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Vitamins and minerals
Since 1980 researchers have been discovering further influences of the vitamins, which are mediate. Certain vitamins protect cells from decay, others strengthen the immune system. Today we know that vitamins affect the physical deterioration and aging process. They probably also have prophylactic effects on life-threatening diseases - for example, cancer. The nutrients protect the central nervous system in fetuses and children.
contents
- Fat and water soluble vitamins
- Minerals and trace elements
- Vitamin A
- The vitamin B complex
- folic acid
- vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- minerals
- calcium
- potassium
- magnesium
- phosphorus
- selenium
- sodium
- zinc
- copper
- chrome
- manganese
- molybdenum
- iodine
- iron
- boron
- vanadium
- silicon
Fat and water soluble vitamins
There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K, water-soluble are vitamins B and C. The former are found mainly in fatty meals and animal products such as vegetable oils, milk and dairy products, eggs, liver, fatty fish and butter , The body stores these vitamins in the liver and adipose tissue as a reserve for the future.
Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, but excreted in the urine. They are present in fruits, vegetables, potatoes, milk and dairy products. Unlike the fat-soluble ones, they are quickly destroyed when preparing and washing the food. Proper storage and preparation of meals can reduce nutrient loss.
A distinction is made between fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins. The former are e.g. present in milk and fatty fish. Water-soluble vitamins can be found e.g. in vegetables and fruits. (Image: travelbook / fotolia.com) Minerals and trace elements
Minerals found in the soil and in rocks are also found in organic and inorganic combinations. They are essential nutrients that the body needs to survive and perform its everyday functions.
Humans receive minerals by picking up plants, which in turn pull the minerals out of the earth and eat meat from animals, which in turn eat plants. Minerals comprise as much as 4% of the human body. They are the most important factors to control physiological processes and components of teeth, bones, tissue, blood, muscles and nerve cells.
Minerals are very important in keeping the fluids in the blood and tissues in balance so they do not become too acidic or alkaline. They allow other nutrients to pass through the blood channels, as well as transporting nutrients to the cells.
Two groups of minerals are crucial in the body - macro minerals and micro minerals. The former occur in higher doses in the body of animals or we obtain them in larger quantities from the food. These include calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and sulfur.
We also refer to microminerals as trace elements, meaning that they are only in small amounts in the body or we purchase them in small doses. These trace elements include chromium, cobalt, copper, iodine, fluorine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc.
Children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and old people have to adapt their input to the individual minerals. Excessive intake of minerals can be toxic.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is responsible for vision, bone growth, development of teeth, the immune system, the reproduction of cells, the production of hormones, healthy skin and hair.
Human genes hold the code for vital proteins that the body needs to perform its everyday functions. When these proteins are needed, the genetic codes must be transmitted. Vitamin A helps to regulate this genetic transmission.
Vitamin A is found in nature in two forms - preformed vitamin A and provitamin A, also known as carotene. Sources are animals and plants. The retinol form is found in animal products such as liver, eggs and milk, while beta-carotene is found in plants such as carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, spinach, pumpkins and apricots.
Normal development of the fetus necessarily requires the intake of vitamin A. However, consuming high doses of retinol during pregnancy is known to cause malformations in the newborn. Babies and children are more sensitive to vitamin A and can become ill if they get small overdoses of vitamin A..
An overdose of Vitamin A can damage the bones and thinning the skin resulting in weakness and chafing, as well as fatigue and vomiting. Vitamin A deficiency increases the risk of infectious diseases and vision problems.
The vitamin B complex consists of eight vitamins, which - with the exception of vitamin B12 - occur in plant and animal foods. (Image: elenabsl / fotolia.com) The vitamin B complex
The vitamin B complex contains eight different nutrients: Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12. The body can not store vitamins from the B complex, and the daily intake of B vitamins is necessary. Each member of the group has its own range of functions in the body, and at the same time these vitamins work together to maintain good health.
The primary role of the vitamin B complex is to keep the metabolism going, to absorb energy from the diet and deliver it to the body. The vitamin group provides a normal appetite, promotes vision, boosts the nervous system, keeps the skin healthy, helps digestion, promotes protein utilization, supports blood cell production, helps the body use fats, protects against backbone defects and brain.
In addition, the vitamin B complex helps to form the genetic material and hormones, draw energy from carbohydrates, and aid in hair growth. The B vitamins are also necessary to prevent diseases such as beriberei and pellagra as well as forms of anemia, which arise from a lack of the same.
