Vitamins:

• What are vitamins?
• The importance of vitamin supplements
• Food is the best source
• Liver – the storage point of certain vitamins
• Are you well supplied with vitamins?
• A brief review of vitamins
• What is our daily vitamin need to keep us healthy?
• Why the preference for nature-based vitamins?
• Don’t ever use a higher amount of one of the vitamins. Why?
• When does one use vitamins?
• What are the choices for taking vitamin supplements?
• Why DetoxiGreen?

Our cells are always craving vitamins. They don’t need them just once a week or once a day but every hour, minute and second of our lives. When we are tired, sick or unhappy this can usually be traced back to a lack of vitamins.

They are organic compounds found in small amounts in foods derived from plants and animals; they are critical for our life. Generally speaking, our body is not able to produce them (apart from vitamin D3). Therefore, we should get them regularly from our food and if that is not enough we should also take nutritional supplements. The term “vitamin” has its origin in the discovery of thiamin - vitamin B1 - by the Polish chemist K. Funk.

What are vitamins?

At present we know approximately 20 nutritionally important vitamins. Their functions are linked and they mutually complement each other, thereby contributing to the maintenance of health. To designate them capital letters (which may have a numerical index attached to it) are used or they are given common names: e.g. retinol instead of vitamin A, pyridoxine instead of vitamin B6, folic acid instead of vitamin B9 or ascorbic acid instead of vitamin C.

They are divided into two groups based on their common physical qualities, mostly according to their solubility:

• hydrophilous – water soluble (B and C)


• lipophilous – soluble in fats/lipids (A,D,E,K)

In the B-complex group there are 8 vitamins: thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), pantothenic acid (B5), pyridoxine (B6), biotin (B7), folic acid (B9) and cobalamins (B12).

The so called provitamins (precursors to vitamins) are also part of this category. Provitamins themselves do not have a physiological impact but our body is able to transform them into vitamins. For example the provitamin to vitamin A is beta-carotene.

The importance of vitamin supplements

Vitamins have no substitutes, they are irreplaceable. They support metabolic processes, transform food into energy and accelerate biological functions. They form part of our blood, skin and bones, but they are also an ingredient in the process of eliminating toxins from our body. Toxins are materials which get into the organism from our polluted environment.

They don’t have any calories and don’t add energy, but they are the most important element in enzymes, without which biochemical processes would not be possible. Life cannot be imagined without enzymes and vitamins. Therefore it is no overstatement to say that they are literally “life-giving”. The lack of just one of them may result in hypovitaminosis or even an avitaminosis, which appear as defects in biochemical processes. In the past this deficiency brought about serious diseases and deaths. Well known diseases in this category are for example scurvy (vit. C deficiency), pellagra (deficiency of one of the group B vitamins), beriberi (vit. B1 deficiency), pernicious anemia (deficiency of vit. B12), and rickets (deficiency of vit. D3).

At present Europeans and Americans are not suffering from avitaminosis, but their metabolic balance is disturbed. It is due to the fact that every person has a different way of absorbing them and needs various foods depending on his/her lifestyle or age. If we have a high demand for energy this necessitates taking vitamins. However, one should use caution here because by taking them without reason we can harm our system.

Food is the best source

Basic foods like meat, poultry, fish, milk (and dairy products), eggs (yolk, predominantly), oils pressed from plants (mainly cold pressed), legumes, whole-grain cereals and their products, vegetables and fruit are a natural source of vitamins. For example the highest amount of:

• pyridoxine (vit. B6) is found in liver, fish, soy, wheat germ, walnuts, honey, bananas, spinach, avocado, whole grains and poultry


• folic acid (vit. B9) is in wheat germ, liver, Savoy cabbage, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, soy beans, whole-wheat grains, broccoli, cauliflower and egg yolk


• cobalamin (vit. B12) is in offal – mainly liver, egg yolk, fish, milk and fermented dairy products like yogurt, kefir or cottage cheese.

What is our daily vitamin need to keep us healthy?

The daily amount depends on the age, sex, employment demands, lifestyle and the overall speed of metabolism of an individual. Practically this means that individual needs vary. Although it is not possible to generalize as to the precise values, there are tables which state the average needs of individual vitamins (see table). These tables are periodically revised and updated with new data.

