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VITAMINS
All natural vitamins are organic food substances found only in living things, that is, plants and animals. Fewer than twenty substances have been found thus far that are believed to be active as vitamins in human nutrition. Each of these vitamins is present in varying quantities in specific foods, and each is necessary for proper growth and maintenance of health. With a few exceptions, the body cannot synthesize vitamins; they must be supplied in the diet or in dietary supplements.
Vitamins function with chemicals called enzymes, which have numerous essential functions within the body. Enzymes are made up of two parts: one is a protein molecule and the other is a coenzyme. This coenzyme is often a vitamin, or it may contain a vitamin, or it may be a molecule that has been manufactured from a vitamin. Enzymes are responsible for the oxidation process within the body. Oxidation first begins when oxygen enters the bloodstream and is transported to the cells, where oxidation indeed occurs. Then the wastes are removed, carbon dioxide through the lungs and other waste products by way of the urine. Enzymes are also a major factor in biochemical processes such as growth, metabolism, cellular reproduction, and digestion. Most enzymes remain within the cell, acting as a catalyst; in other words, they initiate chemical reactions that enable other materials to continue their work. Because vitamins work on the cellular level, a lack of one or several can cause many varied symptoms.
Much work has been done to determine requirements of vitamins for various age groups and in circumstances of additional needs, such as pregnancy and lactation. The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of the nutrients mentioned in this book are based on the standards established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council. Desirable levels for vitamins whose requirements are known to be essential to healthy humans are based upon available scientific knowledge and are considered adequate to meet the known nutritional needs of practically all healthy persons. These levels are intended to apply to persons whose physical activity is considered "light" and who live in temperate climates. They provide a safety margin for each vitamin above the minimum level that will maintain health.
However, many people disagree with this interpretation of the RDA. Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling, for one, believes that the RDA for a vitamin is not the allowance that leads to the best of health for most people. It is, instead, only the estimated amount that for most people would prevent death or serious illness from overt vitamin deficiency. The daily intake of the vitamins that lead to the best of health for most people may be several times the values set for the RDA.
A cell that is poorly nourished may have many enzymes without the proper (vitamin) coenzyme part. Enough functional enzymes will remain for the cell itself to function, perhaps for a long time. However, the cell will go through its paces more and more slowly until either proper nourishment is received or it dies. This explains why no vitamin lack strikes overnight or in a day or two, in contrast to the quick manner of infectious diseases or foreign poisons. Many weeks, or even many months, are usually required for signs of a vitamin deficiency to appear. The cells continue to function, but at reduced efficiency due to lower enzyme levels. Then as they decline more or die, different tissues and organs will slowly be changed.
Where there is doubt that the requirements for certain nutrients are being met through the diet alone, supplements may be ingested to offset any deficiency. Vitamin therapy does not produce results overnight. Regeneration or the alteration in body chemistry necessary for repair takes weeks and sometimes months before the full benefits can be felt. A change in food habits may also be necessary.
Vitamins taken more than the finite amount used in the metabolic processes are valueless and will be either excreted in the urine or stored in the body. Excessive ingestion of some nutrients may result in toxicity, and risks associated with ingestion of excessive quantities of nutrients are mentioned at appropriate points in the text.
Vitamins are usually distinguished as being water-soluble or fat-soluble. The water-soluble vitamins, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, and the compounds termed "bioflavonoids," are usually measured in milligrams. The fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, are measured in units of activity known as "International Units" (IU) or "United States Pharmacopoeia Units" (USP). (Vitamins A, D, E, and K are expressed in International Units (IU) throughout this book.) An exception is beta-carotene, a water-soluble form of vitamin A, which is expressed in IU also. Generally, each unit represents the amount of any form of the vitamin needed to produce a specific change in the nutritional health of a laboratory animal.
BIOTIN
Description
Biotin is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin. As a coenzyme, it assists in the making of fatty acids and in the oxidation of fatty acids and carbohydrates. Without biotin the body's fat production is impaired. Biotin also aids in the utilization of protein, folic acid, pantothenic acid, and vitamin B12.
Biotin is an essential nutrient that appears in trace amounts in all animal and plant tissue. Some rich sources of biotin are egg yolk, beef liver, unpolished rice, brewer's yeast, cauliflower and mushrooms.
Absorption and Storage
Biotin is synthesized by the intestinal bacteria. Some of the vitamin is absorbed in the intestines, but much is excreted in the urine. Biotin is stored mainly in the liver, kidney, brain, and adrenal glands.
Raw egg white contains the protein avidin, which binds with biotin in the intestine and prevents its absorption by the body. However, since eggs are usually eaten in a cooked form and avidin is inactivated by heat, there is no real danger of a deficiency resulting from the ingestion of a cooked egg.
Dosage and Toxicity
The National Research Council indicates that 150 to 300 micrograms of biotin (the RDA) will meet the body's daily needs. Additional amounts are required during pregnancy and lactation. There are no known toxic effects of this nutrient.
Deficiency Effects and Symptoms
Deficiency states have been reported in man only when the diet contained large amounts of raw egg white and when too many antibiotics were taken. Antibiotics interfere with the production of the intestinal bacteria from which biotin is produced.
