Water Soluble Vitamins

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Water Soluble Vitamins
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What are Vitamins

• Vitamins are Coenzymes nutrients that help the
  body use carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
• Vitamins do not directly provide energy to the
  body.
• Instead, they help unleash the energy stored in
  the vitamins, carbohydrates and fats.

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Antioxidants

• Many vitamins also act as antioxidants.
• Antioxidants are nutrients that block some of the
  damage caused by free radicals, which are
  by-products that result when our bodies transform
  food into energy.

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Antioxidants

• The build up of these oxidation by-products over
  time is largely responsible for the aging
  process.
• Oxidants can contribute to the development of
  various health conditions such as cancer, heart
  disease, arthritis.
• If you smoke, antioxidants help reduce the damage
  to the body caused by the toxic chemicals and
  pollutants found in cigarettes and pollution.

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Two Types of Vitamins

• Fat Soluble A,D,E,K
• Water Soluble B complex and C

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Water Soluble Vitamins

• Water soluble vitamins dissolve in water.
• They cannot be stored by the body in significant
  amounts.
• Therefore, water soluble vitamins are essential
  to our diet.
• It is very unlikely that we can overdose on water
  soluble vitamins.
• Excess water soluble vitamins are released in the
  urine.
• This means that we need to replace water soluble
  vitamins often.

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Vitamin CAscorbic Acid

• Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that is
  necessary for normal growth and development.
• It is an essential vitamin that we must obtain
  from our diet.
• It is found mostly in fruits and vegetables.
• The vitamin C content is highest when the fruits
  and vegetables are raw.

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The Cure All?

• Claims have been made that massive doses of
  vitamin C can cure everything from the common
  cold to cancer.
• Studies show that vitamin C boosts our immune
  system and many individuals claim that the
  duration of colds and flu's is shorter.
• However, vitamin C probably wont keep you from
  getting sick.

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Benefits of Vitamin C

• Vitamin C is required for the growth and repair
  of tissues in all parts of your body
• Helps strengthen blood vessel walls.
• Strengthens the immune system.
• Aids in iron absorption.
• Necessary to form collagen
• Vitamin C is essential for the healing of wounds,
  and for the repair and maintenance of cartilage,
  bones, and teeth.

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What is collagen

• Collagen is an important protein used to make
  skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments, and blood
  vessels.
• It also supports the internal organs and is even
  present in teeth.

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Sources of Vitamin C

• All fruits and vegetables contain some amount of
  vitamin C.
• Foods that tend to be the highest sources of
  vitamin C include
• Green peppers
• Citrus fruits and juices
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Broccoli
• Leafy greens
• Sweet and white potatoes
• Cantaloupe.

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Vitamin C Deficiency

• Dry and splitting hair
• Gingivitis (inflammation of the gums)
• Bleeding gums
• Rough, dry, scaly skin
• Decreased wound-healing rate
• Easy bruising
• Nosebleeds
• Weakened tooth enamel
• Swollen and painful joints
• Anemia
• Decreased ability to fight infection
• Possible weight gain because of slowed metabolism
  

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Scurvy

• The disease associated with lack of vitamin C is
  scurvy which is very rare today but was common a
  century ago.
• Scurvy still affects some older, malnourished
  adults.
• Scurvy occurred mostly when people were caught on
  long sea voyages where fruits and vegetables
  could not be stored.
• Scurvy causes the breakdown of collagen causing
  fatigue, and eventually degeneration of the
  bones, tendons, muscles etc.
• Scurvy can also prevent clotting.

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The B-Vitamins

• What we call the B vitamins are actually 8
  different vitamins that were originally thought
  to be one vitamin.
• B-complex are supplements that contain all 8 of
  the B-vitamins.
• In general, whole grains, lean meats, Brewers
  yeast and fruits and vegetables are the best
  sources for B-vitamins.
• The B-vitamins include B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7,
  B9, B12

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Vitamin B1

• Vitamin B1 is thiamine.
• Thiamine is necessary for the function of nerves
  and proper metabolism.
• It is found in whole grains and unprocessed
  cereals and breads.
• It is also found in many fruits, vegetables,
  poultry, eggs and pork.
• Avocados are rich in thiamine.

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Beriberi

• Thiamine deficiency can cause beriberi.
• Beriberi in children can cause stunted growth and
  rapid heart beat.
• In adults, symptoms include swelling of the limbs
  (edema), poor heart function, weight loss and
  nerve deterioration.

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Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

• Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is another thiamine
  deficiency disease.
• People with this disease suffer from degeneration
  of the brain.
• This disease is usually seen in people who have
  been addicted to alcohol for many years.

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Vitamin B2

• Vitamin B2 is riboflavin.
• Riboflavin helps the body produce ATP which is
  the source for quick energy in the body.
• It is necessary for getting oxygen to the cells
  and cell growth.

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Sources of Riboflavin

• Intestinal bacteria
• Brewers Yeast
• Organ meats such as liver and tongue.
• Oily fish
• Milk, eggs and green vegetables have moderate
  amounts of riboflavin.

