The exceptional Vitamin E!

Ciao Nutrinutters!!!

Did you know that when we talk about vitamin E we are not only referring to 1 nutrient?

This vitamin includes 8 different nutrients, four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. However, alpha-tocopherol is the only form that is recognized to meet our requirements and the amount found in the body depends greatly on the liver, which takes up all of the forms of vitamin E but release to the body mainly alpha-tocopherol.

Here’s another fun fact, today’s vitamin is also known as a tocopherol from the Greek meaning “to bring forth offspring” because it was found in the 20’s that rats lost their reproductive ability when deprived of foods containing vitamin E. Neat right? I love investigating the meaning behind names!

But moving on to the good stuff, let’s investigate a little the benefits of this vitamin...

You might be already familiar with what vitamin E is mainly associated with – its antioxidant qualities! Meaning that it protects cells from damage caused by free, active oxygen. Interestingly enough, this quality is exactly what makes vitamin E a useful food preservative keeping foods from being oxidized and turning rancid.

Being a powerful antioxidant, it helps in the prevention of cancer and heart disease. If those reasons are not good enough to get you excited about increasing foods rich in vitamin E, it also helps preventing signs of aging…a fountain of youth? Sign me up for that!

Many foods are good sources of vitamin E including nuts, seeds, vegetable oils and green leafy vegetables. Here are some foods you can incorporate to your day-to-day and increase your vitamin E:

¼ cup of sunflower seeds has about 80% of the daily recommendation

¼ cup of almonds has about 40% of the daily recommendation

1 cup of spinach, swiss chard, turnip greens and asparagus have about 20% of the daily recommendation

The recommendation for vitamin E for male and female adults is 15 mg (22.4 IU) per day and interestingly enough, the average American consumes only half of that. Although this vitamin is a fat soluble vitamin (stored in fat tissue), the tolerable upper intake level for this vitamin is rather high at 1,000 mg (1,500 IU); however, a couple of studies found controversial results while supplementing with 400 IU of vitamin E per day. This applies mostly to people taking vitamin E supplements since, like the previous nutrients we've discussed, reaching high levels through foods is extremely challenging.

I hope everyone has an amazing week!!

-The Nutrinut-

"Little miss sunshine" - Vitamin D

Welcome back Nutrinutters!!

Vitamin D, also known as the sunshine vitamin, is one of the most studied vitamins at the moment, but with so many trends going around, how do we even know what is real and what is not? Like the previous vitamins we've covered, I hope to clarify some questions you might have had on the topic.

Starting with why it is called the sunshine vitamin. This nutrient is unique in the sense that although you can find it in foods, the main “source” to obtain vitamin D is through the sun. When UVB rays reach your skin, your body converts it with the help of the liver and kidneys into active vitamin D for your body to use.

Vitamin D benefits?

Some of the amazing benefits that are linked to having adequate amount of vitamin D in the body range from regulating calcium absorption, to protecting against autoimmune diseases, heart disease and cancer. The sunshine vitamin regulates calcium in the blood in 2 different ways. First by increasing the calcium absorption from foods and second, reducing the amount of calcium that the body eliminates through urine.

This vitamin’s benefits go beyond bone support, including helping increase muscle strength and promoting heart health by playing a role in controlling blood pressure and preventing artery damage. Also, it has a real neat role in regulating the immune system and having a vitamin D deficiency possibly contributes to the development of multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes.

Sources of “little miss sunshine”

Being the sunshine vitamin, the best “source” is the sun, therefore, factors such as clothing, latitude, altitude and sunblock interfere with UVB rays, and consequently, vitamin D absorption.

Other factors that affect vitamin D status include skin color (the darker the skin, the more melanin present interfering with vitamin D conversion) and age (the enzymes responsible for converting and activating vitamin D decrease in the body with age).

Although the best way to obtain vitamin D is through the sun, there are some foods that contain vitamin D such as salmon, sardines, eggs and some foods that are fortified such as milk and cereals.

How much should I have?

The public health recommendation for adult females and males is 600 IU. Since this vitamin is fat soluble, the tolerable upper intake level for vitamin D was set to 4000 IU and like previous vitamins, reaching these levels through foods is unlikely. For someone considering taking supplements, this is something to be in the lookout for, however. 

The amount of vitamin D supplement that one should have depends on where their starting point is by checking vitamin D blood levels. If you are deficient/insufficient and decide to supplement, it is very important to make sure you follow up with your practitioner and monitor blood levels of vitamin D.

Hope everyone is having a great day!!

Until next time ;)

-The Nutrinut-

The Journey Continues with Choline!

Guten tag nutrinutters!

With national nutrition month I got a bit side tracked working on the healthy tips but now the vitamins and minerals are back in business! 

This week I wanted to discuss choline – this vitamin is actually one of the newest nutrients to be added to the vitamin list, being recognized only in 1998. The reason for this is because it was once believed that our bodies produced enough choline on its own; however, research showed otherwise.

Why is Choline important?

One of the benefits linked to choline is that it is a key nutrient for the production of phosphatidylcholine, important for the construction of cell membranes. If we think back to biology class, the membrane is responsible for controlling what goes in and out of cells - pretty important function! Choline is also the backbone of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which is involved in muscle control and memory.

