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VITAMIN
A / B1 / B12 / B2 / B3
/ B5 / B6
/ B9 / C
/ D / E
/ H / K
Vitamin A is important
in maintaining good
vision, healthy skin,
and healthy mucous membranes.
Research has shown it
is also necessary for
proper immune system
function. Vitamin A
is also important for
proper growth, bone
formation, reproduction,
and wound healing. Your
liver can store up to
a year's supply of vitamin
A. The stored supply
of this vitamin is used
up more quickly if you
become ill or have an
infection.
Sources
Vitamin A is
found only in foods
from animal sources,
especially beef, calf,
and chicken liver. Dairy
products such as milk,
butter, cheese, and
ice cream are also good
sources. However, beta-carotene,
a nutrient found in
fruits and vegetables,
can be converted to
vitamin A in the body
as needed. Most dark-green
leafy vegetables and
most orange vegetables
and fruits contain a
lot of beta-carotene,
and by eating these
foods you will increase
your body's supply of
vitamin A. Vegetables
such as sweet potatoes,
carrots, and winter
squash, and fruits such
as cantaloupe and mango
are all good sources
of beta-carotene.
How to Take
It
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble
vitamin and is absorbed
along with the fat in
your diet. Supplements
containing vitamin A
should be taken during
or shortly after a meal.
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Vitamin B1 is also called
thiamine. You need vitamin
B1 in your daily diet
to help break down carbohydrates
(starches). The energy
produced by this process
helps your body perform
functions as basic as
breathing and moving.
Not getting enough vitamin
B1 in your daily diet
leads to a disease called
beri beri, which can
affect your nervous
system and heart. Alcoholics
are at a high risk of
developing beri beri
because prolonged intake
of large amounts of
alcohol depletes your
body's supply of vitamin
B1 . Sources
Cereals and pork are
excellent sources of
vitamin B1 . Other good
sources of vitamin B1
are white enriched rice,
sunflower seeds, peanuts,
wheat germ, brewer's
yeast, soy milk, beans,
and pasta.
Milk, fruits, and vegetables
are also good sources
of vitamin B1 if consumed
in adequate amounts.
How to Take
It
To avoid diseases of
vitamin B1 deficiency,
adults should take between
1.1 mg and 1.5 mg of
vitamin B1 daily with
water, preferably after
eating. Pregnant women
should take 1.5 mg daily,
and women who are breast-feeding
should take 1.6 mg of
vitamin B1 daily. As
with all medications
and supplements, check
with a health care provider
before giving vitamin
B1 supplements to a
child. If you are pregnant,
discuss taking vitamin
B1 with your health
care provider before
you begin taking it.
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Vitamin B12 is also
called cobalamin. We
need vitamin B12 in
our daily diet to help
the cells in our bodies
grow and maintain normal
function. It is an especially
important vitamin for
healthy bone marrow
(where blood cells are
formed) and the nervous
system. Not getting
enough vitamin B12 leads
to a disease called
pernicious anemia, which
results in red blood
cells not getting enough
oxygen and causing disorders
of the nervous system.
The elderly are at higher
risk for developing
pernicious anemia because
aging causes a decrease
in the amount of vitamin
B12 that the body is
able to absorb from
food.
Sources
Vitamin B12 is present
in foods containing
animal protein. The
richest sources of it
are liver and kidney.
Other good sources of
vitamin B12 include
milk, eggs, fish, and
cheese.
How to Take It
To avoid disorders of
vitamin B12 deficiency,
adults should get 2.0
mcg of vitamin B12 daily.
People whose daily diet
includes meat, milk,
and other dairy products
should be able to meet
the 2.0 mcg recommended
daily requirement without
taking a vitamin supplement.
Vegetarians who do not
eat animal protein products
should take a vitamin
supplement with water,
preferably after eating.
Pregnant women should
get 2.2 mcg of vitamin
B12 daily and women
who are breast-feeding
should get 2.6 mcg of
vitamin B12 daily. As
with all medications
and supplements, check
with your health care
provider before giving
vitamin B12 supplements
to a child. Elderly
people may need more
than 2.0 mcg of vitamin
B12 daily because of
decreasing ability to
absorb vitamin B12 from
our diet as we age.
Elderly people should
check with their health
care provider to find
out what dosage best
fits their needs.
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Riboflavin,
also known as vitamin
B2 , enables carbohydrates,
proteins, and fats to
release energy. Riboflavin
is needed for normal
reproduction, growth,
and repair of skin,
hair, nails, and joints.
