All about Vitamins & Minerals

Vitamins are essential substances that cannot be manufactured by the body. We need small amounts of vitamins for growth and development. Without vitamins the body cannot survive. Vitamins and minerals are two completely different things: minerals help the vitamins work.

Vitamins
There are thirteen vitamins, present in very small quantities, in our body.
They perform numerous functions: metabolism, cellular division, growth, coagulation, antioxidant properties. Deficiencies may result in health problems.
Out of the thirteen vitatmins, the most well-known vitamin is Vitamin C(ascorbic acid), which is a common doctor prescription as Antihistamine, for allergic reactions.

Vitamin	Other Name	Source	Role	Deficiency
A	Retinol	Eggs; dairy products; yellow orange, dark green vegetables and fruit; liver	Vision, growth, immunity, protection of tissues, antioxidant	Decreased night vision, xerophtalmia, blindness, sensitivity to infections
B1	Thiamine	Meat (pork), fish, eggs, legumes, whole grain, nuts and seeds, wheat germ	Metabolism, functiong of nervous system	Beriberi (cardiac insufficiency and neurological problems)
B2	Riboflavin	Dairy products, eggs, meats, fish, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds	Metabolism, muscle tissue repair	Delayed growth, dermatosis
B3	Nicotinamide	Meats, fish, legumes, nuts and seeds	Metabolism, functiong of nervous system, hormone synthesis, transporting oxygen in the blood	Pellagra, tingling in the hands and feet, fatigue, headaches, dizziness
B5	Pantothenic acid	Meats, fish, eggs, whole grains, legumes, mushrooms	Metabolism, regeneration of the skin and mucous membranes	Fatigue and depression, insomnia, leg cramps
B6	Pyridoxin	Enriched grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits, meats	Metabolism, formation of red blood cells, immunity, regulation of glycemia	Dermatosis, anemia, irritability
B8	Biotin	Meats, raw vegetables, legumes, eggs, whole grains	Metabolism	Neurological problems, hair loss
B9	Folic Acid	Green vegetables, legumes, liver, enriched grains	DNA and RNA synthesis, formation of red blood cells	Anemia, loss of appetite, irritability, spina bifida (fetus)
B12	Cobalamin	Fish, meats, dairy products, eggs, enriched soy beverages	DNA and RNA synthesis, formation of red blood cells, nervous system	Anemia, fatigue, weakness
C	Ascorbic Acid	Vegetables and fruit	Antioxidant, collagen synthesis, iron absorption, immunity	Scurvy, intense fatigue, joint pains
D	Calciferol	Fatty fish, egg yolk, enriched diary products	Absorption of calcim, mineralization of bones, growth	Rickets, weakening of muscles and bones, osteoporosis
E	Tocopherol	Vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, green and orange vegetables	Antioxidant, protection of tissues	Weakness of red blood cells, nervous system development problems (child)
K	Phyllloquinone	Green vegetables, vegetable oils, tofu, magarine	Blood clotting, bone formation	Hemorrhages (newborn)
Source: Family Guide to Health, Visualize, Heal, Prevent

Dietary Minerals

Dietary Minerals are inorganic chemical elements that are indispensable for the body. Based on the quantity normally present in the body, a distnction is made between macroelements and oligoelements. The most well-known and widely used mineral is Calcium.

Macroelement	Source	Role	Deficiency
Phosphorus	Meats, fish, milk, grains, eggs, nuts, seeds, legumes	Composition of bones and teeth, maintenance of normal blood acidity	Bone demineralization, problems with sensitivity, cardiac, respiratory and neurological problems
Potassium	Vegetables, fruit, dairy products, legumes	Metabolism, blood pressure regulation, nerve conduction, muscular contraction	Neuromuscular and cardiac problems, confusion
Calcuim	Dairy products, canned fish, leafy vegetables	Composition of bones, muscular contraction, nerve conduction, blood clotting	Tetanus, neurological problems, osteoporosis
Magnesium	Whole grains, legumes, nuts, artichokes	Metabolism, muscular contraction, blood clotting, health of bones and teeth	Depression, confusion, cramps, numbness, cardiac problems, loss of appetite, tetanus
Sodium	Table salt, soy sauce	Composition of fluids, nerve conduction	Digestive and neurological problems, muscle cramps
Chlorine	Table salt	Composition of gastic juice	Digestive problems, muscle cramps, apathy
Sulfur	Grains, milk, eggs, legumes	Metabolism, immune system, composition of bones and teeth	Metabolism problems, vulnerability to infections
Source: Family Guide to Health, Visualize, Heal, Prevent

Oligoelement	Source	Role	Deficiency
Iron	Red meats, liver, shellfish, egg yolk, green vegetables, enriched grains, lentils	Composition of hemoglobin, metabolism	Anemia
Iodine	Sea salt and iodized table, fish shellfish, algae	Synthesis of steroidal hormones	Thyroid insufficiency, mental retardation (newborn)
Fluorine	Fluoridated water, supplements	Composition of teeth and bones	Increase in susceptibility to dental cavities
Cobalt	Meats, fish, milk, legumes, whole grains	Maturation of red blood cells	Anemia
Chromium	Whole grains, liver, green vegetables	Regulation of blood glucose and cholesterol	Increase in blood cholesterol level and risk of diabetes
Selenium	Meats, shellfish, fish, whole grains, eggs	Antioxidant	Muscle pain, increase in susceptibility to infections
Zinc	Shellfish, fish, whole grains, nuts	Metabolism, antioxidant	Fatigue, gout and smell problems, delayed growth, lowered immunity
Copper	Shellfish, whole grains, legumes, liver, nuts	Metabolism, immunity, bone and cartilage health	Anemia, osteoporosis
Manganese	Whole grains, nuts, legumes, green vegetables, fruit	Metabolism	Increase in cholesterol level, glucose intolerance
Source: Family Guide to Health, Visualize, Heal, Prevent

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) provide a set of recommendations of a standard daily allowance for each type of nutrient.