Are you lacking these fat-soluble vitamins?
Are you lacking these fat-soluble vitamins?
The content of this article:
Are you lacking these fat-soluble vitamins
- Fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins
- Vitamin A
- Risk factors for vitamin A deficiency
- Symptoms and complications of vitamin A deficiency
- Food source of vitamin A
- Vitamin D
- Low levels of vitamin D are associated with an increased risk of these diseases and disorders
- Causes and risks of vitamin E deficiency
- Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency
- Food source of vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Risks and causes of vitamin K deficiency
- Symptoms of vitamin K deficiency
- Food source of vitamin K
In the early 20th century, it was thought that humans only needed four nutrients: protein, carbohydrates, fats and minerals. Since then, our understanding of health and nutritional needs has evolved considerably. In particular, knowledge about disease prevention, chronic diseases and general disability.
One of the important things we have learned about health is that a serious lack of certain vitamins can lead to well-known diseases such as:
Lack of vitamin D caused by rickets
Lack of niacin-induced pellagra
Lack of vitamin C caused by scurvy
Lack of vitamin B1 (thiamine) caused by beriberi
With the advent of “food fortification” and improved food supplies worldwide, vitamin deficiency is considered to have been widely eliminated. However, we recently learned that a person's unique genetics, lifestyle, exposure to environmental toxins, and intake of antioxidants can cause certain people to have unique demands for certain vitamins and minerals that may be more demanding than Another person's needs are big. In addition, the absence of certain diseases does not mean that the nutrients absorbed by one person are sufficient.
Each of us belongs to one of the following categories:
Lack of one or more nutrients
Have the exact amount of nutrients needed at all times
Excessive one or more specific nutrients (which will be stored or discharged).
The first case requires attention. According to a 2006 report by the World Health Organization (WHO), one in three people worldwide lacks vitamins and/or minerals. This is a problem that may affect generations. Long-term health consequences can be terrible when children and pregnant women are affected by vitamin deficiency. These deficiencies are not only seen in underweight people, but also overweight and obese people may be seriously deprived of some nutrients.
Fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins
Vitamins fall into two broad categories: water soluble and fat soluble. Water-soluble vitamins get this name because they are soluble in water, meaning they are usually not stored in the body and must be ingested. This is in contrast to fat-soluble vitamins that require fat to help absorb.
Fat-soluble vitamins need to be helped by the fat in the diet to be absorbed. These vitamins are stored in the liver and adipose tissue of the body for use when needed.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a powerful nutrient, but vitamin A deficiency is one of the most common vitamin deficiencies in the world. It is an effective antioxidant ingredient in two forms: provitamin A (from plants) and formed vitamin A (from animal products).
When a person's diet is deficient in vitamin A, the results can be catastrophic, especially in children. Vitamin A is essential for the development of healthy vision, the enhancement of the immune system and future reproduction. According to the World Health Organization, more than 250 million preschool children worldwide lack this nutrient. Pregnant women and women who are deficient in vitamin A are at risk of developing night blindness, while those with insufficient vitamin A have a risk of developmental problems.
Risk factors for vitamin A deficiency
Low milk low egg diet
Insufficient intake of fruit
Low vegetable intake
Many plant foods contain beta-carotene (provitamin A), which is a precursor to vitamin A. These carotenoids play an important role in overall health.
Symptoms and complications of vitamin A deficiency
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| Are you lacking these fat-soluble vitamins? |
Dry, flaky skin
Increased risk of infection
Increased risk of miscarriage
Food source of vitamin A
liver
Cod liver oil
spinach
carrot
pumpkin
tomato
Red bell pepper
milk
egg
It is important to take a high quality multivitamin containing vitamin A; in some cases, vitamin A may need to be supplemented separately. However, this should be discussed with your doctor first.
If the vitamin A is formed excessively (25,000 IU per day or more), vitamin A poisoning may occur.
In addition, it is believed that excess vitamin A may interact with the benefits of vitamin D. There is no known toxic effect or upper limit for this nutrient when eating foods containing beta-carotene. However, if eaten in large quantities, some people's skin will have a reversible orange color, a condition known as beta-caroteneemia.
