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Vitamins, Minerals and What They Do
This is an information page. The
Vitamin and Mineral tables below are based on
information generally agreed upon by multiple sources. The RDA (recommended
daily allowance) is based on an average sized adult.
Everyone says you should take your vitamins and minerals, but do you know why
they are so important for your health?
Most vitamins can be produced by the body, but
there are thirteen essential vitamins.
They essential vitamins because they must be obtained through diet and a deficiency results
in a specific "disease" or condition. Four vitamins are classified as "fat soluble." This
means two things. First they require the presence of fat to absorbed. And
second, they can be stored in body's fat tissue and liver where they are
maintained as a reservoir for times of deficiency. Because reserves can be built
up, toxicity can also occur.
The rest are classified as "water soluble" vitamins. These vitamins are not
stored in the body so consistent intake is required. Excess is usually excreted in the
urine making it unlikely to have a toxic level or effect.
| Vitamin |
name |
other names/ comments* |
solubility |
Function |
Good Sources |
Deficiency Signs |
Deficiency Signs |
RDA |
| A |
retinol If source is animal
carotin If source is plant |
axerophthol, biosterol, rinyl palmitate, retinyl acetate, carotenoids |
fat |
Maintains the health of vision, hair, skin, linings of nose, mouth, digestive and urinary tracts |
Liver, milk, butter, cheese, carrots, spinach |
.bronchial infections, night blindness; dry, scaling skin; loss of appetite; anemia; kidney stones |
.Headache, vomiting and diarrhea, vertigo, double vision, liver damage, bone defects. |
800
mg |
| B1 |
thiamin |
thiamine, aneurine |
water |
Helps convert carbohydrates into energy; keeps nerves healthy. |
green vegetables, bread, yeast, meat |
nerve-related skin and hair disorders, beri-beri |
|
1.4 mg
|
| B2 |
riboflavin |
beflavin, lactoflavin |
water |
General body health and growth. |
vegetables, eggs, meat, yeast |
lack of energy, dry hair and skin, mouth sores |
|
1.6 mg
|
| B3 |
niacin |
nicotinic acid, nicotinamide,
nicotinate, pyridine-3-carboxylic acid |
water |
Digestion of carbohydrates,
healthy skin |
peanuts, poultry, fish, yeast
|
headaches, skin disorders,
pellagra |
|
18
mg |
| B4 |
adenine |
some do not classify this as a
vitamin |
water |
|
|
|
|
|
| B5 |
pantothenic acid |
|
water |
Tissue growth, health of skin
and hair |
whole-meal bread, brown rice,
eggs, yeast |
dry
skin and hair |
|
6 mg |
| B6 |
pyridoxine, pyridoxal,
pyridoxamine |
|
water |
Utilizing of protein, healthy
nerves and muscles. |
green vegetables, milk, fish,
meat, yeast |
depression, irritability,
insomnia |
|
2 mg |
| B8 |
Biotin |
some call it Vitamin H |
water |
Healthy nerves, skin and
muscles. |
vegetables |
eczema, hair loss |
|
0.15 mg |
| B9 |
folic acid |
folacin, pteroyl-L-glutamic
acid, some sources call this BC |
water |
Assists growth, and maintains
healthy blood. |
green vegetables, meats, yeast
|
depression, weakness, anemia
|
|
200
mg |
| B10 |
para-aminobenzoic acid (paba)
|
some call it vit. Bx |
water |
|
|
|
|
|
| B11 |
carnitine |
vit. Bt or vit. |
water |
|
|
|
|
|
| B12 |
cobalamin, cobanamide,
dibencozide, cyanocobalamine |
Utilising
of protein, healthy nerves and growth. |
water |
|
lettuce, spinach, eggs, meat
|
tiredness, anemia, skin
disorders |
|
1
mg |
| B13 |
orotic acid, uracil 6 carboxylic
acid |
|
water |
|
|
|
|
|
| C |
Ascorbic Acid |
|
water |
Healing wounds, maintaining
healthy cells and blood vessels. |
fruit and vegetables |
slow healing, sore gums, scurvy
|
|
|
| D |
Calciferol |
|
fat |
Formation of bones and teeth.
|
butter, sunlight on skin |
poor growth, tooth decay,
rickets |
Kidney damage; calcium deposits
in soft tissues, depression, and death. |
60
mg |
| |
D1 |
steroid alcohols |
fat |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
D2 |
ergocalciferol, calciferol.