Methylation, which is the process of giving or taking a methyl group in different chemical reactions that occur throughout your body, is yet another important function where choline plays a role in. This might not sound that important but methylation happens in many basic functions such as building DNA, signal exchange in the brain and liver detox.

Speaking of liver, fat and cholesterol are transported from the liver to the bloodstream in little “packages” called lipoproteins that need phosphatidylcholine. Without adequate amounts of choline, fat and cholesterol can accumulate in the liver.

Food sources and daily recommendation

Luckily, choline is available in a variety of foods, including the controversial egg yolk - one egg giving you about 1/3 of your choline daily needs…so eggs in moderation are not that bad for you after all!  Other good sources include shrimp, collard greens, brussels sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and spinach!

As for the recommendation, this is one of the nutrients that the ideal amount is not fully understood yet especially since our body produces some already. A study published last month (March) in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology suggests that there is no “right” amount and that there should be no “one size fits all” in this case. Factors such as gender, life stage, race and ethnicity might influence your choline needs.

But in the meantime, the National Academy of Sciences established the following adequate intake amount for choline: adult females should have 425 mg per day and adult males 550 mg.

Well, this concludes one more vitamin! We are almost done reviewing the vitamins but don’t forget to come back because we still have quite a few exciting minerals to cover!

Until next time!

- The Nutrinut-

On each other's team - calcium

Ciao Nutrinutters!

I'm trying to focus on thinking only about calcium but Romeo and Juliet (the Leonardo DiCaprio version) is playing on TV...and ladies you understand this, as you can imagine calcium is not the priority on my mind ;)

Alas, I must focus and Leo has to go, haha!

Since I'm going in alphabetical order, the next nutrient up is not a vitamin but a mineral -calcium! This one is another popular nutrient, known for promoting bone health. But did you know that although 99% of calcium in our bodies is stored in bones and teeth, it has other key functions such as control muscle and nerve function by cell signaling as well as manage acid/base in our blood. Our bodies need to have a balanced pH to work properly and when those levels start getting too low, calcium is released from our bones into our blood stream.

I read in "World's Healthiest Foods" something pretty neat actually. We should consider the storage of calcium like a bank. Since we have a high storage of calcium in our bones, it is unlikely that the muscle and nerve function along with maintaining body pH will be affected with only not consuming enough calcium rich foods. However, when your body uses up more than your intake constantly, is when you end up in deficit.

How much do I need? Is it only found in Dairy?

Calcium recommendation varies a little with age and gender. Male and female adults up to the age of 50 require 1,000 mg per day. The needs for women over the age of 50 on the other hand, is increased to 1,200 mg. Also, pregnant or lactating women independent of age should aim for 1,300 mg per day.

Even though calcium is extremely important for our health, like everything, too much of it is also not recommended. The upper limit was set to 2,500 mg for adults 50 and under and 2,000 mg for adults over 50.

Foods that are usually known for being calcium sources are the ones coming from dairy (yogurt, cheese, milk) but since the hot topic for a while has been eliminating dairy from diet, I wanted to show a few other foods that are great sources as well! Although dairy sources are usually better absorbed...

4 ounces of Tofu has about 770 mg of calcium
1 cup of spinach has about 240 mg of calcium
1 cup of collard greens has about 260 mg of calcium
1 cup of bok choy has about 160 mg of calcium


Calcium - team player? Un peu...

Calcium is another nutrient that works in a team! Vitamin D, vitamin K and magnesium are fundamental for calcium absorption. Foods that contain calcium, usually contain vitamin D too.

However, it sometimes is not much of a team player since it can interfere with the absorption of other important nutrients such as iron, zinc as well as magnesium. Which is why it is very important for someone with anemia to avoid having foods rich in calcium mixed with foods sources of iron, like meats.

Wrapping up our first mineral, hope everyone has an amazing week! I bet you're wondering which nutrient is next aren't you?? It's my secret...stay tuned to find out ;)

XOXO

-The Nutrinut-

Sailing new seas - Vitamin C - Ascorbic Acid

Ciao Nutrinutters!

I'm extremely proud with the title of this post since this week's vitamin is known to have prevented scurvy among sailors in the early 1900s (hence the "sailing new seas") bringing history and nutrition to you ;)  ladies and gents I present to you Vitamin C, also known as Ascorbic Acid.

The Functions

This vitamin is a little easier to remember its functions because it is quite a famous one!

Most people know vitamin C because of its antioxidant ability and I'm sure we've all heard that we should take a little vitamin C when we are feeling "under the weather".

There's no doubt that this vitamin C plays a role in controlling infections and in fact is an antioxidant.
For those who have missed my previous explanation of what an antioxidant is or still are not very clear what that means, I found a pretty good analogy that might help. We can compare free radicals to a fire that can potentially harm our cells and damage our body structures, then antioxidants will be our "fire extinguishers" that will neutralize the fire or free radicals. Neat, right??

But all that most of us already knew right? "What can the Nutrinut bring to the table that's new" you might be wondering...

