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Vitamins

NIH - Vitamins (Medical Encyclopedia) “Vitamins are grouped into two categories: • Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body's fatty tissue. • Water-soluble vitamins must be used by the body right away. Any left over water-soluble vitamins leave the body through the urine. Vitamin B12 is the only water-soluble vitamin that can be stored in the liver for many years. Function Return to top Each vitamin has specific functions. You can develop health problems (deficiency disease) if you do not get enough of a particular vitamin. Vitamin A helps in the formation and maintenance of healthy teeth, bones, soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin. Vitamin B6 is also known as pyridoxine. The more protein a person eats, the more vitamin B6 is needed to help the body use the protein. Vitamin B6 helps form red blood cells and maintain brain function, among other things. Vitamin B12, like the other B vitamins, is important for metabolism. It also helps form red blood cells and maintain the central nervous system. Vitamin C, also called ascorbic acid, is an antioxidant that promotes healthy teeth and gums. It helps the body absorb iron and maintain healthy tissue. It also promotes wound healing. Vitamin D is also known as the "sunshine vitamin," since it is made by the body after being in the sun. Ten to 15 minutes of sunshine three times per week is enough to produce the body's requirement of vitamin D. This vitamin promotes the body's absorption of calcium, which is essential for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. It also helps maintain proper blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin E is an antioxidant also known as tocopherol. It plays a role in the formation of red blood cells and helps the body use vitamin K. Vitamin K is not listed among the essential vitamins, but without it blood would not stick together (coagulate). Some studies suggest that it helps promote strong bones in the elderly. Biotin is essential for the metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates, and in the production of hormones and cholesterol. Niacin is a B vitamin that helps maintain healthy skin and nerves. It is also has cholesterol-lowering effects. Folate works with vitamin B12 to help form red blood cells. It is necessary for the production of DNA, which controls tissue growth and cell function. Any woman who is pregnant should be sure to get enough folate. Low levels of folate are linked to birth defects such as spina bifida. Many foods are now fortified with folic acid. Pantothenic acid is essential for the metabolism of food. It is also plays a role in the production of hormones and cholesterol. Riboflavin (B2) works with the other B vitamins. It is important for body growth and the production of red blood cells. Thiamine (B1) helps the body cells change carbohydrates into energy. It is also essential for heart function and healthy nerve cells. Food Sources Return to top FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS Vitamin A: • Eggs • Meat • Milk • Cheese • Cream • Liver • Kidney • Cod • Halibut fish oil Vitamin D: • Cheese • Butter • Margarine • Cream • Fortified milk • Fish • Oysters • Cereals Vitamin E: • Wheat germ • Corn • Nuts • Seeds • Olives • Spinach and other green leafy vegetables • Asparagus • Vegetable oils and products made from vegetable oils, such as margarine Vitamin K: • Cabbage • Cauliflower • Spinach • Soybeans • Cereals WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS Folate: • Green, leafy vegetables • Fortified foods Niacin (B3): • Dairy products • Poultry • Fish • Lean meats • Nuts • Eggs • Legumes • Enriched breads and cereals Pantothenic acid and biotin • Eggs • Fish • Dairy products • Whole-grain cereals • Legumes • Yeast • Broccoli and other vegetables in the cabbage family • White and sweet potatoes • Lean beef Thiamine (B1): • Fortified breads, cereals, and pasta • Whole grains • Lean meats • Fish • Dried beans • Peas • Soybeans • Dairy products • Fruits and vegetables Vitamin B12: • Meat • Eggs • Poultry • Shellfish • Milk and milk products Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) • Citrus fruits and juices • Strawberries • Tomatoes • Broccoli • Turnip and other greens • Sweet and white potatoes • Cantaloupe Most other fruits and vegetables contain some vitamin C; fish and milk contain small amounts. “

Highlighted Articles

Supplement Your Knowledge of Vitamin D (2008) “How much vitamin D do I need? The current recommended daily dose of vitamin D is 200 IU for people up to age 50, 400 IU for people aged 51 to 70, and 600 IU for people over age 70. That's not enough, Boston University vitamin D expert Michael Holick, MD, PhD, tells WebMD. Holick recommends a dose of 1,000 IU a day of vitamin D for both infants and adults -- unless they're getting plenty of safe sun exposure. In 2008, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended that breastfed infants receive 400 IU of vitamin D every day until they are weaned and drink at least 1 liter of vitamin D-fortified formula or whole milk each day. The AAP also recommends 400 IU/day of vitamin D for children and teens who drink less than a liter of vitamin D-fortified milk per day. The Vitamin D Council recommends that healthy adults take 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily -- more if they get little or no sun exposure.”