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Diseases

• No diseases are directly associated with lack of
  riboflavin.
• This is probably because the bacteria living in
  our gut that help with digestion always provide
  some vitamin B-2.

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Vitamin B3Niacin

• Niacin is essential to many of the steps of
  metabolism.
• It is also important in the formation of red
  blood cells and steroids.

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Sources of Niacin

• Niacin can be synthesized in the body from the
  amino acid tryptophan.
• Therefore, people who eat enough protein should
  get enough niacin.

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Pellagra

• Pellagra is the disease associated with niacin
  deficiency.
• Pellagra is the disease of the "three
  Ds"--diarrhea, dermatitis, and dementia

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Vitamin B4Adenine

• Not a B-vitamin
• Adenine is no longer considered a vitamin.
• Instead it is classified as one of the four
  nucleotides of DNA.

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Vitamin B5Pantothenic Acid

• Vitamin B-5 is called Pantothenic acid
• Pantothenic acid or Coenzyme A is present in all
  cells and is essential for metabolism.
• Coenzyme A is vital in the synthesis of fatty
  acids, cholesterol and steroids.
• Pantothenic acid is found in all cells, as well
  as in human blood plasma and lymph fluid.
• Vitamin B5 is also made by the bacteria in the
  human intestines.

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Vitamin B5 Sources

• Good sources of Pantothenic acid include
• Eggs
• Fish
• Milk and milk products
• Whole-grain cereals
• Legumes
• Yeast
• Broccoli and other vegetables in the cabbage
  family
• White and sweet potatoes
• Lean beef

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Vitamin B6Pyrodoxine

• Pyrodoxine is a very important B vitamin,
  especially for women.
• It is connected to hormone balance and water
  shifts in women.
• Protein metabolism
• Its used to convert tryptophan to seratonin a
  natural antidepressant

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Sources of B6

• The best sources of vitamin B6 are
• Meats
• Whole grains, especially wheat germ
• Fish
• Poultry
• Egg yolk
• Soybeans and other dried beans
• Peanuts, and walnuts.
• Vegetable and fruit sources include bananas,
  prunes, potatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, and
  avocados.

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Vitamin B7Biotin

• Biotin is necessary for the metabolism of
  carbohydrates and fats.
• Biotin promotes normal health of sweat glands,
  bone marrow, male gonads, blood cells, nerve
  tissue, skin, hair.

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Biotin and Diabetes

• Most people get enough biotin from their diet.
• However, people with type 2 diabetes often have
  low levels of biotin.

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Vitamin B8Inositol

• Not a vitamin
• Vitamin B8 is synthesized by the human body so it
  is no longer considered a vitamin.

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Vitamin B9Folic Acid

• Folic acid is important to red blood cell
  production.
• It prevents anemia especially in pregnant women.

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Sources of Folic Acid

• The name folic acid comes from the word foliage
  because the main source is green vegetables.

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Folic Acid Deficiency

• Folic acid deficiency is one of the most common
  vitamin deficiencies.
• Especially in the elderly, alcoholics,
  psychiatric patients and epileptics.
• Women on birth control pills deplete folic
  acid-producing bacteria in the colon.

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Folic Acid Deficiency

• Women who are pregnant need to be is a concerned
  about sufficient folic acid intake (the RDA for
  folic acid doubles during pregnancy).
• If you are eating a diet that is high in fats,
  meats, white flour, white sugar, and desserts,
  you may develop folic acid deficiency.
• Eating some fresh or lightly cooked vegetables
  daily will help to maintain folic acid levels

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Vitamin B10Factor R

• Not a vitamin
• This is now known to be a combination of other
  vitamins so it is no longer a vitamin.

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Vitamin B11Factor S

• Not a vitamin
• This is now known to be a combination of other
  vitamins so it is no longer a vitamin.

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Vitamin B12Cobalamin

• Cobalamin is essential for the metabolism of the
  nerve tissue and necessary for the health of the
  entire nervous system.
• It stimulates growth and increases appetite in
  children.
• Cobalamin, along with iron, folic acid, copper,
  protein, and vitamins C and B6, is needed for the
  formation of normal red blood cells.
• Vitamin B12 is the "energy" vitamin, as it often
  is used to increase energy level, especially in
  the elderly.

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Sources of B12

• The primary food source for vitamin B12 comes
  from animal sources
• Meat and most fish
• Crabs and oysters
• Eggs (the yolk)
• Milk products, especially yogurt.
• The vegan--that is, the strict vegetarian who
  consumes no animal-source foodsneeds to take
  supplements in order to get adequate B12.

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B12 For the Elderly

• Vitamin B12 is generally known as the longevity
  vitamin, possibly because it helps the energy
  level and activity of the elderly.

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Citations

• http//wwwils.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article
  /002404.htm
• http//www.healthalternatives2000.com/vitamins-nut
  rition-chart.html