A deficiency of biotin in man causes muscular pain, poor appetite, dry skin, tack of energy, sleeplessness, and a disturbed nervous system. Dermatitis, grayish skin color, and depression are other symptoms of a biotin deficiency. In severe deficiency there may be impairment of the body's fat metabolism. Lowered hemoglobin level, a raised cholesterol level, and a decrease in biotin excretion are signs of a biotin deficiency.
Beneficial Effect on Ailments
Dermatitis has shown improvement when treated with biotin. The use of biotin has been beneficial in treating baldness.
Human Tests
1. Biotin and Seborrheic Dermatitis and Leiner's Disease. Nine cases of seborrheic dermatitis and 2 cases of Leiner's disease in infants were given 5 milligrams of biotin injected intramuscularly daily for 7 to 14 days. Milder cases were given 2 to 4 milligrams orally for 2 to 3 weeks.
Results. Both ailments showed marked improvement when treated with biotin. (Journal of Pediatrics, November 1957.)
2. Biotin and Biotin Deficiency Symptoms. Persons who were suffering from dermatitis, a grayish pallor of the skin and mucous membranes, diminution of hemoglobin, a striking rise in serum cholesterol, depression, and muscle pain were given 150 or more milligrams of biotin, injected intravenously daily. The excretion of biotin in the urine was much below that of a person on a normal diet.
Results. After the injections the symptoms became less evident. The ashy pallor disappeared in 4 days, serum cholesterol was reduced, and urinary excretion of biotin increased. (Margaret S. Chaney and Margaret L. Ross, Nutrition, Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, 1971, p. 307.)
BIOTIN MAY BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE FOLLOWING AILMENTS:
Hair / Scalp - Baldness
Muscles - Muscle pains
Skin - Dermatitis, Eczema, Infant dermatitis,
General - Depression
CHOLINE
Description
Choline is considered one of the B-complex vitamins. It functions with inositol as a basic constituent of lecithin. It is present in the body of all living cells and is widely distributed in animal and plant tissues. The richest source of choline is lecithin, but other rich dietary sources include egg yolk, liver, brewer's yeast, and wheat germ.
Choline appears to be associated primarily with the utilization of fats and cholesterol in the body. It prevents fats from accumulating in the liver and facilitates the movement of fats into the cells. Choline combines with fatty acids and phosphoric acid within the liver to form lecithin. It is essential for the health of the liver and kidneys.
Choline is also essential for the health of the myelin sheaths of the nerves; the myelin sheaths are the principal component of the nerve fibers. It plays an important role in the transmission of the nerve impulses. It also helps to regulate and improve liver and gallbladder functioning and aids in the prevention of gallstones.
Absorption and Storage
Choline is synthesized by the interaction of B12 and folic acid with the amino acid methionine.
Dosage and Toxicity
Daily requirements for choline are not known. The average diet has been estimated to contain 500 to 900 milligrams of choline per day, according to the 1968 revision of the Recommended Dietary Allowances. Dr. Paavo Airola has estimated the daily dietary intake to be 1000 or more milligrams. Usual therapeutic daily doses range from 500 to 6000 milligrams; prolonged ingestion of massive doses of isolated choline may induce a deficiency of vitamin B6 . It is important to remember that the B-complex vitamins function better when all are taken together.
Deficiency Effects and Symptoms
A choline deficiency is associated with fatty deposits in the liver, resulting in bleeding stomach ulcers, heart trouble, and blocking of the tubes of the kidneys. Insufficient supplies of choline may cause hemorrhaging of the kidneys. A deficiency can also result when too little protein is in the diet. Prolonged deficiencies may cause high blood pressure, cirrhosis and fatty degeneration of the liver, atherosclerosis, and hardening of the arteries.
Beneficial Effect on Ailments
Choline has been successful in reducing high blood pressure because it strengthens weak capillary walls. Symptoms such as heart palpitation, dizziness, headaches, ear noises, and constipation have been relieved or removed entirely within 5 to 10 days after administration of choline treatments. Insomnia, visual disturbances, and blood flow to the eyes have also benefited from choline therapy.
Because choline is a fat and cholesterol dissolver, it is used to treat atherosclerosis and hardening of the arteries. It can be used to treat fatty livers, liver damage, cirrhosis of the liver, and hepatitis. Choline is also used in kidney damage, hemorrhaging of the kidneys, and nephritis, as well as for eye conditions such as glaucoma.
Human Tests
1. Choline and Atherosclerosis. Of 230 patients hospitalized for atherosclerosis, half were given conventional medication but no choline after discharge from the hospital; the other half received choline daily for 1 to 3 years.
Results. Among the untreated patients, the 3-year death rate was nearly 30 percent. Only 12 percent of the choline-treated patients died. (Dr. L. M. Morrison and W. F. Gonzalez, Proceedings of the Society of Biology and Medicine, vol. 73, pp. 37-38, 1950, as reported in Rodale, The Encyclopedia for Healthful Living, pp. 457, 458.)