This part usually makes the ladies more alert than the fellas - vitamin C is required to produce collagen. Even I am guilty of linking collagen to youthful looking skin, however it is important for the connective tissue of not only skin but also bone, teeth, tendons and ligaments giving our bodies form and support to our organs.

Another neat function of Ascorbic Acid is its ability to reduce iron. What? You lost me Nutrinut!
Let me explain...most vitamins have a form in which they are better absorbed in our bodies. It just so happens that this is Vitamin C's. Which is why when you are having foods that are rich in iron, like meat, it is always a good idea to include a citrus fruit to help your body better absorb iron.

I already know where to get Vitamin C...can we skip this next part?

Nope! We still have to know how much we should have per day remember? The daily recommendation for adult males is 90 milligrams and for females is 75 milligrams. For pregnant and lactating women, like usually, is a little higher: 85 mg and 120 mg respectively.
According to the Dietary Reference Intake, smokers should also take 35 mg more than the recommended above.
 
Since most of us are already pretty familiar with good sources of Vitamin C, I will give you some examples of fruits and veggies that are good sources and how much Ascorbic Acid each one has:

1 medium papaya - about 160 mg of vitamin C
1 cup of broccoli - about 100 mg of vitamin C
1 cup of strawberries/pineapples - about 80 mg of vitamin C
1 medium orange - about 70 mg of vitamin C

Like most of the other vitamins, there is a tolerable upper intake level set and for vitamin C is 2000 mg.

And now this is the time where I bid you adieu and wish everyone and amazing week!! :)
See you next week as we continue our journey!

XOXO

-The Nutrinut-

Saving the best for last...B12 - Cobalamin

Ciao Nutrinutters,

As promised, this is the second vitamin for this week! If you haven't done so yet, make sure to look at B9 too :)

Here's the cherry on top of the sundae of B vitamins - Cobalamin or most commonly known as B12.
Although it is still part of the B family, this vitamin is very unique in quite a few ways:

• We store it in our bodies
• It's absorbed in 2 steps: a) stomach acid separates B12 from the protein it is attached to in food; b) it combines with a protein made in the stomach called intrinsic factor to be absorbed.
• Found mostly in animal sources

What's so special about this B?

Vitamin B12 is important for the production of DNA. Remember how I mentioned before that many of these vitamins work together? Well, it just so happens that folate and B6 will work together with B12 in this function.

The trio will also work together in the production of neurotransmitters, such as serotonin, a neurotransmitter strongly linked to mood control. Remember how I called vitamin B6 the moody vitamin? Well, maybe we can call this trio "the moody trio" ;)

This vitamin also acts in the nervous system by playing an important role in maintaining healthy nerve cells.

It protects myelin, the fatty material that covers your nerves and enables us to transmit messages between our nerve cells. Low levels of B12 can cause nerve damage, making it harder for signals to be sent out specially to the body's extremities, such as in our hands and feet. This is why symptoms show up first in these regions.

Another sign of deficiency is anemia. This one is called Pernicious Anemia and it happens usually when the stomach cells are not able to produce intrinsic factor and therefore the body is not able to absorb the vitamin. Deficiency can also happen in vegans since the food sources come from animal.

How much do I need?

The recommendation for B12 for adult males and females is 2.4 micrograms. Pregnant and lactating women require a little more, 2.6 mcg and 2.8 mcg respectively.

As for what kind of foods you can find B12 in, since it is produced by "good" bacteria, good sources will be meat, fish, poultry, milk products and eggs. Like the previous vitamin, some grain products might be fortified with B12 too.

Can this vitamin be toxic?

Although animal food sources have significant amounts of this vitamin (4 ounces of salmon has 2 times what's recommended for the day!) having high amounts of B12, whether by food or supplementation, has not shown to be toxic...but I still rather be on the safe side and not get too carried away with uber crazy high doses...

So this concludes another vitamin and a good chunk of our Journey...But we're not done yet! Next week there's more! ;)

XOXO

-The Nutrinut-

Not Only a Prenatal - Folate (B9)

Ciao Nutrinutters,

We have only two main vitamins left before closing the B-files! I'm calling this next one "the Nervous Vitamin" since one of its main functions is to support the nervous system...you might know it as folate (form found naturally in foods) or folic acid (form found mostly in supplements).

Folic acid is highly associated as a prenatal vitamin because of its importance in  promoting healthy baby development being fundamental for neural tube development and reducing the risk of spina bifida (the failure of  bones of the spine to close properly around the spinal cord). However, this vitamin has other amazing functions as well!

Have you ever heard of macrocytic anemia? One of folate's main functions include allowing the complete development of red blood cells, which are the ones responsible for carrying oxygen around the body. In a folate deficiency, the red blood cells will not form properly and continue to grow without dividing. This is why this kind of anemia is called MACROCYTIC (large cell).

Another key function of folate is maintaining healthy blood circulation by preventing the accumulation of homocysteine. Sound familiar? Homocysteine is an amino acid that when in high levels, is associated with being a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin B9 is also fundamental for proper brain function and plays a role in mental and emotional health. The deficiency of this vitamin has been linked to general mental fatigue, depression, irritability and others. The reason for this is because the synthesis of many neurotransmitters depend on folic acid.

