Vitamins:
The Body's Helpers
Contents
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.
VITAMIN D
IMPORTANCE: Improves absorption and
utilization of Calcium and Phosphorous; required for bone and
teeth formation; maintains a stable nervous system and normal
heart action.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May lead to
rickets, tooth decay, softening of bones, improper healing of
fractures, lack of vigor, muscular weakness, inadequate
absorption of calcium, retention of phosphorous in the kidneys.
VITAMIN E
IMPORTANCE: Major anti-oxidant
nutrient; retards cellular aging due to oxidation; supplies
oxygen to the blood which is then carried to the heart and other
organs; thus alleviating fatigue; aids in bringing nourishment to
cells; strengthens the capillary walls & prevents the red
blood cells from destructive poisons; prevents & dissolves
blood clots; has also been used by doctors in helping prevent
sterility, muscular dystrophy, calcium deposits in blood walls
and heart conditions.
DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS: May lead to a
rupture of red blood cells, loss of reproductive powers, lack of
sexual vitality, abnormal fat deposits in muscles, degenerative
changes in the changes in the heart and other muscles; dry skin.
SPECIAL NOTE: There are several
types of Vitamin E available. D-Alpha Tocopherol (100% Natural)
is 4 times more potent in biological activity than d1-Alpha
Tocopherol (Synthetic) Vitamin E. For example; 100 I.U. of
d-Alpha (100% Natural) Vitamin E is equal to 400 I.U. d1-Alpha
Tocopherol (Synthetic) Vitamin E in biological activity. Natural
Vitamin E is derived from soybeans and synthetic Vitamin E is a
petroleum by-product.