CHOLINE MAY BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE FOLLOWING AILMENTS:
Blood / Circulatory system - Angina pectoris, high Cholesterol level, Hepatitis, Hypoglycemia, Stroke, (cerebro vascular accident)
Brain / Nervous system - Dizziness, Multiple sclerosis
Eye - Glaucoma
Glands - Hyperthyroidism
Hair / Scalp - Hair problems
Heart - Arteriosclerosis, Atherosclerosis, Hypertension
Intestine - Constipation
Liver - Cirrhosis of liver
Lungs / Respiratory system - Asthma
Muscles - Muscular dystrophy
Skin - Eczema
General - Alcoholism
FOLIC ACID (FOLACIN)
Description
Folic acid is part of the water-soluble vitamin B-complex and functions as a coenzyme, together with vitamins B12 and C, in the breakdown and utilization of proteins. Folic acid performs its basic role as a carbon carrier in the formation of heme, the iron-containing protein found in hemoglobin, necessary for the formation of red blood cells. It also is needed for the formation of nucleic acid, which is essential for the processes of growth and reproduction of all body cells.
Folic acid is necessary for proper brain function, being concentrated in the spinal and extracellular fluids. It is essential for mental and emotional health. It also increases the appetite and stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid, which helps prevent intestinal parasites and food poisoning. In addition, it aids in performance of the liver. Folic acid is easily destroyed by high temperature, exposure to light, and being left at room temperature for long periods of time.
In surveys conducted, folic acid was shown to be one of the nutrients most often deficient in our diets. The best sources of folic acid are green leafy vegetables, liver, and brewer's yeast.
Absorption and Storage
Folic acid is absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract by active transport and diffusion and is stored primarily in the liver. Sulfa drugs may interfere with the bacteria in the intestine which manufacture folic acid. Aminoperin and streptomycin destroy folic acid.
Any disease such as sprue, celiac disease, or any illness accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea that interferes with the absorption of food can result in a deficiency. Oral contraceptives interfere with the absorption of folic acid.
Dosage and Toxicity
The Recommended Dietary Allowance of folic acid is 400 micrograms for adults, 800 micrograms during pregnancy, and 600 micrograms during lactation.
Requirements can vary with individual metabolic rate. Hemolytic anemia and hyperthyroidism need higher quantities. Stress and disease increase the body's need for folic acid, as does the consumption of alcohol. There is no known toxicity of this vitamin, although an excessive intake of folic acid can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency.
Deficiency Effects and Symptoms
Deficiency of folic acid results in poor growth, graying hair, glossitis (tongue inflammation), and gastrointestinal-tract disturbances arising from inadequate dietary intake, impaired absorption, excessive demands by tissues of the body, and metabolic disturbances. Because of the role folic acid plays in the formation of red blood cells, a deficiency could lead to anemia that cannot be corrected by supplementary iron.
A folate deficiency can lead to irritability, forgetfulness, and mental sluggishness. It can be the cause of lesions at the corners of the mouth called cheiloses. A deficiency has been found in mentally retarded children, the aged, and in people with ailments such as Hodgkin's disease and leukemia where the requirement for folic acid is above normal.
Alcohol, Phenobarbital and anticonvulsants can produce a folic acid deficiency. Low serum and cerebrospinal fluid folate levels have been observed in epileptics administered anticonvulsant medication.
In the past few years there have been a number of studies implicating folic acid deficiency as a contributing factor in mental illness. Studies have shown that prolonged folic acid deficiency can cause neurological changes and mental deterioration. Because of their close interrelationship, vitamin B12, in almost every case, should accompany any folic acid therapy.
A need for the vitamin is especially increased during pregnancy. The fetus, in keeping its need for rapid growth, easily depletes the mother's reserves. The World Health Organization reports that one-third to one-half of pregnant women are folic acid deficient in the last three months of pregnancy. Almost any interference with the metabolism of folic acid in the fetus encourages deformities such as cleft palate, brain damage, or slow development and poor learning ability in the child. (28) In addition, deficiency of folic acid may lead to toxemia, premature birth, afterbirth hemorrhaging, and megaloblastic anemia in both mother and child.
Beneficial Effect on Ailments
Folic acid is not limited to treatment of anemia. It is beneficial in treating diarrhea, sprue, dropsy, stomach ulcers, menstrual problems, leg ulcers, and glossitis. Circulation may be improved in patients suffering from atherosclerosis. Folic acid may prevent the graying of hair when used with PABA and pantothenic acid. (29) During pregnancy, folacin-rich foods should be stressed in the diet so that the fetal and maternal needs are met and megaloblastic anemia is prevented.
Human Tests
1. Folic Acid and Toxicity. Twenty healthy young adults were given 15 milligrams of folic acid daily for I month and were matched with a control group given placebos.
Results. No ill effects were detected. Physicians have given 150 milligrams of folic acid to children and 450 milligrams to adults, both daily, with no report of toxicity. (Davis, Let's Get Well)
2. Folic Acid and Megaloblastic Anemia. A sixty-nine-year-old woman was suffering from megaloblastic anemia. She was brought to the hospital with a history of pallor, fatigue, forgetfulness, and lack of energy. According to tests, she lacked vitamin B12, and some was administered before she came to the hospital. She was then given folic acid.
Results. Her condition improved immediately and she was soon discharged from the hospital. Tests 6 months later showed her in good health; all symptoms of megaloblastic anemia had disappeared. (Journal of the American Medical Association, July 31, 1972.)
3. Folic Acid and Atherosclerosis. Seventeen elderly patients were treated with 5 to 7.5 milligrams of folic acid daily.
Results. Fifteen patients responded with increased capillary blood flow, resulting in improved vision due to better blood supply to the retina. In many cases there was increased skin temperature. (Roger J. Williams, Nutrition Against Disease, Pitman Pubi., New York, 1971, pp. 75-76.)
