Are You Getting Enough Vitamin B1?

We hear a lot about vitamins A, C and E but not a lot is said about some of the other important vitamins such as vitamin B1 or Thiamin. This vitamin is an important part of the family of the B-complex vitamins and plays a vital role helping the body breakdown proteins fats and carbohydrates.

Vitamin B1 helps to keep the cardiovascular and nervous systems working properly as well as insure proper muscular function. In fact, vitamin B1 is so important that the bodies main source of fuel (adenosine triphosphate or ATP), would dry up if it were not for this vitamin. The heart in particular uses this fuel to pump blood as well as supply the blood cells with oxygen.

It is thought that vitamin B1 may benefit those with congestive heart failure and it is also said to help with the tingling and numbness found with nerve damage. In addition, it is said to be a mood booster and can you feel more alert and energetic.

Vitamin B1 is a water soluble vitamin meaning that whatever the body does not use is excreted in the urine. This means that you can really overdose on B1 as it is not stored in the body. It also means that if it is not replenished on a regular basis you may become deficient in.

Are You Getting Enough Vitamin B1?

How much vitamin B1 do you need? Well, that's not easy to say as a determination has not been officially made yet. Most experts, however, say that 1.5 mg a day is a good amount for both adult men and adult women.

Sources of vitamin D include wheat germ, whole grain cereals, pork, peace, oysters, whole wheat and rye flour, oranges, raisins, fish and beans such as navy, kidney and garbanzo. Some of the best sources include beef liver, brew is used and kidney.

These days, vitamin B1 deficiency is pretty rare, but you may be at risk the older you get sense levels of this vitamin decline as you age. If you consume a lot of alcohol you also may be at risk.

Symptoms of a vitamin B1 deficiency are also symptoms of many other diseases and if you have any of these you should see your doctor right away. These include nerve and muscle problems, mental confusion and rapid heartbeat.

Vitamin B1 plays an important role in the transmission of signals between the spinal cord and brain and insufficient amounts of this vitamin could lead to tingling nerves, tiredness, depression, nausea, headaches and loss of appetite.

Benefits of Vitamin B5, Sources and Deficiency

Vitamin B5 is also known as pantothenic acid. Its name is derived from the Greek word pantos meaning "from everywhere," as small quantities of pantothenic acid are found in nearly every food.

In its functional form, vitamin B5 gets combined with another small, sulfur-containing molecule to form coenzyme A (or CoA). This conversion allows vitamin B5 to participate in a wide variety of chemical and organic reactions. Coenzyme A is needed to carry out various metabolic functions, and for the generation of energy in the form of ATP from fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

Roger J. Williams, the discoverer of pantothenic acid suggested that Vitamin B5 might be helpful in the management of certain medical disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis.

Functions of Vitamin B5 -

* Vitamin B5 is also known as the anti-stress vitamin at times. It is one of the eight water soluble B complex vitamins.

* Vitamin B5 helps production of the cellular antioxidant glutathione, and is therefore an essential vitamin for all life forms.

* Helps in the break down carbohydrates, proteins and fats for energy - thus a stamina enhancer.

* This vitamin plays an important role in production of adrenal hormones in the adrenal glands.

* Vitamin B5 helps to produce neurotransmitters, cholesterol required for proper nerve and muscle performance.

* It is also responsible for haemoglobin production and metabolism of toxins by the liver.

* It plays an important role in cell division, DNA reproduction and RNA transcription.

* It regulates the formation of stress hormones and hair pigmentation.

Deficiency of Vitamin B5 -

It is an unlikely that an adult will have a deficiency of vitamin B5 because of the availability of B5 in many foods, plus the fact that it is also produced by our intestinal bacteria.
However, a deficiency of Vitamin B5 causes fatigue, muscle weakness, personality changes, psoriasis, and headache. Vitamin B5 is often used to treat the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, edema, swelling, pain, and stiffness in joints.

Pantothenic acid is also recommended to prevent stress and relieve insomnia, arthritis, food intolerance and teeth grinding.

Oral application of pantothenic acid helps relieve many skin problems and cure wounds.

