From colds to complexion, studies show that vitamins are natures own cure-all. Affecting everything from memory to metabolism, a students vitamin intake can determine how well he or she sleeps or studies.

Success can be as easy as eating good news for the hungry college student.

For a quick infusion of vitamins, students just need to steer their trays to the salad bar and not the burger counter.

Vitamin A, present in carrots and greens, has been shown to improve acne and dry skin. Vitamin C, abundant in a variety of fruits and vegetables, is another great way to effectively clear skin, according to the Web site WebMD.

But the real advantages of vitamin intake for the average college student arent so superficial. Research shows vitamins are linked to improved brain function. Vitamins E, C and B are proving essential to surviving college.

Vitamin E, found in almonds, greens and whole-grain flour, has been proven to put the cognitive process on the fast track, making a student more alert and awake in class, the site states.

In the long term, a healthy intake of Vitamin E can even lower the risk of Alzheimers disease. Snacking on peanuts can actually improve a students thought process and memory.

Vitamin C, a common vitamin in fruits, legumes and vegetables, enhances the minds memory capacity, slowing or preventing the process of Alzheimers, according to WebMD.

Vitamin C is also suggested for stopping colds in their tracks, good news for students living in the dorms. Dorms are notorious for spreading illness, and a healthy intake of Vitamin C can store up the bodys defenses against the countless numbers of damaging bacteria in the classrooms and residence halls.

Of all the vitamins suggested by professionals, Vitamin B easily beats the others. Several components of Vitamin B are essential to the health of college students. B-6 improves mood and alertness, boosting the bodys amount of serotonin and dopamine. Foods rich in B-6 include bell peppers, tuna and garlic.

Stressing over a test? A healthy amount of B-12 might take some of the anxiety out of studying.

B-12 speeds up the creation of myelin, a sort of insulation around the nerve fibers. Aside from nerve protection, B-12 guards against memory loss, low moods and mental sluggishness, making it a kind of super-vitamin, according to WebMD. Because B-12 is mainly found in meats, vegetarians run the risk of being deficient, WebMD states.

Patti Landers, Goddard Health Center dietitian, said the most important vitamin, especially for young women, is a kind of B vitamin called a folate. Folic acid, aside from improving memory and alertness, helps prevent birth defects.

Folic acid is so important for any woman who wants to get pregnant, not just now, but any time in the future, Landers said. By the time she is pregnant, it is too late. She needs to start taking it now.

Folic acid can be found in beans, fruits, vegetables and whole-grain cereals, but Landers suggests a supplement because it is difficult to obtain the appropriate amount just through food.

For college students, vitamin intake is not only essential, its easy. Staying healthy is as simple as implementing fruits and vegetables into an everyday diet instead of relying on ramen noodles alone, or snacking on trail mix instead of jelly beans.

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