How much do I need?

The daily recommendation of B9 for adult men and women is 400 micrograms. The recommended for pregnant females is 600 micrograms and lactating 500 micrograms.

The good news is that although the needs might seem a little high, foods source of this vitamin contain significant amounts...another example that our parents were spot on when they made us eat our veggies! I still remember not being able to go play until I finished the peas in my plate! ;)

Some good sources of folate include beans, dark green leafy vegetables and all grain products in the United States are fortified with folic acid.

Here are some numbers...

1 cup of lentils has about 350 micrograms (mcg) of folate
1 cup of spinach has about 260 mcg of folate
1 cup of turnip greens or broccoli has about 160 mcg of folate

There are however some situations in which we might need extra help from supplements including future mommies and people that consume alcohol on a regular basis. Alcohol interferes with the absorption of many important nutrients including the B vitamins.

Should I take a little more just to be on the safe side?

Like the other B vitamins, eating high amounts of foods source of B9 have not been observed to cause any negative side effect. However, high intake of folic acid (the form found in supplement) can trigger symptoms including masking the deficiency of vitamin B12, an important vitamin for the nervous system. This is why the tolerable upper limit of this vitamin was set to 1,000 micrograms.

One more B vitamin to go!! Excited? Me too!

P.S -Since I shared my pea story, I would love to hear your veggie trauma story! What did you absolutely hate eating and your parents made you have every single bite? ;)

XOXO

-The Nutrinut- 

Hair and skin vitamin - sounds promising!

Guten tag nutrinutters!

A few years back, I remember that I used to joke around with friends about chocolate being great for me because it had vitamin H, this nonexistent vitamin that I made up to justify my chocolate addiction. It turns out that there is such a thing as vitamin H! Granted, chocolate is not a source of it at all :)

Never heard of it? The reason for that might be because it is mainly known as Biotin or vitamin B7! It is said that the name vitamin H comes from the German words hair and skin "Haar und Haut", since deficiency of biotin affects the skin and hair.


Like the previous B vitamins, biotin will help in the conversion of the nutrients coming from foods into energy for our cells. This vitamin is a coenzyme to some important reactions including the making of fats, in particular fatty acids. It does this because its presence is required for the functioning of an enzyme called acetyl CoA-carboxylase, which is responsible for putting together the building blocks that make up the fat in your body.

Now you might be thinking "this vitamin is THE enemy of my life!!". I however have to protest and act as biotin's defense attorney. Fat production is very important for your skin cells since cells need the correct amount of fat in their membranes to work properly. Skin cells themselves die very quickly needing to be replaced fast!More importantly, they are in contact with the environment and work as a selective barrier. When there is a biotin deficiency, your skin cells are one of the first ones to be impacted by it. Vitamin B7 is not only important for healthy skin but it is also said to help improve thin, splitting or brittle nails and hair!

Biotin when combined with chromium might also help improve blood sugar control by decreasing insulin resistance and nerve symptoms that accompany type 2 diabetes. Now pay close attention my Nutrinutters, you must NEVER take any supplement on your own without speaking to a physician and dietitian about it. Many supplements have strong interactions with meds so you have to be very careful.

What are some good sources of Vitamin H

A few foods are good sources of biotin including eggs (specially egg yolk), yeast, nuts and beans.
Here are some numbers for you:
1/4 cup of peanuts has about 26 micrograms (mcg) of Biotin
1/4 cup of almonds has about 14 mcg of Biotin
1 egg has about 8 mcg of Biotin

However, there's something unique about this vitamin when it comes to ways of obtaining some. It just so happens that the bacteria in your gut produces biotin! So here we have yet another reason among many others as to why we should keep our gut microflora very healthy! (we'll discuss probiotics and prebiotics soon!)

Do I still need a lot of B7 if my gut bacteria produces some already?

As you can see, this vitamin has very important functions. Therefore, even though we produce some on our own, the recommendation for adult males and females is 30 micrograms per day. Pregnant women have the same recommendation, breastfeeding on the other hand should have 35 micrograms per day.
Biotin is not known to be toxic even in higher doses, which is why there is no tolerable upper limit intake for this vitamin.

The Nutrient Chain

This vitamin, like many others, believes in team work! Deficiency of B5 or pantothenic acid (we discussed this one a few weeks back) can contribute to biotin deficiency since they both participate in many metabolic situations.

Well, this concludes another vitamin from the B-files! We have a couple more to go before setting sail in different seas...

Before I go, I just wanted to say a quick hi to the international Nutrinutters in Brazil, China, Ireland, Norway, Russia, Ukraine and United Kingdom!!!!

Have a great week everyone!!!

XOXO

-The Nutrinut-

The Moody Vitamin - B6

Ciao Nutrinutters!

I hope everyone has been having an amazing year so far! 2014 has come with many many blessings in this nutrinut's way..I just started my new job and am loving every second of it - who better to share this amazing news than with my nutrinutters :)

Let's get back to business though shall we? Still having a few vitamins to go before closing the B-files - It's B6's turn for some spotlight attention...