B vitamins are water soluble, the majority of these vitamins are excreted in the urine. They can have negative side effects. Consumed in large quantities, they can increase blood sugar and cause skin problems that damage the heart and liver. Overdoses of vitamin B3 can interfere with vision, cause confusion, induce nausea, and cause stomach problems.
folic acid
Vitamin B9, also called folic acid, is essential for brain function and plays a critical role in mental and emotional health. It helps to make up the genetic material of the body, and is necessary when the cells and tissues are growing rapidly, so in childhood, puberty and pregnancy. Folic acid also works closely with vitamin B12, helping to form red blood cells and allow the iron to work in the body.
The vitamin is significant in pregnancy. Pregnant women who do not get enough folic acid are at risk of giving birth to children with birth defects. One study linked folic acid deficiency to autism. Accordingly, a sufficient intake of folic acid should reduce the risk of developing diseases from the autistic spectrum.
In pregnancy, it is particularly important that sufficient folic acid is absorbed. (Image: WavebreakMediaMicro / fotolia.com) Folic acid is found naturally in green leafy vegetables. Caution: Vitamin B9 dissolves in the water and is therefore lost quickly during cooking. The longer leafy vegetables cook, the more of the substance disappears in the cooking water. If you only blanch vegetables or steam them, you will get folic acid.
Folic acid is added to many foods today, including flour, oatmeal and cereal.
vitamin C
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin and the body does not store it. Humans, unlike many animals, are unable to synthesize Vitamin C, so we need to absorb the substance with food.
A vitamin deficiency manifests itself here by dry, brittle hair and rough and dry skin, delayed wound healing, nosebleeds and a higher susceptibility to infections. A serious form of vitamin C deficiency is known as scurvy.
Low levels of vitamin C bring scientists into a range of ailments, ranging from high blood pressure, gall bladder disease, congested blood vessels and cancer.
Vitamin C is important for strengthening vessels and forming collagen, protecting cell membranes from poisoning, and controlling an overactive immune system. It also helps against allergies and viral diseases.
In medicine, the nutrient serves as support for the immune system and as a precaution against viruses and cancer. The main task of the immune system is to protect the body from foreign substances and toxins. For this the vitamin is necessary.
It influences collagen synthesis and is therefore indispensable for the connective tissue. This, in turn, keeps the body together - the skin, bones, teeth, blood vessels, etc. Without collagen, scurvy develops, in which the teeth, the most visible symptom, first loosen and then fail.
Vitamin C is found in all citrus fruits, ie limes, limes, lemons, oranges, tangerines, grapefruit and grapefruit. Other fruits that contain much of the vitamin are pineapple, papayas, strawberries, currants, blueberries, cranberries and watermelons.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is fat-soluble and accumulates in the liver as fat tissue. That's why people with too much body fat store too much of the nutrient and the body can not do it anymore. Vitamin D is special because we produce it ourselves - unlike other vitamins we consume with food.
The vitamin is formed especially when the skin is exposed to sunlight. A few foods also contain vitamin D, yet these are barely sufficient to compensate for a lack of sunlight.
Vitamin D is abundant, e.g. in fatty fish (salmon, herring etc.), eggs, butter and cheese. (Image: bit24 / fotolia.com) That this is possible is proved by the Inuit, who have survived months in the Arctic for months without sunlight (and artificial substitutes like solariums). They consume a high level of vitamin D with their daily diet, in the form of fatty fish and fish liver.
In the narrow medical sense, vitamin D is not a vitamin because we produce it ourselves in our body. Vitamins, by contrast, are by definition organic substances from food.
The body needs the vital substance to absorb calcium and phosphorus. These minerals, in turn, are needed to build up the bones. He also slows down autoimmune diseases such as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
Vitamin D helps to differentiate the cells, ie to ensure that cells can take over specific tasks, and slows down their multiplication. In short, the nutrient is indispensable for normal cell formation and vitamin D deficiency can have serious health consequences.
During childhood, the body uses calcium and phosphorus to form the bones. If someone does not get enough calcium, or the body can not absorb enough calcium, they will suffer from bone and bone tissue.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is probably one of the least known substances among those referred to by scientists as vitamins, and at the same time one of the most important. It slows down physical disintegration through aging, directly affects the nervous system, boosts fertility and builds muscle.
The material is, to put it simply, a bridge builder. He ensures that the cells can work together and the connection between bone and muscles works. He also stops cellulite and smoothes the connective tissue.