Animal Tests
1. Folic Acid and Cleft Palate. Pregnant mice were first injected with cortisone, which can cause interference with vital life chemistry, four times daily. Cleft palates developed in 85 percent of their offspring. Pyridoxine and folic acid were separately injected with the cortisone.
Results. When pyridoxine was injected, the abnormalities were reduced to 45 percent; the folic acid in the combination reduced the cleft palate cases to 20 percent. (Dr. Lyndon A. Peer, Chicago Daily Tribune, September 11, 1957.)
FOLIC ACID MAY BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE FOLLOWING AILMENTS:
Blood / Circulatory system - Anemia, Leukemia, Pernicious anemia
Bowel - Diarrhea
Brain / Nervous system - Alcoholism, Mental illness
Glands - Adrenal exhaustion
Hair / Scalp - Baldness
Heart - Arteriosclerosis, Atherosclerosis
Intestine - Celiac disease, Diverticulitis
Joints - Arthritis
Lungs / Respiratory system - Emphysema
Nails - Nail problems
Skin - Psoriasis, Ulcers
Stomach - Gastritis, Indigestion (dyspepsia)
General - Alcoholism, Anemia, Bruises, Fatigue, Kwashiorkor, Pellagra, Pregnancy, Scurvy, Stress, Tonsillitis
VITAMIN A
Description
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble nutrient that occurs in nature in two forms: preformed vitamin A and provitamin A, or carotene. Preformed vitamin A is concentrated only in certain tissues of animal products in which the animal has metabolized the carotene contained in its food into vitamin A. One of the richest natural sources of preformed vitamin A is fish-liver oil, which is classified as a food supplement. Some animal products, such as cream and butter, may contain both preformed vitamin A and carotene.
Carotene is a substance that must be converted into vitamin A before it can be utilized by the body. Carotene is abundant in carrots, from which its name is derived, but it is present in even higher concentrations in certain green leafy vegetables, such as beet greens, spinach, and broccoli. If, owing to any disorder, the body is unable to use carotene, a vitamin A deficiency may arise.
Vitamin A aids in the growth and repair of body tissues and helps maintain smooth, soft, disease-free skin. Internally it helps protect the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs, thereby reducing susceptibility to infection. This protection also aids the mucous membranes in combating the effects of various air pollutants. The soft tissue and all linings of the digestive tract, kidneys, and bladder are also protected. In addition, vitamin A prompts the secretion of gastric juices necessary for proper digestion of proteins. Other important functions of vitamin A include the building of strong bones and teeth, the formation of rich blood, and the maintenance of good eyesight. Heavy use of the eyes for watching television and working under glaring tights require more vitamin A. It is essential in the formation of visual purple, a substance in the eye which is necessary for proper night vision.
RNA production is greatly enhanced by vitamin A. RNA (ribonucleic acid) is a nucleic acid that transmits to each cell of the body instructions on how to perform so that life, health, and proper function can be maintained. The body must be able to synthesize new RNA or cell degeneration begins. Studies have revealed that new RNA can be produced in vitamin A deficient bodies; however, the rate of production of new RNA is much less than if sufficient A is available. One of the best sources of RNA is yeast.
Absorption and Storage
The upper intestinal tract is the primary area of absorption of vitamin A; it is here that the fat-splitting enzymes and' bile salts convert carotene into a usable nutrient. This conversion is stimulated by thyroxine, a hormone obtained from the thyroid gland. Once converted into vitamin A, carotene is absorbed in the same way as is the preformed vitamin. Vitamin A is carried through the bloodstream, readily accessible to tissues throughout the body. Preformed vitamin A as found in fish-liver oil or other animal products is absorbed by the body 3 to 5 hours after ingestion, whereas the conversion and absorption of carotene takes 6 to 7 hours.
The conversion of carotene into vitamin A is not 100 percent complete; approximately one-third of the carotene in food is converted into vitamin A. Less than one-fourth of the carotene in carrots and root vegetables undergoes conversion, and about one-half of the carotene in leafy green vegetables undergoes conversion. Some unchanged carotene is absorbed into the circulatory system and stored in the fat tissues rather than in the liver. Unabsorbed carotene is excreted in the feces.
The ability of the body to utilize carotene varies with the food and the form in which the food is ingested. Cooking, pureeing, or mashing of vegetables ruptures the cell membranes and therefore makes the carotene more available for absorption.
Factors interfering with absorption of vitamin A and carotene include strenuous physical activity performed with 4 hours of consumption, intake of mineral oil, excessive consumption of alcohol, excessive consumption of iron, and the use of cortisone and other drugs. The intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids with carotene results in rapid destruction of carotene unless antioxidants also are present. Even cold weather can hinder the transport and metabolism of both vitamin A and carotene. Diabetics may not be able to convert carotene into vitamin A.
Approximately 90 percent of the body's vitamin A is stored in the liver, with small amounts deposited in the fat tissues, lungs, kidneys, and retinas of the eyes. Under stressful conditions the body will use this reserve supply if it is not receiving enough vitamin A from the diet. An adequate supply of zinc is needed so the liver can mobilize vitamin A out of its storage depots. Gastrointestinal and liver disorders, infections of any kind, or any condition in which the bile duct is obstructed may limit the body's capacity to retain and use vitamin A. Factors affecting absorption of vitamin A include the quantity given, influence of other substances present in the intestines, and amount of the vitamin stored in the body. A diet low in fat, resulting in little bile reaching the intestine, can cause carotene and vitamin A to be lost in the feces. For these reasons, the recommended dietary amounts vary for each individual.
