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Hello again everyone!
And welcome to part II of not-so-well-known vitamins and minerals. This month we tackle 4 nutrients that will round out the vitamin portion of this newsletter. Next month we'll discuss 5 minerals if we can squeeze them all in.
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Continuing on with our vitamin discussion we look first at another lesser known but equally important vitamin, B3, also known as niacin or nicotinic acid. This
vitamin, along with all B vitamins, helps the body convert carbohydrates into glucose to be used as
energy. It is beneficial for proper nervous system function, helps in hormone
production, as well as improving circulation and reducing cholesterol levels. It
has also been suggested in reducing or
helping the incidence of Atherosclerosis, Diabetes, Osteoarthritis, Alzheimer's
disease, and skin conditions.
Interestingly,
alcoholism is the primary cause of vitamin B3 deficiency in the U.S. and can result in symptoms ranging from indigestion,
fatigue, and depression, to pellagra (characterized by cracked, scaly skin,
dementia, and diarrhea).
Niacin can
be obtained from beets, brewer's yeast, beef liver, beef kidney, fish, salmon,
swordfish, tuna, sunflower seeds, peanuts, strawberries, carrots and sweet
potatoes.
Recommended
Daily Allowances for vitamin B3 range from 2 mg for infants to 17 mg for adults.
A third obscure vitamin is Biotin
or vitamin H/B7. This vitamin is involved in carbon dioxide transfer
and therefore essential to the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats. It is also
involved in making glucose for energy production and aids in protein synthesis.
Biotin is typically found in
liver, egg yolk, cereals, legumes, nuts, beans, cauliflower, chocolate, dairy
products, wheat germ, whole grains and grasses. Intestinal bacteria produce a
small amount of biotin, which may be absorbed and contribute to daily needs.
Vitamin H works best when
combined with other B-vitamins and a daily intake of around 300 mcg is recommended.
Biotin deficiency results in
fatigue, depression, nausea, muscle pains, hair loss, anemia, neurologic
symptoms and impaired immune system functions.
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Pantothenic
acid (B5)is a vitamin
that can be found in all living cells and most foods. Its name comes
from the
Greek word pantos, meaning "everywhere."
This is a so-called "stress vitamin," and deficiency is difficult to
pin down because it appears to affect all the organs' ability to handle
stressors, both emotional and physical.
Like other B vitamins, pantothenic acid helps the body extract energy
from
carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. It also helps to metabolize fats,
produce
red blood cells and synthesize stress hormones from the adrenal gland;
it is
therefore commonly found in "anti-stress" formulas. Pantothenic acid
is necessary to maintain good health and may be useful in treating
rheumatoid
arthritis. It could also be used to lower blood cholesterol and
triglyceride
levels.
B5
deficiency is
extremely rare and is not likely to occur in people who eat ordinary
diets that
include a variety of foods. Symptoms of deficiency have occurred only in
experimental situations.
There
are
two naturally occurring forms of our next nutrient, vitamin K. The
first is
K1
from plants, and the second, K2
from bacteria synthesis.
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin and
is
essential for the functioning of several proteins involved in blood
clotting.
It also prevents the calcification of soft tissue and cartilage, while
facilitating normal bone growth and development in addition to helping
with
cell growth.
Some people are at risk of forming
blood clots,
and excessive supplementation with vitamin K is to be avoided. Some oral
anticoagulants, such as warfarin (Coumadin), inhibit coagulation through
antagonism of the action of vitamin K.
The body stores very
little of it, and its supplies are rapidly depleted without regular
dietary
intake. Overt vitamin K deficiency results in impaired blood clotting,
which
might be evidenced by easy bruising and bleeding and can be manifested
as
nosebleeds, bleeding gums, blood in the urine and stool or extremely
heavy
menstrual bleeding. In infants, vitamin K deficiency may result in
life-threatening bleeding within the skull (intracranial hemorrhage).
Adequate Intake (AI) for Vitamin K
ranges
from 2.0 mcg/day for infants to 120 mcg/day for adults.
Green leafy vegetables and some
vegetable oils
(soybean, cottonseed, canola, and olive) are major contributors of
dietary
vitamin K.
That just about rounds out our vitamin discussion. Next month we'll begin looking at some lesser known minerals.
Thank you once again for your time.
Until next month I remain yours in good health.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mike
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