Guide for Vitamins
Guide for Vitamins
Overview
VITAMINS: All natural vitamins are organic food substances
found only in living things, that is, plants and animals. With
few exceptions the body cannot manufacture or synthesize vitamins.
They must be supplied in the diet or in dietary supplements. Vitamins
are essential to the normal functioning of our bodies. They are
necessary for our growth, vitality, and general well-being.
HOW THEY WORK: A lot of people think vitamins can
replace food. They cannot. In fact, vitamins cannot be assimilated
without ingesting food. That is why we suggest taking them with
a meal. Vitamins help regulate metabolism, help convert fat and
carbohydrates into energy, and assist in forming bone and tissue.
VITAMIN A (Beta Carotene)
IMPORTANCE: Necessary for growth & repair
of body tissues; helps maintain smooth, soft disease-free skin;
helps protect the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose , throat
& lungs, thereby reducing susceptibility to infections; protects
against air pollutants; counteracts night-blindness & weak
eyesight; aids in bone and teeth formation. Current medical research
shows that foods rich in Beta Carotene will help reduce the risk
of lung cancer & certain oral cancers. Unlike Vitamin A from
fish liver oil, Beta Carotene is non-toxic.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May result in night blindness;
increased susceptibility to infections; rough, dry, scaly skin;
loss of smell & appetite; frequents fatigue; lack of tearing;
defective teeth & gums' retarded growth.
VITAMIN B-1 (Thiamin)
IMPORTANCE: Plays a key role in the body's
metabolic cycle for generating energy; aids in the digestion of
carbohydrates; essential for the normal functioning of the nervous
system, muscles & heart; stabilizes the appetite; promotes
growth & good muscle tone.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May lead to the loss of
appetite ; weakness & feeling tired; paralysis & nervous
irritability; insomnia; loss of weight; vague aches & pains;
mental depression & constipation; heart & gastrointestinal
problems.
VITAMIN B-2 (Riboflavin)
IMPORTANCE: Necessary for carbohydrate, fat
& protein metabolism; aids in the formation of antibodies
and red blood cells; maintains cell respiration; necessary for
the maintenance of good vision, skin, nails & hair; alleviates
eye fatigue; promotes general health.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May result in itching
and burning eyes; cracks and sores in the mouth & lips; bloodshot
eyes; purplish tongue; dermatitis; retarded growth; digestive
disturbances; trembling; sluggishness; oily skin.
VITAMIN B-6 (Pyridoxine)
IMPORTANCE: Necessary for the synthesis &
breakdown of amino acids, the building blocks of protein; aids
in fat and carbohydrate metabolism; aids in the formation of antibodies;
maintains the central nervous system; aids in the removal of excess
fluid of premenstrual women; promotes healthy skin; reduces muscle
spasms, leg cramps, hand numbness, nausea & stiffness of hands;
helps maintain a proper balance of sodium & phosphorous in
the body.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May result in nervousness,
insomnia, skin eruptions, loss of muscular control, anemia, mouth
disorders, muscular weakness, dermatitis, arm & leg cramps,
loss of hair, slow learning, and water retention.
VITAMIN B-12 (Cobalamin)
IMPORTANCE: Helps in the formation & regeneration
of red blood cells, thus helping prevent anemia; necessary for
carbohydrate, fat & protein metabolism; maintains a healthy
nervous system; promotes growth in children; increases energy;
needed for Calcium absorption.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May lead to pernicious
anemia, poor appetite, growth failure in children, tiredness,
brain damage, nervousness, neuritis, degeneration of spinal cord,
depression, lack of balance.
NIACINAMIDE (Niacin- vitamin B-3)
IMPORTANCE: Improves circulation and reduces
the cholesterol level in the blood; maintains the nervous system;
helps metabolize protein, sugar & fat; reduces high blood
pressure; increases energy through proper utilization of food;
prevents pellagra; helps maintain a healthy skin, tongue &
digestive system.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May result in pellagra,
gastrointestinal disturbance, nervousness, headaches, fatigue,
mental depression, vague aches & pains, irritability, loss
of appetite, insomnia, skin disorders, muscular weakness, indigestion,
bad breath, canker sores.
PANTOTHENIC ACID
IMPORTANCE: Participates in the release of
energy from carbohydrates, fats & protein, aids in the utilization
of vitamins; improves the body's resistance to stress; helps in
cell building & the development of the central nervous system;
helps the adrenal glands, fights infections by building antibodies.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May lead to painful &
burning feet, skin abnormalities, retarded growth, dizzy spells,
digestive disturbances, vomiting, restlessness, stomach stress,
muscle cramps.
BIOTIN
IMPORTANCE: Aids in the utilization of protein,
folic acid, Pantothenic acid, and Vitamin B-12, promotes healthy
hair.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May lead to extreme exhaustion,
drowsiness, muscle pain, loss of appetite, depression, grayish
skin color.
FOLIC ACID
IMPORTANCE: Necessary for DNA & RNA synthesis,
which is essential for the growth and reproduction of all body
cells; essential to the formation of red blood cells by its action
on the bone marrow; aids in amino acid metabolism.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May result in gastrointestinal
disorders, anemia, Vitamin B-12 deficiency, pre-mature gray hair.
INOSITOL
IMPORTANCE: Necessary for the formation of
lecithin; aids in the breakdown of fats; helps reduce blood cholesterol;
helps prevent thinning hair.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May result in high blood
cholesterol, constipation, eczema, hair loss.
CHOLINE
IMPORTANCE: Very important in controlling fat
& cholesterol buildup in the body; prevents fat from accumulating
in the liver; facilitates the movement of fats in the cells; helps
regulate the kidneys, liver & gallbladder; important for nerve
transmission; helps improve memory.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May result in cirrhosis
and fatty degeneration of the liver, hardening of the arteries,
heart problems, high blood pressure, hemorrhaging kidneys.
PABA (Para Amino Benzoic Acid)
IMPORTANCE: Aids healthy bacteria in producing
folic acid; aids in the formation of red blood cells; contains
sun screening properties; aids in the assimilation of Pantothenic
acid; returns hair to its natural color.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May cause extreme fatigue,
eczema, irritability, depressions, nervousness, constipation,
headaches, digestive disorders, hair turning prematurely gray.
VITAMIN C (Ascorbic Acid)
IMPORTANCE: Essential for healthy teeth, gums
& Bones; helps heal wounds, scar tissue, & Fractures;
prevents scurvy; builds resistance to infection; aids in the prevention
& treatment of the common cold; gives strength to blood vessels;
aids in the absorption of iron. It is required for the synthesis
of collagen, the intercellular "cement" which holds
tissues together. It is also one of the major antioxidant nutrients.
It prevents the conversion of nitrates (from tobacco smoke, smog,
bacon, lunch meats, & some vegetables) into cancer-causing
substances. According to Dr. Lines Pauling, the foremost authority
on Vitamin C, Vitamin C will decrease the risk of getting certain
cancers by 75%.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May lead to soft &
bleeding gums, swollen or painful joints, slow-healing wounds
& fractures, bruising, nosebleeds, tooth decay, loss of appetite,
muscular weakness, skin hemorrhages, capillary weakness, anemia,
impaired digestion.
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