Dosage and Toxicity
Recommended Dietary Allowances of vitamin A, as established by the National Research Council, are 1500-4000 International Units (IU) for children and 4000--5000 IU for adults. These amounts increase during disease, trauma, pregnancy, and lactation. Requirements vary for people who smoke, those who live in highly polluted areas, people who easily absorb vitamin A, and those who have had their stored supply of vitamin A depleted by pneumonia or nephritis. Increased intake of vitamins C and E will help prevent excessive oxidation of stored vitamin A.
Research indicates that no more than 50,000 IU per day can be utilized by the body except in therapeutic cases, where up to 100,000 IU are recommended. It has been suggested that the best level is somewhere between 25,000 and 50,000 IU. If there is no vitamin deficiency, daily administration of 50,000 IU may be toxic. Dosages of 18,500 IU given daily for 1 to 3 months have been reported toxic for infants. Recommended amounts may be supplied through food sources; e.g., 1 / 2 pound of calf's liver contains approximately 74,000 IU preformed vitamin A, whereas a carrot contains 11,000 IU of carotene.
Toxicity symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dry skin, hair loss, headaches, appetite loss, sore lips, and flaky, itchy skin. Bone fragility, thickening of long bones, deep bone pain, enlargement of the liver and spleen, blurred vision, and skin rashes are symptoms of prolonged excessive intake. Excessive daily use of massive dosages of vitamin A also may lead to reduced thyroid activity and abnormalities in the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes. Excessive serum calcium can be an indication of vitamin A overdose.
Vitamin A toxicity can occur when a person takes 100,000 IU of straight vitamin A daily for many months. If toxicity is detected, the symptoms will disappear in a few days if the vitamin is withdrawn. Vitamin C can help prevent the harmful effects of vitamin A toxicity.
Deficiency Effects and Symptoms
The eyes are well-known indicators of vitamin A deficiency. One of the first symptoms is night blindness, an inability of the eyes to adjust to darkness. Another eye-related deficiency symptom is xerosis, a disease in which the eyeball loses luster, it becomes dry and inflamed, and visual acuity is reduced.
Other signs of deficiency include rough, dry, or prematurely aged skin; loss of sense of smell; loss of appetite; frequent fatigue; skin blemishes; sties in the eye; and diarrhea. Vitamin A may be lacking when the hair loses its sheen and luster, when dandruff accumulates and fingernails become brittle. A drastic drop of serum A has been found in severely injured patients. More severe symptoms are corneal ulcers and softening of bones and teeth. Deficiency of vitamin A leads to the rapid loss of vitamin C.
Vitamin A deficiency may occur when an inadequate dietary supply exists; when the body is unable to absorb or store the vitamin (as in ulcerative colitis, cirrhosis of the liver, and obstruction of the bile ducts); when an ailment interferes with the conversion of carotene to vitamin A (as in diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism); and when any rapid bodily loss of the vitamin occurs (as in pneumonia, hyperthyroidism, chronic nephritis, scarlet fever, and some respiratory infections).
Beneficial Effect on Ailments
Many people are unaware of the importance of vitamin A in fighting infections. By giving strength to cell walls, it helps protect the mucous membranes against invading bacteria. People who live in environments with high air-pollution counts are more susceptible to infections and colds than are people who live in environments with cleaner air. If infection has already occurred, therapeutic doses of vitamin A will help keep it from spreading.
Vitamin A can be used successfully in treating several eye disorders, such as Bitot's spots (white, elevated, sharply outlined patches on the white of the eye), blurred vision, night blindness, cataracts, crossed eyes, and nearsightedness. Therapeutic dosages of vitamin A are necessary for treatment of glaucoma and conjunctivitis, an inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the eyelids.
Administration of vitamin A has helped shorten the duration of communicable diseases-measles, scarlet fever, the common cold, and infections of the eye, middle ear, intestines, ovaries, uterus, and vagina. It also has been effective in reducing high cholesterol levels and atheroma, fatty degeneration or thickening of the wall of the larger arteries.
Vitamin A has proved successful in treating cases of bronchial asthma, chronic rhinitis, and dermatitis. Vitamin A has also been helpful in treating patients suffering from tuberculosis, cirrhosis of the liver, emphysema, gastritis, and hyperthyroidism. Patients with nephritis (inflammation of the kidney), migraine headaches, and tinnitus (ringing in the ear) have benefited from vitamin A therapy.
Vitamin A protects the epithelial tissues like the skin, the stomach, and the lungs from becoming cancerous. Little research has been done to discover just what happens to the cells of the body from the time of exposure to a cancer-causing agent to the actual development of a malignancy. This period of time can be as much as 20 years or more. It is known that many cells repair themselves during this period.
Vitamin A has been found to be extremely important in this repair process. Studies of animals have shown that carcinogens remain much more active when there is a vitamin A deficiency. Researchers also believe that the vitamin counters the cancerous process by activating the body's immune system and preventing the thymus gland from shrinking. When animals injected with a tumor-virus are given large doses of vitamin A, their tumors diminish and the thymus returns to normal size.
