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THE VITAMIN ALPHABET

VITAMINS A AND D ARE FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS WHICH ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR HEALTH, AND WHICH ARE FREQUENTLY FOUND IN NATURE.

VITAMIN A PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE GROWTH AND REPAIR OF BODY TISSUES; PROTECTS EPITHELIAL TISSUES; HELPS KEEP THE SKIN SMOOTH, SOFT, AND DISEASE FREE; IS NECESSARY FOR THE GENERAL HEALTH OF EYE TISSUE; AND, IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE FORMATION OF VISUAL PURPLE, A SUBSTANCE IN THE EYES NECESSARY FOR GOOD VISION, ESPECIALLY NIGHT VISION.

VITAMIN D REGULATES THE AMOUNT OF CALCIUM AND PHOSPORUS IN THE BLOOD BY IMPROVING THEIR ABSORPTION AND UTILIZATION. BOTH MINERALS ARE NECESSARY FOR NORMAL GROWTH AND FORMATION OF BONES AND TEETH. THE UTILIZATION OF VITAMIN D IS LINKED WITH VITAMIN A.

THE COMPLEX B's

THE B VITAMINS CONSIST OF A LARGE NUMBER OF SUBSTANCES WHICH OCCUR IN NATURE AND WHICH ARE INVOLVED IN THE METABOLISM OF ALL LIVING CELLS. ACTING AS COENZYMES, THEY WORK TOGETHER WITH PROTEINS IN VARIOUS ENZYME SYSTEMS OF OUR BODY.

THE FUNCTIONS OF THE B VITAMINS ARE CLOSELY INTER-RELATED -- SYNERGISTIC, AND BECAUSE OF THESE CLOSE INTER-RELATIONSHIPS, A DEFICIENT INTAKE OF ONE OR MORE OF THEM CAN CAUSE DEFICIENCIES IN OTHERS BY HAMPERING THEIR UTILIZATION.

DURING TIMES OF STRESS, THE BODY REQUIRES MORE ENERGY; AND, THEREFORE, REQUIRES ADDITIONAL
B VITAMINS TO ASSIST IN THE METABOLIC PROCESS. BUT BECAUSE THE B VITAMINS ARE WATER-SOLUBLE AND ARE NOT STORED IN THE BODY, THEY MUST BE REPLACED DAILY, AND ANY EXCESS IS EXCRETED.

ALTHOUGH THE B VITAMINS DO WORK TOGETHER, THEY ALSO HAVE INDIVIDUAL FUNCTIONS.

VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE) IS A COENZYME NECESSARY FOR THE CONVERSION OF CARBOHYDRATES INTO GLUCOSE, WHICH IS BURNED IN THE BODY FOR ENERGY. IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE FUNCTIONING OF THE NERVOUS SYSTEM, AND A DEFICIENCY CAN CAUSE BERIBERI, A DISEASE MARKED BY WEAKNESS, PARALYSIS, AND EDEMA.

VITAMIN B2 (RIBOFLAVIN) IS A COENZYME WHICH ACTIVATES THE BREAKDOWN AND UTILIZATION OF CARBOHYDRATES, FATS, AND PROTEINS. IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR CELLULAR OXIDATION, AND A DEFICIENCY INVOLVES TISSUE INFLAMMATION AND AN OVER-SENSITIVITY TO BRIGHT LIGHT.

VITAMIN B6 (PYRIDOXINE) PLAYS A ROLE AS A COENZYME IN THE BREAKDOWN AND UTILIZATION OF CARBOHYDRATES, FATS, AND PROTEINS. IT FACILITATES THE RELEASE OF GLYCOGEN FOR ENERGY FROM THE LIVER AND MUSCLES, AND AIDS IN THE CONVERSION OF TRYPTOPHAN, AN ESSENTIAL AMINO ACID, TO NIACIN. IT ALSO PARTICIPATES IN THE UTILIZATION OF ENERGY IN BRAIN AND NERVOUS TISSUES; AND IS, THEREFORE, ESSENTIAL FOR THE REGULATION OF THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.

