Vegetables are good for the body, and are a more popular source of nutritious compounds than meat. However, what we'll talk about isn't the food, it's the vitamins that we get from it. There are a lot of vitamins that the body needs, which can be found in everything that we eat.
Though we only need a limited amount of each vitamin, the problem is we could never get enough from every food we take because the truth is, before it reaches our digestive system the vitamins have already been damaged or gone, most Especially, the vitamin B complex.
Vitamin B and all its multipart are delicate types of vitamins, meaning they are easily destroyed. A few of the causes would be by the way the food was cooked, most commonly the cooking water, the use of alcohol and many other food processing. The bread served to us could not give us the exact desired nutrients it was intended to after it was cooked. Yes, this is true. That is why vitamin supplements were made.
The whole group of vitamin B is considered as a water soluble vitamin, and the B complex is divided into eight: there's vitamin B1 or thiamine, vitamin B2 or riboflavin, vitamin B3 or niacin, vitamin B5 or Pantothenic Acid, vitamin B6 or pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin, and vitamin B12 or cobalamins.
The most common mistake there is about the vitamin B complex is about people believing that all these contains similar structure and performs the same function, the reality is that each of vitamin in the B complex is exceptional. Each has its incom chemical structure, which performs individual functions within our body. Biotin, Vitamins B1, B2, and B3 help create energy. Vitamin B6 is helpful for proper metabolism, while vitamin B12 and Folic acid plays a little part when cell division takes place. But of course, there are still a lot more function these vitamins have left unsaid.
Aside from the vitamin B12 and folate which are stored in the liver, the other vitamin B complex are hard to store inside the body, much more hard to get on actual foods. This is where the multivitamins and mineral supplements come in. Vitamin B is needed in our everyday metabolism and growth. Still, be aware of course that vitamin deficiency should not be diagnosed on your own. If you have doubts that you could be suffering from lack of vitamins, it is best that you call on a certified nutritionist, or your family doctor. You can also check out dietary menus and how to cook healthy food instructions so that even without the medical tablets and capsules, you can make sure that you are provided with these vitamins in your daily meal.
Friday, February 8, 2008
What Are The Benefits Of Taking Vitamin B?
How To Cure A Vitamin B12 Deficiency
Pernicious anemia is a type of anemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency. The deficiency of vitamin B12 is due to the inability of the digestive tract to absorb this vitamin. Vitamin B12 is seen in abundantly in fish, meat and dairy products and is essential for healthy nervous system and the production of red blood cells.
Causes of Anemia
A vitamin B12 deficiency, in most cases, is not due to a lack of the afore mentioned vitamin. Instead it is due to an absorption problem in the intestine. The root cause of the absorption problem is the lack of production of necessary secretions in the intestinal lining. This is called the intrinsic factor. Your body may not be able to produce enough due to some sort of autoimmune disease. Autoimmune disorder is a type of disease where your own immune system acts against your body's own tissues and organs.
In some patients this type of anemia, known as Pernicious Anemia, may be due to the surgical removal of small intestine due to some pathological problem. Small intestine is the place where the vitamin B12 absorption takes place. Crohn's disease can also lead to Pernicious Anemia. This disease causes chronic inflammation in the intestine. Those that practice a strict vegetarian diet are much more likely to be diagnosed with Crohn's.
Symptoms of the deficiency
The symptoms of anemia induced by a vitamin B12 deficiency are very similar to the ones seen in case of iron deficiency anemia and include chronic fatigue. In addition, patients may also experience numbness in the feet and hand, jaundice, difficulties experienced in equilibrium, confusion, depression and changes in personality.
Home Remedies for Pernicious Anemia
One may wonder how to cure the anemia with vitamin supplements. You must supplement with sufficient quantities of vitamin B12 through supplements or preferably, diet. Foods of animal origin such as milk, meat, fish and eggs are rich in this vitamin and can help get your B12 levels back up where they should be. In the case of strict vegetarians or vegans, supplemental vitamin pills are typically recommended as the best and fastest way to get the needed nutrients.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
We All Need These Vitamins - Vitamin B12 And Folacin
During the last years the vital importance of vitamin B12 and folacin (folid acid) for our health has become more obvious. Perhaps you have also heard that folacin is important during pregnancy. Deficiency can cause severe damages to the fetus. In the USA and other countries one has added synthetic folacin to prevent damages to the fetus.