There is increasing evidence that vitamin A is related to sexual development and reproduction. Studies conducted on men having varying levels of sperm deficiency showed that when vitamin A along with Vitamin E was given to them, their sperm levels returned to normal. Dr. Thomas Moore in Cambridge, England, reports that experiments done on animals deficient in vitamin A resulted in undersized, shrunken, and flabby testicles. He also states that a deficiency of vitamin A in females causes an inability to conceive and a higher susceptibility to miscarriage. In animal studies, females that were vitamin A deficient yet able to conceive still had problems such as difficult births, death of the fetus, cleft palate, or other congenital defects.
Vitamin A is essential in the chemical process whereby cholesterol is converted into female estrogens and male androgens. Insufficient supply of these sex hormones results in degeneration of the sex organs. Vitamin A given to animals in this condition resumed normal hormone activity. Diabetic men have a higher incidence of impotence than nondiabetics. As diabetics are unable to convert carotene to vitamin A, their impotence could possibly be related to a vitamin A deficiency.
Externally, vitamin A is used in treating acne; when applied locally, it can clear up impetigo, boils, carbuncles, and open ulcers. Vitamin A applied directly to open wounds hastens the healing process in cases where healing has been retarded because cortisone has been used. It also stimulates the production of mucus, which in turn prevents scarring. A treatment using injections of vitamin A has proved effective in the removal of plantar warts.
Human Tests
1. Vitamin A and Stress Ulcers. Dr. Merril S. Chernov and his associates, Dr. Harry W. Hale, Jr., and Dr. MacDonald Wood, did a two-part study of severely injured patients to determine whether administration of vitamin A would prevent formation of stress ulcers. According to Chernov, serum vitamin A levels dropped "sharply and profoundly" in severely injured patients. (Medical World News, January 7, 1972.)
The first part of the study involved 35 patients suffering from burns covering more than 25 percent of their bodies or major injuries to two or more organs. Vitamin A levels in the serum fell dramatically in 29 of the patients within 24 to 72 hours after hospitalization.
In the second part of the study, 14 of 36 similarly stressed patients received 10,000 to 400,000 IU of water-soluble vitamin A daily. Their care was the same as that of the other 22 patients.
Results. Evidence of stress ulcers was seen in 15 of the 22 untreated patients in the second group (69 percent). Massive intestinal bleeding developed in 7 of these patients, and serious intestinal bleeding developed in another 7. Of the t4 patients treated with massive doses of vitamin A, upper gastroinestinal bleeding occurred in only 2.
Dr. Chernov stated, "The sudden and marked depletion of vitamin A is directly related to the corresponding depression of the serum protein, and particularly that fragment of the serum protein involved in transport of vitamin A. This results initially in the development of superficial mucosal erosions followed later by frank ulceration and hemorrhage." The results of Dr. Chernov's study suggest that treatment with high doses of vitamin A reduced the risk of gastroduodenal ulceration in these severely stressed patients. (Rodale, ed., Prevention, April 1972.)
2. Vitamin A and Acne. One hundred acne patients were given oral doses of 100,000 IU of vitamin A at bedtime.
Results. Thirty-six patients were completely relieved of acne, and 43 were relieved except for an occasional pustule. In most cases, responses occurred in less than 9 months. (Jon V. Straumfjord, M.D., Astoria, Oregon, reported in Rodale, ed., Prevention, November 1968.)
3. Vitamin A and Acne Lesions. Seventy-five patients who failed to respond to other forms of treatment were given 100,000 IU of vitamin A per day.
Results. Disappearance of the lesions occurred for 30 patients in 2@ months, for another 30 in 3 months, and for l0 more in 5 months. All could be regarded as cured at the end of 3 months. Drawbacks stated: (1) treatment could take up to a year; (2) dosage given was very high and could have toxic effects. (Dr. K. D. Larharl, Journal of the Indian Medical Association, March 1954; reported in Rodale, ed., Prevention, November 1968.)
4. Vitamin A and Asthma. Five thousand cases suffering from bronchial dermatitis, bronchial asthma, and chronic rhinitis were treated with vitamins A and D and bone meal.
Results. There was success in relieving the symptoms of 75 percent of the patients, including 1000 patients suffering from bronchial asthma. (Dr. Carl J. Reich, 1972; reported in Rodale, ed., Prevention, September 1970.)
5. Vitamin A and Premenstrual Symptoms. Twenty-four patients were given large doses of vitamin A.
Results. There were improvements in premenstrual symptoms. Seventeen patients were partially relieved of symptoms, and all breast tenderness was eliminated. Three more noticed considerable improvement but had some distress. Four patients did not respond to the therapy. (Dr. Alexander Pou, American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, June 195 1.)
Animal Tests
1. Vitamin A and Tumors. Hamsters given high doses of vitamin A before being subjected to benzpyrene (a carcinogen in smoke) were protected against the appearance of squamous tumors on the lung. Hamsters given a similar high dosage after the development of lung cancer showed a complete block of the cancer process.
Results. Of the 60 treated animals, 5 developed tumors and 4 of these were noncancerous. Of the 53 untreated animals, 16 developed lung cancer. (Dr. Umberto Saffioto of the National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland, as reported in Rodale, ed., Prevention, December 1969.)