VITAMIN B12 (COBALAMIN) IS THE ONLY VITAMIN CONTAINING COBALT, AN ESSENTIAL TRACE MINERAL. IT IS ESSENTIAL FO THE NORMAL FUNCTIONING OF ALL BODY CELLS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE BONE MARROW, GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT, AND NERVOUS TISSUE, AND IS NECESSARY FOR THE FORMATION OF RED BLOOD CELLS.

BIOTIN IS AN ESSENTIAL COENZYME THAT ASSISTS IN THE MAKING OF FATTY ACIDS AND IN THE BURNING UP OF CARBOHYDRATES AND FATTY ACIDS FOR BODY HEAT AND ENERGY. IT ALSO AIDS IN THE UTILIZATION OF AMINO ACIDS, FOLIC ACID, PANTOTHENIC ACID, AND VITAMIN B12, AND IS A POTENT STIMULANT TO THE GROWTH OF HEALTH CELLS.

CHOLINE IS USUALLY CONSIDERED PART OF THE VITAMIN B COMPLEX. IT IS THE BASIC CONSTITUENT OF LECITHIN, WHICH FACILITATES MOVEMENT OF FAT FROM THE LIVER TO THE CELLS, AND IT MUST BE PRESENT BEFORE VITAMIN A CAN BE STORED. IT IS MANUFACTURED IN THE BODY FROM THE AMINO ACID, METHIONINE, ALONG WITH FOLIC ACID AND VITAMIN B12.

FOLIC ACID OR FOLACIN, FUNCTIONS ALONG WITH VITAMINS B12 AND C IN THE UTILIZATION OF PROTEINS, AND HAS AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN THE FORMATION OF HEME, THE IRON-CONTAINING PROTEIN IN HEMOGLOBIN, RELATING FOLIC ACID WITH THE FORMATION OF RED BLOOD CELLS. SOME FOLIC ACID IS PRODUCED BY INTESTINAL BACTERIA.

INOSITOL IS USUALLY CONSIDERED PART OF THE VITAMIN B COMPLEX, AND IS THOUGHT THAT ALONG WITH CHOLINE, INOSITOL IS NECESSARY FOR THE FORMATION OF LECITHIN WITHIN THE BODY.

NIACIN ALSO AVAILABLE IN THE FORM OF NIACINAMIDE, WHICH DOES NOT STIMULATE THE CIRCULATION, IS COENZYME THAT ASSISTS IN THE BREAKDOWN OF CARBOHYDRATES, FATS AND PROTEINS. NIACIN PROMOTES GOOD PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH AND IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE HEALTH OF THE SKIN, TONGUE, AND DIGESTIVE SYSTEM. THE DISEASE PELLEGRA IS A RESULT OF NIACIN DEFICIENCY.

PABA (PARA-AMINOBENZOIC ACID) MAY BE CONSIDERED PART OF THE VITAMIN B COMPLEX. IT INFLUENCES INTESTINAL BACTERIA, ENABLING THEM TO PRODUCE FOLIC ACID, WHICH IN TURN AIDS IN THE PRODUCTION OF PANTOTHENIC ACID. AS A COENZYME PABA FUNCTIONS IN THE BREAKDOWN AND UTILIZATION OF PROTEINS, AND IN THE FORMATION OF RED BLOOD CELLS.

VITAMIN B₁₃(OROTIC ACID), IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF NUCLEIC ACID. VITAL FOR THE REGENERATIVE PROCESSES IN CELLS. CONSIDERED TO BE OF SPECIAL VALUE IN THE TREATMENT OF MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS.