Vitamin E is found in good doses in green leafy vegetables, nuts, wheat and lentils, as well as in whole grains. Animal products rarely contain the substance, with the exception of the liver, heart and kidneys as well as milk and eggs. However, in the case of infants, cow's milk contains considerably less vitamin E than the milk from the mother's breast.
The vitamin builds up the hair and helps especially against thin hair and strengthens the hair roots. It protects the natural moisture of the skin.
The substance balances certain hormones and helps against digestive problems.
The best sources of vitamin E are vegetable oils, especially olive oil, corn oil and soybean oil.
Vitamin E keeps nerves and muscles healthy and ensures beautiful, shiny hair. (Image: bilderzwerg / fotolia.com) Vitamin K
"Coagulation vitamin" is a cumbersome word, so doctors usually use the term vitamin K. It is fat-soluble and important to thicken the blood flow. It also plays an important role in bone formation because it modifies the protein osteocalcin. This allows this protein to bind calcium.
Vitamin K is good for removing spider veins from the skin, as well as stretch marks and burn scars.
Newborns often suffer from vitamin K deficiency and this manifests itself in uncontrolled bleeding. In contrast, an injection with a vitamin K supplement helps. A shortage is particularly prevalent in developing countries and there for male infants an enormous risk. Islamic believers, but also many non-Islamic cultures in Africa crop the foreskin of the young. Vitamin K deficiency, combined with unprofessional wound care, is a major cause of babies dying from circumcision.
minerals
22 minerals are needed for specific functions of the human body, so far science is today. We distinguish between macro minerals and microminerals. The former needs the body in larger quantities. These include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, soda, chlorine and sulfur.
Microminerals, however, the organism only needs in the form of trace elements. They include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, cobalt, fluorine and selenium.
calcium
Calcium is the most common of all minerals in the human body. Most calcium contains the teeth and bones, namely 99%. Both could not form without the substance. Nerve cells, connective tissue, blood and other body fluids absorb the rest of the mineral.
Calcium is found mainly in dairy products. A very good source are also sardines. Some plants also contain the mineral and provide an alternative to the daily glass of milk for vegans. The plant products include tofu, spinach and various types of cabbage.
potassium
Potassium is important for cell function and we need it to produce energy. In addition, potassium together with proteins provides the osmotic pressure, regulates the acid-base balance and the water-electrolyte balance. Kidneys and muscles are dependent on potassium.
The mineral is found in spinach, chard and corn salad, whole grains, meat and fish. These should not be overcooked, as the potassium level decreases as a result.
magnesium
Magnesium promotes the muscles and nerves, keeping the immune system intact, ensuring a regular heartbeat and strong bones. It also regulates blood sugar levels and helps to make proteins.
Half of the magnesium in the body is in the bones, where it probably works together with calcium.
Magnesium deficiency manifests itself in foot pain, leg cramps or muscle tremors. Loss of appetite, vomiting, fatigue and a feeling of weakness are added. If the magnesium level continues to decrease, feelings of numbness, abnormal heartbeat and cardiac spasms are added. In addition, those affected suffer from personality disorders when the deficiency affects the nervous system.
Foods such as nuts, seeds and cereal products provide plenty of magnesium. (Image: airborne77 / fotolia.com) With a balanced diet we hardly suffer from a shortage. Foods high in magnesium are nuts, seeds and whole grains. Green vegetables contain chlorophyll, which in turn contains magnesium.
Virtually no magnesium contains industrial products, especially white sugar and white flour.
Men need about 350 mg of it daily, women around 300 mg. Pregnant, breastfeeding and athletes need much more.
phosphorus
Phosphorus is the "glue" for the body cells and the tissue. All cells contain phosphorus, 85% of which are in the teeth and bones. With calcium, the mineral provides the structure and strength. After calcium, it is the most abundant mineral in the human organism: Nearly one percent of our body weight is phosphorus.
The mineral is widely used in plants and animals. Eggs, milk, meat, fish and flour are excellent sources to feed the substance. Whole grains also contain phosphorus in good quantities, as well as fruits and vegetables.
But not every amount of the substance uses the body. An overdose can lead to diarrhea and weaken the tissue. In addition, too high a phosphorus level prevents other minerals (magnesium, iron, calcium and zinc) from being processed.
Rarely is there too high a concentration of phosphorus in the blood. The cause of this are usually kidney disorders.
selenium
Selenium gets plants out of the earth, and we feed it through food. People need selenium: it strengthens the immune system and is necessary to build up proteins.