Clearly this vitamin had to have a name to match all the other complicated ones so are you guys ready for B6 thought that it needed to stand out more than the others somehow and decided that one form is simply not enough - this vitamin can be found in 3 forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. Although it can be found in these 3 forms, B6 is also called Pyridoxine, may be due to it being the most stable form out of the 3 even if it is not the most active of them.
this one????

Why is this vitamin so Moody??

Being part of the B-files, it could only have similar traits with the other B vitamins. Pyridoxine, like the B's we've discussed, help convert nutrients into energy for our cells. It plays a special role in pulling carbohydrate out of storage and also converting amino acids into glucose, both to be used as energy for the cells.

B6 also plays a role in the nervous system by participating in the body's production of a few neutransmitters (these are chemicals that carry signals from one nerve cell to the other) such as serotonin and norepinephrine and GABA(influences your mood, hence the moody vitamin).

You might also have heard that people who don't get enough of B6 are at higher risk of heart disease. This is because this vitamin, along with B9 and B12, help lower blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid that your body produces when you digest proteins and is strongly influenced by your diet. Although it is not clear how effective B6 is in heart disease, high levels of homocysteine is considered by the American Heart Association to be a risk factor of cardiovascular disease.

A few other ways B6 participate in the healthy functioning of our bodies include the making of red blood cells and cells of the immune system.

How much do I need???

As you can see, this vitamin is pretty important and you might be thinking that for sure you must need tons of it in your body, right? But just like all the other vitamins and mineral, it is considered a MICROnutrient for a reason - although very important, it is not needed in big quantities, like the MACROnutrients protein, fats and carbohydrates.

The needs for an adult male and female under 50 years is 1.3 milligrams per day. It slightly increases in adults over 50 years, males needing 1.7 mg while females 1.5 mg. Pregnant and lactating women, like in the previous vitamins, have higher needs of 1.9 mg and 2.0 mg respectively.

What foods should I have??

Some great sourced of B6 include chicken, fish, pork,milk, eggs, whole grains, soybeans, potatoes, beans, nuts, seeds and dark green vegetables. Some breads and similar products might have vitamin B6 added as part of its fortified flour.

Yet again, it is not likely that one can overdose in this vitamin through foods since most good sources contain less than 1 mg per serving. For those of you who are interested in taking multivitamins, it is very important that before anything you consult with your physician and dietitian. I say this because taking too much also has its consequences. B6 has a tolerable upper intake level of 100 mg per day and has been reported to cause changes of sensation in hands and feet.

To conclude this week's post, I wanted to share with you the song that I can't stop listening to while writing this post. (Yes, I am one of those that when I like a song I just can't stop listening to it...how about you??)

If by any chance this one doesn't play in your device, it's called "Elastic Heart" by Sia...Hope you enjoy it as much as me ;)

Have an amazing week everyone and see you all again next Monday!

XOXO

-The Nutrinut-

Sources: American Herat Association, Linus Pauling Institute, University of Maryland Medical Center, Nutrition 411, Nutrition for Dummies

Moving on to the fifth: Pantothenic acid - B5

Ciao Nutrinutters!


Today is a special day, instead of writing from my usual spot at my desk at home, I'm writing with this beautiful view:

Not bad huh?

Our next vitamin from the B-files is one that when I was studying nutrition in college I used to remember as the one with the name that made me think of the shampoo/conditioner brand Pantene...

Ladies and gents I present to you B5 or pantothenic acid....and unfortunately you will rarely see it being called "B5" but pantothenic acid instead...why simplify right? don't scientists have the best sense of humor? ;)

What does this shampoo vitamin do anyways??

Pantothenic acid is really important in many body functions and is mainly found in our cells in the form of coenzyme A. Let's break this one down so it doesn't sound so confusing shall we? Starting with what is an enzyme - this is a molecule that will help accelerate chemical processes that are fundamental in our bodies. Some enzymes however, require another molecule to help carry out its function and this little fella is called a coenzyme.

So coenzyme A, where B5 is found in the body, is responsible for participating in many reactions including enabling your body to use energy from food and the ability of your body to make essential fats, cholesterol and steroid hormones.
Pantothenic acid also protects hemoglobin - this is the protein in red blood cells that carry oxygen though the body.
With this vitamin playing such an important role in our bodies, luckily deficiency of B5 is very rare and was only found in very critical malnutrition.

How much Pantothenic acid is needed and where can I find it in foods?

Your body actually has a limited ability to store B5 so we can observe that the needs for this vitamin is a little higher than the previous ones we've discussed - for adult males and females, the recommended is 5 milligrams per day. For pregnant women or breast feeding the recommendation is a little higher of 6 and 7 milligrams respectively.

Some foods that are good sources of pantothenic acid are meats, fish, eggs, beans and whole grain cereals.

Remember that since B5 is not stored well in the body and being another water-soluble vitamin, there aren't any known toxicity symptoms that come from having too many food rich in this vitamin.


Thank you once again for giving this Nutrinut another week to show you a little more about vitamins and a special hello to the nutrinutters from Brazil, Malaysia, Germany, United Kingdom, Indonesia, Vietnam, Canada, Australia and the U.S.!!!

xoxo

-The Nutrinut-

Sources: Linus Pauling Institute, nutrition411, nutrition for dummies

The Fantastic Four - Vitamin B4

Ciao Nutrinutters!