The recommended daily value (RDV) is just a rough estimate of the vitamins needed for the normal growth of children and to prevent micronutrient deficiency in the diet of healthy individuals. Therefore RDV is a value which ensures that a healthy individual will not get sick as a result of vitamin deficiency. However, this is not an optimal value. An optimal value represents not only specific individual needs but also specific requirements. These arise due to metabolic defects, stress or specific diseases.

The need for nutrients is multiplied in certain age groups:

• children in adolescence;


• pregnant and nursing women;


• people over the age of 60, where the absorption process is not effective enough anymore;


• people in physically demanding jobs, managers with an increased stress level and top level athletes;


• in certain situations of life such as illness, stress, various crises, operations or during convalescence.

The recommended daily values therefore can be considered to be the minimum values necessary to maintain life while optimal values support the active process of healthy living.

Why the preference for nature-based vitamins?

It is well known that the origin of most substances is of major importance. Many experts are of the opinion that nutritional supplements derived from products rich in these particular nutrients are more suitable and more beneficial than substances created as a result of chemical synthesis. This statement is justified and there are several important reasons supporting it:

• Human beings are adapted to natural substances and are better able to take them in, process and use them.


• Synthetic substances do not contain components that facilitate absorption and their full utilization.


• Natural sources contain enzymes, natural connectives and flavonoids inherent in the body, and other substances which multiply their impact; they have no side effects, and do not get stored in the body. They are only found in nature (in fruit, vegetables, herbal preparations, spices etc.).

The Rehnborg Scientific and Research Centre in the USA monitored the differences in the impact of synthetic and plant based ascorbic acid (vit. C). What were the results? It was found that the impact does not depend on the origin but the fact that apart from ascorbic acid other, additional elements are also present in fruit and vegetables. They are flavonoids, phenols, sterols, organic acids and other compounds. It was proven that it is these additional substances that actually increase the effect of vit. C.

The ideal product not only contains vit. C, i.e. ascorbic acid, but also flavonoids – e.g. extract of the acerola cherry and black currents - that facilitate the vitamin’s penetration into the cell membrane. Additionally, the flavonoids that are present moderate the forming of swellings and bruises. Together with vit. C they strengthen capillary walls and improve their elasticity. By taking only ascorbic acid, vit. C, on its own this effect will not be achieved.

When taking synthetic vit. C we prefer the ester of vit. C or calcium ascorbate. These are the best forms of vit. C; they are not detrimental to the stomach. But when taking it, do not forget to also eat some fruit as a source of flavonoids.

Liver – the storage point of certain vitamins

The human body is able to store fat soluble vitamins for a specific period of time in the liver. We call this the reserve capacity of liver. What is the capacity of this “warehouse”? Specialized literature states the following:

• vit. A: 1 to 2 years


• vit. E: 3 to 5 years

Water soluble vitamins, i.e. vit. C and the B-complex group are basically not stored in the body. Their excess is eliminated with urine. The reserve capacity is stated as 2 to 4 days. Exceptions to this rule:

• vit. B9 (folic acid) 3 to 4 months


• vit. B12 (cobalamin) 2 to 5 years

In practical terms this means that the long-term ingestion of one of these vitamins can be dangerous for the human body.

Are you well supplied with vitamins?

We can take a test to find out whether we suffer from a deficiency. The health test will quickly determine whether our diet contains enough vitamins and as a result supplying our body with a sufficient amount.

1. Does your diet consist mainly of commercially prepared foods? Do you take your meals in a canteen (restaurant) or fast food outlets?


2. Are you a vegetarian?


3. Are you frequently on a diet?


4. Are you a smoker or do you drink more than one drink/glass of wine daily?


5. Are you frequently under stress?


6. Do you take medication?


7. Do you suffer from colds relatively often?


8. Have you been ill lately?


9. Are you frequently tired?


10. Do you seek the sun often?

Test results: The higher the number of “Yes” responses the higher the probability that you suffer from a vitamin deficiency. If you answered “Yes” more than three times you don’t get enough vitamins from your food and it is necessary to complement this with nutritional supplements.

