Vitamin G
Tidbit: Vitamin G is
an old term for riboflavin.
Vitamin H3
Tidbit: Vitamin H3 was
once listed in the Merck Index for para- aminobenzoyldiethylaminoethanol
hudrochloride. This was based on the work of a Rumanian scientist, Dr. Ana
Aslan who used procaine preparations as a youth drug. Her drug was very
popular in the 60's, and research still goes on today. Her preparations
break down into para-aminobenzoic acid (B-complex factor) and DEAE
(related to choline precursors), and thus produced vitamin-like
properties. A few researchers postulated that there was a unique vitamin
property to the original substance as well. Her drug, called Gerovital-H3,
thus became listed in the Merck Index as "vitamin H3". This terminology
has since been dropped, and the hypothesis is rejected by most doctors in
the United States.
RDA: Not established
Iodine
What it's Good For:
Making thyroid hormones that control metabolism.
Where do I get it? Lobster, shrimp, bread,
milk and iodized salt.
Standard Process® Supplements:
Allorganic Trace Minerals B12®,
Cataplex® F Tablets,
Iodomere®,
Organic Iodine.
RDA: 150 mcg for adults.
Iron, Heme Iron, Non-Heme Iron
What They're Good For:
Making hemoglobin in blood and myoglobin in muscle, which supply oxygen to
cells. Iron is a A MINERAL that is essential not only to good health but
also to life itself. The bulk of the iron in the human body is in the red
blood cells' hemoglobin; in fact, it is what makes blood red. Hemoglobin
shuttles oxygen from the lungs to every body cell, and without iron,
hemoglobin cannot do its job. Another compound, myoglobin, grabs iron from
hemoglobin and stores it in muscles where it's crucial to proper muscle
function. On hemoglobin's trip to the lungs, its iron carries carbon
dioxide, which we then expel as we exhale. And that's not all. Iron is
part of the chemical makeup of several vital enzymes and proteins and
plays a major role in energy metabolism.
All dietary iron, however, is not created equal. There are two basic
types: heme iron, the easily absorbable form that accounts for 40 percent
of the iron in meats, and nonheme iron, the not-so-easily assimilable form
present in vegetables. How well the body absorbs it depends on many things
— whether there's sufficient VITAMIN C, whether antacids, high-FIBER or
oxalate-rich foods, or coffee or tea are also present. Each of them
can thwart the body's ability to absorb iron.
Sometimes hemochromatosis, a possibly inherited inability to metabolize
iron, is responsible for an iron buildup. Overloads of iron can damage the
liver and pancreas, leading in some cases to diabetes.
Where do I get it? Molasses (especially
blackstrap), calf's liver, dried beans, dried prunes and prune juice,
whole-wheat and enriched bread, meat and poultry, eggs, broccoli, beet
greens, kale and, yes, green leafy vegetables like Popeye's spinach.
Standard Process® Supplements:
Chlorophyll Complex Perles Fat Soluble,
Ferrofood®.
RDA: Between 10 to 12 mg for men and 12 to 15
mg for women.
Deficiency Symptoms:Children deficient in
iron often display many of the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity
Disorder — restlessness, disruptiveness, inability to concentrate — and
these may appear long before blood tests show any lack of iron. The reason
is that a child's brain reacts to an iron deficit early on. Adults
deficient in iron, on the other hand, tire easily, become apathetic,
unmotivated — and usually before anemia develops.
An iron deficiency is usually defined as dwindling reserves of iron in the
body in general. Anemia, on the other hand, refers specifically to reduced
levels of hemoglobin. With less iron present, the blood cells can't ferry
sufficient oxygen from the lungs to body tissues. Symptoms of anemia
include extreme fatigue, overall weakness, headaches, apathy and pallor.
Watch Out: Iron supplements even in small
amounts can be toxic to young children. Keep iron and multis with iron out
of reach. Some two thousand American children suffer from iron poisoning
every year, mostly because they've gobbled powerful iron supplements that
were carelessly left within their reach (all it takes to kill a 22-pound
toddler are five 110-milligram iron pills).
If the body is to absorb iron properly, it needs vitamin C. Certain other
compounds block the body's ability to absorb iron: antacids, dietary
fiber, coffee, tea, PHOSPHATES salts such as calcium phosphate, and
phytates (substances found in whole grains and soy products).
Vitamin I
Tidbit: Vitamin I is
an old term for biotin. The term "vitamin I" was also used as an old term
for vitamin B7. The term "vitamin I" was proposed for an undiscovered
substance composed of vitamins A and E that was formed internally in the
body. This was based on observations that both vitamins have many similar
effects. Later, this theory was dropped. The similar effects noted for
these and other vitamins may have been the antioxidant activity, which is
exhibited by many substances. The term "vitamin I" was also used by a few
researchers to denote biotin.)
RDA: Not established
Vitamin J
Tidbit: Vitamin J is
an old term for choline. The term "vitamin J" was also used by some
researchers to denote vitamin C2, chatechol (flavin), a bioflavinoid.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin K
What it's Good For:
Helps blood clot.