How was your New Years? I hope everyone had a great time! I spent mine with my family and watched the fireworks nearby at midnight. There's something about counting down the last 10 seconds of the year and then watching all those beautiful colorful lights explode in the night sky! Don't you think?

So far everywhere I go, all I hear people talk about is the guilt of the extra pounds they gained during the holidays...but all I can think of is how delicious everything I ate was! I sensually ate during the entire holidays! :)
Ok, ok! I do feel some detox has to happen now =/  So how about we start by continuing our Journey?

We covered B1, B2, B3 and the next logical step would be to cover B4...never heard of it? That's because it was practically mission impossible to find something on the topic. The most common B vitamins are: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12...but being the Nutrinut that I am, I found a few things on the topic although it was not easy! Who doesn't love a good challenge?

Wanna know what this one is called?? Were you hoping for an easy name like Ana? It does start with an A so you were close! It's called Adenine.

Adenine is a nucleobase meaning that it has in its structure Nitrogen and is found in DNA. We will not go down the genetics path from Bio class, no worries :)
So why is this even a vitamin?? The reason why it is B4 is because it has certain Vitamin properties.

What does it take to be in the Vitamin Club?

A vitamin is defined by being the following:

• Organic compound - this just means that it has carbon in its chain - that little "C" that you would see connected to all the "H" in chemistry class, look familiar?

• Required in the diet in small amounts for the main body functions.

Adenine unfortunately got kicked out of the B complex group and it is no longer considered a true vitamin but 2 of the vitamins we've discussed already (B2 and B3) link to it to perform some of their own functions.

What are some functions of Adenine?

There is no way to discuss these in detail without going into biology and chemistry, so I'll keep this simple!
Adenine participates in the following:

• Cellular respiration (a process that takes place in your cells to make energy from nutrients)
• Making protein (since it is part of DNA)

Wanna hear something neat?

I found a study in the International Journal of Cancer Research and Treatment that the use of small doses Adenine worked efficiently as a protective factor in the radiation treatment of breast cancer cells!

Food Sources and How much do I need?

Although one can't actually find food sources of B4 and to make protein in our body you need to eat protein in foods, it is safe to assume that eating foods high in protein such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, beans will help in making more protein for your body and can be considered good sources.

As for how much we need, look back at the protein post to calculate how much protein you need specifically :)  Some of you have already done the math - for those of you who haven't, it's a great time to catch up! Just click below :)

How much protein do I need??

Did you guys survive this post???

If you did, I think this song is for you!!!

If the video wasn't playing on your phone, the song is called "on top of the world" by Imagine Dragons

Thanks for staying tuned one more week!!! Hope everyone has a great year!!!!!
2014 will be our year Nutrinutters!!!

xoxo

- The Nutrinut-

Sources: ANTICANCER RESEARCH 26: 3005-3010 (2006), Biochemical Physiological, Molecular Aspects of Human Nutriiton

The Cholesterol Vitamin (Vitamin B3 - Niacin)

Ciao Nutrinutters!!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday!

Counting down the days to the new year yet??? I know I am pretty excited about 2014...with all of its mystery...never know what will come our way...but it is also time for a fresh start! Everything you wish you had done in the previous year, you get to try again - set new goals - improve yourself, the famous "New Year's Resolution". Have you come up with yours yet?

I confess I have not come up with mine...I do have a few things I want, does that count? Like a hammock...I imagine myself in my patio swinging while reading a Jill Shalvis romance...don't judge, it's my thing :)

How about we set one now?

I vow to learn about all vitamins and minerals together with the Nutrinutters - every Monday a new post, until we finish this journey. What do you say?

With at least one New Year's Resolution set, how about we move on to the good stuff!

It is time to introduce B3 or if you want to sound like a nutrition wiz, Niacin! This vitamin was found in the early 1900s because of a disease called pellagra. Pellagra is characterized by cracked, scaly, discolored skin, digestive problems and body weakness. What was interesting about it is that the disease prevalence was associated with diets based on corn and that the addition of protein to the diet seemed to help.

You might be thinking that corn has zero vitamin B3, but in truth it does have significant amounts, it just needed to be prepared/cooked in a way that the vitamin could be absorbed. As for why the addition of protein helped, it's because some of the B3 we get comes from the conversion of an amino acid called tryptophan into this vitamin.

Are you wondering how come these vitamins have the craziest names? Niacin kind of reminds you of nicotine doesn't it? When we say Niacin we are actually including a group of different forms of the vitamin and how this name came about is because B3 was first "discovered" during a tobacco study while investigating nicotine from tobacco leaves, isn't that neat?

Now that we understand how this name came about..

What  does vitamin B3 do for us in our bodies?

Some important functions of Niacin include energy production, breaking down and absorption of fats and finally supporting genetic processes.

Let's understand these better shall we?

Do you sense a pattern here? So far the B vitamins have participated in energy production. B3 is no different in the sense that it helps convert protein, carbohydrate and fat into usable energy for your cells. What is different about this one is that it will help store energy in your muscles and liver for whenever you need it.

