscular function, mental alertness, and numerous other body functions. Dietary imbalances can lead to gastrointestinal problems, decreased immunity, fatigue, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, cancer, stokes, and diabetes.

What are the essential vitamins and minerals?
There are thirteen vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble, and are stored in the body's fat. The other nine vitamins are Vitamin C and eight B vitamins: Thiamine/B-1, Riboflavin/B-2, Niacin, Vitamin B-6, Pantothenic acid/B-12, Biotin, and Folic acid are water-soluble, and are not stored in the body to any significant degree. Vitamins are critical to the proper maintenance of our immune systems. They also act as catalytic agents in chemical reactions that enable our bodies to use fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.

The human body also depends on fifteen minerals to help regulate cell function. Minerals consist of sodium, chloride, selenium, molybdenum, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, calcium, mangnesium, chromium , and zinc.

Men and women have similar nutrient requirements, but they vary somewhat in the specific essential nutrients and amounts required to maintain maximum health. For example, because men don't menstruate each month, they don't need the same amount of iron that women do. That is why we offer two separate formulations, Ultrawoman and Ultraman.