Where do I get it? Green beans, green leafy
vegetables, dairy products, eggs, meats, cereals, fruits and vegetables.
Standard Process® Supplements:
Chlorophyll Complex Perles Fat Soluble.
RDA: Between 60 to 65 mcg for women and 70 to
80 mcg for men.
Vitamin L-1
Tidbit: Vitamin L1 is
anthranilic acid or ortho-aminobenzoic acid, a vitamin required for
lactation in human females.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin L-2
Tidbit: Vitamin L2 is
adenyl thiomethylpentose, an alternate form of vitamin L.
RDA: Not established
Magnesium
What it's Good For:
Enzyme activation, nerve and muscle function, and bone growth.
Where do I get it? Nuts, meats, leafy
vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes.
Standard Process® Supplements:
Calcium Lactate,
Cal Ma Plus®,
Chlorophyll Complex Perles Fat Soluble,
Magnesium Lactate,
Min Tran®.
Tidbit: Magnesium supplements may help ward
off migraine headaches.
DRI: Between 280 to 300 mg for women, 350 to
400 mg for men.
Manganese
What it's Good For:
Essential for reproductive function, physical growth, normal formation of
bones and cartilage and normal brain function.
Where do I get it? Whole grains and cereals,
fruits, vegetables and tea.
Standard Process® Supplements:
Allorganic Trace Minerals B12®,
Cataplex® E,
E Manganese,
Ligaplex® II,
Manganese B12.
DRI or RDA: None.
Mineral
What is it?
Inorganic (carbon-free) elements that turn to ash when burned. Of the
more than three dozen known minerals, nineteen are necessary for good
health. See MACROMINERALS; MICROMINERALS. See also the individual minerals
— ARSENIC; CALCIUM; CHLORINE; CHROMIUM; COPPER; FLUORINE; IODINE; IRON;
MAGNESIUM; MANGANESE; MOLYBDENUM; NICKEL; PHOSPHORUS; POTASSIUM; SELENIUM;
SILICON; SODIUM; SULFUR and ZINC.
Macrominerals are comprised of the seven MINERALS needed by the human body
in relatively large amounts: CALCIUM, chlorine (see CHLORIDE), MAGNESIUM,
PHOSPHORUS, POTASSIUM, SODIUM and SULFUR.
Microminerals also known as trace elements or trace minerals are the
twelve minerals we need in minute quantities for good health: ARSENIC,
CHROMIUM, COPPER, FLUORINE, IODINE, IRON, MANGANESE, MOLYBDENUM, NICKEL,
SELENIUM, SILICON and ZINC. Many nutritionists now believe that three
others should be added to this list: BORON, TIN and VANADIUM.
For a detailed discussion of the trace minerals go
here.
Molybdenum
What it's Good For:
As a component of three different enzymes, it's involved in the metabolism
of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) iron and food converts food into energy.
Helps breakdown toxic build ups of sulfites in the body. May help prevent
cavities.
Where do I get it? Milk, lima beans, spinach,
breads, liver and cereals.
Standard Process® Supplements:
DRI or RDA: None.
Monounsaturated fats
What They're Good For:
A nutrient that provides dietary energy without raising cholesterol
levels.
Where you get them: Olive oil, canola oil,
and peanut oil.
Standard Process® Supplements:
DRI or RDA: None.
Vitamin N
Tidbit: Vitamin N is
thioctic acid or alpha-lipoic acid. It acts as an acetate replacing factor
and pyruvate oxidation factor in the human body. It is lipid soluble, so
is no longer conside. Its deficiency causes decreased ATP production
resulting in fatigue and decreased muscle strength. Used by weight lifters
and body builders. It is not clear if this is a required nutrient, or if
the body can make enough of its own.
RDA: Not established
Phosphorus
What it's Good For:
Helps form bones and teeth, builds muscle and is involved in almost all
metabolic actions in the body.
Where do I get it? Milk, meat, poultry, fish,
eggs, whole grains, seeds and nuts.
Standard Process® Supplements:
Calcifood® Wafers,
Calsol®,
Phosfood® Liquid,
Soy Bean Lecithin,
Super EFF®.
DRI: 800 mg to 1,200 mg for adults.
Polyunsaturated fats
What They're Good For:
A nutrient that provides dietary energy without raising cholesterol
levels.
Where you get them: Corn oil, safflower seed
oil, sunflower seed oil, sesame oil, soybean oil and fish oil.
Standard Process® Supplements:
DRI or RDA: None.
Potassium
What it's Good For:
Helps keep blood pressure down and aids muscle contractions, aids healthy
electrical activity in the heart and rapid transmission of nerve impulses
throughout the body.
Where do I get it? Dried fruits, most raw
vegetables, citrus fruits, molasses, and sunflower seeds.
Standard Process® Supplements:
DRI or RDA: None.
Protein
What it's Good For:
Keeps the body running, made from different combinations of amino acids.
More information can be found
here.
Where do I get it? Meat, eggs, dairy products,
beans, whole grains, and vegetables.
RDA: Between 46 and 63 g for adults.
