|
THE
VITAMINS |
|
FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS |
|
VITAMINS |
DESCRIPTION |
FOOD SOURCE
&DAILY REQUIREMENTS |
DEFICIENCY SIGN &
SYMPTOMS |
TOXICITY
(IF ANY) |
| Vitamin A |
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin
with four
major functions in the
body:
(1)
It helps cells
reproduce normally.
(2) It is required for
vision.
(3) It is required for
normal growth and
development of the
embryo and fetus.
(4) It may be required
for normal reproductive
function, with
influences on the
function
|
Animal: Milk, butter,
liver, co
liver
oil
Vegetable:
Carrots,
sweet
potatoes,
spinach
Daily requirement
5,000IU |
Microcytic
Anaemia
Night
blindness
Dryness of skin
More chances of infection |
Massive single dose may cause
severe abdominal pain, vomiting, headache, dizziness etc. |
| Vitamin D |
Its' most important role
is
maintaining blood
levels of Calcium by
increasing absorption
of calcium
from food
and reducing urinary
calcium loss.
Vitamin D also plays a
role
in immunity and
blood cell formation .
|
Cod liver oil, egg yolk and butter
Daily
requirement:
400 IU |
Tetany &
Rickets in
infants and
children
Osteomalacia in
adults |
Anorexia,
vomiting,
Diarrhoea,
profuse
sweating
Hypercalcaemia
may lead
to
kidney failure |
| Vitamin E |
Vitamin E is an
antioxidant that
protects cell
membranes and other
fat-soluble parts of the
body. Vitamin
E is now
known to act through
other mechanisms,
including direct effects
on inflammation, blood
cell regulation,
connective tissue
growth.
|
Wheat germ oil, nuts
and seeds, whole grains,
egg yolks,
olive oil and
leafy green
vegetables all
contain vitamin E
Daily requirement: 15-
30
mg |
Used for nocturnal muscle cramp,
intermittent claudication
,rheumatoid arthritis |
Vitamin E toxicity is very rare
|
| Vitamin K |
Vitamin K is needed for proper bone
formation
and blood clotting. In
both cases, vitamin K
does this by
helping
the body transport
calcium. |
Leafy green
vegetables,
such as
cabbage,
spinach,
and broccoli,
are the best
sources of vitamin K.
soyabean oil
and olive
oil also contain vitamin k.
Daily requirement:
1 mcg per 2.2
pounds of body
weight per
day or about
65 to
80 mcg per day
for most adults
|
Used for Hemorrhagic diathesis, |
Vitamin K toxicity is very rare
|
|
WATER SOLUBLE VITAMINS |
| Vitamin B1 |
This vitamin needed to process
carbohydrates,
fat, and protein. Every
cell of the body
requires vitamin
B1 to
function normally. |
Wheat germ, whole
wheat, peas,
beans,
enriched flour, fish,
peanuts, and meat are
all good sources of
vitamin B1
Daily requirement:
1-5 mg |
Anaemia
Beriberi |
occasionally allergy |
| Vitamin B2 |
It is needed to process amino acids and fats, activate
vitamin B6 and folic acid. |
Milk, egg liver,
germinating seeds.
Daily requirement:
2 mg |
Angular
stomatitis, scaly crust
desquamation on alae nasi and about ears.
Corneal
vascularization |
Generally nontoxic |
| Vitamin B3 |
This vitamin is needed to form fat
from carbohydrates
Vitamin B3 comes in
two basic forms niacin
(also
called nicotinic acid) and niacinamide
(also called nicotinamide)
|
Peanuts, liver, fish,
and meat.
Some
vitamin B3 is also
found in whole grains.
