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Nutrition

The Vitamin Guide

You know that you need vitamins. This guide will tell you which vitamins there are, what happens when you have to little or too much of them, how much of each you need and where they can be found.

Fat-Soluble Vs. Water-Soluble

One very important distintion we have to make is between vitamins that are soluble in fat and those soluble in water.

The former (A, D, E, K) can accumulate in the body and, when a sufficient amount is reached, become toxic. An overdose of vitamin A, for example, can lead to liver damage, osteoporosis (brittling of the bones), birth defects and others.  Except for megadoses taken at once, excess amounts of water-soluble vitamins ingested over longer stretches of time are simply expelled with the urine.

Natural Vs. Synthetic

For ease of use, many people like to use multivitamin tablets to cover their daily needs. However, in many of these, some of the vitamins are artificially produced and at least synthetic vitamin E may not work as well at its natural counterpart. You should therefore at least make sure that your product contains natural vitamin E.

To tell the synthetic from the natural version have a look at the bottle or package: Natural vitamin E will be stated as “d-alpha tocopherol”, “d-alpha tocopherol acetate” or “d-alpha tocopherol succinate”. The synthetic version will be labeled with a “dl-” instead of the single “d-“.

Vitamins From Food Or Tablets?

I elaborately covered the possible downsides of vitamin supplementation in an article. In short, food sources are preferrable, because food not only contains vitamins, but also phytonutrients that may flank the effectiveness of vitamins.

The Vitamins

In the leftmost column you find the name of the vitamin, “F / W” indicates if it is fat- or water-soluble (“F” stands for “fat-soluble”, “W” stands for “water-soluble”). “RDA” is the “recommended daily allowance”, based on an average adult. The amounts are in “µg” (microgram, 1/1000 milligram), and “mg” (milligram, 1/1000 gram).

The “Sources” give you some examples for foods the vitamin naturally occurs in, while the “Deficiency” and “Overdose” columns show you the most closely associated examples for a lack or overabundance of a given vitamin.

VitaminF / WRDANatural SourcesDeficiency SymptomsOverdose Symptoms
AF800 µgLiver, dandelion greens, carrots, broccoli leaves, sweet potatoes, butter, kale, spinach, pumpkinsNight blindness, limited function of immune systemLiver problems, birth defects, osteoporosis, skin discoloration, hair loss, dry skin
B1W1.2 mgWhole wheat, porkBeriberi, Wernicke-Korsakoff-SyndromeMuscle relaxation, drowsiness
B2W1.3 mgMilk, eggs, liver, kidney, yeast extractAriboflavinosis–
B3W16 mgNuts, eggs, salmon, liver, heart, kidney, chicken, beefPellagraLiver problems
B5W5 mgMeat, whole grains, broccoli, avocadosParesthesiaDiarrhea
B6W1.5 mgWhole grains, nuts, bananasAnemia, peripheral neuropathyNerve damage
B7 (or H)
W30 µgEgg yolks, peanuts, liverDermatitis, enteritis–
B9W400 µgSpinach, asparagus, beans, peas, lentils, liver, kidneyBirth defectsCan mask the effect of B12 deficiency (see below)
B12W2.4 µgFish, meat, liver, most milk productsAnemiaAcne-like rashes
CW90 mgPapaya, strawberries, lemons, kiwifruit, broccoliScurvyDiarrhea, kidney stones
DF15 µgFish, whole eggs, beef liverRickets, osteomalaciaVomiting, dehydration, fatigue, constipation, muscular weakness, decreased appetite
EF15 mgNuts, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, asparagus, papaya, broccoliAnemia in newborn babiesPossibly heart failure
KF120 µgGreen vegetables, avocado, parsley, kiwifruit, grapesBleeding diathesisIncreased coagulation

 
Picture courtesy of United States Department of Agriculture.

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2 Comments

  1. Owen says:
    October 6, 2011 at 9:45 pm

    Nice article, but I would add what amount would actually result in overdosing to the ”Overdose Symptoms” column, as it may be relatively easy to overdose in one vitamin compared to another, and the problems as a result of overdosing can vary greatly.

    Reply
    • evilcyber says:
      October 7, 2011 at 4:24 am

      You are correct, Owen. I am just not sure how to squeeze it into the limited real estate.

      Reply

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