Vitamins :
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients because they perform hundreds of roles in the body. There is a fine line between getting enough of these nutrients (which is healthy) and getting too much (which can end up harming you).
VITAMINS = E, K, D, A are fat soluble vitamins .
VITAMINS = P, C, B are water soluble vitamins .
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients because they perform hundreds of roles in the body. There is a fine line between getting enough of these nutrients (which is healthy) and getting too much (which can end up harming you).
VITAMINS = E, K, D, A are fat soluble vitamins .
VITAMINS = P, C, B are water soluble vitamins .
Vitamins as an Anti-aging Component
Aging is a time-sequential deterioration occurring in the body. Certain changes like bone brittleness, decrease in muscle mass and impaired resistance to disease and injury occur as a result of aging. These changes can be very frustrating. However it can be controlled and reduced by proper intake of nutritional supplements like vitamins A (beta carotene), C and E. Vitamins A, C and E are generally called ‘anti-oxidant vitamins’.
They have potential properties which can promote health. They are also part of the body’s defense against free radicals and oxidative stress. Cereals, fruits and vegetables are good and natural sources of antioxidants. Furthermore, these three: A, C and E are common components of most dietary supplements which are very helpful nowadays, since they are a critical element in disease prevention. We live in a world of exploitation, and as time goes by, pollution degrades our health through the food we eat and through the air we breathe.
This is the main reason why scientists have advanced their technology and have invaded people’s notion of “natural living”. Before, people depend on natural sources of vitamins and minerals, vitamins and minerals are now available in tablets, capsules or syrup which are reliable supplements for human health. Nevertheless, fruits and vegetables and other natural resource are still the best source of vitamins and minerals for the human body.
| Vitamin generic descriptor name | Vitamerchemical name(s) (list not complete) | Solubility | Recommended dietary allowances | Deficiency disease | Upper Intake Level (UL/day) | Overdose disease | Food sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | Retinol, retinal, and four carotenoids including beta carotene | Fat | 900 µg | Night blindness,Hyperkeratosis, andKeratomalacia | 3,000 µg | Hypervitaminosis A | Liver, orange, ripe yellow fruits, leafy vegetables, carrots, pumpkin, squash, spinach, fish, soya milk, milk |
| Vitamin B1 | Thiamine | Water | 1.2 mg | Beriberi, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome | N/D | Drowsiness or muscle relaxation with large doses. | Pork, oatmeal, brown rice, vegetables, potatoes, liver, eggs |
| Vitamin B2 | Riboflavin | Water | 1.3 mg | Ariboflavinosis,Glossitis, Angular stomatitis | N/D | Dairy products, bananas, popcorn, green beans, asparagus | |
| Vitamin B3 | Niacin, niacinamide | Water | 16.0 mg | Pellagra | 35.0 mg | Liver damage (doses > 2g/day)[13] and other problems | Meat, fish, eggs, many vegetables, mushrooms, tree nuts |
| Vitamin B5 | Pantothenic acid | Water | 5.0 mg[14] | Paresthesia | N/D | Diarrhea; possibly nausea and heartburn. | Meat, broccoli, avocados |
| Vitamin B6 | Pyridoxine,pyridoxamine,pyridoxal | Water | 1.3–1.7 mg | Anemia peripheral neuropathy. | 100 mg | Impairment ofproprioception, nerve damage | Meat, vegetables, tree nuts, bananas |
| Vitamin B7 | Biotin | Water | 30.0 µg | Dermatitis, enteritis | N/D | Raw egg yolk, liver, peanuts, leafy green vegetables | |
| Vitamin B9 | Folic acid, folinic acid | Water | 400 µg | Megaloblastic anemiaand Deficiency during pregnancy is associated with birth defects, such as neural tube defects | 1,000 µg | May mask symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency;other effects. | Leafy vegetables, pasta, bread, cereal, liver |
| Vitamin B12 | Cyanocobalamin,hydroxocobalamin,methylcobalamin | Water | 2.4 µg | Megaloblastic anemia | N/D | Acne-like rash | Meat and other animal products |
| Vitamin C | Ascorbic acid | Water | 90.0 mg | Scurvy | 2,000 mg | Vitamin C megadosage | Many fruits and vegetables, liver |
| Vitamin D | Cholecalciferol (D3),Ergocalciferol (D2) | Fat | 10 µg[18] | in child Rickets and in adult Osteomalacia | 50 µg | Hypervitaminosis D | Fish, eggs, liver, mushrooms |
| Vitamin E | Tocopherols,tocotrienols | Fat | 15.0 mg | Deficiency is very rare;sterility in males and abortions in females, mild hemolytic anemiain newborn infants. | 1,000 mg | Increased congestive heart failure seen in one large randomized study. | Many fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds |
| Vitamin K | phylloquinone,menaquinones | Fat | 120 µg | Bleeding diathesis | N/D | Increases coagulation in patients taking warfarin. | Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, egg yolks, liver |
- Vitamin A: Retinol. Carotene compounds responsible for transmitting light sensation in the retina of the eye. Deficiency leads to nightblindness.
- Beta carotene : An antioxidant which protects cells against oxidation damage that can lead to cancer. Beta carotene is converted, as needed, to vitamin A. Food sources of beta carotene include vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach and other leafy green vegetables; and fruit such as cantaloupes and apricots. Excessive carotene in the diet can temporarily yellow the skin, a condition called carotenemia, commonly seen in infants fed largely mushed carrots.
- Vitamin B1: Thiamin, acts as a coenzyme in body metabolism. Deficiency leads to beriberi, a disease of the heart and nervous system.
- Vitamin B2: Riboflavin, essential for the reactions of coenzymes. Deficiency causes inflammation of the lining of the mouth and skin.
- Vitamin B3: Niacin, an essential part of coenzymes of body metabolism. Deficiency causes inflammation of the skin, vagina, rectum and mouth, as well as mental slowing.
- Vitamin B6: Pyridoxine, a cofactor for enzymes. Deficiency leads to inflammation of the skin and mouth, nausea, vomiting, dizziness , weakness and anemia.
- Folate (folic acid): Folic acid is an important factor in nucleic acid synthesis (the genetic material). Folate deficiency leads to megaloblastic anemia.
- Vitamin B12: An essential factor in nucleic acid synthesis (the genetic material of all cells). Deficiency leads to megaloblastic anemia, as can be seen in pernicious anemia.
- Vitamin C: Ascorbic acid, important in the synthesis of collagen, the framework protein for tissues of the body. Deficiency leads to scurvy, characterized by fragile capillaries, poor wound healing, and bone deformity in children.
- Vitamin D: A steroid vitamin which promotes absorption and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus. Under normal conditions of sunlight exposure, no dietary supplementation is necessary because sunlight promotes adequate vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Deficiency can lead to osteomalacia in adults and bone deformity (rickets) in children.
- Vitamin E: Deficiency can lead to anemia.
- Vitamin K: An essential factor in the formation of blood clotting factors. Deficiency can lead to abnormal bleeding.
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