2. Vitamin A and Reproductive Processes. Bulls deficient in vitamin A suffered degeneration of their seminiferous tubules. They reportedly regained full potency after receiving strong doses of vitamin A. (J. L. Madsen, Journal of Animal Science, reported in Rodale, ed., Prevention, January 1971.)
VITAMIN A MAY BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE FOLLOWING AILMENTS:.
Bladder - Cystitis
Blood / Circulatory system - Angina pectoris, Arteriosclerosis, Atherosclerosis , Diabetes,
Hemophilia, Jaundice, Mononucleosis, Stroke (cerebro vascular accident),
Bones - Fracture, Osteomalacia, Rickets,
Bowel - Celiac disease, Colitis, Diarrhea,
Brain / Nervous system - Alcoholism, Epilepsy, Meningitis,
Ear - Ear infection,
Eye - Amblyopia, Bitot spots, Cataracts, Conjunctivitis, Eyestrain, Glaucoma, Night blindness,
Gallbladder - Gallstones,
Glands - Cystic fibrosis, Diabetes, Goiter, Hyperthyroidism, Prostatitis, Swollen glands,
Hair / Scalp - Hair problems,
Head - Fever, Headache Sinusitis,
Heart - Angina pectoris , Arteriosclerosis , Atherosclerosis , Congestive heart failure , Myocardial
infarction,
Intestine - Celiac disease , Constipation , Hemorrhoids , Worms,
Joints - Arthritis, Gout,
Kidney - Kidney stones (renal calculi) , Nephritis,
Leg - Varicose veins,
Liver - Cirrhosis of liver , Hepatitis, Jaundice,
Lungs / Respiratory system - Allergies, Asthma, Bronchitis, Common cold , Croup, Emphysema , Hay fever (allergic rhinitis) , Influenza, Sinusitis, Tuberculosis,
Mouth - Canker sore Halitosis,
Muscles - Muscular dystrophy,
Nails - Nail problems,
Reproductive system -Impotence, Prostatitis,
Reproduction - Vaginitis,
Skin - Abscess, Acne, Athlete's foot, Bedsores, Boil (furuncle), Burns, Carbuncle, Dandruff, Dermatitis,
Dry skin, Eczema, Impetigo, Psoriasis, Shingles (herpes zoster), Ulcers, Warts,
Stomach - Gastritis, Gastroenteritis, Stomach ulcer (peptic),
Teeth / Gums - Pyorrhea, Tooth and gum disorders,
General - Alcoholism, Chicken pox, Fatigue, Fever, Infection, Measles, Pregnancy, Rheumatic fever,
Rhinitis, Scurvy, Stress,
VITAMIN B1 (THIAMINE)
Description
Thiamine, or vitamin B1, is a water-soluble vitamin that acts as a coenzyme participating in the complex process of glucose conversion into energy. Thiamine is vulnerable to heat, air, and water in cooking. Thiamine is a component of the germ and bran of wheat, the husk of rice, and that portion of all grains which is commercially milled away to give the grain a lighter color and finer texture.
Known as the "morale vitamin" because of its relation to a healthy nervous system and its beneficial effect on mental attitude (see Human Test 1), thiamine is also linked with improving individual learning capacity. It is necessary for consistent growth in children and for the improvement of muscle tone in the stomach, the intestines, and the heart. Thiamine is essential for stabilizing the appetite by improving food assimilation and digestion, particularly that of starches, sugars, and alcohol.
A diet rich in brewer's yeast, wheat germ, blackstrap molasses, and bran will provide the body with adequate thiamine and will help prevent undue accumulation of fatty deposits in the artery walls.
Absorption and Storage
Thiamine is rapidly absorbed in the upper and lower small intestine. It is then carried by the circulatory system to the liver, kidneys, and heart, where it may combine further with manganese and specific proteins to become active enzymes. These are the enzymes that break down carbohydrates into simple sugars.
Thiamine is not stored in the body in any great quantity and therefore must be supplied daily. It is excreted in the urine in amounts that reflect the intake and the quantity stored. Because the amount of thiamine stored in the body is not very great, body tissues deplete rapidly when a deficiency occurs.
Eating sugar will cause a thiamine depletion, as will smoking and drinking alcohol. Thiamine can be destroyed by an enzyme present in raw clams, oysters and raw fish.
Dosage and Toxicity
Individual thiamine needs are determined by body weight, the quantity of the vitamin synthesized in the intestinal tract, and daily calorie intake. As the calorie intake, especially of carbohydrates, increases, the proportion of thiamine ingested increases. The National Research Council recommends 0.5 milligram of thiamine per 1000 calories daily for all ages.
There is evidence suggesting that older people use thiamine less efficiently; hence a higher intake, along with the other B vitamins, may be advantageous. A thiamine intake of 1.4 milligrams daily is recommended during pregnancy and lactation. The need for additional B1 increases during severe diarrhea, fever, stress, and surgery. There are no known toxic effects with thiamine, although large doses may cause B-complex imbalances.
Deficiency Effects and Symptoms
A deficiency of thiamine not only makes it difficult for a person to digest carbohydrates but also leaves too much pyruvic acid in the blood. This causes loss of mental alertness, labored breathing, and cardiac damage. A mild deficiency of thiamine is difficult to diagnose and easily attributed to other problems. First signs include easy fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability, and emotional instability. If the deficiency is not arrested, confusion and loss of memory appear, followed closely by gastric distress, abdominal pains, and constipation. Heart irregularities crop up, and finally, prickling sensations in the lower extremities, impaired fibratory sense, and tenderness of calf muscles will occur. A thiamine deficiency can also lead to inflammation of the optic nerve. Without thiamine, the function of the central nervous system, which depends upon glucose for energy, is impaired.