Who are at risk of Vitamin B5 deficiency?

* Women who are on birth control pills are recommended to take extra doses of Vitamin B5.

* Smokers and alcoholics also fall under this category.

* People undergoing stress, prone to allergies or eating too many refined foods might develop a shortage of this vitamin.

Symptoms of Vitamin B5 deficiency -

· painful & burning feet

· skin abnormalities

· numbness and poor coordination

· abdominal and muscle cramps

· vomiting

· anaemia

· insomnia and depression

· stunted growth

· restlessness

Most of these symptoms and signs get resolved with external administration of pantothenic acid.
Vitamins B12, folic acid and biotin are required for proper use of vitamin B5 in the body's biochemical activities. In addition, vitamin C somewhat helps prevent B5 deficiency.

Dosage of Vitamin B5 -

Since deficiency of pantothenic acid is rare, so there is no recommended daily intake for this vitamin. Pantothenic acid is mostly included in B-complex multivitamins. The RDA for men is 10 mg and women is 8 mg.

Normal daily intake of pantothenic acid for adults is 4 to 7 milligrams. Vitamin B5 should be taken with water, preferably after eating.

Pantothenic acid does not usually cause any side effects, but pregnant and lactating mothers should be careful to consume only the normal daily intake.

Vitamin B5 can be found in multivitamins, B complex vitamins, or sold individually under the name of pantothenic acid and calcium pantothenate. It is available in a variety of forms including tablets and capsules, and must be taken under medical supervision.

Dietary sources of Vitamin B5 -

The term pantothenic acid is derived from the Greek word pantos, meaning everywhere. Vitamin B5 is widely distributed in plant and animal food sources, where it occurs in both bound and free forms.
Pantothenic acid is richly found in peanuts, liver, kidney, cauliflower, mushrooms, seeds and other nuts, pumpkin, mushrooms, legumes, sweet potato, milk, soya, cheese, egg yolk, fish, chicken, wholegrain bread and cereals, and bananas. The richest sources of the vitamin are the ovaries of cod and tuna fish.
Breakfast cereals are also a good source if they have been fortified with pantothenic acid.
Do not add soda to the water used for cooking vegetables - it will destroy the pantothenic acid.

Vitamin B5 storage -

Vitamin B5 is relatively unstable in food, and significant amounts of this vitamin can be lost through cooking, freezing, and commercial processing.
Vitamins are easily destroyed and washed out during food preparation and storage. Store vitamin supplements at room temperature, in a dry place that is free of moisture.

Vitamin Supplements and Women's Health

If you are not eating a healthy diet, the first thing you need to do is make necessary improvements for your nutritional needs. Women can also benefit from taking a good multivitamin with iron. Many women of reproductive age are slightly anemic, meaning they have a lower red blood count than they should because of their menstrual cycle every month. This can cause a loss of iron every month.

Women can have a higher blood count when they replace loss of iron by taking a multivitamin supplement with iron. Another benefit from taking such a supplement it can also cause them to have less tiredness and more energy.

Women who have tender breast can find a vitamin E supplement helpful. Women have found taking up to 1,000 IU (international units) per day have relief with this problem. But taking this much of the vitamin some women have found side effects such as becoming irritable, bloated, or having oily skin. Women who have reduced their intake to 400 IU find they still find relief from breast discomfort without the side effects.

Women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome have found vitamin B6 beneficial.

Women over the age of thirty five need to take extra calcium every day. Women from the age of thirty five until menopause need 1,000 mg of calcium every day. 1,500 mg per day is needed after menopause. Women who take estrogen after menopause only need 1,000 mg per day because of the effects of estrogen on their bodies they will not require the extra calcium.

The Journal of the American Medical Association revealed that taking prenatal vitamins for six weeks or longer before getting pregnant offered some protection against neural tube defects in the baby. The key element seems to be folic acid.

Most obstetricians agree it is good for women who are planning to become or are pregnant to take prenatal vitamins. They find women benefit from the additional calcium, folic acid and extra iron during pregnancy. Over the counter prenatal vitamin supplements work fine.

