Vitamin and Mineral Supplements -Part 2
A Basic Guide To Vitamin Supplements
Some General Information About Vitamins and Supplements
- What they are and what they do
- What they are and what they do
Vitamins and minerals – what do they do?
Recommended daily amounts (RDAs)
Throughout this fact sheet the recommended daily amount (RDA) refers to the EU guidance that is used for nutrition tables on food products. Nutritional requirements are often slightly different for young children, adolescents, and during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Vitamin A (retinol) properties
Good for: Eyesight, growth, appetite and taste.
Signs of deficiency: Night-blindness
RDA: 800 micrograms
Good sources: Liver, cod liver oil, carrots, green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, enriched margarine, milk
products and yellow fruits.
Poisoning: This vitamin is fat-soluble and so is stored in the body for a long time, especially in pregnancy. An
overdose may be dangerous.
Destroyed by: Fatty acids.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) properties
Good for: Nervous system, digestion, muscles, heart, alcohol-damaged nerve tissues.
Signs of deficiency: Tingling in fingers and toes, confusion, difficulties in maintaining balance, loss of
appetite, exhaustion and weakened powers of concentration.
RDA: 1.1 mg
Good sources: Liver, yeast, egg yolk, cereal, red meat,nuts and wheatgerm.
Poisoning: No danger. It dissolves in water, so any excess is passed in urine.
Destroyed by: High temperatures, alcohol and coffee.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) properties
Good for: Growth, skin, nails, hair, sensitive lips and tongue, eyesight, the breakdown of protein, fat and
carbohydrates.
Signs of deficiency: Itchy irritated eyes, itchy mucous membranes (nose, mouth, throat) and
cracked corners of lips.
RDA: 1.4 mg
Good sources: Milk, liver, yeast, cheese, green leafy vegetables, fish.
Poisoning: No danger. It dissolves in water, so any excess is passed in urine.
Destroyed by: Alcohol and light (this is why milk-cartons are better than bottles).
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) properties
Good for: Preventing skin conditions, nerve problems, helps the body absorb protein and carbohydrate.
Signs of deficiency: Skin inflammation.
RDA: 1.4 mg – women taking the contraceptive pill may need more.
Good sources: Fish, bananas, chicken, pork, wholegrains and dried beans.
Poisoning: May cause nerve problems in large doses. Evidence is conflicting about the maximum
safe dose, so get medical advice before exceeding the RDA.
Destroyed by: The contraceptive pill, roasted or boiled food, alcohol and oestrogen (the female hormone).
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) properties
Good for: Making red blood and the formation of the nerves.
Signs of deficiency: Tiredness and fatigue, tingling and numbness in hands/feet,
memory problems and anaemia.
RDA: 2.5 microgram
Good sources: Eggs, shellfish, poultry, meat,liver, milk, cheese and fortified cereal.
Poisoning: No danger. It dissolves in water, so any excess is passed in urine.
Destroyed by: Water, sunlight, alcohol, oestrogen and sleeping pills.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) properties
Good for: Immune defence system, protection from viruses and bacteria, healing wounds, reducing cholesterol, cell lifespan and preventing scurvy.
Signs of deficiency: Tiredness, bleeding gums and slow-healing wounds.
RDA: 80 mg
Good sources: Citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, berries, tomatoes, cauliflower, potatoes, green leafy vegetables and
peppers.
Poisoning: Large doses can cause diarrhea and nausea, eg 2g/day . Some scientists have argued that 1000-
5000mg per day may damage your DNA.
Destroyed by: Boiling food, light, smoking and heat.
Vitamin D properties
Good for: Strong bones and teeth.
Signs of deficiency: Unhealthy teeth, osteomalacia (causes weakening of bones), rickets in children.
RDA: 5 micrograms
Good sources: Sunlight (the action of sunlight on the skin allows our bodies to manufacture vitamin D), cod
liver oil, sardines, herring, salmon, tuna, milk and milk products.
Poisoning: This vitamin is fat-soluble so can accumulate in the body. Overdoses are dangerous,
but there is wide variability in the toxic level, eg 400IU for children.
Destroyed by: Mineral oil.
Vitamin E (tocopherol) properties
Good for: Fighting toxins – vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant.
Signs of deficiency: Weak muscles and fertility problems.
RDA: 10 mg
Good sources: Nuts, soya beans, vegetable oil, broccoli, sprouts, spinach, wholemeal products and eggs.
Poisoning: Potential effect with warfarin increasing risk of bleeding, more than 400IU/day can increase risk of
heart failure and death in long term illness.
Destroyed by: Heat, oxygen, frost, iron and chlorine.
Folic acid properties
Good for: Production of red blood cells. It is essential in the first three months of pregnancy to prevent birth
defects such as spina bifida, cleft palate or cleft lip.
Signs of deficiency: Tiredness due to anaemia and red tongue.
RDA: 200 micrograms. Women planning to conceive should take a daily supplement of 400mcg, continued for
the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Good sources: Carrots, yeast, liver, egg, yolks, melon, apricots, pumpkin, avocado, beans, rye and wholewheat and green leafy vegetables.
Poisoning: No danger. It dissolves in water, so any excess is passed in urine.