A brief review of vitamins

Vitamin RDV*	Deficiency warning signs	The best natural sources
	Fatsoluble vitamins
A retinol 1 mg beta-carotene 6 mg	Sight disorders, drying out of the cornea and conjunctiva, insufficient tear fluid, drying out of the mucous membrane of the reproductive organs. Children suffer from defective bone growth and a faulty development of the jaw	Fish oil, fish, innards(liver), egg yolk, butter, milk, cheese, carrots, lettuce, spinach
D calciferol 0,01 mg	Shortsightedness, loss and suppuration of teeth, muscle weakness, increase in the size of the joints of the knees, ankles and hands, angry moods, nervous disorders, depression	Herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, tuna (their innards, oil and muscle)
E tocopherol 15 mg	Sight disorders, dry, flabby skin, lowered efficiency, fatigue, inflammation in the digestive tract, infertility, heart disease, old age skin pigmentation, slow healing of wounds	Cold pressed plant based oils, spinach, wholegrain cereals, milk, wheat germ, butter, nuts, egg yolk
K phylochinone 0,5 mg	Intestine problems, bleeding, slow healing wounds, nosebleed, fatigue, menstrual problems	Spinach, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, pork and beef liver, egg yolk
	Water soluble vitamins
Vitamín B1 thiamin 1,5 – 2 mg	Inability to concentrate, weak nervous system, depressive moods, disturbed sleep, lack of appetite, arrhythmia, constipation, breathing difficulties, itchiness in the under arm area and on legs	Innards, pork, egg yolk, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, legumes, grains
B2 riboflavin 1,7 mg	Red, inflamed tongue, tiny cracks in the corners of the lips, feeling of grittiness under the eyelids, sensitivity to light, cracked lips, greasy hair, loss of hair, feeling nauseous, disturbed sleep, depressive moods, problems with urination, itchiness in the vaginal area	Meat and meat products, innards, milk and dairy products, grains, wholegrain products, egg yolk, nuts, seeds
B3 niacin 20 mg	Fatigue, muscle weakness, lack of appetite, changes of the skin, bad breath, cracked lips, inattentiveness, headaches, depressive moods, sensitive gums, vomiting	Meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, brewer’s yeast, wheat germ
B6 pyridoxine 2,2 mg	Depressive moods, fatigue, nervousness, irritability, hair loss, cracked corners of lips and eyes, blood circulation defects, sluggish feeling in hands and legs, muscle weakness, lowered concentration	Liver, fish, soy, wheat germ, walnuts, bananas, spinach, avocado, whole-wheat grain, poultry
B7 biotin 0,2 mg	Nervousness, irritability, dry or oily skin, hair loss and dandruff, grey-coloured mucous membranes in the mouth and larynx, sluggishness, muscle aches, depressive moods, fatigue	Innards, meat from young animals, yeast, egg yolk, soy, nuts, products from whole-wheat cereals, bran, brown rice
B9 folic acid 0,4 mg	Fatigue, restlessness, sleep disturbances, lack of joy of life, growth and digestion malfunction, inflammation of the tongue and lip mucuous membrane, premature greying, anemia	Wheat germ, liver, Savoy cabbage, spinach, lettuce, cucumbers, soy beans, whole-wheat grain, broccoli, cauliflower, egg yolk
B12 cobalamin 0,003 mg	Permanent nervousness, depression, feeling of dullness in hands and legs, difficulty with walking, stuttering, inflammation of the mouth, bad body odour, menstrual problems	Innards – mainly liver, egg yolk, fish, milk, fermented dairy products
C Ascorbic acid 100 mg	Gum bleeding, frequent colds, susceptibility to mucuous membrane inflammation, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, weight gain, weak nervous system, sight defects, hair loss	Citrus fruits, black currants, strawberries, kiwi, pepper(vegetable), tomatoes, broccoli, cabbage, rosehips

* RDV = recommended daily value

Don’t ever use a higher amount of one of the vitamins. Why?

Because they work in synergy. An imbalance - i.e. an unequal representation of a specific one – can lead to defects in the metabolism or absorption of other vitamins, minerals or other nutritionally important substances.

