Download Water Soluble VitaminS

Water Soluble
Vitamins
Thiamin (B1)
Function: Used in metabolism of carbohydrates
for energy, electrolyte balance, muscle and nerve
function, and hydrochloric acid production in the
stomach.
Recommendations:
Adult men: 1.2mg
Adult women: 1.1mg
No Upper Limit
Deficiency: Rare- Beriberiloss of muscle function, nerve damage, mental
confusion
Toxicity: No toxicity known, but supplement use
should be used with caution.
Food Sources: Whole grains, rice, pasta, fortified cereals, organ meat, and pork.
Riboflavin (B2)
Function: Helps in energy production, making niacin, red blood cell formation, and human
growth.
Recommendations:
Adult men: 1.3mg
Adult women: 1.1mg
No Upper Limit, no toxicity
Deficiency: Uncommonanemia, mouth sores, sore throat, swelled mucous membranes, and skin disorders.
Food Sources: dairy, eggs, green leafy vegetables, nuts, meat, legumes, and enriched flour
Niacin (B3)
Function: Used in metabolism, to produce hormones, enzyme and nerve function, and reducing
cholesterol
Recommendations:
Adult men: 16mg
Adult women: 14mg
Upper Limit: 35mg
Deficiency: Pellagra is
characterized by the 4 D’s:
Dermatitis, Diarrhea, Dementia, and Death; rare
in US.
Toxicity: Flushing of skin, tingling in face or
chest, upset stomach, headache, dizziness. Only
occurs with supplement use.
Food sources: pork, turkey, fish, beef, peanut
butter, legumes, enriched and fortified grains.
Vitamin B6
Function: protein metabolism, blood cell formation, immune system function, and Niacin production
Recommendations:
Adult men: 1.3mg
Adult women: 1.3mg
Upper Limit: 100mg
Deficiency: uncommon but
includes convulsions, nausea,
depression, anemia, and
dermatitis.
Toxicity: Nerve damage but this can be reversible; be careful of supplement use.
Food Sources: chicken, pork, fish, whole grains,
nuts, and legumes
Vitamin B12
Pantothenic Acid
Function: blood cell production, neurological
function, DNA synthesis, and helps in production
of Methionine
Recommendations:
Adult men: 2.4mcg
Adult women: 2.4mcg
No upper limit
Deficiency: Pernicious anemiarare in US but symptoms are
anemia, fatigue, weight loss, neurological damage, and cognitive impairment.
Food sources: fish, beef, poultry, eggs, milk, and
fortified cereals
Function: used to make blood cells, cholesterol,
hormones and metabolize fat and carbohydrates.
Recommendations:
Adult men: 5mg
Adult women: 5mg
No upper limit
Deficiency: very rare- only seen in severe malnutrition. Symptoms are headache, fatigue, burning and numbness of feet.
Food sources: poultry, fish, whole grain cereals,
any whole, unprocessed foods.
Folic Acid
Function: Red blood cell synthesis, new cell
growth, amino acid synthesis.
Recommendations:
Adult men: 400mcg
Adult women: 400mcg
Upper Limit: 1,000mcg
Deficiency: anemia, birth
defects, and slowed growth
during growing phase. It is very important for
women of childbearing age to get enough folic
acid even if not expecting to be pregnant. Folic
acid is critical for growth and development in first
3 months yet this is the time period when most
women don’t even know they are pregnant.
Toxicity: None, but can mask B12 deficiency
Food sources: leafy vegetables, citrus fruits,
legumes, fortified cereals, and supplements.
Biotin
Function: Helps metabolize fats, protein, and
carbohydrate
Recommendations:
Adult men: 30mcg
Adult women: 30mcg
No Upper Limit or Toxicity
Deficiency: Rare but symptoms include hair loss,
dry scaly skin, cheilitis, fatigue and depression.
Food Sources: eggs, liver, yeast breads, and
cereals.
Vitamin C
Function: protein metabolism, cartilage production, producing carnitine and neurotransmitters,
regenerating antioxidants, and increasing absorption of non-heme iron (from plants)
Recommendations:
Adult men: 90mg
Adult women: 75mg
Upper Limit: 2000mg
Deficiency: Scurvysymptoms are bleeding,
bruising easily, hair and teeth
loss, joint pain and swelling,
and in severe cases death.
Toxicity: possibly oxalate kidney stones but only
seen with supplement use.
Food sources: citrus fruits, bell peppers of all
colors, berries, broccoli, tomatoes, and guava.
For more information:
Office of Dietary Supplements- Good resource
on vitamins-under General Information click full
list of fact sheets
Linus Pauling Institute-U of Ohio- good site for
more clinical information on vitamins. Click on
second link on the left.
University of Maryland Medical Clinic - Information on Niacin and how it can be used to treat
certain conditions.
Medline Plus - Good overall information on Riboflavin.