VITAMIN B₁₅ (PANGAMIC ACID), INCREASES THE BODY'S TOLERANCE TO HYPOXIA, OR INSUFFICIENT OXYGEN SUPPLY TO THE TISSUES AND CELLS. HELPS TO REGULATE FAT METABOLISM, STIMULATES THE GLANDULAR AND NERVOUS SYSTEMS, AND IS HELPFUL IN THE TREATMENT OF HEART DISEASE, ANGINA, ELEVATED BLOOD CHOLESTEROL, IMPAIRED CIRCULATION AND PREMATURE AGING. CAN HELP PROTECT AGAINST THE DAMAGING EFFECT OF CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING.
B15 IS ALSO A GOOD DETOXICANT.

VITAMIN B₁₇ FUNCTIONS AS A SPECIFIC PREVENTIVE AND CONTROLLING ANTI-CANCER EFFECT, AS PROPOSED BY ITS DISCOVERER, ERNST T. KREBS, JR.

THE COMPLEX C's

VITAMIN C IS A PROTECTIVE VITAMIN ESSENTIAL TO OVER-ALL BODY HEALTH, AND IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR MAINTAINING HEALTHY SKIN. ALSO KNOWN AS ASCORBIC ACID, VITAMIN C IS A WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMIN.

ITS PRIMARY FUNCTION IS TO MAINTAIN COLLAGEN, A PROTEIN NECESSARY FOR THE FORMATION OF SKIN, LIGAMENTS, BONES AND TEETH, AND FOR THE STRENGTH OF BLOOD VESSEL WALLS. IN ADDITION, VITAMIN C PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART IN THE ABSORPTION OF IRON, NECESSARY FOR THE FORMATION OF RED BLOOD CELLS, AND ALSO PLAYS A ROLE IN THE UTILIZATION OF FOLIC ACID, ONE OF THE B-COMPLEX VITAMINS.

IT IS WELL TO NOTE, THAT VITAMIN C IS DESTROYED BY FOOD PREPARATION MORE THAN ANY OTHER NUTRIENT, AND THAT THE BODY DOES NOT STORE VITAMIN C, BUT TENDS TO EXCRETE EXCESS AMOUNTS.

THE E GROUP

VITAMIN E (TOCOPHEROL) IS AN ESSENTIAL FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMIN. SEVERAL FORMS OF VITAMIN E EXIST IN NATURE, BUT ALPHA TOCOPHEROL, THE MOST BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE, IS OF GREATEST IMPORTANCE NUTRITIONALLY. ALL THE BODY TISSUES, ESPECIALLY THE ADRENAL AND PITUITARY GLANDS, HAVE HIGH CONCENTRATES OF VITAMIN E, BUT STORAGE IS MAINLY IN THE MUSCLES, FATTY TISSUES, AND LIVER.

AS AN ANTIOXIDANT, VITAMIN E HAS THE ABILITY TO COMBINE WITH OXYGEN, AND THUS PREVENTS THE FATS AND FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMIN A STORED IN THE BODY FROM BREAKING DOWN AND COMBINING WITH OTHER SUBSTANCES THAT MAY BECOME HARMFUL TO THE BODY.

THE NEED FOR VITAMIN E IS MODIFIED BY THE LEVEL OF POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS IN THE DIET; IT INCREASES AS THE POLYUNSATURATED-FATTY-ACID LEVEL INCREASES.

BIOFLAVONOIDS

BIOFLAVONOIDS (VITAMIN P) STRENGTHENS CAPILLARY WALLS AND PREVENTS OR CORRECTS CAPILLARY FRAGILITY. PREVENTS CAPILLARY HEMORRHAGING AND ACTS AS AN ANTI-COAGULANT. MAY PREVENT STROKES. PROTECTS VITAMIN C FROM DESTRUCTION IN THE BODY BY OXIDATION. VITAMIN C SYNERGIST - ENHANCES ITS PROPERTY. BENEFICIAL IN HYPERTENSION, RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS, HEMORRHOIDS, VARICOSE VEINS, HEMORRHAGING, BLEEDING GUMS, EXZEMA, PSORIASIS, RADIATION SICKNESS, CORONARY THROMBOSIS, ARTERIOSCLEROSIS.

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