B vitamins never occur alone in natural products, but always in a whole complex, in a group. This “lifestyle” of the B complex group has been established over millions of years. All important tasks within the metabolic process are fulfilled and solved by them together as a group. Therefore, it makes no sense to buy e.g. vit. B6 on its own and try to treat something with it; it will not be effective. However, if the whole B complex group is present its performance is almost unbelievable. Besides the nervous system, these other parts of the body benefit the most: muscles, digestive system, skin, hair, eyes and the liver.

There is only one exception – during an illness and on the recommendation of a physician and under his supervision.

When does one use vitamins?

In order to be best utilized by the organism we should use vitamin supplements depending on whether they are water soluble:

• water soluble (B a C) between meals or shortly after a meal. Never on an empty stomach and in the evening before going to bed


• vitamins soluble in fats (A, D, E, K) and unsaturated fats (omega-3, omega-6) are better taken 1.5 hours prior to eating.

What are the choices for taking vitamin supplements?

1. It is useful to take the B complex group not only if we have skin problems.
   These are mostly found in the germ and husk of wheat grain, rice and also in sugar molasses. Because they are eliminated in the processing and refining of foods most of us suffer from a deficiency of B vitamins. This has a negative impact and is dangerous to our health. The vitamin B-complex has a broad range of action. It is essential in the transformation of saccharides into glucose, and food into energy. It is involved in the metabolism of fats and proteins. Many of them influence various processes in the liver, eyes, skin and hair. They increase the function of the immune system and the nervous system as well. They encourage cell growth and cell division, including red cell division, which helps prevent anemia. Therefore, unequivocally, we can say that the deficiency of the vitamin B complex is the start of practically all our potential problems and diseases.


2. Vitamin C is used in an increased rate in order to confront a cold.
   Ideally, it should be consumed in its natural form together with flavonoids. The intake of vit. C is divided into several doses during the day. What amount to take? In case of a common cold and similar bacterial diseases or an onset of influenza “The Vitamin C Foundation” recommends (with the first symptoms) an hourly dose of 500 to 1,000 mg of vit. C or vit. ESTER-C, which is prepared in such away that it is released slowly and can stay in the body for a longer period of time. It is pH neutral and does not cause any stomach problems like over- acidification or diarrhea. Should problems of this nature occur with regular vit. C the amount taken needs to be reduced and only gradually increased. We would like to underline that with an increased intake of vit. C it is very important to drink enough plain water (a minimum of 2 to 2.5 liters of water daily). With every dose also eat an apple as a source of flavonoids.


3. Vitamin D is taken not only by osteoporosis sufferers in the 100 percent recommended daily value.
   Especially in winter everyone should replenish their reserves. Equally, people who use sunscreen lotions in the summer should take it. Sunscreen prevents vit. D production in the skin and so a deficiency is created with people using these products. Further, everyone who does not get enough of it the natural way through food, i.e. by eating saltwater fish (herring, mackerel, salmon, sardines, and tuna) regularly, at least twice a week. This is not only prevention of osteoporosis but also cancer, diabetes, kidney disease, depression, obesity, heart disease and other health problems.


4. If we desire an antioxidant or detoxification effect, the choice would be a product containing an antioxidant complex (vit. A/beta-carotene, C, E, flavonoids), where the amount of these vitamins is around 100 percent of the recommended daily value.

Why DetoxiGreen?

Toxins present in the body use up vitally important vitamins and minerals and this may lead to an impaired immune system and resistance to diseases. Heavy metals and other toxic substances produce free radicals in the body and these threaten the immune system. Free radicals are quickly multiplying molecules that attack and damage cell membranes and tissue. Pollution, toxins, chemicals, unhealthy eating habits, smoking and stress – all this contributes to the development of free radicals. In order to eradicate free radicals it is very important to store and daily replenish the body with an appropriate amount of strong antioxidants.

DetoxiGreen:

• is an effective mix of all essential vitamins and minerals (with the exception of iron), which fully combine with enzymes, amino acids and green plant nutrients in order to achieve the best outcome,


• helps to add important nutrients to the body, enabling the immune system to function properly,


• ensures the correct effect of the essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes, amino acids and other vitally important nutrients.

Note:
vit. = vitamin

Vitamin A, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, vitamin B7, vitamin B9, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K.

- Prof. Katharine Horak, Doctor of Natural Science