Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds not manufactured by the body other than proteins, carbohydrates and fats that are required for growth, maintenance and repair. Vitamins require no digestion and are absorbed directly into the blood stream. The thirteen vitamins identified are divided into two groups, fat soluble and water soluble. The fat soluble vitamins, which include A, D, E, and K are stored in the liver and in body fat. Mega doses of fat soluble vitamins can produce a toxic effect in the liver. Water soluble vitamins are not stored by the body. Excess or Mega doses of these vitamins are excreted by the kidneys. However, toxicity has been reported with niacin, C and B6. The following table includes recommended daily allowance.

Fat Soluble Vitamins	RDR	Purpose	Sources
A	1,000 mcg	Vision, skin, hair, growth, mucous membranes	Egg yolk, milk, butter, yellow and dark green vegetables, yellow-orange fruits
D	5 mg	Bone and tooth structure, needed to absorb calcium	Sunshine, milk, eggs, fish
E	10 mg	Red Blood Cells, muscles	Whole grains, oils, fruits, green leafy vegetables
K	80 mcg	Blood Clotting, bone growth	Eggs, green leafy vegetables, cauliflower, tomatoes

Water Soluble Vitamins	RDR	Purpose	Sources
C	60 mg	Strengthens blood vessel walls, antihistamine, builds collagen	Citrus, tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, green peppers, cabbage, strawberries
B1 - Thiamin	1.5 mg	Appetite, digestion, nerve function, carb metabolization	Pork, legumes, whole grains, wheat germ, nuts
B2 - Riboflavin	1.7 mg	Fat, protein and carbohydrate metabolism, mucous membrane	Milk, dairy, whole grain, eggs, fish, green leafy vegetables
B3 - Niacin	19 mg	Appetite, lowers cholesterol, fat, protein and carb metabolism	Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, peanuts, legumes, grains
B6 - Pyrodoxine	2 mg	Serotonin (mood regulation), protein metabolism	Meat, poultry, fish, grains, bran, wheat germ, egg yolk, legumes, green leafy vegetables
B12	2 mcg	Red blood cells, genetic material production, new tissue	Meat, poultry, fish, dairy
Folic Acid	200 mcg	Red blood cells, genetic material production	Meat, eggs, fish, green vegetables, beans, asparagus, yeast
Pantothenic Acid	7 mg	Adrenal function, food metabolization, nerve function	Whole grains, eggs, vegetables, meats
Biotin	100 mcg	Metabolization of glucose	Egg yolk, milk, legumes, peanuts, bananas

source : Training Manual & Certification Course, Fitness ABCs
written by Chuck Krautblatt, Personal Trainer and Aerobics Instructor
1995, 1998

Nutrients: Proteins, Carbohydrates, Fat, Cholesterol, Vitamins, Minerals, + water.