According to some studies, smokers should be extra careful when supplementing with vitamin A, as this may increase the risk of lung cancer. You should consult your doctor first.
Vitamin D
In the past decade, thousands of studies have shown that when a person consumes the right amount of vitamin D, it is good for health. These studies tell us that people with higher levels of vitamin D in their blood may be at lower risk for heart disease, breast cancer, colon cancer, multiple sclerosis, type 1 and type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and other complications.
This lack of vitamins is common. My Southern California clinic is located in more than 300 sunny days each year, but four-fifths (80%) of patients have clinical vitamin D deficiency, which is defined as 30 ng/ml in the blood ( 75 nmol/l) or lower.
Low levels of vitamin D in the blood increase the risk of developing the following conditions:
Autism
Autoimmune disease
dementia
Fibromyalgia
Heart disease/hypertension
Cancer (colon cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, prostate cancer)
Reduced bone mass or osteoporosis
Stroke, heart disease and peripheral arterial disease
Sunning enough sun is important for overall health. Most adults who lack vitamin D need to take 2000-5000 IU of vitamin D (cholecalciferol) per day, and some may need more.
Pregnant women and lactating women should also consider replenishing 5,000 international units of vitamin D per day. Most healthy children between the ages of 1 and 18 can take vitamin D. The usual dose is 1000-2000 international units per day.
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
In addition to being stored in the liver, vitamin E can also be stored in adipose tissue. It provides anti-oxidant ingredients to protect against free radical damage, which, if lacking, increases the risk of cellular oxidation and nerve damage. Although many doctors believe that vitamin E deficiency is rare, recent research has questioned this long-standing view.
In 2019, an Asian study published in the International Journal of Vitamins and Nutrition Research found that up to 67% of babies, 80% of children, 56% of adolescents, and 72% of the elderly and pregnant women suffer from vitamin E deficiency. . Similarly, a 2015 study in South Korea found that 23% of people aged 20-59 were deficient in vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol). Finally, a study of children aged 2-5 in the United States in 2006 showed that 68% of American children had low levels of vitamin E in their blood.
Causes and risks of vitamin E deficiency
Premature birth
Insufficient intake of specific foods (see table below)
Absorptive syndrome (intestinal leakage, celiac disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis)
Familial isolated vitamin E deficiency (rare genetic disease)
Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency
Nerve and brain problems
Neuropathy
anemia
fatigue
Muscle weakness
Vision problem (retinopathy)
Impaired immune system
Food source of vitamin E
Fish (abalone, Atlantic salmon, squid)
Nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pine nuts)
Seed (sunflower seed)
Green leafy vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli, red bell pepper)
Wheat germ oil
avocado
When the amount of food intake is not enough, taking a high-quality multivitamin every day can help ensure that a person gets enough vitamin E. If this is not enough, some people may need to take vitamin E supplements alone at a dose of 200 to 400 international units per day. Most people should avoid replenishing more than 1,000 international units per day.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays an important role in bone, brain and overall blood health. It has three main forms:
Vitamin K1 (tea benzoquinone)
Vitamin K2 (Menna)
Vitamin K3 (menadione)
Vitamin K1 is mainly found in green leafy vegetables, while vitamin K2 is usually derived from bacteria (intestinal bacteria) and also from fermented foods and animal foods such as meat and dairy products. Vitamin K3 is synthetic and is added to some supplements.
Many healthy bacteria (intestinal microbiota) living in the human gut can make vitamin K2. When a person takes antibiotics, the production of vitamin K2 is impaired because healthy bacteria are killed by antibiotics. People taking the anticoagulant coumarin (warfarin) may have a "blood thinness" when taking certain drugs or eating a large amount of green leafy vegetables. It is believed that vitamin K may be a major cause.
People with low levels of vitamin K in the blood also increase the risk of bone weakness such as osteopenia and osteoporosis. Low vitamin K levels are also thought to increase the risk of heart disease, which may be one of the reasons why green leafy vegetables are beneficial to overall heart and blood vessel health.
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