Facts About Vitamins

We all know that vitamins and minerals are important but what do they do and how much do we need?  Let's take a closer look!

NAME	MAIN FUNCTIONS	SOURCES	DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS	RDA/ DRI/ AI
VITAMIN A	Helps skin and eyes remain healthy; promotes growth	Dark green leafy vegetables, cantaloupe, fish, liver carrots and sweet potatoes	Night blindness Dry scaly skin	M: 1000 ug RE F: 800 ug RE
VITAMIN D	Helps with calcium and phosphorus metabolism; maintains optimal calcification of bone	Sunlight, egg yolks, fortified milk and cereal	Soft bones or rickets Osteomalacia	AI 5-10 ug
VITAMIN E	Antioxidant, helps resist hemolysis of red blood cells	Vegetable oils, whole grains and green vegetables	Hemolysis of red blood cells; nerve destruction	M: 10 mg F: 8 mg
VITAMIN K	Forms prothrombin in the liver; aids in blood clotting	Spinach, kale, dark green leafy vegetables	Hemorrhage Affected by mineral oil, antibiotics & anticoagulants	M: 80 ug F:  65 ug
VITAMIN B1 (THIAMIN)	Oxidation of carbohydrates; nerve functions	Whole grains, wheat germ, pork and liver	Muscle weakness, Beri Beri, memory loss	M:  1.2 mg F:  1.1 mg
VITAMIN B 2 (RIBOFLAVIN)	Helps release energy from protein	Liver, kidney, meat and milk	Growth failure, cheilosis (cracked lips), eye disorders	M: 1.3 mg F: 1.1 mg
NIACIN	Helps with carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism	Protein foods, peanuts, mushrooms, bran, enriched grains	Pellagra, dermatitis, diarrhea	M:  16 NE F:  14 NE
FOLATE	DNA synthesis, forms red blood cells in the bone marrow	Liver, kidney, citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables	Megaloblastic anemia; inflammation of the tongue, diarrhea, mental disorders	400 ug (800 ug for pregnant women)
B 6	Co-enzyme in amino acid metabolism, deamination & transamination	Meat, wheat, corn, yeast, pork, liver	Seizures, anemia, headaches, nausea, vomiting, flaky skin	M: 1.3 - 1.7 mg F:  1.3 – 1.5 mg
B 12	Co-enzyme in protein synthesis; helps form red blood cells	Liver, meat, milk; very few non-animal sources	Macrocytic or pernicious anemia	2.4 ug
PANTOTEHNIC ACID	Co-enzyme A; energy synthesis of fatty acids	Animal foods, grains, legumes	Decreased appetite; tingling in hands and feet, nausea	AI 5 mg
ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C)	Strengthens inter cellular structures, wound healing, aids in iron absorption	Citrus fruits, potatoes, dark green leafy vegetables, yellow vegetables	Scurvy, poor wound healing, increased susceptibility to colds/flu	60 mg