An Overview of Vitamins

Introducing the Fat-soluble and Water-soluble Vitamins

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Part 1 – Introducing the Fat-soluble Vitamins

1. Vitamin A (retinol) is an antioxidant and is required for good vision, gene transcription, healthier skin and mucous membranes, and differentiation of your skin cells into specialised tissues. Beta-carotene is the precursor of vitamin A and is converted to vitamin A by your body.
   • Clues for deficiency: Night blindness, poor vision, and poor growth.
   • Sources: Baked sweet potato, egg yolk, butter, beef liver, and kidney.
     
   • Active form of supplementation: Retinyl palmitate (by mouth and not topical) > retinyl acetate
     
     
2. Vitamin D (calciferol) is needed for maximum absorption of calcium and phosphate in your intestines. Its presence in low levels increases bone mineralisation contributing to stronger bones. Vitamin D also acts like a hormone, and amazingly, every cell in your body has a receptor for it.
   • Clues for deficiency: Brittle bones (frequent bone fractures), osteoporosis, chronic pain, changes in mood (depression or anxiety), and unexplained weakness.
   • Sources: Salmon, mackerel, tuna, beef liver, and fortified foods like milk, cereal, yoghurt.
     
   • Active form of supplementation: Cholecalciferol > ergocalciferol
     
     
3. Vitamin E (tocopherol) is actually a group of vitamins that function as antioxidants. They protect your cell membranes from reactive oxygen species (ROS).
   
   
   • Clues for deficiency: Difficulty in coordination and walking, weakness, numbness and tingling sensation in your extremities, and decrease in visual acuity.
   • Sources: Vegetable oils like wheat germ oil and sunflower oil, nuts like almonds and peanuts, peanut butter and seeds (sunflower). insert image: 1640293
   • Active form of supplementation: D-alpha-tocopherol
     
     
4. Vitamin K is a collective name for a family of compounds required for blood clotting.
   • Clues for deficiency: Bleeding from your nose or gums, easy bruising, prolonged bleeding when you get wounded, heavy menstrual period, and blood in your stool or urine.
   • Sources: Natto, green vegetables like broccoli, kale, and spinach. insert image: 2778917 The beneficial bacteria in your intestines also synthesise vitamin K.
   • Active form of supplementation: Vitamin K2 as menaquinone-7 (MK-7). Inform your doctor first before supplementing with vitamin K if you’re taking anticoagulants (warfarin).
     

Part 2 – Introducing the Water-soluble Vitamins

1. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is required for various reactions involving amino acids (for building proteins) and carbohydrates (for producing energy) metabolism.
   • Clues for deficiency: Muscle weakness, numbness and tingling sensations in your extremities, irritable, loss of appetite, blurring of vision, and nausea and vomiting.
   • Sources: Pork, yeast, legumes, and whole grain cereals like brown rice and whole wheat.
   • Active form of supplementation: Thiamine hydrochloride and thiamine mononitrate > benfotiamine.
     
     
2. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) is needed in oxidation-reduction reactions (redox reactions) concerned with the production of energy, metabolism of fats, steroids, and drugs, and growth and development of cells.
   • Clues for deficiency: Cracking and dryness of the skin surrounding the mouth and nose, dry red tongue, skin rashes, weakness, and blurring of vision.
   • Sources: Green vegetables, fish, eggs, milk, and meat.
   • Active form of supplementation: Riboflavin-5-monophosphate
     
     
3. Vitamin B3 (niacin) takes part in oxidation-reduction reactions (redox reactions) that deal with the production of cholesterol and fatty acids and transfer of energy from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats to your cell’s energy currency (adenosine triphosphate, ATP).
   • Clues for deficiency: Fatigue, headache, red tongue, swollen mouth, and thick pigmented rash on sun-exposed skin areas.
   • Sources: Meat, especially beef liver, legumes, seeds, and cereals.
   • Active form of supplementation: Niacinamide (also called nicotinamide) > nicotinic acid
     
     
4. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) is a vital component in the production of coenzyme A (CoA), responsible for utilising carbohydrates and fats for energy production. It’s involved in producing cholesterol, sex hormones, and stress hormone (cortisol). It’s also needed in the production of your red blood cells.
   • Clues for deficiency: Deficiency for vitamin B5 is rare. Symptoms include muscle cramps, numbness and tingling sensations in the extremities, sleeping difficulty, nausea and vomiting, tiredness, and irritability.
   • Sources: Broccoli, milk, egg yolks, kidney, and liver.
   • Active form of supplementation: D-calcium-pantothenate
     
     
5. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is the collective name given to six compounds. It’s involved in the production of neurotransmitters like norepinephrine and serotonin and is needed for proper carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism.
   • Clues for deficiency: Sore, dry, and cracked lips, changes in mood, weak immune system, numbness and tingling sensations in your extremities, decreased energy, and swollen glossy tongue.
   • Sources: Nuts, whole grains, vegetables, and meat.
   • Active form of supplementation: Pyridoxal-5-phosphate, pyridoxine hydrochloride
     
     
6. Vitamin B7 (biotin) concerns itself mainly with amino acid metabolism and production of fatty acids and glucose.
   • Clues for deficiency: It’s very rare to have a deficiency of biotin. Symptoms include thinning of hair, rash around the eyes, mouth and nose, and numbness and tingling sensations in the extremities.
   • Sources: Beef liver, egg yolk, avocados, salmon, and nuts and seeds.
   • Active form of supplementation: Biotin
     
     
7. Vitamin B9 (folate) helps your body produce DNA, form red blood cells, grow tissues, and works closely with vitamin C and vitamin B12 to break and create new proteins.
   • Clues for deficiency: Swollen tongue, mouth ulcers, peptic ulcers, diarrhoea, grey hair, and poor growth.
   • Sources: Legumes, green leafy vegetables, and citrus fruits.
   • Active form of supplementation: Calcium-L-methylfolate, L-5-MTHF, and folic acid.
     
     
8. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) aids your body in making DNA, forming red blood cells, and is vital to the normal functioning of your central nervous system.
   • Clues for deficiency: Smooth tongue, pale skin, loss of appetite, weakness, palpitations, shortness of breath, and numbness and tingling sensation on your extremities.
   • Sources: Dairy and meat products
   • Active form of supplementation: Methylcobalamin, adenosylcobalamin, and hydroxocobalamin
     
     
9. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a potent antioxidant that is also utilised to repair bones, teeth, and cartilage, helps in the absorption of iron, healing of wounds, and production of an important protein (collagen) used to make blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, and skin.
   • Clues for deficiency: Joint and muscle pains, easy bruising, tiredness, weakness, dry skin, bleeding from your gums, nosebleeds, poor healing of your wounds, and weak immune system.
   • Sources: Citrus fruits, tomatoes, cabbage, potatoes, spinach, and strawberries.
   • Active form of supplementation: Liposomal, sodium ascorbate, ascorbic acid
     

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References