Optimize Your Vitamins

Source: PHQandA, Message 206.

(NOTE: THIS INFORMATION IS NOT INTENDED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. CONSULT WITHYOUR NATURAL HEALTH PRACTITIONER.)

VITAMIN A (BETA-CAROTENE)

Fungtion : Involved in the growth and repair of body tissues and in bone and tooth formation; increases resistance to infection; maintains skin, mucuous membranes; promotes healthy eye tissue.

Deficiency Symptoms: Night blindness; dry eyes, rough skin; impaired bone growth; susceptibility to respiratory infection.

Increases Need: Smoking, diabetes, very low-fat diets, celiac disease (inability to digest gluten). Need increases with greater body weight. Consult your physician about supplement use.
Suggested Intake for Adults: 10,000 IU daily; 10,000 to 25,000 IU for beta-carotene.

Over-Consumption Symptoms: Dryness of the mucuos membranes, nausea, double vision, headaches, enlargement of the liver and spleen, and birth defects.


VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE)

Function: Facilitates use of carbohydrates for energy; helps maintain nerve function and muscle tone; aids growth and healthy appetite.

Deficiency Symptoms: Mental confusion to psychosis; muscle weakness, edema, fatigue, loss of appetite, beriberi, heart failure.

Increases Need: Physical stress and illness.

Suggested Intake for Adults: 2 to 10 mg. daily


VITAMIN B2 (RIBOFLAVIN)

Function: Necessary for the use of fats, carbohydrates and protein in energy production; aids in formation of antibodies and red blood cells.

Deficiency Symtoms: Sensitivity of eyes to light; cracks in the corner of the mouth; dry, it chy skin around the nose and lips, swollen tongue, psychological problems.

Increases Need: Excess alcohol use, diuretics, antibiotics, oral contraceptives, diets low in protein and enriched foods, vegan diets, growth, pregnancy, lactation, physical stress.

Suggested Intake for Adults: 2 to 10 mg. daily


VITAMIN B3 (NIACIN)

Function: Aids metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and protein; promotes healthy skin and digestive function.

Deficiency Symptoms: Fatigue, digestive disorders, irritability, loss ofappetite, skin disorders.

Increases Need: Poor diet, excess alcohol use, cancer, mal absorption diseases.

Suggested Intake for Adults: 20 to 50 mg. daily

Over-consumption Symptoms: Heart arrhythmias, ulcers, high blood pressureand uric acid, flushing and liver problems.


VITAMIN B6 (PYRIDOXINE)

Function: Necessary for protein metabolism and for the formation of antibodies. Involved in the synthesis of hormones and red blood cells.

Deficiency Symptoms: Anemia, irritability, fatigue, nausea, insomnia,nervousness, darmatitis.

Increases Need: Oral contraceptives, excess protein or alcohol consumption, carpal tunnel syndrome, PMS, osteoarthritis, acne, stress.

Suggested Intake for Adults: 2 to 25 mg. daily

Over-consumption Symptoms: Destruction of sensory nerve.


VITAMIN B12

Function: Aids metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and protein; facilititates blood cell formation; maintains healthy nervous system.

Deficiency Symptoms: Pernicious anemia, numbness and tingling infingers and toes.

Increases Need: Vegan diets, disorders that impai normal gastric or intestinal function, hyperthyroidism, pregnancy.

Suggested Intake for Adults: 2 to 5 mcg. daily


VITAMIN C

Function: Strengthens blood vessels, speeds wound healaing, increases resistance to infection, aids iron utilization.

Deficiency Symptoms: Bleeding gums, slow-healing wounds, bruising,aching joints, nose bleeds, anemia.

Increases Need: Smoking, stress, habitually poor diet, illness, oral contraceptives, drug use.

Suggested Intake for Adults: 500 to 2,000 mg. daily

Over-consumption Symptoms: Diarrhea

VITAMIN D

Function: Involved in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorous for bone and teeth formation, stimulates absorptio of calcium.

Deficiency Symptoms: Poor bone growth, rickets, ostoemalacia (disease marked by bone softness), muscle twitching.

Increases Need: The drugs cholestyramine, Dilantin, phenobarbital, and mineral oil interfere with absorption and/or metabolism of this vitamin.
Suggested Intake for Adults: 400 to 800 IU daily

Over-consumption Symtoms: Nausea, weight loss, constipation. More severely, mental retardation and kidney and heart damage.


VITAMIN E

Function: Maintains cell membranes; protects vitamin A and essential fatty acids from free radical destruction; lowers risk of cardio vasculardiseases, cancers and cataracts; may enhance immune function.

Deficiency Symptoms: Appetite loss, nerve dysfunction, anemia, reproductive problems, stunted growth.

Increases Need: History of heart disease or stroke, poor diet, aging, arthritis, deteriorating eyesight, dry skin, illness, use of certain medications.

Suggested Intake for Adults: 100 to 400 IU daily
Over-consumption Symtoms: At very high doses, headache, fatigue, and muscular weakness.


VITAMIN K

Function: Proper clotting of blood.

Deficiency Symptoms: Increased tendency to bleed and abnormal bloodclotting.

Over-consumption Symptoms: Menadione, a form of vitamin K, may cause anemia and infantile jaundice in high doses.


FOLIC ADIC

Function: Aids in red blood formation and cell division, facilitates use of protein for energy, boosts stomach acid production. Recommended for women of child bearing age.

Deficiency Symptoms: Anemia, diarrhea, poor growth, fatigue, neural tube defects in infants born to deficient mothers.

Increases Need: Pregnancy, low intake of fresh produce, oral contraceptives, anti convulsants, excess alcohol, certain medications.

Suggested Intake for Adults: 400 mcg. daily. Pregnancy increases need to 800 mcg. daily.

Over-consumption Symptoms: Convulsions in epileptics and may obscure certain forms of anemia.

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