Water Soluble Vitamins Daily Importance

Thiamine

• Sources: nuts, and grains
• Uses: Carbohydrate metabolism
• Deficiency leads to: Fatigue, irritability, loss of appetite; severe deficiency can lead to beri-beri

riboflavin

• Sources: vegetables, fruit, nutritional yeast
• Uses: Intracellular metabolism
• Deficiency leads to: Painful tongue and fissures to the corners of the mouth, chapped lips

Real Vitamins C & B Complex Group

Water-soluble vitamins, such as Vitamin C and the B vitamins are stored in the body for only a brief period of time and are then excreted by the kidneys. The one exception to this is vitamin B12, which is stored in the liver. Water-soluble vitamins need to be ingested or taken daily. Vitamin C (whole matrix) and the B complex group make up the nine water soluble vitamins.

Real vitamin C is a comprehensive matrix of many nutrients and natural compounds such as bioflavonoids, co-enzymes and unique cofactors that help our bodies absorb and utilize vitamin C effectively.

The B complex group comprises of vitamins:

• B6 (pyridoxine)
• B1 (thiamine)
• B2 (riboflavin)
• B12 (niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid and cobalamin)

Source and Reference: Mitchell May; The Synergy Company, Evolution Health) and MACKENZIE, B. (2001) Vitamins 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Pyridoxine

Sources: Poultry, fish, potatoes, chickpeas, bananas and fortified cereals and whole food supplements if required

Uses: Is important for normal brain development and for keeping the nervous system and immune system healthy.

Deficiency leads to: Will not have enough healthy red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your body's tissues (anemia), confusion, depression and a weakened immune system.

• Sources: Nutritional yeast
• Uses: Essential for manufacturing of genetic material in cells. Involved in the production of erythrocytes
• Deficiency leads to: pernicious anemia

Sources: Green vegetables and fruit

Uses: Essential for the maintenance of bones, teeth and gums, ligaments and blood vessels. It is also necessary for ensuring a normal immune response to infection

Deficiency leads to: Scurvy

Fat Solubles benefits and risks if the body is depleted of these precious nutrients.

• Sources: Is converted by the body from the beta-carotene found in green vegetables, carrots.
• Uses: Maintains the health of the epithelium and acts on the retina’s dark adaptation mechanism.
• Deficiency leads to: Keratinisation of the nasal and respiratory passage epithelium, night blindness

• Sources: Fish liver oils, dairy produce. Vitamin D is formed in the skin when it is exposed to sunlight
• Uses: Has a role in the absorption of calcium, which is essential for the maintenance of healthy bones
• Deficiency leads to: Rickets

Fat-soluble vitamins are essential organic substances needed in the small amounts in the diet for normal function growth, and maintenance of body tissues.

Fat-soluble vitamins are essential organic substances needed in small amounts in the diet for normal function, growth, and maintenance of body tissues. They are absorbed, together with fat from the intestine, into the circulation. Any dis-ease or dis-order that affects the absorption of fat, (such as coeliac dis-ease), could lead to a deficiency of these vitamins. Once absorbed into the circulation these vitamins are carried to the liver where they are stored. Vitamins A, D, E, and K make up the fat soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D, and K are stored in the liver and vitamin E is distributed throughout the Body’s fat tissue.They are stored in the body for long periods of time and generally pose a greater risk for toxicity when consumed in excess than water-soluble vitamins. Low-fat, no-fat and vegan diets generally lack in fat soluble vitamins; however a diet based on traditional foods–those foods that nourished our ancestors through their evolution– can naturally provide these vitamins.

Please refer to our Food/Healhy Fats section for further insight and valuable information on how to get fat-soluble vitamins in the body.

• Sources: Pure vegetable oils; wheatgerm, whole grains, nuts, sunflower seeds
• Uses: Protects tissues against damage; promotes normal growth and development; helps in normal red blood cell formation
• Deficiency leads to: May cause muscular malfunctions

• Sources: Green vegetables
• Uses: Used by the liver for the formation of prothrombin
• Deficiency leads to: Bleeding due to delayed clotting times caused by lack of clotting factors. Patients may show signs of bruising easily and have nosebleeds