It is also important
to the immune system,
which protects your
body against disease.
Sources
The best sources of
riboflavin include brewer's
yeast, almonds, organ
meats, whole grains,
wheat germ, wild rice,
mushrooms, soybeans,
milk, and spinach.
How to Take It
Recommended dietary
allowances for riboflavin
are listed below.
Children 1 to 3 years:
0.5 mg/day
Children 4 to 8 years:
0.6 mg/day
Children 9 to 13 years:
0.9 mg/day
Men 14 years and older:
1.3 mg/day
Women 14 to 19 years:
1.0 mg/day
Women during pregnancy:
1.4 mg/day
Women during lactation:
1.6 mg/day
As with all medicines,
check with a health
care provider before
giving riboflavin to
a child.
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Vitamin
B3 , or niacin, is a
member of the B-vitamin
family. It is water-soluble,
which means it is not
stored in your body
and needs to be frequently
replenished. There are
two forms of vitamin
B3 , niacin (also known
as nicotinic acid) and
niacinamide (also known
as nicotinamide). Both
forms work the same
way as an important
nutrient in your body,
but are used to treat
different conditions.
Your body needs vitamin
B3 to turn carbohydrates
into energy. Without
B3 , your body systems
would grind to a halt.
B3 is also involved
in the breakdown of
fat and cholesterol,
which is why niacin
(nicotinic acid) has
been found to be a good
cholesterol-lowering
agent.
Your body uses vitamin
B3 to make various compounds,
such as sex hormones
and adrenal hormones.
It can also help the
body get rid of toxic
and harmful chemicals,
and it helps with blood
sugar control.
Most people get enough
of this vitamin just
from the foods they
eat. Your health care
provider may prescribe
a vitamin B3 supplement
for high cholesterol
or other conditions.
It is important that
your health care provider
closely monitors you
while you are taking
high doses of vitamin
B3 because it can cause
serious side effects,
such as liver damage,
at these dosages.
Sources
Our bodies actually
manufacture vitamin
B3 from protein, so
if you are eating enough
protein, you will also
be getting enough vitamin
B3 . The best sources
of vitamin B3 are found
in protein-rich foods
such as lean meats,
chicken, fish, eggs,
cooked dried beans and
peas, liver, nonfat
or lowfat milk and cheese,
soybeans, and nuts.
Other good sources include
brewer's yeast, wheat
germ, enriched breads
and cereals, whole grains
(except corn), mushrooms,
and green vegetables.
Vitamin B3 can be lost
in cooking water, so
you should steam, bake,
or stir-fry vegetables
when possible.
How to Take It
It is important to take
niacin supplements with
food to avoid stomach
upset and to decrease
the risk of developing
stomach ulcers.
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All
the cells in your body
need vitamin B5 , or
pantothenic acid. It
is a water-soluble B
vitamin that is converted
by the body into a compound
called coenzyme A, which
your body needs to change
food into energy. Vitamin
B5 is also known as
the "antistress" vitamin
because it supports
the healthy functioning
of your adrenal glands,
the organs that help
your body cope with
all types of stress.
Vitamin B5 is needed
for proper nerve and
muscle action, and it
is vital to maintaining
a healthy immune system.
It also seems to help
decrease the painful
symptoms of rheumatoid
arthritis.
Sources
Pantothenic acid
gets its name from the
Greek work pantos, meaning
"everywhere," because
it is available in a
wide variety of foods.
A lot of vitamin B5
is lost in processing,
so fresh meats, vegetables,
and whole unprocessed
grains have more vitamin
B5 than refined, canned,
and frozen food. The
best sources are brewer's
yeast, whole-grain breads
and cereals, mushrooms,
liver, dried beans and
peas, avocados, fish,
chicken, nuts (pecans,
hazelnuts), peanuts,
cauliflower, milk and
cheese, potatoes, oranges,
bananas, and eggs.
How to Take It
For general
adrenal support or stress
relief, 250 to 500 mg
daily is probably adequate.
For treating rheumatoid
arthritis, 1,000 mg
twice daily (2,000 mg
a day) is the recommended
amount. To lower blood
lipid levels (cholesterol
or triglycerides), the
recommended dose of
pantethine is 300 mg
three times daily (900
mg a day). Take with
water, preferably after
eating, or according
to your health care
provider's recommendation.