Daily requirement:
20mg |
Skin rash, pigmentation of
skin Loss of
appetite,
diarrhea,,
digestive,
mental changes
and emotional
disturbance. |
almost safe |
| Vitamin B6 |
This vitamin is
necessary for
processing amino acids
and also needed to
make hormones. |
Potatoes, banana raisin bran
cereal, lentils, liver, and tuna fish are all good sources
of vitamin B6. Daily requirement:
2 mg
|
impaired
immunity, skin
lesions,
and
mental
confusion. |
neurological side effects can
sometimes occur if taken more than 200mg/day. |
| Vitamin B12 |
It is needed for normal nerve cell
activity, DNA
replication, and
production of the
mood-affecting
substance . Vitamin
B12 acts with
folic acid and vitamin
B6 to control
homocysteine levels. |
all foods of animal
origin,
including dairy,
eggs, meat, poultry,
and fish.
Daily requirement:
1 mg
|
severe fatigue
Megaloblastic
anaemia
Neuropathy
|
very rarely allergic reaction to
site of injection of vitamin B12. |
| Vitamin C |
Vitamin C act as an antioxidant,
one of vitamin C’s important functions is to protect LDL
cholesterol from oxidative damage
Vitamin C also plays
important roles in
wound healing and as a
natural antihistamine. |
Broccoli, red peppers,
currants,
sprouts,
parsley, potatoes,
citrus fruits like
orange, lemon and
strawberries are good
sources of vitamin C
Daily requirement:75
mg per day for women
and 90 mg
per day for
men.
|
Fatigue,
bleeding from
gums are
early
signs of vitamin
C deficiency
delayed wound
healing
Microcytic
Anaemia |
Precipitation of
urate, oxalate
or cystine
stones if given
in large doses. |
| Pantothenic acid |
It is needed to make the
neurotransmitter
acetylcholine. It is also
essential in producing,
transporting, and
releasing energy from
fats. |
liver, east have high
concentration of
Pantothenic acid, but
most other foods,
including
vegetables,
dairy, eggs, grains,
and meat, also provide
some Pantothenic
acid.
Daily requirement:
10-20 mg
|
Burning feet syndrome
Fatigue, nausea,
depression
Fatty liver &
cirrhosis |
Very large amounts of Pantothenic
acid (several grams per day) can cause diarrhea. |
| Folic acid |
Folic acid is a B vitamin needed
for cell
replication and growth
Folic acid
is needed by
the body to utilize
vitamin B12 |
Leafy green
vegetables,
citrus
fruits, beets, wheat
germ, and meat are
good sources of folic
acid
Daily requirement:
0.15MG daily
requirement increases in pregnancy. |
Megaloblastic
Anaemia
Glosssitis,
stomatitis
Loss of hair
|
rare |
|
OTHER ESSENTIAL
ELEMENTS |
| Iron |
Iron is an essential mineral. It is
part of
hemoglobin, the
oxygen-carrying
component of the
blood. |
The most absorbable
form of iron,
“heme
iron", is found in
oysters, meat, liver,
kidney and poultry,
and
fish. Non-heme
iron is also found in
these foods, as well as
in dried
fruit, leafy
green vegetables. |
Anaemia
Severe fatigue,
loss of appetite
Depression
Mental
& emotional
disturbances
|
Supplemental amounts required to
overcome iron deficiency can cause constipation. |
| Calcium |
Calcium is the most abundant,
essential
mineral in the human
body. Calcium plays
important role
for
preventing
osteoporosis |
Dairy products
Green leafy vegetables
Tofu |
Osteoporosis
Rickets
Gestational
hypertension |
Toxicity is rare. |
| Magnesium |
It is needed for bone, protein, and
fatty acid
formation, making new
cells, activating B
vitamins, relaxing
muscles, clotting blood,
and forming adenosine
triphosphate |
Nuts and grains are
good sources of
magnesium. Beans,
dark green vegetables,
fish, and meat also
contain
significant
amounts.
|
Anxiety
Chronic
fatigue
syndrome
Headache |
Taking too much magnesium often
leads to diarrhea |
| Zinc |
Zinc is needed to repair wounds,
maintain
fertility in adults and
growth in children,
preserve
vision, boost
immunity |
Good sources of zinc
include oysters, meat,
eggs,
seafood, , tofu,
and wheat germ |
sickle cell anaemia
malabsorption |
gastrointestinal upset, and
lethargy can occur from chronic oral zinc supplementation more than 150
mg per day |