Besides vegetables, Brazil nuts are valuable selenium supplements, as well as garlic, fish, shrimp, red meat, eggs, chicken and liver. Meat from animals that eat plants that grew in seleniferous soil has greater amounts of selenium than meat from animals that did not eat selenium-rich plants.
Without selenium, the immune system is no longer effective and the body can no longer produce certain proteins. This can lead to heart failure or diseases of the heart muscle.
How much selenium is formed depends, among other things, on the oxygen content, carbon and clay in the soil, and also on the pH value. Northern European countries such as Denmark, Finland, Scotland and Germany are low in selenium.
sodium
Sodium is essential for cell function, nervous system and contracting muscles. It maintains the balance of body fluids along with potassium and chloride.
A low sodium level prevents the nerves from communicating with the muscle tissue. This leads to muscle weakness, spasms and cramps, discomfort to the heart muscle and increased heart rate or tachycardia.
In turn, too high a sodium level leads to high blood pressure and causes the heart walls to become abnormally thick.
We find sodium in almost all foods. We take the lion's share of finished products: bread, pastries, sausages and salted meats. Chips and pretzel sticks also contain much of the mineral.
Adding too much sodium can cause hypertension. (Image: Andrey Popov / fotolia.com) zinc
Zinc is found in every body cell, liver, kidneys, bones, red and white blood cells, the retina - they all store zinc. Overall, in our body is between 2 and 3 grams of the mineral.
Normally we do not need any additional input of zinc if we nourish properly with fruits, vegetables and proteins.
Men need more zinc than women because the mineral leaves the body during ejaculation. The more sexual a man is, the more zinc he needs, because the sperm has the highest concentration of zinc in the body. We also need zinc to develop our sense of smell and taste.
Zinc is found mainly in foods rich in protein: beef, pork and lamb contain more zinc than fish, the dark meat on the chicken contains more than the white.
The idea that "real men" need flesh is not pure macho fantasy. This does not mean, however, that men who do not eat meat have to live without ejaculation. Vegans can eat more nuts, wholegrain and lentils and compensate their zinc levels. Fruits and vegetables, on the other hand, are not a good source.
copper
Copper is found in traces in all body tissues. It helps to form the collagen, allows to absorb iron and plays a key role in producing energy.
The mineral is necessary to form the pigment melanin and helps to transport the electrons. Together with iron, it plays an important role in the formation of hemoglobin. In addition, it is in enzymes that operate the oxidation of fatty acids.
Rich in copper are most nuts, especially para- and cashews, seeds, especially from sunflower, chickpeas, liver and oysters. Cereals, meat and fish contain enough of the mineral to cover half of our needs.
Excessive levels of copper in the body can lead to hepatitis, nervous disorders and kidney discomfort. On the other hand, too little copper makes the hair brittle.
If we take too little copper from the food, then the gastrointestinal tract can no longer absorb this. Such shortage often brings with it a shortage of other minerals.
Conversely, much zinc disturbs the uptake of copper. Those who take in more zinc over a longer period of time than they would normally receive from a balanced diet can lower the copper level. In particular, men who use zinc supplements are at risk to increase their ejaculations.
Under certain conditions, we need an extraordinary amount of the mineral, for example, if we lose blood, burn ourselves, get kidney disease, or take steroids. With the blood we lose red blood cells and copper. The body needs more of it now.
In the case of copper deficiency, the pigments can not form or form too little, as can the red blood cells. In addition, we can absorb less iron, as copper facilitates the absorption of iron. The combined deficiency leads to anemia.
An under-supply is associated with hair loss, diarrhea, depression, brittle bones and significant growth disorders. In addition, infertility is a possible consequence.
chrome
The body needs chromium for insulin to regulate blood sugar. Insulin is a hormone that the body uses to turn sugars, starches, and other parts of food into the energy we need for daily activities.
Especially much chromium is e.g. contained in seafood and broccoli. (Image: galkos / fotolia.com) In short, if you consume a lot of physical energy, you need chrome. This can be found in many products: meat, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, as well as in some spices. One of the best sources ever is broccoli.
The more simple sugar in a product, the less chromium it contains.
In women, the need for pregnancy and breastfeeding increases.
People with a lack of chromium are particularly sensitive to sugar and alcohol. They suffer from chronic low blood sugar and fatigue. A high cholesterol level can indicate a chromium deficiency because it is regulated by the trace element.
manganese
Manganese is important for different proteins to work in the body. Manganese is found mainly in the bones, further in the kidneys and liver. Much manganese contains nuts, lentils, seeds, tea, whole grains and green leafy vegetables.