You might  have noticed that I called this post the cholesterol vitamin.  Did you know niacin plays an important role in how your body processes fat? Niacin supplementation has been linked to the increase of HDL or "good" cholesterol and lowering of LDL or "bad" cholesterol, which is why there have been many studies done using Niacin supplementation to improve cholesterol status in the body.

Another important function of this vitamin is its involvement in DNA production. Niacin is essential to help support genetic processes and a B3 deficiency has been linked to genetic damage. This is extremely important especially when it comes to cancer prevention.

How much do we need and what are good sources?

The recommendation for adult females is 14 milligrams per day (pregnant: 18 mg/day, lactating: 17mg/day) and for males is 15 milligrams per day.

 

Some good food sources include:

• protein (meat, poultry, fish, beans, peas)
• whole grain and enriched breads/cereals
• eggs and milk are good sources of tryptophan (converts to B3)

 

What are some signs that show deficiency?

Niacin deficiency alone is rare, being usually accompanied by the deficiency of other B vitamins. Some signs include pellagra, inflammation of skin, digestive problems, loss of appetite and even mental confusion.

INTERESTING STUFF: Did you know that people who consume higher amounts of Niacin regularly seem to have a lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease?

How much more of this vitamin can I take?

The good news is that in the levels found in foods, no toxic symptoms were reported in the literature since this is another water-soluble vitamin. However, a tolerable upper limit of 35mg per day of Niacin was determined since some toxicity symptoms that can occur from high supplementation of this vitamin (1,000 mg/day) can occur, such as:

• liver damage
• flushing (reddened skin)
• upset stomach

The Nutrient Chain

We once again see that the nutrients are all linked in some way. When it comes to Niacin, since some of our supply does come from the amino acid tryptophan, a person that does not have enough protein in their diet has an increased risk of being B3 deficient. This conversion also needs the help of other vitamins including B1and B6. Deficiency in these can also inhibit the conversion into vitamin B3.

This concludes another chapter in the "B-files"!! How are we doing so far?? Feel free to message me with comments/ observations/ questions, I would love to hear from you! :)

I wanted to say a quick hi to the Nutrinutters in Brazil, Malaysia, Germany, United Kingdom, Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, India, Netherlands and of course the United States! Thank you so much for your support!!!!

And finally, I wish each and every one of you a WONDERFUL 2014!!!!!

XOXO

 

    From your NUTRINUT

Sources: Nutrition411, whfoods.org, mayoclinic.com, Nutrition for Dummies

 



 

Opening the B-Files (Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin)

Ciao Nutrinutters!

Welcome back! So Christmas is here once again for those of us who celebrate it...I confess I've been stressing over what to give my older sister, I'm sorry Mi!!! Well, I guess this will be the test if she reads the post or not :)

But going back to "the A through Z Journey" it is time to open the second B- file! Ladies and gents I introduce to you vitamin B2... known by close friends/nutrition nerds like me as Riboflavin or "Ribs" (my own nickname for it).

You might be wondering how it got this name...It's actually because it contains in its chemical structure a sugar called "ribitol" attached to a flavonoid, which is a substance from plants that contain a pigment called flavone...In B2's case, it has a yellow pigment. So the happy marriage between both resulted in beautiful Riboflavin...a perfect name don't you think?

Benefits of B2

In some ways, this vitamin has similar functions to others we've previously discussed. Like B1, this vitamin is important for the breakdown and absorption of proteins and carbohydrates, meaning that it helps in having energy available for the cells in our body. "Ribs" is similar to vitamin A because it protects the health of mucous membranes (the moist tissues we talked about before) that line up the eyes, mouth, nose, throat.

 Here's another very good reason to want vitamin B2 in your body...it works indirectly as an antioxidant!

What is an antioxidant anyways? That word keeps popping up! I think that it is safe to assume that those are good for me and found in berries, or so I've heard...But what in fact do they do?

A natural process that happens in our bodies is our cells being affected / damaged by activated oxygen...Does this make you want to hold your breath? Oxygen sounds quite evil with aging my skin and all...but no worries, this is actually quite natural and part of the living process..so continue taking those breaths :). Antioxidants protect the cells from this kind of damage by making the activated oxygen stable , keeping the reaction from taking place in your cells. And how does B2 help? Well, antioxidants need to be recycled constantly and this week's vitamin makes it possible for a specific antioxidant called Glutathione...We can call B2 our co-pilot for this antioxidant!

What happens if I'm lacking B2 in my diet?

Quite a few different skin irritations can happen when there's not enough B2 in your body, including inflammation of the skin, soreness and burning of the lips, mouth (with also cracking of the skin around the corners of the mouth) and tongue. "Ribs" deficiency can also result in symptoms that affect your eyes such as light sensitivity and burning and itching of the eyes.

How to avoid these symptoms and how much is enough??

Good ways to obtain riboflavin come from animal sources such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and milk. However, whole or enriched grain products have considerate amounts as well as dark green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli.

Riboflavin's recommendation for adults is as follows:

Females: 1.1 mg / day                      
-Pregnant: 1.4 mg
-Lactating: 1.6 mg

Males: 1.3 mg / day

Just so you have an idea of how much riboflavin is available in foods, your Nutrinut has some numbers for you!