Animal source |
fat |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
D3 |
cholecaliferol |
fat |
|
yeast |
|
|
|
| E |
Tocopherol |
alpha, beta, gamma and delta
forms |
Fat |
Protection and maintenance of
cellular membranes. May act as an antioxidant to slow the aging effects of
cells. |
green leafy vegetables, egg
yolk, vegetable oils, wheat germ, whole grains, nuts & seeds, asparagus,
peaches. |
Red blood cell breakage and
anemia, weakness, neurological problems, muscle cramps. |
Even though this is fat soluble
it is relatively non-toxic, but may cause excess bleeding or formation of blood
clots. |
5
mg |
| Ubiquinone |
co-enzyme Q, co-enzyme Q10 |
Vitamin Like substance that
depends upon vit. E for function |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| I |
inositol |
sometimes
listed as a B vitamin, sometimes as a factor rather than a vitamin |
|
Maintains function of liver,
prevents fat build-up |
eggs, yeast |
liver disorders, intolerance to
alcohol |
|
|
| J |
Choline |
?some put this as a B vitamin? |
|
Maintains function of liver, prevents fat build-up |
eggs, yeast |
liver disorders, intolerance to alcohol |
|
|
| K |
|
quinones |
Fat |
Essential for blood clotting. |
green leafy vegetables, soy beans, oils, smaller amounts widespread in other foods |
prolonged bleeding - slow blood clotting (Hemorrhaging) |
None |
|
| |
K1 |
phytomenadione, phyloquinone, phytylmenadione |
|
|
Can be produced by bacteria in Intestines |
|
|
|
| |
K2 |
menaquine |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
K3 |
menadione, menaphtone |
|
|
These are synthetic products (man made) |
|
|
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Minerals are just important as
vitamins. So I am providing a table of minerals. Again the information provided
is what is agreed upon by multiple sources. If there is a mineral not mentioned
that you want to know about contact me an I will try to add it.
|
mineral |
Good Sources |
Function |
Deficiency Signs
|
Deficiency Signs
|
RDA |
|
Calcium |
Dairy products, tofu, fortified orange juice
and bread, green leafy vegetables, bones in fish |
Maintenance of bones and teeth, control of
nerve impulses and muscle contractions |
Bone mineral loss |
Constipation, urinary stones, calcium deposits
in soft tissues, inhibition of mineral absorption |
|
|
Fluoride |
Drinking tap water (If supply is fluoridated),
tea, and marine fish eaten with bones |
Maintenance of tooth and bone structure |
Tooth decay |
Increased bone density, mottling of teeth,
impaired kidney function |
|
|
Iron |
Transports Oxygen and works in cellular oxidation as part of the respiratory
enzymes |
Found in red meat, liver, apricots, fennel, legumes, nuts and seeds |
Iron deficiency anemia |
Iron overload |
|
|
Iodine |
Iodized salt, seafood |
Essential part of thyroid hormones; regulation
of metabolism |
Goiter (enlarged thyroid), cretinism (birth
defect) |
Depression of thyroid activity, hyperthyroidism |
|
|
Magnesium |
Grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, green vegetables, and mineral water |
Transmission of nerve impulses, energy transfer, activation of many enzymes |
Neurological disturbances, cardiovascular problems, kidney disorders,
nausea, growth failure |
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, central nervous system depression, coma; death
in people with impaired kidneys |
|
|
Phosphorus |
Bone growth and maintenance; energy transfer in
cells |
Present in nearly all foods |
Weakness, bone loss, kidney disorders,
cardio-respiratory failure |
Drop in blood calcium levels, calcium deposits
in soft tissue |
|
|
Potassium |
Meats, milk, fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes |
Nerve function and body water balance |
Muscular weakness, nausea, drowsiness, paralysis, confusion, disruption of
cardiac rhythm |
Cardiac arrest |
|
|
Selenium |
Seafood, meat, eggs, whole grains |
Protection of cells from oxidative damage, immune response |
Muscle pain and weakness, heart disorders |
Hair loss, nausea and vomiting, weakness and irritability |
|
|
Sodium |
Salt, soy sauce, salted foods |
Body
water balance, acid-base balance, nerve functions |
Muscle weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, sodium deficiency is
rarely seen |
Edema, hypertension |
|
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Zinc |
Whole grains, meat, eggs, liver, seafood
(especially oysters) |
Synthesis of proteins, RNA and DNA; wound
healing; immune response; ability to taste |
Growth failure, loss of appetite, impaired
taste, skin rash, impaired immune functions, poor wound healing |
Vomiting, impaired immune function, decline in
blood HDL levels, impaired copper absorption |
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