Guide to Vitamins, Part 1

In this week’s topic and the next few ones, we will enumerate different vitamins needed by our bodies, functions, sources, and deficiency symptoms.

VITAMIN	PRIMARY	FOOD	DEFICIENCY
	FUNCTION	SOURCES	SYMPTOMS
A	for healthy skin, hair	dark green vegetables,	night blindness
	and mucous membrane,	deep yellow fruits such	dry, rough skin;
	normal vision, proper	as apricots, peaches,	susceptibility to
	tooth and bone	cantaloupe, carrots,	infection; dry
	development and	sweet potatoes, pumpkin	eyes; stunted
	resistance to infection	squash, liver, eggs, dairy	bone growth;
			poor tooth enamel
B1	release of energy from	green peas, legumes	loss of appetite
(Thiamine)	food, appetite regulation,	collard greens, oranges	fatigue, mental
	growth & muscle tone,	asparagus, whole grains,	confusion,
	proper function of heart	lean meat, oysters	moodiness,
	& nervous system		irritability,
			forgetfulness,
			muscle weakness,
			leg cramps,
			enlarged heart
B2	helps cells use oxygen,	milk & dairy products	skin disorders, esp.
(Riboflavin)	important in metabolism	dark green vegetables	cracks at corners
	of protein, fat, &	whole grains, legumes	of mouth; dermatitis
	carbohydrates, helps	sardines, eggs, tuna	hypersentivity to
	keep skin, & mucous	oysters, lean meat,	light, reddening of
	membranes healthy	chicken	cornea; digestive
			disturbances
B3	participates in metabolism	nuts, legumes, dark green	skin disorders, esp.
(Niacin)	of protein, fat and	vegetables, whole grains,	on parts exposed to
	carbohydrates; helps cells	lean meat, fish, poultry	sun; red, swollen
	use oxygen; promotes		tongue; indigestion,
	healthy skin, nerves, and		diarrhea, mental
	digestive tract		disorders, depression
			anxiety, confusion

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com