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Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble
vitamin. Our bodies
use three forms of vitamin
B6 : pyridoxine (PN),
pyridoxal (PL), and
pyridoxamine (PM). Most
of the time you will
hear vitamin B6 referred
to as pyridoxine. Vitamin
B6 performs several
functions in our body,
including breaking down
carbohydrates for energy
production, and forming
hemoglobin and other
substances that our
bodies need to perform
properly. Sources
Chicken, fish, kidney,
liver, eggs, and pork
are excellent sources
of vitamin B6 . The
following are also good
sources of vitamin B6
: yeast, wheat germ,
whole grain cereals,
beans, potatoes, bananas,
and oatmeal.Vitamin
B6 can be lost from
food that's frozen or
processed (example:
luncheon meats).
How to Take
It
To avoid vitamin B6
deficiency, men should
get 2.0 mg and women
1.5 mg of vitamin B6
daily. Pregnant women
need 2.2 mg of vitamin
B6 daily, and women
who are breast-feeding
need 2.1 mg daily. People
who eat a balanced diet
containing the sources
of vitamin B6 listed
above should be able
to meet the daily requirement
without taking a supplement.
Consult your health
care provider if you
have questions about
your daily requirement
of vitamin B6 . When
taking a vitamin supplement,
always take it with
water, preferably after
a meal. As with all
medications and supplements,
check with a health
care provider before
giving vitamin B6 supplements
to a child.
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Folic
acid, also called folate
or vitamin B9 , is critical
to many body processes,
including the health
of your nervous system,
blood, and cells. It
protects against heart
disease, birth defects,
osteoporosis, and certain
cancers.
Sources
Foods that contain a
significant amount of
folic acid include liver,
lentils, rice germ,
brewer's yeast, soy
flour, black-eyed peas,
navy beans, kidney beans,
peanuts, spinach, turnip
greens, lima beans,
whole wheat, and asparagus.
Food processing (for
example, boiling, heating)
can destroy folic acid.
Storing food at room
temperature for long
periods of time can
also destroy its folic
acid content. As of
January 1998, commercial
grain products are fortified
with folic acid.
How to Take It
Folic acid
comes as tablets, or
as an injection that
you get from your health
care provider. Tablets
are available in doses
from 40 mcg to 1,000
mcg. The recommended
dietary allowance (RDA)
for folic acid depends
on your age and sex
(see below). Unless
you are pregnant, you
will likely get enough
folic acid from your
diet. Check with your
health care provider
before you start taking
supplements and before
giving folic acid supplements
to a child.
The RDA for folic acid
is as follows.
Infants under 6 months:
25 mcg
6 to 12 months: 35 mcg
Children 1 to 3 years:
50 mcg
Children 4 to 6 years:
75 mcg
Children 7 to 10 years:
100 mcg
Male and female 11 to
14: 150 mcg
Males 15 years and older:
400 mcg
Females 15 years and
older: 400 mcg
Pregnant females: 400
mcg
Lactating females: 280
mcg
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Your
body does not store
vitamin C so you must
consume enough each
day to maintain good
health. Vitamin C is
needed for the growth
and repair of tissues
in all parts of your
body. It is necessary
to form collagen, an
important protein used
to make skin, scar tissue,
tendons, ligaments,
and blood vessels. Because
of this, your body uses
a lot of vitamin C to
repair wounds. Vitamin
C is also needed to
form and repair cartilage,
bones, and teeth. Large
amounts of vitamin C
are used by your body
during any kind of healing
process, whether it's
from a cold, infection,
disease, injury, or
surgery. In these cases
you may need extra vitamin
C. Vitamin C helps reduce
the damage to the body
caused by toxic chemicals
and pollutants like
drugs and cigarette
smoke. Smokers especially
need extra vitamin C.
Research has shown that
vitamin C can help prevent
cancer and is necessary
for a healthy immune
system. It also helps
maintain good vision
as you get older.
Sources
Vitamin C is present
in many fruits and vegetables.
Foods that are excellent
sources of vitamin C
include orange juice,
green peppers, watermelon,
papaya, grapefruit,
cantaloupe, strawberries,
mango, broccoli, tomato
juice, brussels sprouts,
cauliflower, and cabbage.
Vitamin C is also found
in raw and cooked leafy
greens (turnip greens,
spinach), canned and
fresh tomatoes, potatoes,
winter squash, raspberries,
and pineapple. Vitamin
C is sensitive to light,
air, and heat. Eating
vegetables raw, or minimally
cooked, increases their
vitamin C content.
