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Vitamin Information
All living things, plant or animal, need vitamins for health, growth, and reproduction. Yet vitamins are not a source of calories and do not contribute significantly to body mass. The plant or animal uses vitamins as tools in processes that regulate chemical activities in the organism and that use basic food elements--carbohydrates, fats, and proteins--to form tissues and to produce energy.
Vitamins
can be used over and over, and only tiny amounts are needed to replace
those that are lost. Nevertheless, most vitamins are essential in the
diet because the body does not produce enough of them or, in many
cases, does not produce them at all.
Thirteen different
vitamins have been identified by nutritionists: A, eight B-complex
vitamins, C, D, E, and K. Some substances, such as carnitine and
choline, behave like vitamins but are made in adequate amounts in the
human body.
Vitamins were originally placed in categories based on their function
in the body and were given letter names. Later, as their chemical
structures were revealed, they were also given chemical names. Today,
both naming conventions are used.
Daily Vitamin Requirements
With
a few exceptions, the body is unable to make vitamins; they must be
supplied in the daily diet or through supplements. One exception is
vitamin D, which can be produced in the skin when the skin is exposed
to sunlight. Another vitamin, vitamin K, is not made by the human body
but is formed by microorganisms that normally flourish in the
intestinal tract only when green, leafy vegetables and vegetable oils
are ingested.
The
body's vitamin requirements are expressed in terms of recommended
dietary allowances, or RDA. These allowances are the amount of
essential nutrients that, if acquired daily, are considered to be
sufficient to meet the known nutritional needs of most healthy persons.
In the United States, the RDA values are established by the Food and
Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences/National Research
Council (NAS/NRC). In addition, two agencies of the United Nations--the
Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health
Organization--develop RDA for different, worldwide population groups
In
the past, the strength of a vitamin or the amount of the vitamin
necessary to produce a certain effect in the body was often expressed
in terms of international units, abbreviated IU. The unit corresponds
to a weight of the purified vitamin, and its value differs from one
vitamin to another. Today, the strength of a vitamin is generally
expressed directly in metric weights--micrograms or milligrams.
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Should you take Vitamin & Mineral Supplements?
Vitamins
and minerals are vital nutrients for bodily functions and prevention of
disease. There is an archaic argument of "I can get everything I need
from food." In a large 26,000 person study it was concluded that not
one person received the nutritional requirements set forth by the RDA
(Recommended Daily Allowance). 96% of the US population dies of a
disease - we are NOT getting proper nutrition.
Most people do not consume an optimal amount of all vitamins by diet alone.
Pending strong evidence of effectiveness from randomized trials, it appears
prudent for all adults to take vitamin supplements."
Vitamin & mineral supplementation is necessary for the following reasons:
- Crop nutrient losses - Decades of agriculture have overworked and depleted soils of minerals.
- Poor digestion - Eating too much or too quickly and stress can cause indigestion. Indigestion reduces absorption of vitamins and minerals.
- Over-cooking - Can easily destroy valuable food nutrients.
- Microwave cooking - Studies suggest that microwave cooking alters the nutritional structure of food.
- Food storage - Length of storage and freezing deplete the nutritional value of most foods.
- Food selection - Eating a too limited range of different food groups will result in nutrient deficiencies.
- Food omission - Allergies to foods, crash dieting and poorly designed vegetarian diets omit significant dietary sources of nutrients.
- Environmental factors - Herbicides and pesticides are used on crops, leaving them with low nutritional value.
- Antibiotics - Antibiotics interfere with the intake of essential nutrients.
- Poor lifestyle habits - Smoking, alcohol and caffeine can inhibit the absorption of vitamins and minerals or accelerate the loss of nutrients.
- Stress - Be it physical or emotional, can increase the body's requirement of vitamins and minerals.
- Out of balance - The level of each vitamin and mineral in the body has an effect on others} so if one is out of balance (missing), all are adversely effected. With antioxidants, one is not nearly as strong as several combined as each greatly enhances the power of the others.
- Nutrient variance - There are substantial differences between one fruit or vegetable and another. One tomato can have 10 times more nutritional value than another - which tomato did you eat?
The vitamins needed by humans are divided into two categories: water-soluble vitamins (the B vitamins and vitamin C) and fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). The water-soluble vitamins are absorbed by the intestine and carried by the circulatory system to the specific tissues where they will be put into use. The B vitamins act as coenzymes, compounds that unite with a protein component called an apoenzyme to form an active enzyme. The enzyme then acts as a catalyst in the chemical reactions that transfer energy from the basic food elements to the body. It is not known whether vitamin C acts as a coenzyme.
When a person takes in more water-soluble vitamins than are needed, small amounts are stored in body tissue, but most of the excess is excreted in urine. Because water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body in appreciable amounts, a daily supply is essential to prevent depletion.
Fat-soluble vitamins seem to have highly specialized functions. The intestine absorbs fat-soluble vitamins, and the lymph system carries these vitamins to the different parts of the body. Fat-soluble vitamins are involved in maintaining the structure of cell membranes. It is also believed that fat-soluble vitamins are responsible for the synthesis of certain enzymes.
