Vitamin Vitality:

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By loubeeloo

Caution:

Vitamin A: excess causes liver damage & weakens women's bones.
Vitamin B₁: large doses may cause drowsiness & rarely allergic reactions.
Vitamin B₂: NONE
Vitamin B₃: excess causes liver damage, skin flushing & other side effects are common, rarely serious allergic reactions.
Vitamin B₅: excess causes diarrhoea, nausea & heartburn.
Vitamin B₆: drug interactions are common, excess causes skin problems, nausea, headaches & nerve damage.
Vitamin B₁₂: drug interactions are common.
Vitamin C: excess can cause kidney stones, diarrhoea & nausea.
Vitamin D: drug interactions are common, excess causes high blood calcium levels, bone loss, impared kidney function.
Vitamin E: excess causes increased bleeding & rarely diarrhoea headache & blurred vision.
Folate/B₉: excess may risk Vitamin B₁₂ deficiency.
Vitamin H/B₇: excess causes baldness, & rarely eye problems & in children excess causes retarded development & immune deficiencies.
Vitamin K: excess causes liver damage, drug interactions, especially with 'warfarin'

Function:

Vitamin A: vision, cell growth, teeth, bone & skin formation.
Vitamin B₁: heart, nerve & muscle function, carbohydrate metabolism, digestion.
Vitamin B₂: cell function & growth, red blood cell production, carbohydrate energy release.
Vitamin B₃: nerve function, digestion, energy production, lowers choloesterol.
Vitamin B₅: protein & carbohydrate metabolism, hormone & cholesterol synthesis.
Vitamin B₆: red blood cell formation, neurotransmitter & myelin production, skin metabolism.
Vitamin B₁₂: metabolism, red blood cell formation, nervous system functioning.
Vitamin C: bone, cartilage, muscle & blodd vessel formation, maintains teeth & gums, iron absorption, wound healing & antioxidant.
Vitamin D: bone formation, promotes calcium absorption & regulates levels of calcium & phosphorus in the blood.
Vitamin E: antioxidant, red blood cell formation, metabolization of vitamin K.
Folate/B₉: DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation.
Vitamin H/B₇: fat and carbohydrate metabolism, hormone & cholesterol synthesis.
Vitamin K: blood clotting & bone strength.

Good food sources are:

Vitamin A: fish oils, liver, kidneys, eggs, dark green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables, carrots & pumpkins.
Vitamin B₁: beef, beans, brewers yeast, milk, nuts, pork, beans, oranges, wheat & soy.
Vitamin B₂: milk, eggs, meat esp. liver, green vegetables.
Vitamin B₃: meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs, green vegetables, yeast & grains.
Vitamin B₅: chicken, beef, fish, milk, eggs, cereals, cabbage, broccoli, potatoes.
Vitamin B₆: pork, poultry cod fish, cereals, carrots, eggs, peanuts, potatoes & soy.
Vitamin B₁₂: meat, eggs, milk, poultry, salmon & cod fish, algae.
Vitamin C: citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, green vegetables, potatoes.
Vitamin D: cheese, butter, fish, oysters, eggs, also synthesized by the skin on sunlight exposure.
Vitamin E: wheatgerm, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, vegetable oils & olives.
Folate/B₉: green leafy vegetables, peas, chickpeas, brown rice, oranges, bananas, mushrooms & liver.
Vitamin H/B₇: fish, milk, egg yolks, cereal, cabbage, broccoli, potatoes & dried fruits.
Vitamin K: cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, soy & also made by bacteria in the gut.

Deficiency can potentially cause:

Vitamin A: progressive eye problems, skin disorders, diarrhoea.
Vitamin B_1:'Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome' & 'beriberi'- alcoholics are at risk from deficiency.
Vitamin B₂: 'ariboflavinosis' (fatigue, sore mouth, skin irritation, anaemia)
Vitamin B₃: 'pellagra', dermatitis, dementia, diarrhoea, alcoholics are at risk from deficiency.
Vitamin B₅: 'Paresthesia', headache, fatigue, abdominal pain, tingling in the extremities.
Vitamin B₆: peripheral neuropathy, skin problems, mouth soreness, nerve damage, convulsions.
Vitamin B₁₂: anaemia, moment & gait disturbances, psychiatric symptoms, muscle weakness & vision problems. vegetarians & people with 'pernicious anaemia' are at risk from deficiency.
Vitamin C: scurvy
Vitamin D: weak bones, rickets, 'osteomalacia'.
Vitamin E: nerve damage, blindness, heart rhythm disturbances, dementia.
Folate/ B₉: spina bifida in unborn children.
Vitamin H/ B₇: skin & tongue soreness, hair loss, impaired digestion, impared nerve function.
Vitamin K: reduced blood clotting, uncontrolled bleeding.

Green leafy vegetables are an excellent source of vitamins A, B's, E & Folic Acid.

Calcium is readily available in dairy foods, green leafy vegetables & bones of some fish such as sardines.

Marvellous Minerals:

Calcium: Creates strong bones & teeth. Also regulates heart & muscle contractions & helps with blood clotting. Calcium requires vitamin D for absorption. Low intake may lead to Osteoporosis. Excess may lead to abdominal pain, diarrhoea & kidney stones... Can be found in dairy foods, green leafy vegetables & the small edible bones of some fish such as sardines.

Iron: Vital to red blood cell function. A deficit leads to anaemia. Anaemia causes fatigue & impaired immunity in adults & retardation of physical & intellectual development in children. Excess Iron can be extremely toxic... Found in red meats, fish, poultry, and legumes (beans & lentils, etc.)

Zinc: Has many vital roles including growth, wound healing & immunity. Deficiency may result in growth retardation, delayed sexual maturation & impotence. Excess intake can effect iron & copper levels in the body, decreases immunity & lowers levels of HDL cholesterol (the good one)... Found particularly in oysters, red meat & poultry.

Magnesium: Helps with nerve, muscle, heart & immune function & in regulating blood sugar levels. Also vital for bone health. Deficiency, although rare, may lead to muscle cramps, nausea, fatigue & heart rhythm disturbances. Supplement overdose can be toxic... Can particularly be found in green leafy vegetables & nuts. Also in bread, milk, fish, meat & some water sources.

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