A thiamine deficiency can result in decreased coordination, body-reaction time, eye-hand coordination, motor speed and manual steadiness. A thiamine deficiency affects the cardiovascular system as well. The heart muscles are weakened, and cardiac failure may occur. The gastrointestinal tract is also affected, and symptoms such as indigestion, severe constipation, anorexia (a loss of appetite), and gastric atony (loss of muscle tone in the stomach) may occur. "Some researchers believe that the lack of thiamine may be the first link in a chain leading by way of the liver and female hormones to cancer of the uterus.
Beneficial Effect on Ailments
Thiamine is used in the treatment of beriberi, a deficiency disease associated with malnutrition. Thiamine intake has improved the excretion of fluid stored in the body, decreased rapid heart rate, shrunken enlarged hearts, and normalized electrocardiograms.
Nutrients such as thiamine and niacin have been used together to treat multiple sclerosis patients. Dr. George Schumacher tells of his use of thiamine hydrochloride given intraspinally to two multiple sclerosis patients with noted improvement. Dr. Frederick Klenner used large doses (100 milligrams) of B1, B3, and B6 with reported success.
Thiamine and a multivitamin program have been used in the treatment of myasthenia gravis.
Alcoholism has been successfully treated with thiamine: "Cade (1972) reported that alcoholics admitted to his hospital are routinely given intravenous multivitamins containing at least 200 mg. thiamine. They may require this twice a day. In spite of a great increase in the number of alcoholic admissions to the hospital, there has been steady improvement until the death rate has fallen to zero. In 1945-50, before thiamine treatment was used, eighty-six patients died of alcoholism complications. In 1956-60, eight people died, but no deaths have occurred from 1966 to now. Cade concluded "that because the mode of death was identical with that in beriberi, because thiamine deficiency has been demonstrated in a significant proportion of sick alcoholics, because deaths no longer occur when they are given thiamine, and because there have been no other discernible significant changes in treatment which are likely to have been responsible, thiamine is the therapeutic agent which is literally lifesaving in a significant proportion of patients." Thus thiamine-vitamin B-1-has been clearly shown to have saved lives among alcoholics.
Many other ailments have been aided by the administration of thiamine. Thiamine is essential in the manufacture of hydrochloric acid, which aids in digestion. It helps in eliminating nausea, especially that caused by air or sea sickness. It has improved people's dispositions by alleviating fatigue. Thiamine helps improve muscle tone in the stomach and intestines, which in turn relieves constipation. Herpes zoster (shingles), a painful clustering of blisters behind the ear or elsewhere, has been successfully treated with thiamine. Dentists have found B1 useful. Dental postoperative pain is promptly and completely relieved in many patients by the administration of thiamine. Pain can often be prevented before the operation by administration of B1 to the patient. Thiamine therapy has reduced the healing time of dry tooth sockets. Evidence shows that replacement of thiamine to injured and diseased nerves not only restores proper functioning but also relieves pain.
Human Tests
1. Vitamin B1 and Morale. Over several years, Horwitt and coworkers studied the psychological effects of thiamine deficiency on psychiatric patients in an institution. The subjects received varying amounts of thiamine in an adequate diet. They were tested for various deficiency effects.
Results. When approximately 0.4 milligram of thiamine was administered, specific conditions, including loss of inhibitory emotional control, paranoid trends, manic-depressive features, and confusion, were helped. (M. K. Horwitt et al., "Investigations of Human Requirements of B-Complex Vitamins," National Research Council Bull. 116, 1948.)
2. Vitamin B1 and Herpes Zoster. Twenty-five patients were given intramuscular injections of 200 milligrams of thiamine hydrochloride daily.
Results. Herpes zoster, a stubborn, painful clustering of small blisters, was successfully treated. (A. L. Oriz, Medical World, November 1958.)
3. Vitamin B1 and Mental Ability. An experiment was conducted by Dr. Ruth Flinn Harrell which involved 104 children from nine to nineteen years of age. Half of the children were given a vitamin B1 pill each day, and the other half received a placebo. The test lasted 6 weeks.
Results. It was found by a series of tests that the group that was given the vitamin gained one-fourth more in learning ability than did the other group. (Dr. Ruth Flinn Harrell, "Effect of Added Thiamine on Learning," as reported in Rodale and Staff, The Health Seeker, pp. 18, 19.)
VITAMIN B1 MAY BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE FOLLOWING AILMENTS:
Blood / Circulatory system - Anemia, Diabetes,
Bowel - Constipation, Diarrhea,
Brain / Nervous system - Alcoholism, Bell's palsy, Mental illness, Multiple sclerosis, Neuritis,
Ear - Meniere's syndrome,
Eye - Amblyopia, Night blindness,
Head - Fever, Headache,
Heart - Congestive heart failure,
Intestine - Worms,
Leg - Leg cramp, Sciatica,
Lungs / Respiratory system - Influenza,
Skin - Shingles (herpes zoster),
Stomach - Indigestion (dyspepsia),
General - Alcoholism, Beriberi, Myasthenia gravis, Pellagra, Stress,
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