Vitamin Index
|
Vitamin A | Vitamin B1 |
Vitamin B2 | Vitamin B3 |
Vitamin B5 | Vitamin B6 |
Vitamin B12 | Choline | Inositol
|
|
Folic Acid |
Biotin | PABA
| Citrus Bioflavonoids | Vitamin
C | Vitamin D | Vitamin
E | Vitamin K |
Vitamins are essential to life. They are substances and compounds that cannot be manufactured by the body, therefore must be obtained thru diet and supplementation. These substances are known as "true" vitamins.
There are many nutrients included under the term "Vitamin" that are beneficial, but not essential to life. Often referred to as psuedo-vitamins, these nutrients are found on the same shelf as true Vitamins.
Also included here are Pro-vitamins, which are substances that are converted into vitamins in the body after ingestion.
All of these substances --- Vitamins, Psuedo-vitamins and Pro-vitamins --- are important to our better health and physical well-being and enable us to enjoy a higher quality of life.
Vitamins are either water soluable (easily excreted and not stored in the body), or fat soluable (stored in the body). Water soluable vitamins are all the B Vitamins (except B6) and Vitamin C. Fat Soluable vitamins are Vitamins A, D, E and K.
Retinol. A fat soluable vitamin, that is critical for healthy eyes and skin and has antioxidant properties. We can get Vitamin A from milk, butter, liver, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, carrots, spinach, broccoli, squash and raw appricots. Beta Carotene is a common supplemental source of Vitamin A and is readily utilized by body tissues.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 5000 IU
Deficiency Symptoms: Night blindness, itching, dry skin; loss of sense of taste.
Negative Interactions: Alcohol, coffee, cortisone, mineral oil, nitrates
Thiamin. A Water soluable vitamin, B1 plays a key role in the conversion of amino acids, fats and carbohydrates into energy, and converting carbohydrates to fat. Important to heart and cardiovascular system. Found in organ meats, pork, beef, whole wheat and enriched cereals,nuts and cooked dried beans and peas.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 1.5 mg
Deficiency Symptoms: fatigue, poor appetite, pins and needles in legs, depression.
Negative Interactions: alcohol, coffee, excessive sugar, tobacco. Physical and mental stress depletes the body's store of B1.
Riboflavin. B2 is the substance in vitamins that give your urine a yellow-green flourescent glow and .. that color means your body is absorbing and using the vitamin. B2 produces energy in all your cells. It is important for healthy skin and tissue repair. Aids in Antibody and red blood cell formation. Found naturally in liver, milk and milk products, oysters, meat, dark green leafy vegetables, eggs, mushrooms, asparagus, broccoli, avocado, brussel sprouts, tuna and salmon.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 1.7 mg
Deficiency Symptoms: cracks at corner of mouth; sore tongue; light sensitivity to eyes.
Negative Interactions: alcohol, coffee, sugar, tobacco. Physical and mental stress depletes the body's store of B2.
Niacin and Niacinamide. Niacin is important in the release of energy from carbohydrates, essential in the formation of steroids and red blood cells. Niacin deficiency causes the disase Pellagra which can be fatal, if not cured. The best dietary sources are protein foods, organ meats, peanuts, meats, poultry, legumes, milk and eggs. Many people notice a flushing or tingling sensation when they take B3 for the first time, but this sensation decreases with regular use.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 18 mg
Deficiency Symptoms: weakness, skin rash, memory loss, irritability, insomnia.
Negative Interactions: alcohol, coffee, sugar, antibiotics. Physical and mental stress depletes the body's store of B3.
Pantothenic Acid. Another important vitamin that helps the body turn food into energy. It is critical to our being able to withstand physical and emotional stress. Vitamin B5 is widely available with highest amounts found in liver, peanuts, whole wheat, wheat germ, brewer's yeast, bran, egg yolk, chicken and broccoli.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 7.0 mg
Deficiency Symptoms: weakness, depression, decreased resistance to infection.
Negative Interactions: alcohol, coffee. Physical and mental stress depletes the body's store of B5
.
Pyridoxine. Vitamin B6 builds amino acids, helps produce antiobodies that fight infection and assists in the absorption of key metabolic elements through the intestines. Builds healthy red blood cells, supports health teeth, gums, blood vessels and nervous system. Cigarette smoking disturbs the metabolism and contributes to B6 deficiency. Good sources of B6 are meats, organ meats, poultry, fish, egg yolk, soybeans and dried beans, peanuts, walnuts, bananas, avocados, cabbage, cauliflower, potatoes, whole grain cereal, bread and prunes. Toxicity can cause reversible nerve damage.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 2.0 mg
Deficiency Symptoms: fatigue, anemia, nerve dysfunction, irritability
Negative Interactions: alcohol, coffee, tobacco, birth control pills. Physical and mental stress depletes the body's store of B6.
Cobalamin. B12 is the key element needed for proper cell division and in production of the protective covering of nerves. It is fundamental to the formation of red blood cells, growth and nervous system maintenance. Lack of B12 can lead to anemia and severe, irreversible nerve damage. Although this vitamin is available in foods, the body absorbs it better from supplementation.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 3.0 mcg
Deficiency Symptoms: anemia, weakness,fatigue, red-sore tongue, nerve degeneration
Negative Interactions: alcohol, coffee, tobacco, calcium deficiency.