Also B12 is of importance as both vitamins are interacting to have an effect. Both vitamins have great importance even in other cases. The risk of developing dementia are for example bigger if you suffer from a deficiency of one of these vitamins.
Vitamin B12 and folacin are important for every cell of the body. B12 and folacin interact in vital functions of all cells. For example they are necessary for the cells to divide and grow in a normal way. That is why they are of great importance for the growing foetus.
The first symptoms of deficiency can also come from the cells that divide too fast, for example blood cells and the cells of mucous membrane. The symptoms will result in a type of anemia often combined with a read tongue and shear mucous membranes in the mouth.
Both vitamins are also necessary for the nerve system to function well, for the nerve cells and for the signal substances that transmit the nerve impulses. If not treated this kind of deficiency can cause permanent damages of the nerves.
A deficiency may occur as a result of an inability to absorb B12 from food and in strict vegetarians who do not consume any animal foods. As a general rule, most individuals who develop a vitamin B12 deficiency have an underlying stomach or intestinal disorder that limits the absorption of vitamin B12.
Sometimes the only symptom of these intestinal disorder is subtly reduced cognitive function resulting from early B12 deficiency. Anemia and dementia follow later.
Characteristic signs, symptoms and health problems associated with B12 deficiency include anemia, fatigue, weakness, constipation, loss of appetite and weight loss.
Deficiency can also lead to neurological changes such as numbness and tingling in the hands and feet. Additional symptoms of B12 deficiency are difficulty in maintaining balance, depression, confusion, dementia, poor memory and soreness of the mouth or tongue.
Many of these symptoms are very general and can result from a variety of medical conditions other than vitamin B12 deficiency. It is important to have a physician evaluate these symptoms so that appropriate medical care can be given.
Vitamin B12: Essential To Body And Mind
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient, and consistent deficiencies can have serious repercussions in terms of both physical and mental health. As with most nutrients, it’s best to get vitamin B12 from foods, but better to use supplements than to be lacking. However, there are plenty of excellent sources of vitamin B12 to choose from, even for vegetarians. (Vegetarian diets to be extremely low in B12.)
This remarkable vitamin plays a number of very important roles in the health of the body and the functioning of the brain. Vitamin B12 contributes to our very foundation, as it helps in the process of making our DNA. It is also necessary to red blood cells and to keeping nerve cells healthy and functioning as they should. The smooth performance of the brain requires sufficient amounts of this nutrient on a regular basis.
Deficiencies in Vitamin B12 can result in a host of health problems. Mental clarity can fade, leaving confusion, anxiety, dementia, and even depression in its stead. Without this nutrient, nerve health can deteriorate, and between that and the dysfunction that lack can cause in the brain, balance can be affected, and other neurological symptoms can appear. Skin problems can erupt, mouth sores and tongue difficulties can occur when there is an ongoing lack of this vitamin. Babies who do not get enough Vitamin B12 may suffer significant developmental delays and even fail to thrive. These are just a few of the problems that can occur without the correct amount of B12 in the diet.
Animal-based foods are one of the most commonly consumed sources of Vitamin B12. These include meats of various sorts, milk, milk products such as cheese and yogurt, and eggs. For those who are vegetarians of varying degrees – ranging from standard to vegan – there are a wide variety of cereals to choose from that are fortified with B12. Wheat germ also has some B12. For those who completely eschew animal products of any type, taking a supplement is a good idea.
Taking the time to learn about nutrition and to try to make sure that the required daily income levels are met is an easy way to help ensure that you are as healthy as possible. Vitamin B12 is an important part of the list of essential nutrients that should be consumed daily, serving to build and strengthen the body and keep the brain working as well as it was meant to.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Lack Of Vitamin B12 May Cause Pernicious Anemia
When one lacks vitamin B12 in the body, this can result in a condition known as pernicious anemia. Pernicious anemia can be detected by a blood test due to the presence of huge immature red blood cells in one's blood. Such blood cells show inefficiency at
carrying oxygen.
