Vitamin ABCs

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Vitamin C » Essential for healthy teeth, gums & Bones; helps heal wounds, scar tissue, & Fractures; prevents scurvy; builds resistance to infection; aids in the prevention & treatment of the common cold.

Vitamin E » Major anti-oxidant nutrient; retards cellular aging due to oxidation; supplies oxygen to the blood which is then carried to the heart and other organs.

Vitamin A (Beta Carotene) » Necessary for growth & repair of body tissues; helps maintain smooth, soft disease-free skin; helps protect the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose , throat & lungs, thereby reducing susceptibility to infections.

Selenium » Protection of cells from oxidative damage, affects immune response.

Zinc » Synthesis of proteins, RNA and DNA; wound healing; immune response; ability to taste.

For a basic daily supplement, you want a pill that contains 100% of the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) for all vitamins and minerals. This is especially important for men since minerals such as potassium, magnesium, selenium and zinc help regulate body functions and aid in the growth and maintenance of body tissues, and act as catalysts for the release of energy. The following is a table outlining the facts about vitamins and minerals:

FAT SOLUBLE

Vitamin	Dietary Source	Major Functions	Signs of Prolonged Deficiency	Toxic Effects Of Major Doses
Click for Vitamin A	Liver, milk, butter, cheese, carrots, spinach.	Maintenance of vision, skin, linings of nose, mouth, digestive and urinary tracts.	Night blindness; dry, scaling skin; loss of appetite; anemia; kidney stones.	Headache, vomiting and diarrhea, vertigo, double vision, liver damage, bone defects.
Vitamin D	Milk, fish oils, butter, egg yolks, sunlight.	Maintenance of bones and teeth; promotion of calcium absorption.	Bone softening, loss, and fractures in adults.	Kidney damage; calcium deposits in soft tissues, depression, and death.
Click for Vitamin E	Vegetable oils, whole grains, nuts & seeds, green leafy vegetables, asparagus, peaches.	Protection and maintenance of cellular membranes.	Red blood cell breakage and anemia, weakness, neurological problems, muscle cramps.	Relatively non-toxic, but may cause excess bleeding or formation of blood clots.
Vitamin K	Green leafy vegetables; smaller amounts widespread in other foods.	Production of essential blood clotting factors.	Hemorrhaging	None

WATER SOLUBLE

Click for Vitamin C	Peppers, broccoli, spinach, brussel sprouts, citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, potatoes, cabbage	Maintenance and repair of connective tissue, bones, teeth, and cartilage; promotion of healing and iron absorption	Scurvy, anemia, loose teeth, joint pain, poor healing, hair loss	Urinary stones, acid stomach, nausea, diarrhea, headache, fatigue
Thiamin	Whole-grain and enriched breads and cereals, organ meats, lean pork, nuts, legumes	Conversion of carbohydrates into usable forms of energy; maintenance of nervous system function	Beriberi (symptoms include muscle wasting, mental illness, anorexia, enlarged heart, nerve changes, abnormal heart rhythm)	None
Riboflavin	Dairy products, enriched breads and cereals, lean meats, poultry, fish, green vegetables	Energy metabolism; maintenance of skin and nervous system	Cracks at corners of mouth; sore throat; skin rash; hypersensitivity to light; purple tongue	None
Niacin	Conversion of carbohydrates, fats and proteins into usable energy	Pellagra (symptoms include diarrhea, dermatitis, inflammation of mucus membranes, dementia)	Flushing of skin, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, liver dysfunction, glucose intolerance	Headache, vomiting and diarrhea, vertigo, double vision, liver damage, bone defects
Vitamin B6	Eggs, poultry, fish, whole grains, nuts, soybeans, liver, kidney, pork	Protein and neurotransmitter metabolism; red blood cell synthesis	Anemia, convulsions, cracks at corners of mouth, dermatitis, nausea, confusion	Neurological abnormalities and damage
Foliate	Green leafy vegetables, yeast, oranges, whole grains, and legumes, liver	Amino acid metabolism, synthesis of RNA and DNA, new cell synthesis	Anemia, weakness, fatigue, irritability, shortness of breath, swollen tongue	Masking of vitamin B12 deficiency
Vitamin B12	Eggs, milk, meats, other animal foods	Metabolic reactions; synthesis of red and white blood cells	Anemia, fatigue, nervous system damage, sore tongue	None
Biotin	Cereals, yeast, egg yolks, soy flour, liver; widespread in foods	Metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins	Rash, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, depression, fatigue, hair loss	None
Pantothenic Acid	Animal foods, whole grains, legumes; widespread in foods	Metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins	Fatigue, numbness of hands and feet, gastrointestinal disturbances	None

After these basics in vitamins, minerals should also be looked at before taking them.

This table will hopefully clear up any inquiries that you may have about the use of vitamins and minerals. If you want some more information, just email me your questions on the subject because you're better safe than sorry.

Sources: Food and Nutrition Board, 1997-1998. Washington D.C.: National Academy Press. National Research Council. 1989. Recommended Dietary Allowances, 10th ed. Washington D.C. National Academy Press. Copyright û1989 by the National Academy of Sciences. Adapted with permission from the National Academy Press, Washington D.C. Shils, M.E. and V.R. Young eds. 1993. Modern Nutrition in Health and Disease, 8th ed.