How to Take It
Vitamin C
is not stored in the
body, so it must be
replaced as it gets
used. The best way to
take supplements is
with meals two or three
times per day, depending
on the dosage. The Recommended
Daily Allowance (RDA)
of vitamin C is 60 mg
for adults, 70 mg for
pregnant women, 95 mg
for breast-feeding women,
100 mg for smokers,
40 mg for young children,
and 50 mg for older
children. Some studies
suggest that adults
should take between
250 mg and 500 mg twice
a day for maximum benefit.
Be sure to check with
your health care provider
before taking more than
1,000 mg of vitamin
C on a daily basis.
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Vitamin
D is essential to build
and maintain healthy
bones throughout life.
Calcium, the main element
of bone, can be absorbed
into the body only when
vitamin D is present.
Vitamin D and calcium
are involved in many
body functions, including
keeping your immune
and nervous systems
healthy.
Sources
Foods that contain vitamin
D include the following:
Cod liver oil
Salmon
Tuna
Fortified milk
Oysters
Mushrooms
Fortified cereals
Egg yolk
Sunlight is a natural
source of vitamin D.
If you are fair-skinned,
20 to 30 minutes a day
in bright sunlight will
meet your vitamin D
needs. If you are dark-skinned,
you need three hours
to get the same benefit.
Clouds, smog, clothing,
sunscreen, and window
glass all decrease the
amount of vitamin D
you get from sunlight.
How to Take It
To prevent
disease, adults who
do not get regular exposure
to bright sunlight should
take between 200IU and
400IU daily. Discuss
your supplement regimen
regularly with your
health care provider.
As with all medications,
check with your health
care provider before
giving vitamin D to
a child.
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Research
has shown that vitamin
E helps the body ward
off many diseases, and
it protects cells from
certain kinds of damage,
which helps them live
longer. The effect of
this protection over
time is that vitamin
E helps slow down the
cell damage that happens
naturally as we age.
Sources
Foods that contain a
significant amount of
vitamin E include: nuts
(including almonds,
hazelnuts, and walnuts)
as well as sunflower
seeds, corn-oil margarine,
mayonnaise, cold-pressed
vegetable oils, including
corn, safflower, soybean,
cottonseed, canola,
and wheat germ (the
richest one), spinach
and kale, sweet potatoes,
and yams.
How to Take It
For the prevention and
treatment of disease,
adults should take between
200 IU and 400 IU of
vitamin E daily with
water, preferably after
eating.
As with all medicines
and supplements, check
with a health care provider
before giving vitamin
E supplements to a child.
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Vitamin
H, more commonly known
as biotin, enables the
body to use the energy
in food. Biotin is also
important to cell health
and reproduction. People
with diabetes may improve
their blood sugar control
with biotin. Hair and
nails also need biotin
to be healthy.
Sources
These foods contain
a significant amount
of biotin.
Liver
Nuts
Kidney
Egg yolks
Brewer's yeast
Chocolate
Whole grain products
Beans
Fish
Food-processing techniques
can destroy biotin.
Less-processed versions
of the foods listed
above will contain more
biotin.
How to Take It
Your body
makes biotin in the
intestines, so a recommended
dietary requirement
(RDA) has not been set.
An adequate amount of
biotin is about 30 to
100 mcg daily. Most
Americans get 28 to
42 mcg daily. Doses
of up to 2,500 mcg have
been used safely to
treat hair and nail
problems.
As with all medicines
and supplements, check
with your health care
provider before giving
biotin supplements to
a child.
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Vitamin
K is best known for
its role in helping
blood clot properly,
and in preventing
excessive bleeding.
It also plays an important
role in bone health.
Sources
Foods that contain
a significant amount
of vitamin K include
chlorophyll, green
tea, turnip greens,
broccoli, spinach,
cabbage, asparagus,
and dark green lettuce.
Freezing foods may
destroy vitamin K,
but heating does not
affect it.
How to Take
It
The recommended dietary
allowance (RDA) for
vitamin K is 80 mcg
for men, and 65 mcg
for women. To help
prevent and treat
disease, increase
the amount of dark
green leafy vegetables
you eat, and supplement
your diet with up
to 500 mcg of vitamin
K each day.
As with all medications
and supplements, check
with a health care
provider before giving
vitamin K supplements
to a child.
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