Pernicious anemia can be triggered by a dearth of food in one's diet that has vitamin B12. Or another cause could be a lack of intrinsic factor in one's stomach. Those who are at risk for this condition are vegans.
One treatment for pernicious anemia is consuming large amounts of folacin to assist red blood cells in growing to the right shape and size. Still, even the right amounts of folacin will not repair any nerve damage attributed to vitamin B 12 deficiency. The most
severe effects of Vitamin B12 deficiency are irreversible nerve and brain damage.
In reality it will take up to 5 years for the condition to develop, depending on the amount of B12 still stored in one's body. This in turn is dependent on how much food with vitamin B12 you actually
consume. Animal products supply the largest amounts of vitamin B12 since this nutrient is not really found in vegetables. (This explains why vegans are at risk for the disease.)
For one to absorb the vitamin into the body, intrinsic factor is required in the person's stomach. This factor is actually a protein produced in the human stomach. However, if a person's stomach has been partially or wholly removed, then the capacity to
produce intrinsic factor is lessened or totally eliminated.
Without intrinsic factor, a person can still end up with vitamin B12 deficiency even if he were to constantly consume foods abundant in vitamin B 12. Should one's stomach be removed through surgery, he can receive vitamin B12 shots that must be administered for life at intervals of every three weeks. By injecting the vitamin into the bloodstream, it is guaranteed that it will circulate in the person's system even without the intrinsic factor.
It is remarkable enough to note that a pound of calves liver per day has enough vitamin B12 that even those who don't have the intrinsic factor will be able to absorb the right amounts of the vitamin to avoid pernicious anemia.
Among other things, the deficiency is caused by: fish tape worm; Crohn's disease, abdominal or intestinal surgery that may hamper the production or absorption of intrinsic factor; and chronic
alcoholism.
The importance of a well-balanced diet that incorporates animal products cannot be overstressed for preventing the condition. (Vegans, since they are at risk, should consult a good dietician to
avoid developing pernicious anemia.)
Spotting the condition early on and quickly treating it may reduce its severity while forestalling neurologic complications. The impact on the central nervous system could become irreversible should treatment not be started within 6 months from when symptoms are first detected. Furthermore, Vitamin B12 deficiency may trigger a false-positive Pap smear due to the condition's effect on epithelial cells.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Is There A Special Vitamin Supplement For A Woman
What you are about to find will benefit you widely. Women possess distinctive health needs at different stages of our lives. We may miss a specific vitamin supplement for a woman at one point of our life and need something entirely different at another space.
Doctors regularly prescribe vitamin and iron supplements for a woman who is with child. If she does, take them as directed and do not change the dosage. While a lack of a particular vitamin can cause deficiencies, too much can outcome in toxicity.
What a woman needs for vitamin supplements?
When a vitamin supplement for a woman is recommended or prescribed it is because it contains the specific vitamin or vitamins a woman's body needs. Your physician intention take into the account for the amount to of calcium and different nutrients that you miss on a daily basis and make his recommendation.
You should accustom yourself with the different vitamins and their role in your health. You hope to grasp in what foods you can get certain vitamins and how much of each of the vitamins that your body needs.
If you are taking a vitamin supplement for a woman because you are pregnant, you'll hope to look into whether or not you'll demand one after you give birth.
What a woman should know about supplements during pregnancy?
If you maintain a disease or a condition that dictates you take a special vitamin supplement for a woman it may be something you always possess to deal with. Your physician can definitely advise you on this.
Though, in most cases, pregnancy notwithstanding, you should be able to get all the vitamins and minerals you require from a balanced intake. Your physician can do a simple blood check-up to check the levels of certain vitamins in your system and whether or not you are deficient.
What Type Of Vitamin Supplements For The Woman?
It is significant to note that vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble. An excess amount of these vitamins are stored either in fatty tissue or the liver until needed. Because of this, toxicity can develop if too many vitamins are taken.
While that hardly happens when we get our vitamins only from the foods we eat, it can and does happen when we conjoin too many vitamin supplements with our diets. Discuss this with your physician if you expect you want a vitamin supplement for a woman.