Vitamin P
Tidbit: Vitamin P
denotes the bioflavinoids. Vitamin P1 denots rutin. Vitamin P2 denotes
hesperidin. Vitamin P4 denotes troxerutin.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin PP
Tidbit: Vitamin PP was
an old term for
niacin.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin Q
Tidbit: Vitamin Q was
a substance announced by a Dr. Quick, who reported that its deficiency
caused a lack of blood clotting. Although it was extracted from soy beans,
alfalfa and clover, like coenzyme Q10, it was not isolated to a specific
substance. It is not clear if the coenzyme Q10 complex is related.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin Q1 to Q7
Tidbit: Vitamin Q1
through vitamin Q7 denote coenzymes Q1 through Q7, respectively, but
cannot be used as precursors to coenzyme Q10 in humans.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin Q8 & Q9
Tidbit: Vitamin Q8 and
vitamin Q9 denote coenzyme Q8 and coenzyme Q9, respectively, and are
precursors to coenzyme Q10.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin Q10
Tidbit: Vitamin Q10
denotes coenzyme Q10.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin Q199
Tidbit: Vitamin Q199
was an alternate term for coenzyme Q10.
RDA: Not established
RDA: Recommended Dietary Allowance
What is it? Nutrient
intake recommendations from the Institute of Medicine, an arm of the
American Academy of Sciences. RDAs are safe levels of intake for essential
nutrients, based on current scientific knowledge. They are set to meet the
known nutrient needs or practically all healthy people. RDAs have been
around and updated regularly for more than 50 years. RDAs are gradually
being replaced by revised guidelines called Dietary Reference Intakes or
DRIs.
Vitamin R
Tidbit: Vitamin R was
an old term for
vitamin B10.
RDA: Not established
Saturated Fat
What it does: Shown
to raise cholesterol, associated with a risk of heart disease.
Where do I get it? Butter, lard, meat,
poultry, whole-milk dairy foods, palm oil, and coconut oil.
DRI or RDA: None.
Selenium
What it's Good For:
Works with vitamin E as an antioxidant and binds with toxins in the body,
rendering them harmless.
Where do I get it? Lobster, clams, crabs,
whole grains, Brazil nuts and oysters.
Standard Process® Supplements:
RDA: 55 mg for women and 70 mg for men.
Sodium
What is it? Regulates
and balances the amount of fluids outside the cells in the body. Aids in
muscle contractions and nerve function.
Where do I get it? Processed foods and table
salt.
DRI or RDA: None.
Vitamin S
Tidbit: Vitamin S was
an old term for
vitamin B11.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin T
Tidbit: Vitamin T is
Goetsch's vitamin in the form of mycoine or penicin.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin U
Tidbit: Vitamin U was
originally an old term for folic acid. The term was later used for an
ulcer-preventative factor discovered in cabbage, alfala, celery and cereal
grasses. That substance was isolated down to methylmethioninesulfonium
chloride.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin
What is it? Essential to life, these thirteen
organic compounds perform dozens of vital jobs in the body. Vitamin
entered our vocabulary only in 1912, when the first one — thiamin or B1 —
was isolated. We now know that some of the devastating diseases of the
past — beriberi, rickets, scurvy — were nothing more than acute vitamin
deficiencies. To prevent future deficiencies, the Food and Nutrition Board
of the National Academy of Sciences devised recommended
dietary allowances, the daily amounts of the different food nutrients
considered adequate for healthy individuals. These figures are updated
every five to ten years, the last update being 1989. The book on vitamins
is far from complete. Research continues and few scientists doubt that new
vitamins, even new roles for existing vitamins, will surface. There are 13
vitamins now known: VITAMIN A, vitamin B1, VITAMIN B2 (riboflavin),
NIACIN, VITAMIN B6 (pyridoxine), VITAMIN B12 (cobalamin), FOLIC ACID,
PANTOTHENIC ACID, BIOTIN, VITAMIN C, VITAMIN D, VITAMIN E and VITAMIN K.
Vitamin V
Tidbit: Vitamin V is
possibly nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide/NAD. Its deficiency causes
developmental problems in chicks. The term "vitamin V" was also used by
some researchers to denote para-aminobenzoic acid.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin W
Tidbit: Vitamin W is
being researched, but may turn out to be biotin, because it has similar
properties.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin X
Tidbit: Vitamin X is
a term that has been used for almost every undiscovered vitamin until its
true chemical nature was identified. Most notably, it was during the
search for vitamin B12, the search for vitamin E, and the isolation of
biotin.
RDA: Not established
Vitamin Y
Tidbit: Vitamin Y is
being researched, but may turn out to be vitamin B6, because it has
similar properties.
RDA: Not established
Zinc
What it's Good For:
Essential for normal growth, development and immunity. Helps maintain
skin, hair and bones. Keeps reproductive organs functioning and helps in
the perception of taste and the ability to see at night.
Where do I get it? Beef, poultry, liver,
oysters, eggs and dairy products.
RDA: Between 12 to 15 mg for women and 15 mg
for men.
Vitamin Z
Tidbit: Strangely
enough, there has never been a vitamin with the name of "Z".
Sources of Information:
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