Twitter Me
Find me on Facebook
YouTube Channel
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B 12, known as cyanocobalamin, cobolamin and also known as the energy vitamin is a very widely researched vitamin, and used in supplementation to a very large degree.
This complex structured compound with its cobalt content forms part of the B group vitamins, and the body needs very small amounts.
Vitamin B12 – cyanocobamin – is required for
Cobolamin is needed in the manufacture of red blood cells and the maintenance of red blood cells and it stimulates appetite, promotes growth and release energy. It is often used with older people to give an energy boost, assist in preventing mental deterioration and helps with speeding up thought processes. Some people are also of the opinion that it helps with clearing up infections and provide protection against allergies and cancer. This vitamin is also used in the metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Some symptoms of a deficiency will include a sore tongue, weakness, fatigue, and weight loss, back pain and apathy. It might further result in loss of balance, decreased reflexes, tingling of the fingers, ringing in the ears etc.
A deficiency may also result in the raising of the level of homocysteine in the blood – which in high doses can be toxic to the brain, which may be involved in Alzheimer disease. Severe deficiency may result in pernicious anemia also called Addisonian pernicious anemia.
Another problem that appears in deficiency is the eroding of the myelin sheath – the fatty sheath of tissue, which insulates the nerve fibers in your body.
The dosage underneath is the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), but be aware that this dosage is the minimum that you require per day, to ward off serious deficiency of this particular nutrient. In the therapeutic use of this nutrient, the dosage is usually increased considerably, but the toxicity level must be kept in mind.
Male and female 3 mcg per day.
Toxicity and symptoms of high intake
Toxicity not established but people taking vitamin B12 injections may experience skin problems if in large excess, but will normalize once the injections are stopped.
Iron, calcium, sodium, potassium as well as vitamin C are good in nutritional synergy.
People on strict vegan and macrobiotic diets are often deficient on Vitamin B12.
Some people suffer from a potentially serious problem, causing the vitamin not to be absorbed in the intestinal tract, which can lead to pernicious (destructive) anemia.
Anybody consuming alcohol should look at their B12 levels or if you take laxatives or antacids regularly.
Older people could also benefit from this vitamin as the intestinal situation changes as you age, and many people older than sixty have difficulty extracting the vitamin from ingested food since the correct stomach acids are not present.
Excessive alcohol can impair the absorption of this vitamin.
Vitamin B12 can not be manufactured by any plants, and therefore is only found in animal products – therefore a deficiency may happens to people on a strict vegan diet.
Unlike other water-soluble vitamins, B12 needs some 3 hours to be absorbed where other B vitamins are absorbed nearly immediately.
Vitamin B12 is present in liver, organ meat, muscle meat, shellfish, eggs, cheese, fish, and can be manufactured in the body. Although milk contains B12, processing of milk may lead to destruction of the vitamin.
Source: www.anyvitamins.com
Vitamin B9
Folic acid, also known as Vitamin B9, is also referred to as folacin or folate and its chemical name is pteroylglutamic acid. This vitamin can be manufactured by the body and be stored in the liver.
Vitamin B9 – folic acid – is required for
Folic acid is required for DNA synthesis and cell growth and is important for red blood cell formation, energy production as well as the forming of amino acids. Folic acid is essential for creating heme, the iron containing substance in hemoglobin, crucial for oxygen transport.
It is important for healthy cell division and replication, since its involvement as coenzyme for RNA and DNA synthesis. It is also required for protein metabolism and in treating folic acid anemia. Folic acid also assists in digestion, and the nervous system, and works at improving mental as well as emotional health. This nutrient may be effective in treating depression and anxiety.
Shortage of folic acid may be indicated with diarrhea, heartburn and constipation.
Folic acid is very important in the development of the nervous system of a developing fetus.
A deficiency of folic acid on an unborn baby may increase the risk of the baby being born with spina bifida and other serious defects of the nervous system.
When deficient of folic acid, you might suffer from fatigue, acne, a sore tongue, cracking at the corners of your mouth (same as deficiency of vitamin B2, vitamin B6 as well as iron). Long term deficiency may result in anemia and later in osteoporosis, as well as cancer of the bowel and cervix.
The dosage underneath is the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), but be aware that this dosage is the minimum that you require per day, to ward off serious deficiency of this particular nutrient. In the therapeutic use of this nutrient, the dosage is usually increased considerably, but the toxicity level must be kept in mind.
400 micrograms per day.