1 egg has about 0.3 mg of Riboflavin
1 cup (8 ounces/230 ml) of milk has about o.4 mg of Riboflavin
1 cup of plain yogurt has about 0.5 mg of Riboflavin.  (Almost half of what you need per day!)

 

Can "Ribs" be toxic???

The good news is that B2 is also a water-soluble vitamin...meaning that it is very difficult to overdose on these kinds of vitamins unless you take enormous amounts of supplements. In this vitamin's case, there have never actually been any toxic side-effects documented. However be advised that just because they were never documented, does not mean that it is safe to have incredibly large supplement doses.

Here's an interesting fact...did you know that your  urine can become bright yellow after taking high amounts of riboflavin??? True story! Not mine...but still true! This is because of its yellow pigment that we talked about above.

The Nutrient Chain

The beauty of these nutrients is that they all link to each other in some way or other. For this week's vitamin, we'll see that it depends on B1 status...adequate amounts of B1 will help B2 levels.
Did you know that a few other vitamins and minerals will not fully be available in the body without adequate amounts of Riboflavin?? Iron, Folate, B12 and next week's star..B3, just to name a few.

This concludes another B vitamin for you!

Getting the names mixed up?? Don't worry...I've got you!

B1: Thiamine
B2: Riboflavin (or "ribs" if you'd like to adopt my nickname for it)

Come back next Monday for more! B3 is ecstatic to introduce itself to you! :)

XOXO,

-The Nutrinut-

The energy nutrient (Vitamin B1 or Thiamine)

Welcome back to the "A through Z Journey" Nutrinutters!

I don't know about you, but I do like the sound of that, adds a little mystery to the posts don't you think?

Before I move on to the next vitamin, I would like to thank all of you for accompanying me through this process...I appreciate your support and it has served as great motivation for me.

Now let's move on to the good stuff shall we? If last week's vitamin was the moisturizing nutrient, than we can call this one the energy nutrient. Why's that you ask? Before I explain some of the functions of vitamin B1, also known as Thiamine, here's how it was discovered...

B1 fun facts...

Did you know that vitamin B1 was actually the first vitamin to be recognized? 

It all started in the late 19th and early 20th century back when long sailing voyages were common (don't worry, I won't go tooooo much into history). Mainly in southeast Asia, where rice was the sailors' main food source during these voyages, a disease known as beriberi grew popular among sailors. Beriberi means in Sinhalese "weakness" and it got this name because it was characterized by its victims feeling muscle weakness, energy deprivation and becoming inactive. While searching for the cause of this, it was found that the addition of whole grains to the sailors' diets helped in preventing beriberi. Finally, in mid 1920s it was discovered that the one responsible for this preventive effect was vitamin B1.

Vitamin B1's special participation in the body

One of its main functions is being an energy producer. It is known that energy needed for our bodies comes from carbohydrate; however, it needs to be converted into usable energy for our cells before. This process cannot happen without the presence of vitamin B1 since it plays a crucial role in the process of extracting energy from carbohydrates.

Other than being an energy producer, B1 also acts in the nervous system. It helps a fat-like covering that's present around most nerves to healthy develop. When there is a B1 deficiency, these coverings can degenerate or become damaged.

What happens when I don't have enough Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)?

Since it plays such a crucial role in the body's energy production, one of the first symptoms of deficiency is loss of appetite. Also, like mentioned above, it is strongly related to the nervous system and a deficiency can cause nerve-related symptoms including "pins and needles" sensations or numbness.

Where in foods can I find Vitamin B1?

Some of the common sources are

• unrefined cereals and grains,
• pork,
• beans,
• nuts and seeds.

Unlike Vitamin A, we don't have to worry about whether this vitamin is found actively or not because it is present in foods in the same form - thiamine.
However, there are some substances in a few foods that are called the "anti-thiamine" compounds. Some common ones are found in raw fish, some teas and the frequent consumption of alcohol is a big contributor to B1 deficiency!

Below is a figure showing some foods that are good sources and how many milligrams of vitamin B1 each has. RDA stands for recommended dietary allowances, meaning that the RDA for men and women is the amount of milligrams each one should have of the nutrient.

How much is enough?

Since B1 is so closely related to energy, its recommendation depends on how many calories you have per day. The requirement for adults is 0.5 milligrams per 1000 calories, in average, 1-1.1 milligrams per day for females and for males 1.2-1.5 milligrams. Pregnant and lactating women do have higher needs of 1.4 and 1.5 milligrams respectively.

Vitamin B1, being a water-soluble vitamin, is easily eliminated after your body takes what it needs. Unlike vitamin A, having higher amounts of B1 should not result in presenting toxicity symptoms. However, you do have to be careful since it has potential to be toxic when you take 1000 times more than what is recommended.



This concludes vitamin B1 for you! :)

So far we've covered vitamin A and B1...before you know it, you will be the nutrition experts!

Stay tuned as our journey continues and next week B2 will show you what it's made of!
See you then...

-The Nutrinut-

 

Resources: whfoods.org, Medline plus, mayoclinic.com