Nutrition and Vitamins

Vitamin A (retinol/retinal)

• fat- soluble

• essential for growing strong bones and teeth, maintaining healthy skin, good eyesight and proper function of the immune system

• sources: liver and fruits or vegetables that are orange or red, squash, carrots or yam.

• RDA: 700 mcg for adult females 900 mcg for adult males

• Too little: night blindness, reduced hair growth in children, loss of appetite, dry and/or rough skin, lowered resistance to infection or dry eyes.

• Too much: can be toxic and cause headaches, blurred vision or liver damage may be mild or severe

Vitamin D (calciferol)

• fat soluble

• required for building an maintaining healthy bones and teeth and helps your body absorb calcium and phosphorus

• sources: your body can produce it with sun exposure, milk, egg yolk

• RDA: 15 mcg for adults

• Too little: rickets

• Too much: weak bones

Vitamin E (tocopherols)

• fat - soluble

• essential for normal reproduction and muscle development, and prevents thick scar formation when applies topically and accelerates the healing of burns

• sources: wheat germ, sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, pine nuts, goose meat, peanuts, Atlantic Salmon, avocado and rainbow trout.

• RDA: above 14 years of age is 15 mg

• Too little: nerve damage, infertility, liver or kidney damage, vascular damage and muscle degeneration.

• Too much: not toxic

Vitamin K (phytomenadione)

• fat - soluble

• substance that helps the blood clot.

• sources: Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) certain foods such as leafy greens and other dark green vegetables, meats, and egg yolk. Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) produced by your own intestinal bacteria

• RDA: 90 mcg for females and 120 mcg for males

• Too little: bleed to death

Vitamin C ( ascorbic acid)

• water - soluble

• excellent antioxidant that strengthens the immune system and preventing illnesses, as well as strengthen blood vessel walls and help the body absorb iron.

• Sources: citrus fruits, potatoes, tomatoes, tomato juice, red and green peppers, kiwi, broccoli, strawberries, brussels sprouts and cantaloupe.

• RDA: 75 mg for adult females, 90 mg for adult males

• Too little: bleeding gums, anemia, lower resistance to infections and slow healing, in severe cases scurvy