Destroyed by: Water, sunlight and heat.
(part 3 will discuss why we need nutritional supplements)
Recommended daily amounts (RDAs)
Throughout this fact sheet the recommended daily amount (RDA) refers to the EU guidance that is used for nutrition tables on food products. Nutritional requirements are often slightly different for young children, adolescents, and during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Vitamin A (retinol) properties
Good for: Eyesight, growth, appetite and taste.
Signs of deficiency: Night-blindness
RDA: 800 micrograms
Good sources: Liver, cod liver oil, carrots, green leafy vegetables, egg yolks, enriched margarine, milk
products and yellow fruits.
Poisoning: This vitamin is fat-soluble and so is stored in the body for a long time, especially in pregnancy. An
overdose may be dangerous.
Destroyed by: Fatty acids.
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) properties
Good for: Nervous system, digestion, muscles, heart, alcohol-damaged nerve tissues.
Signs of deficiency: Tingling in fingers and toes, confusion, difficulties in maintaining balance, loss of
appetite, exhaustion and weakened powers of concentration.
RDA: 1.1 mg
Good sources: Liver, yeast, egg yolk, cereal, red meat,nuts and wheatgerm.
Poisoning: No danger. It dissolves in water, so any excess is passed in urine.
Destroyed by: High temperatures, alcohol and coffee.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) properties
Good for: Growth, skin, nails, hair, sensitive lips and tongue, eyesight, the breakdown of protein, fat and
carbohydrates.
Signs of deficiency: Itchy irritated eyes, itchy mucous membranes (nose, mouth, throat) and
cracked corners of lips.
RDA: 1.4 mg
Good sources: Milk, liver, yeast, cheese, green leafy vegetables, fish.
Poisoning: No danger. It dissolves in water, so any excess is passed in urine.
Destroyed by: Alcohol and light (this is why milk-cartons are better than bottles).
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) properties
Good for: Preventing skin conditions, nerve problems, helps the body absorb protein and carbohydrate.
Signs of deficiency: Skin inflammation.
RDA: 1.4 mg – women taking the contraceptive pill may need more.
Good sources: Fish, bananas, chicken, pork, wholegrains and dried beans.
Poisoning: May cause nerve problems in large doses. Evidence is conflicting about the maximum
safe dose, so get medical advice before exceeding the RDA.
Destroyed by: The contraceptive pill, roasted or boiled food, alcohol and oestrogen (the female hormone).
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) properties
Good for: Making red blood and the formation of the nerves.
Signs of deficiency: Tiredness and fatigue, tingling and numbness in hands/feet,
memory problems and anaemia.
RDA: 2.5 microgram
Good sources: Eggs, shellfish, poultry, meat,liver, milk, cheese and fortified cereal.
Poisoning: No danger. It dissolves in water, so any excess is passed in urine.
Destroyed by: Water, sunlight, alcohol, oestrogen and sleeping pills.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) properties
Good for: Immune defence system, protection from viruses and bacteria, healing wounds, reducing cholesterol, cell lifespan and preventing scurvy.
Signs of deficiency: Tiredness, bleeding gums and slow-healing wounds.
RDA: 80 mg
Good sources: Citrus fruits, kiwi fruit, berries, tomatoes, cauliflower, potatoes, green leafy vegetables and
peppers.
Poisoning: Large doses can cause diarrhea and nausea, eg 2g/day . Some scientists have argued that 1000-
5000mg per day may damage your DNA.
Destroyed by: Boiling food, light, smoking and heat.
Vitamin D properties
Good for: Strong bones and teeth.
Signs of deficiency: Unhealthy teeth, osteomalacia (causes weakening of bones), rickets in children.
RDA: 5 micrograms
Good sources: Sunlight (the action of sunlight on the skin allows our bodies to manufacture vitamin D), cod
liver oil, sardines, herring, salmon, tuna, milk and milk products.
Poisoning: This vitamin is fat-soluble so can accumulate in the body. Overdoses are dangerous,
but there is wide variability in the toxic level, eg 400IU for children.
Destroyed by: Mineral oil.
Vitamin E (tocopherol) properties
Good for: Fighting toxins – vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant.
Signs of deficiency: Weak muscles and fertility problems.
RDA: 10 mg
Good sources: Nuts, soya beans, vegetable oil, broccoli, sprouts, spinach, wholemeal products and eggs.
Poisoning: Potential effect with warfarin increasing risk of bleeding, more than 400IU/day can increase risk of
heart failure and death in long term illness.
Destroyed by: Heat, oxygen, frost, iron and chlorine.
Folic acid properties
Good for: Production of red blood cells. It is essential in the first three months of pregnancy to prevent birth
defects such as spina bifida, cleft palate or cleft lip.
Signs of deficiency: Tiredness due to anaemia and red tongue.
RDA: 200 micrograms. Women planning to conceive should take a daily supplement of 400mcg, continued for
the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Good sources: Carrots, yeast, liver, egg, yolks, melon, apricots, pumpkin, avocado, beans, rye and wholewheat and green leafy vegetables.
Poisoning: No danger. It dissolves in water, so any excess is passed in urine.
Destroyed by: Water, sunlight and heat.
(part 3 will discuss why we need nutritional supplements)
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