The body can store larger amounts of fat-soluble vitamins than of water-soluble vitamins. The liver provides the chief storage tissue for vitamins A and D, while vitamin E is stored in body fat and to a lesser extent in reproductive organs. Relatively little vitamin K is stored. Excessive intake of fat-soluble vitamins, particularly vitamins A and D, can lead to toxic levels in the body.
Many vitamins work together to regulate several processes within the body. A lack of vitamins or a diet that does not provide adequate amounts of certain vitamins can upset the body's internal balance or block one or more metabolic reactions.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A, also called retinol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that is readily destroyed upon exposure to heat, light, or air. The vitamin has a direct role in vision and is a component of a pigment present in the retina of the eye. It is essential for the proper functioning of most body organs and also affects the functioning of the immune system.
Vitamin A deficiency results in various disorders that most commonly involve the eye and the epithelial tissues--the skin and the mucous membranes lining the internal body surfaces. An early symptom of vitamin A deficiency is the development of night blindness, and continued deficiency eventually results in loss of sight. If deficiency is prolonged, the skin may become dry and rough. Vitamin A deficiency may also result in defective bone and teeth formation.
Vitamins were originally placed in categories based on their function in the body and were given letter names. Later, as their chemical structures were revealed, they were also given chemical names. Today, both naming conventions are used.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B complex consists of several vitamins that are grouped together because of the loose similarities in their properties, distribution in natural sources, and physiological functions. All the B vitamins are soluble in water. Most of the B vitamins have been recognized as coenzymes, and they all appear to be essential in facilitating the metabolic processes of all forms of animal life. The complex includes B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), niacin (nicotinic acid), B6 (a group of related pyridines), B12 (cyanocobalamin), folic acid, pantothenic acid, and biotin.
Vitamin B1, or thiamine, helps the body convert carbohydrates into energy and helps in the metabolism of proteins and fats. Vitamin B1 deficiency affects the functioning of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and peripheral nervous systems. Beriberi and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (often seen in alcoholics) are the primary diseases related to thiamine deficiency. General symptoms of beriberi include loss of appetite and overall lassitude, digestive irregularities, and a feeling of numbness and weakness in the limbs and extremities.
Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, is required to complete several reactions in the energy cycle. Reddening of the lips with cracks at the corners of the mouth, inflammation of the tongue, and a greasy, scaly inflammation of the skin are common symptoms of deficiency.
Niacin, or nicotinic acid, helps the metabolism of carbohydrates. Prolonged deprivation leads to pellagra, a disease characterized by skin lesions, gastrointestinal disturbance, and nervous symptoms.
A form of Vitamin B6 is a coenzyme for several enzyme systems involved in the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. No human disease has been found to be caused by a deficiency of this vitamin. Chronic use of large doses of vitamin B6 can create dependency and cause complications in the peripheral nervous system.
Vitamin B12, or cyanocobalamin, is a complex crystalline compound that functions in all cells, but especially in those of the gastrointestinal tract, the nervous system, and the bone marrow. It is known to aid in the development of red blood cells in higher animals. Deficiency most commonly results in pernicious anemia
Folic acid is necessary for the synthesis of nucleic acids and the formation of red blood cells. Folic-acid deficiency most commonly causes folic-acid-deficiency anemia. Symptoms include gastrointestinal problems, such as sore tongue, cracks at the corners of the mouth, diarrhea, and ulceration of the stomach and intestines.
Pantothenic acid promotes a large number of metabolic reactions essential for the growth and well-being of animals. Deficiency in experimental animals leads to growth failure, skin lesions, and graying of the hair. A dietary deficiency severe enough to lead to clear-cut disease has not been described in humans.
Biotin plays a role in metabolic processes that lead to the formation of fats and the utilization of carbon dioxide. Biotin deficiency results in anorexia, nausea, vomiting, inflammation of the tongue, pallor, depression, and dermatitis.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, is water-soluble and easily destroyed. It is essential in wound healing and in the formation of collagen, a protein important in the formation of healthy skin, tendons, bones, and supportive tissues. Deficiency results in defective collagen formation and is marked by joint pains, irritability, growth retardation, anemia, shortness of breath, and increased susceptibility to infection. Scurvy is the classic disease related to deficiency. Symptoms peculiar to infantile scurvy include swelling of the lower extremities, pain upon flexing them, and bone lesions.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble compound essential for calcium metabolism in animals and therefore important for normal mineralization of bone and cartilage. The skin forms vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, but in some circumstances sunlight may lack sufficient amounts of ultraviolet rays to bring about adequate production of the vitamin.