Vitamin D and multiple sclerosis. (J Cell Biochem. 2008) “Vitamin D is a principal regulator of calcium homeostasis. However, recent evidence has indicated that vitamin D can have numerous other physiological functions including inhibition of proliferation of a number of malignant cells including breast and prostate cancer cells and protection against certain immune mediated disorders including multiple sclerosis (MS). The geographic incidence of MS indicates an increase in MS with a decrease in sunlight exposure. Since vitamin D is produced in the skin by solar or UV irradiation and high serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) have been reported to correlate with a reduced risk of MS, a protective role of vitamin D is suggested.”

Greater intake of vitamins B6 and B12 spares gray matter in healthy elderly: A voxel-based morphometry study. (Brain Res. 2008) “In the VBM analysis, we found that adults with greater vitamin B6 intake had greater gray matter volume along the medial wall, anterior cingulate cortex, medial parietal cortex, middle temporal gyrus, and superior frontal gyrus, whereas people with greater B12 intake had greater volume in the left and right superior parietal sulcus. These effects were driven by vitamin supplementation and were negated when only examining vitamin intake from diet. Folate had no effect on brain volume. Furthermore, there was no relationship between vitamins B6, B12, or folate intake on global brain volume measures, indicating that VBM methods are more sensitive for detecting localized differences in gray matter volume than global measures. These results are discussed in relation to a growing literature on vitamin intake on age-related neurocognitive deterioration.”

Inflammation in the vascular bed: Importance of vitamin C. (Pharmacol Ther. 2008) “For endothelial cells, ascorbate helps to prevent endothelial dysfunction, stimulates type IV collagen synthesis, and enhances cell proliferation. For vascular smooth muscle cells, ascorbate inhibits dedifferentiation, recruitment, and proliferation in areas of vascular damage. For macrophages, ascorbate decreases oxidant stress related to their activation, decreases uptake and degradation of oxidized LDL in some studies, and enhances several aspects of their function. Although further studies of ascorbate function in these cell types and in novel animal models are needed, available evidence generally supports a salutary role for this vitamin in ameliorating the earliest stages of atherosclerosis.”

Vitamin B12 deficiency in the aged: a population-based study (Age and Ageing 2007) "Conclusion: undiagnosed vitamin B12 deficiency is remarkably common in the aged, but no specific risk group for screening can be identified. Thus, biochemical screening of unselected aged population is justified. General practitioners play a key role in diagnosing early vitamin B12 deficiency."

Internet Sites

NIH - Vitamins

NHS - Vital vitamins

FDA - Fortify Your Knowledge About Vitamins

NHS - How much is five a day? (Video)

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Vitamins

Vitamin D

NEWS:

9 things that can undermine your vitamin D level

Are the Benefits of Vitamin D Overhyped?

Low Vitamin D Linked to Earlier First Menstruation

Markedly Higher Vitamin D Intake Needed to Reduce Cancer Risk, Researchers Say “While the IOM committee states that 4000 IU/day is a safe dosage, the recommended minimum daily intake is only 600 IU/day. "Now that the results of this study are in, it will become common for almost every adult to take 4000 IU/day," Garland said. "This is comfortably under the 10,000 IU/day that the IOM Committee Report considers as the lower limit of risk, and the benefits are substantial." He added that people who may have contraindications should discuss their vitamin D needs with their family doctor. "Now is the time for virtually everyone to take more vitamin D to help prevent some major types of cancer, several other serious illnesses, and fractures," said Heaney.”

More Evidence Vitamin D Boosts Immune Response

Most Americans Get Enough Vitamin D“But “there are still segments of the population that are at higher risk of vitamin D deficiency,” says Michal L. Melamed, MD, an assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology and population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “For these individuals, taking a supplement or spending a little bit of time in the sun probably is not harmful unless they have a family or personal history of melanoma,” she says. “There are a number of health benefits to adequate vitamin D, most notably on bones. But other studies suggest it can reduce risk for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure.” The new data showed that the prevalence of those at risk for vitamin D deficiency or inadequacy did not change between 2001 and 2006. “It is reassuring that there wasn’t an increase in recent years,” Melamed says. “The problem is not getting worse, but there is definitely a difference compared with 20 years ago.” “

One Size Doesn't Fit All for Vitamin D and Men: African-American Men in Northern Regions Especially Need High Doses of Supplements “African-American men have lower levels of Vitamin D because the increased melanin in darker skin blocks the ultraviolet rays necessary for the body to produce the vitamin, Murphy said. Thus, African-American men require up to six times more sun exposure than Caucasian men to make adequate Vitamin D levels. "It takes a dark-skinned male like myself 90 minutes three times a week to absorb enough sunlight to produce the recommended amount of Vitamin D compared to just 15 minutes three times a week for a Caucasian male," said the Chicago-based Murphy, who also is a physician at Jesse Brown VA Medical Center. African-American men living in Chicago would need to take nearly 2,500 IU's of Vitamin D to reach normal, healthy levels, Murphy said.”