Excessive amounts of vitamins should not be taken. Excessive doses of vitamins A, D, E, and K should be especially avoided. This can be harmful. Disease may result if the vitamins are absorbed in the body's fat and accumulated in large amounts.

Women who will benefit from taking vitamin supplements particularly are people with specific diseases that make vitamin intake necessary, the elderly and often premature infants. Also, those who are inclined to avoid healthy eating habits!

Vitamin E Oil

Vitamin E is described as the "lightening rod" of the cell, allowing reactive molecules to strike the cell without damaging it. This is apparent in the case of skin, where vitamin E protects the skin from ultraviolet radiation. Vitamin E-rich foods, when taken, can directly travel to the skin cell membranes and protect the skin.

Vitamin E comes in the form of gels, capsules and oils. Oils and gels can be applied topically to help protect the skin and also for scars. Vitamin E contains alpha-tocopherol, either 100 % pure or mixed. Alpha-tocopherol in its natural form is powdery and thick. Hence, it is mixed with a carrier like olive oil. Vitamin E oil is processed from vegetable oils like corn, soya and canola through vacuum distillation. It is heavy and viscous.

Vitamin E oil has a shelf life of about two to three years. When exposed to air, it reacts with oxygen and hence becomes inactive, resulting in a reduced shelf life and potency. Similarly, exposure to extreme heat also reduces the shelf life. As such, vitamin E oil should be stored under well-protected conditions.

Generally, manufacturers of vitamin E oil add ingredients like glycerides, and therefore, vitamin E content may be in the range of 18-20%. The IU value of the oil (International Units, 100 IU is equal to 67 mg for natural vitamin E and 45 mg for synthetic) may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, depending on the type of tocopherol present and the percent in the oil. For instance, oil processed from soya will be rich in gamma-tocopherol.

Synthetically produced vitamin E oil comes in the form of esters of tocopherols, mostly acetates and succinates. The esters are more resistant to oxidation during storage than unesterified tocopherols. These are mainly used in pharmaceutical formulations and food formulations to fortify food. They are packed in soft gelatin capsules. The bioavailability of these esterified tocopherols is same as that of unesterified ones and is measured in IU.

Inside Scoop on Liquid Vitamin B12

Liquid b12 vitamins are important thing to consider when looking at the various forms of liquid b supplement. In fact B 12 is easily one of the best kinds of supplementary vitamin to take which I will discuss as we get further into the information.

First we need to understand what it does and how liquid vitamin b12 affects the body. It is integral in the function of the brain and nervous system. The formation of blood cells and the metabolism of all the cells in your body are also Part of what concerns them.

When the body into vitamin B12, an unusual disease called pernicious anemia deficiency can lead to fatal as a rule. I want to reiterate that this does not get to highlight a common disease, but the importance of each liquid can be added because the body is a complete range of vitamins and minerals necessary for the function.

Also, the reason why we focus on the "liquid-specific focus," B12 pill and not a standard. B12, but it is very important for the peoplebody, is also prone to not be absorbed well by the human body, which is why the b12 deficiency can occur. With liquid supplemental vitamins , even a person who does not regulate their folate well will have a better chance of being healthy.

Now that you know that vitamin b12 absorption is important, you need to start looking at b 12 food sources that you can add to your diet and where you can find liquid vitamin b12 online. As I have said before and will say again, you can always find the best health information online, though it might take you a while to really discover the source you are most comfortable with.

There are some promises about this form of b supplements that have not been verified that are worth looking into also. For instance, when I worked at a camp one summer, it was common practice for the counselors to take either a pill or liquid b 12 supplement as it helped to reduce the amount of mosquito's bites. Strange but true.

Some have referred to it as the energy supplement b because of how important is in blood formation and cell metabolism. You may have a lack you do not even know about, so adding it to your diet could give you that burst of energy you should have been having the whole time.

Again, if you choose to buy vitamin b liquid or in solid form, just take the time to do a little research and find a trustworthy and inexpensive internet store. There is no point in spending too much money for your supplements.

I hope you have enjoyed this brief introduction to the liquid vitamin B12 and may use the information to make life healthier.