Choline was officially classified as one of the essential B vitamins in 1998. It is contained in every living cell and forms the core of a key neurotransmitter, Acetylcholine, which is necessary for the act of thinking. Choline is found in eggs and soybeans
Recommended Daily Allowance: None Established
Deficiency Symptoms: growth problems, impaired liver and kidney function
Negative Interactions: alcohol, coffee, sugar.
Essential to fat and cholesterol metabolism and nerve function. It is found in molasses, yeast, lecithin, fruits, meats, milk and nuts.
Recommended Daily Allowance: None established
Deficiency Symptoms: hair loss, constipation, eye abnormalities, high cholesterol
Negative Interactions: alcohol, coffee.
Necessary for the production of red blood cells and tissue growth, Folic Acid also helps maintain intestinal health and promotes normal body growth because of its function in making DNA for new cells. It helps flush fat from the liver and helps fight liver disease, colon cancer. New studies have shown that Folic Acid is beneficial for heart health. Sources are spinach, beans and orange juice.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 400 mcg
Deficiency Symptoms: anemia, intestinal problems, pale tongue
Negative Interactions: alcohol, oral contraceptives, tobacco, sulfa drugs. Physical and mental stress depletes this nutrient.
Biotin. Helps turn food into energy, and helps produce fatty acids, antibodies, digestive enzymes and niacin metabolism. Biotin acts like insulin in the body and lowers blood sugar. It is important for healthy skin, the circulatory system and the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Found in egg yolks, green leafy vegetables, milk, liver and kidney organ meat.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 200 mcg.
Deficiency Symptoms: non-specific skin rash
Negative Interactions: alcohol, coffee, raw egg white, antibiotics.
PABA. Necessary for red blood cell formation and pigmentation of the skin. Helps restore color to gray hair. Found in molasses, eggs, liver, milk, rice, yeast, wheat germ and bran.
Recommended Daily Allowance: none established
Deficiency Symptoms: constipation, depression, fatigue, headaches, irritability
Negative Interactions: alcohol, coffee, sulfa drugs.
Bioflavonoids. Sometimes referred to as Vitamin P, Bioflavonoids are a group of substances that, much like Vitamin C, cannot be manufactured by the body. Bioflavonoids include: hesperetin, hesperidin, eriodityol, quercetin, quercetrin, and rutin. Excellent antioxidant properties. Necessary for blood vessel wall strength and maintenance. Keeps capillaries, blood vessels, veins and arteries healthy and strong. Bioflavonoids are used in the treatment of athletic injuries because they relieve pain, bumps and bruises. They help reduce the pain associated with leg cramps and back pain. Bioflavonoids work synergistically with Vitamin C and quite often are contained in Vitamin C products. .Found in skin and pulp of fruits, especially citrus fruits.
Recommended Daily Allowance: none established
Deficiency Symptoms: bleeding gums, frequent colds, eczema.
Negative Interactions: antibiotics, aspirin tobacco, cortisone drugs
Ascorbic Acid. Vitamin C - nature's wonder vitamin and the only true vitamin because it is the only substance that the body cannot manufacture at all. It must be obtained thru diet and supplementation. Vitamin C is a superb antioxidant, enhances our immune system's ability to fight infection, increases the activity of white blood cells, T-Cells and antibodies. It kills excess free radicals, helps the body resist fatigue, reduces the risk of cancer, heart disease and arthritis. It is found in fruits and vegetables, particularly berries, citrus fruit and green vegetables..
Recommended Daily Allowance: 500 mg.
Deficiency Symptoms: slow wound healing, bleeding gums, increased susceptability to infection, joint pains, lack of energy, tendancy to bruise easily.
Negative Interactions: alcohol, tobacco, analgesics, oral contraceptives
Cholecalciferol. Vitamin D is a fat soluable vitamin. It works in the body by making it possible to absorb calcium from food. It also maintains bone integrity. It is necessary for strong bones and healthy teeth, protects against muscle weakness, and in involved in regulating the heartbeat. Vitamin D is found in milk, cod liver oil, tuna, salmon oil, and eggs.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 400 IU
Deficiency Symptoms: Soft bones and teeth; spontaneous fractures; bone curvature, loss of appetite, insomnia, weight loss, visual problems.
Negative Interactions: mineral oil, antacids.
dAlpha Tocopherol. Vitamin E has excellent antioxidant properties. It seeks out free radicals and flushes them out of the body. It is a body healer, healing to skin topically and protects cell membranes and tissues internally. Vitamin E is essential to maintaining a healthy circulatory system and it helps to lower blood pressure. It is useful in treating premenstrual syndrome and fibrocyctic breast disorder. It is found in vegetable oil, grains, wheat germ, and lettuce.
Recommended Daily Allowance: 30 IU
Deficiency Symptoms: Poor muscular and circulatory performance, red blood cell damage, infertility, menstrual problems
Negative Interactions: air pollution, mineral oil, birth control pills, anticoagulants.
Phylloquinone. Vitamin K is a fat soluable vitamin that is very important to blood coagulation. It also plays an important role in maintaining joint health, in bone formation and in brain development. May help prevent osteoporosis. Vitamin K has been helpful in healing wounds, erasing fine facial lines, promoting skin elasticity, and improving vein strength. It is found in green leafy vegetables, molasses, yogurt, alfalfa.
Recommended Daily Allowance: none established
Deficiency Symptoms: diarrhea, increased tendancy to hemorrhage.
Negative Interactions: aspirin, antibiotics, mineral oil, rancid fat, x-ray therapy.