Before you realize the different roles vitamins and minerals play in our complete health, it's truly fun to hang on to up with the amount to we are ingesting, either through the foods we eat or through supplements.
In carrying out so, you desire most likely find that your whole diet improves and the demand for any other supplements will be minimal.
However, many woman sometimes tend to take vitamin supplements for granted as that are many types of good vitamin products, but having the right knowledge to use the right type of vitamin pills to the max for various kinds of chronic of illnesses is crucial.
Therefore, without a proper understanding of using various kinds of health supplements to treat various anxiety and anger management system, there will not be much free lifestyle to hope for.
Apply this effective tips together with an thorough understanding of vitamin health food is important so that you enjoy your life once again.
Monday, February 4, 2008
What Are Vitamins?
Vitamins are one of the most important things that you feed your body on a daily basis. With only two exceptions, your body is unable to produce vitamins and must rely on getting them through diet alone. Though they provide no calories to you, your body would be rendered useless without them. A lack of vitamins can make you tired, weak, short of breath and in some cases, even colorblind.
Vitamins are what aid your bodily functions such as your metabolism, growth and energy production. For example, you probably know that most milk is fortified with vitamin D, but did you know why? It is an important tool in balancing your bloods calcium and phosphorus levels. Without vitamin D, your body can't absorb and use calcium. For this reason, it is always important if you are taking calcium supplements to make sure it also contains vitamin D to ensure your body has an adequate amount of vitamin D to process the calcium.
Water and Fat Soluble Vitamins
There are two main categories of vitamins, water-soluble and fat-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in your body's fat reserves until you need them. Fat-soluble vitamins include E, D, K and A. However, because you don't flush these through your system, these four vitamins in particular have a higher risk of ill side effects when overdosed.
Water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin C cannot be stored by your body for great lengths of time and require a much more regular intake to keep you healthy. These types of vitamins are passed to your blood stream directly from your intestine. Most of these are stored only on a daily basis and excreted in your urine. There is one exception to this rule, B12, which is excreted through feces. The water-soluble vitamins in particular help your vision, digestive system and skin among other important functions.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
When You're Getting Too Much
There is too much of a good thing, even when it comes to vitamins. For example, too many carrots can cause your skin to turn orange from the Beta-Carotene and vitamin A. Too much vitamin C, a vitamin abundantly found in oranges, can cause much more serious side effects such as kidney stones or chronic diarrhea if taken in extreme excess. Ironically, one source also indicates that extreme excess can actually cause a stuffy nose instead of prevent the common cold as most people believe it does.
When you're not getting enough
On the other hand, a lack of vitamins can cause detrimental effects. Lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy, a serious disease that can lead to death if left untreated. Other vitamin deficient related diseases include anemia, brain or nerve damage, impaired vision and a variety of bone related diseases.
However, watching your vitamin intake or using a supplement can be a very good thing, especially in the world of fast food and super sized Cokes that we live in. After analyzing your diet for holes in nutrition, you can properly determine exactly what vitamins you might be deficient in and work from there to fill in the gaps with supplements or a change in diet.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Vitamin B12, Methyl Sublingual
On one article, they said vitamin B might actually be helpful in improving our memory and verbal ability. The B vitamins are found in many foods, this includes kidneys, liver, dairy products, vegetables and whole grains. Most heart diseases and elevated blood homocysteine are caused by lack of vitamin B. This only proves that vitamin B plays an important role in many body processes including cell maintenance and repair, even synthesis of DNA, formation of the red and white blood cells and the amino acid metabolism.
Always remember that too much of anything can be dangerous to your health, no matter how helpful it had been. Too much is still too much. The primary result would be toxicity. This by then can cause many other illnesses. To avoid this, contact a dietitian to know more about the supplements and foods to take to improve the intake of the vitamins you need. Informations can also be found in nutritional magazines, and all around the Internet. Feel free to surf around. For more information on the benefits of the vitamin B and its complex, plus the other vitamins, visit the nearest nutritionist and inquire about the benefits these vitamins can give you. Magazines and seminars are also available everywhere. You just need to talk to the right persons. Some fitness magazines contain recipes of great foods that are really helpful in giving us enough vitamins. Who knows, you can even help your family and friends. Keep yourself healthy and life will be great.