Oral Steroids Linked to Vitamin D Deficiency “People taking oral steroids double their risk for severe vitamin D deficiency, which can lead to bone disease or muscle weakness, a new study indicates. Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University, in New York City, said steroids might increase levels of an enzyme that inactivates the vitamin, resulting in osteomalacia (softening of the bones), rickets (softening of bones in children) or clinical myopathy (muscle weakness). They recommended that physicians monitor vitamin D levels of patients being treated with oral steroids.”

Pale People May Need Vitamin D Supplements

Updated Vitamin D and Calcium Recommendations

Vitamin D Accelerates Recovery from Tuberculosis

Vitamin D doesn't prevent heart attack or cancer, study says

Vitamin D has mixed effects on cancer, broken bones “Extra vitamin D and calcium may offer some protection against fractures in elderly people, but have little or no impact on cancer risk, according to a fresh look at the medical evidence. Some research has suggested that vitamin D, with or without calcium, might help stave off cancer, but recent trials have slashed those hopes.”

Vitamin D in the healthy and inflamed central nervous system (Journal of the Neurological Sciences 2011)

Vitamin D Increases Speed of Sperm Cells, Researchers Discover

Vitamin D May Have Link to Skin Cancer Risk

Vitamin D may improve pancreas function

Vitamin D May Not Protect from Death, Cardiovascular Risk

Vitamin D Plus Calcium May Decrease Risk of Falls

Vitamin D Study Suggests No Mortality Benefit for Older Women

Vitamin D Supplementation: An Update

Which Is Better: Vitamin D2 or D3? “In conclusion, ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) are not bioequivalent and should not be considered interchangeable. Although few head-to-head trials exist, based on pharmacokinetic studies and limited clinical evidence, cholecalciferol is preferred over ergocalciferol. Because of its shorter half-life and decreased potency, this is especially relevant in the setting of severe deficiency, where high-dose ergocalciferol is often only given once weekly. Health professionals should encourage use of cholecalciferol over ergocalciferol in all patients without severe renal failure, either as a general supplement or as a treatment for vitamin D deficiency.”

ARTICLES:

Amazing Vitamin D, Nutrition's Newest Star (slides)

Endocrine Society Issues Practice Guideline on Vitamin D “"Considering that vitamin D deficiency is very common in all age groups and that few foods contain vitamin D, the Task Force recommended supplementation at suggested daily intake and tolerable upper limit levels, depending on age and clinical circumstances," the guideline states. For bone health, infants and children up to 1 year of age require at least 400 IU/day vitamin D, and children 1 year and older need at least 600 IU/day, the guideline states. However, at least 1000 IU/day of vitamin D may be needed to raise the blood level of 25(OH)D consistently above 30 ng/mL, it notes. Adults aged 19 to 70 years require at least 600 IU/day of vitamin D to maximize bone health and muscle function. However, getting 25(OH)D levels consistently above 30 ng/mL may require at least 1500 to 2000 IU/day of vitamin D. Adults 70 years and older require at least 800 IU/day of vitamin D for bone health and fall prevention; at least 1500 to 2000 IU/day of supplemental vitamin D may be needed to keep 25(OH)D levels above 30 ng/mL. Pregnant and lactating women need a minimum of 600 IU/day of vitamin D; 1500 IU/day may be needed to maintain blood levels of 25(OH)D higher than 30 ng/mL. "Obese children and adults and children and adults on anticonvulsant medications, glucocorticoids, antifungals such as ketoconazole, and medications for AIDS need at least 2 to 3 times more vitamin D for their age group to satisfy their body's vitamin D requirement," Dr. Holick reported. Tolerable upper limits of vitamin D, which "should not be exceeded without medical supervision," include the following: • 1000 IU/day for infants aged up to 6 months, • 1500 IU/day for infants aged 6 months to 1 year old, • 2500 IU/day for children aged 1 to 3 years, • 3000 IU/day for children aged 4 to 8 years, and • 4000 IU/day for everyone older than 8 years. However, the guideline states that for individuals who are vitamin D deficient, higher levels of vitamin D (2000 IU/day for children up to age 1 year; 4000 IU/day for children aged 1 - 18 years, and up to 10,000 IU/day for adults aged 19 years and older) "may be necessary to correct, treat, and prevent vitamin D deficiency," Dr. Holick said. "Both vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 is equally fine in treating and preventing vitamin D deficiency," he added.”