Toxicity and symptoms of high intake
Anybody on medication for epilepsy should be careful with large amounts of folic acid, since it can change the functioning of such drugs.
Too much folic acid may mask a Vitamin B12 deficiency. Regular high intake of folic acid may cause digestive upset, energy loss and insomnia.
Folic acid is more effective when taken with the B group vitamins – especially vitamin B12 and vitamin B6. Vitamin C is also good to have around folic acid.
Pregnant women are sometimes advised to take a small supplement of folic acid to help prevent spina bifida and other congenial nervous disorders, and may also assist to reduce the risk of toxemia in pregnancy, premature labor and hemorrhaging. It is also thought to enhance the production of milk after delivery.
Sufferers of psoriasis may consider taking extra folic acid, people under stress or anyone consuming alcohol.
Women on birth control pills or busy with hormone replacement therapy may benefit from folic acid, as well as children if they are on goat’s milk instead of cow’s milk.
Enemy of vitamin B9 – folic acid
Light, heat and storage for extended periods can destroy this vitamin.
Localized deficiencies of folic acid may exist for smokers, as low levels have been detected in the lungs of smokers.
Fresh green vegetables, such as spinach and broccoli contain folic acid. It is also found in fruit, starchy vegetables, beans, whole grains and liver.
Source: www.anyvitamins.com
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6, also known as pyridoxine is part of the B group vitamins and is water-soluble and is required for both mental and physical health.
Vitamin B6 – pyridoxine – is required for
Pyridoxine is required for the balancing of hormonal changes in women as well as assisting the immune system and the growth of new cells. It is also used in the processing and metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates, while assisting with controlling your mood as well as your behavior. Pyridoxine might also be of benefit for children with learning difficulties, as well as assisting in the prevention of dandruff, eczema and psoriasis.
It assists in the balancing of sodium and potassium as well promotes red blood cell production. It is further involved in the nucleic acids RNA as well as DNA. It is further linked to cancer immunity and fights the formation of the toxic chemical homocysteine, which is detrimental to the heart muscle.
Women in particular may suffer from pre-menstrual fluid retention, severe period pains, emotional PMS symptoms, premenstrual acne and nausea in early pregnancy. Mood swings, depression as well as loss of sexual drive is sometimes noted when pyridoxine is in short supply and the person is on hormone replacement therapy or on birth control pills.
Irritability, nervousness and insomnia as well as general weakness, skin changes such as dermatitis and acne as well asthma and allergies might develop when pyridoxine is in short supply. Symptoms may include nails that are ridged, an inflamed tongue as well as changes to your bones – which can include osteoporosis and arthritis. Kidney stones may also appear.
Vitamin B6 deficiency symptoms will be very much like those of B2 and B3. Vitamin B6 is needed by the body to manufacture its own B3 vitamin.
The dosage underneath is the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), but be aware that this dosage is the minimum that you require per day, to ward off serious deficiency of this particular nutrient. In the therapeutic use of this nutrient, the dosage is usually increased considerably, but the toxicity level must be kept in mind.
Males 2 mg per day and females 2 mg per day.
Toxicity and symptoms of high intake
Supplementation should be controlled as extreme dosage, such as in excess of 2,000 mg per day, may cause neurological damage.
People on medication for Parkinson’s disease should be careful about taking Vitamin B6 as it can inactivate levodopa.
People taking pyridoxine late at night sometimes experience very vivid dreams.
Pyridoxine should be taken together with the entire B group vitamins, and in supplementation the quantity of B6 should be nearly the same as B2, as the B 2 is needed to activate the Pyridoxine.
Vitamin C is a good partner in nutrition and magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, linoleic acid and fatty acids make good running mates.
Should you be taking antidepressants, contraceptive pills or be on hormone replacement therapy you may need more of this vitamin. As this vitamin is readily lost in the urine, it must be taken regularly to ensure an adequate amount in the body.
Anybody on a very high protein diet, using alcohol, or allergic to MSG (mono sodium glutamate) and/or tartrazine may also consider increasing their vitamin B6 intake.
Pyridoxine is sensitive to sunlight, cooking and processing Cortisone is known to impair the absorption of pyridoxine.
Exercising may aid the production of the active form of vitamin B6.
Good sources to obtain pyridoxine from are brewer’s yeast, eggs, chicken, carrots, fish, liver, kidneys, peas, wheat germ, walnuts.
Source: www.anyvitamins.com
Loading ...