Deficiencies cause many biochemical and physiological imbalances. If uncorrected, faulty mineralization of bones and teeth causes rickets in growing children and osteomalacia (progressive loss of calcium and phosphorus from the bones) in adults. Common early symptoms of rickets include restlessness, profuse sweating, lack of muscle tone in the limbs and abdomen, and delay in learning to sit, crawl, and walk. Rickets may produce such conditions as bowlegs and knock-knees. Deficiency may also cause osteoporosis, a bone condition characterized by an increased tendency of the bones to fracture.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is a fat-soluble compound. The metabolic roles of this vitamin are poorly understood. Its primary role appears to be as an inhibitor of oxidation processes in body tissues. Deficiency is rare but may impair neuromuscular function. Although serious toxicity has not been attributed to large doses of vitamin E, adverse effects have been reported.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is fat-soluble and essential for the synthesis of certain proteins necessary for the clotting of blood. Deficiency, though relatively uncommon, results in impaired clotting of the blood and internal bleeding.
Vitamin History
The value of certain foods in maintaining health was recognized long
before the first vitamins were actually identified. In the 18th
century, for example, it had been demonstrated that the addition of
citrus fruits to the diet would prevent the development of scurvy. In
the 19th century it was shown that substituting unpolished for polished
rice in a rice-based diet would prevent the development of beriberi.
In 1906 the British biochemist Frederick Hopkins demonstrated that
foods contained necessary "accessory factors" in addition to proteins,
carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and water. In 1911 the Polish chemist
Casimir Funk discovered that the anti-beriberi substance in unpolished
rice was an amine (a type of nitrogen-containing compound), so Funk
proposed that it be named vitamine--for "vital amine." This term soon
came to be applied to the accessory factors in general. It was later
discovered that many vitamins do not contain amines at all. Because of
its widespread use, Funk's term continued to be applied, but the final
letter e was dropped.
In 1912 Hopkins and Funk advanced the vitamin hypothesis of deficiency,
a theory that postulates that the absence of sufficient amounts of a
particular vitamin in a system may lead to certain diseases. During the
early 1900s, through experiments in which animals were deprived of
certain types of foods, scientists succeeded in isolating and
identifying the various vitamins recognized today.
Vitamin Overview
HOW THEY WORK: A lot of people think vitamins can replace food, they cannot! In fact, vitamins cannot be assimilated without ingesting food. That is why they should be taken with a meal. Vitamins regulate metabolism, help convert fat and carbohydrates into energy, and assist in forming bone and tissue, etc.
Vitamins and Minerals, what you need to know
A quick word on antioxidants. These are specific vitamins or minerals that protect the body from the damaging effects of our environment such as pollution, harmful sunlight, stress, or over exertion. Antioxidants are one of the keys to good health. For more in depth information on antioxidants, etc, please click on (Vitamin Info. Format PDF) link below.
How are They Used? Vitamins, minerals or supplements enter your body and go first to your stomach and then to your intestines. While in your intestines your body determines how they will be allocated. Your body knows where the vitamins and minerals are needed the most and sends them there. If there is not enough to go around your body will take vitamins and minerals away from other less important areas and send them to the critical spot.The two key points I want to stress here are that (1) if you lack the proper amount of vitamins and minerals or supplementation some part of your body will suffer because there will not be enough to go around. (2) Vitamins and minerals are naturally found in singular form (ex: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Iron) but they must work together in proper balance in order to be effective. If one vitamin or mineral is missing it throws the whole system out of whack. In a perfect or near perfect world (like it was thousands of years ago) we were able to get the proper nutritional balance from the foods we ate; but no more! Our modern day diet is so far removed from what our long-ago ancestors ate. We therefore need to balance out our diets with a good quality supplement.
What Happens After They do Their Job? Ideally, vitamins, minerals and supplements are used up doing their job in your body. They do what they’re supposed to do and just melt away. But this is not always the case and it can lead to major problems. Here are two key points to understand: Certain lifestyle habits such as drinking alcohol in excess, drinking coffee, tea, or sodas in excess, or taking drugs can literally wash away nutrients before they have been used by the body. And as we’ve seen, throwing your nutrient system off balance can lead to major health problems.
Conclusion, Vitamins, minerals or supplements are vital nutrients for your overall health and for disease prevention. Remember, in a recent 26,000 person study by the American Medical Association (AMA) it was concluded that not one person was getting the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of vitamins and minerals. This might not be so bad if it weren’t for the fact that 96% of the U.S. population dies from a disease of some sort. I wonder what the statistic would be if more of us were “taking our vitamins”! Hey, we’re all going to die at some point. But for those of us that die from natural causes I think the major question is how do we look and feel for those last 40 or 50 years? A famous microbiologist once said: “People are living too short and dying too long!” I couldn’t agree with him more! So, start taking your vitamins! To your health and well being.
If so, we strongly recommend clicking on the links below.
For In-depth Vitamin & Nutrition Info, Click Here > Vitamin Info. Format (PDF)
For In-depth Vitamin & Nutrition Info Through (Nutrition Almanac Book), Click Here > Order
For Vitamins, Minerals & Nutritional Food Supplements, Click Here > Health & Nutrition
This
information is designed to help adults make informed decisions about
their health and is intended to be used for general nutritional
information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to
prescribe, treat, cure, diagnose or prevent any particular medical
problem or disease, or to promote any particular product. Women who are
pregnant or nursing should always consult with their doctors before
taking any supplements. You should always consult your health care
professional for individual guidance for specific health concerns.
Persons with medical conditions should seek professional medical care.