A deficiency can lead to a glucose intolerance and a disturbed lipid metabolism. In the worst case, skeletal deformations are the cause because the bones lack important minerals. Developmental disorders are added as well as low cholesterol levels.
Manganese deficiency is associated with infertility, weakness, confusion and vomiting, deafness and anemia. Broken nails and hair are possible, and even infancy can cause blindness.
molybdenum
Hardly anyone knows this mineral, and yet it is an important trace element for us because it breaks down sulfur-containing amino acids and reduces uric acid.
This heavy metal belongs to the chromium group. In the body, it occurs only in small amounts, with a total of 8 to 10 milligrams, more than half of them in the skeleton, the rest in the skin, liver, lungs and kidneys.
We take it via legumes, wheat germ, dill, parsley and chives, but also about eggs to us.
iodine
The body needs iodine as a trace element to form the hormones of the thyroid gland. These in turn are necessary for bone formation, brain development and energy metabolism. Up to 80% of all iodine we absorb processes the thyroid gland.
The iodine enters the gastrointestinal tract through food, and thence into the thyroid gland. There, the hormones are formed, the thyroid stores them and releases them into the blood in the necessary doses.
The two hormones of the thyroid are mostly bound to proteins, only 1% remains free and acts as a free T 3 and free T 4 on the metabolism.
An iodine deficiency and a consequent deficiency of thyroid hormones leads to developmental disorders, especially in young children and embryos in the womb. Children who suffer from this hormone deficiency can suffer severe mental damage - in the past, the term cretinism was in use.
For pregnant women, nursing mothers and toddlers, a sufficient intake of iodine is therefore indispensable, for example through special iodine tablets. The best suppliers of iodine in the diet are fish and seaweed.
iron
Iron is necessary to guide the oxygen into the blood and red blood cells. A lack of red blood cells is therefore also called anemia due to iron deficiency. Deficiency reduces hemoglobin, which leads to the loss of vital organs and the blocked oxygen supply stops the cells from dying off.
Iron rich foods include eggs, meat, almonds, avocados and green vegetables. Iron, which in bread, milk and cereal products, the body can not absorb enough.
The body loses iron when urinating, sweating and shedding old skin cells. Bleeding leads to further loss of iron, so women need more iron than men because of their monthly period.
Insufficient supply of iron manifests itself e.g. through headaches, constant fatigue and depression. (Image: Monet / fotolia.com) Iron deficiency affects the entire body. The central nervous system disorders are dizziness, headache, lack of concentration and depression.
Cardiovascular and cardio-pulmonary problems are manifested by palpitations, heart attacks, shortness of breath, shortness of breath, tiredness, fatigue, and fatigue.
The disturbed metabolism appears as a lack of appetite to a non-psychic anorexia and as muscle wasting.
The damage to the skin, hair and nails leads to facial blemishes, torn corners of the mouth, brittle nails and broken mucous membranes.
The weakened immune system manifests itself in a plethora of infections.
boron
Boron affects a whole spectrum of life processes in which macro minerals are involved. It affects the glucose balance as well as amino acids and proteins, free radicals, prostate health, mental functions and estrogen levels.
Boron is important for bone construction, for the treatment of osteoarthrosis, to build muscle and raise testosterone levels. It also helps to improve the thinking and coordination of the muscles.
It is found in green leafy vegetables, especially in spinach, but also in plums, fruits (not in citrus fruits) and nuts.
vanadium
Vanadium is found in the earth's crust. The human body needs only very small amounts of it. Vanadate resembles phosphate, but binds more strongly to suitable enzymes. Thus, it can block enzymes of phosphorylation, for example the transport of sodium and potassium. In addition, vanadium affects the glucose supply. It stimulates glycolysis in the liver and thereby lowers the blood glucose level.
Vanadium suppresses the production of cholesterol. A lack of the mineral thus leads to an increase in the blood plasma cholesterol level.
silicon
Above all, we absorb silicon from the diet, and it promotes the healthy growth of hair and nails as well as smooth skin. Silicon is found predominantly in apples. Legumes, uncooked cabbage, peanuts, carrots, onions, cucumbers, pumpkins, fish, almonds and oranges. Caution: The mineral is lost quickly during meal preparation.
Although a lack of silicon does not threaten vital functions, it shows itself externally. Silicon is closely linked to the connective tissue. If the material is missing, wrinkles in the skin, brittle nails and thin hair are the result. (Somayeh Khaleseh Ranjbar, translated and supplemented by Dr. Utz Anhalt)