VITAMINS

Understanding Vitamins Vitamins are complex organic substances. They are found in very small amounts in your foods. Vitamins are crucial to normal health, growth, and development. Vitamins are classified as water soluble or fat soluble. Excess or deficiency of vitamins can lead to serious health complications. Your body cannot produce most vitamins, so they must come from your diet.

Water Soluble Vitamins There are 9 water soluble vitamins: eight B vitamins and vitamin C. B vitamins include: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate (folic acid or folacin), vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, and biotin. Water soluble vitamins are found in the watery parts of foods. They are found in the watery parts of our bodies. Excess of water soluble vitamins are excreted through urine. Water soluble vitamins are fragile and can be destroyed during storage or cooking.

Thiamin Daily Intake—1.0-1.2 mg/day One of the B vitamins Helps your body release energy from carbohydrates. Found in meat, fish, whole grains, enriched grain products. Deficiencies cause heart problems, confusion, and impaired growth. Too much causes headache, insomnia, and irritability.

Riboflavin Daily Intake—1.0-1.3 mg/day One of the B vitamins. Helps body get energy from carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Helps promote healthy skin and eyes. Found in milk products, dark green leafy vegetables, whole grain or enriched grain products. Too little causes eye, skin, and nose problems; No reports of toxicity.

Niacin Daily Intake—14-16 mg/day One of the B vitamins. Helps your body release energy from food. Promotes healthy skin and digestive system. Found in meats, poultry, whole grain and enriched grain products, nuts, beans, and all protein foods. Too little causes Pellagra (inflammation of skin), weakness, and mental confusion. Too much leads to low blood pressure and abdominal problems.

Vitamin B6 Daily Intake—1.2-1.3 mg/day Helps antibodies form, and the body use fat and protein. Found in meats, beans, whole grain products, green leafy vegetables, bananas. Too little causes nervous disorders. Too much causes fatigue, irritability, and nerve damage.

Folate – Folic Acid - Folacin Daily Intake—400 μg/day (microgram) One of the B vitamins Helps in red blood cell formation and new cell division. Found in green leafy vegetables, beans, strawberries, seeds, citrus and tropical fruits. Too little leads to nervous disorders. Too much leads to irritability and insomnia.

Vitamin B12 Daily Intake: 2.4 μg/day Helps maintain nerve cells and red blood cells. Found in animal products. Too little causes nervous disorder problems. No reported problems with too much.

Pantothenic Acid and Biotin Daily Intake: 5 mg/day (P.A.), 25 μg/day One of the B vitamins. Coenzyme in energy metabolism. Found in most foods. Problems with too little or too much are rare but may cause diarrhea, trouble sleeping, and fatigue.

Vitamin C Daily Intake: 65-75 mg/day Helps wounds heal. Helps bones maintain strength, functions as an antioxidant, strengthens immune system, and helps your body absorb iron. Found in citrus fruits, cabbage family, dark green vegetables, cantaloupe, strawberries, and other fruits and vegetables. Too little causes scurvy (bleeding gums and tooth loss). Too much causes abdominal discomfort.

Fat Soluble Vitamins There are 4 fat soluble vitamins: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K. Fat soluble vitamins are generally found in the fats of foods. They are absorbed in the digestive track with the aid of fats. Fat soluble vitamins move around the body by proteins in the blood. Excess fat soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and do not need to be consumed every day.

Vitamin A Daily intake: 700-900 μg Important for eye health, repairs and builds body tissues, helps bones form. Found in milk products, dark green leafy vegetables, deep orange fruits and vegetables. Too little causes night blindness, susceptibility to infection. Too much causes nose bleeds, abdominal problems, and liver disease.

Vitamin D Daily Intake: 5 μg/day Aids body in absorbing and using calcium and phosphorous for strong teeth and bones. Found in fortified milk, eggs, fish, and your body makes it when exposed to sunlight. Too little causes rickets (bowlegged) and joint pain. Too much causes abdominal discomfort.

Vitamin E Daily Intake: 15 mg/day Protects red blood cells. Found in vegetables oils, green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, egg yolks and nuts. Too little causes muscle wasting, anemia, and hemorrhaging. Too much leads to general discomfort.

Vitamin K Daily Intake: 75 μg/day Helps blood clot. Found in liver, green leafy vegetables, cabbage family, and made by the digestive track. Too little causes blood hemorrhaging. Too much may cause jaundice.

Antioxidants Many chemical reactions in the body lead to the release of oxygen. These loose oxygen molecules are called “free radicals” and when they build up in the body they are toxic and lead to chronic diseases and cancer. The antioxidant vitamins help the body flush out the excess oxygen molecules. Vitamin C, vitamin, E, and beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A) are antioxidants.