Category: Vitamins

The assertions by some researchers are that vitamin D is immunosuppressive while others argue that the vitamin activates the immune system. Those who promote Vitamin D supplementation view base their case on the fact that almost all vitamins protect the body against a good number of the never-ending syndromes (Lappe, 2007). However, this claim has not been supported by any research findings. Even researchers who have hypothesised all-encompassing supplementation with the substance have not fully understood the metabolism of the vitamin. This study tends to examine whether vitamin D contributes to the activation of the immune system or is immunosuppressive. The study will provide explanations on how vitamin D benefits the immune system or whether these explanations do not exist.

Statement of the problem

The realisation that there is a lack of knowledge and explanations of vitamin D metabolism has led to the need for further study. Most recently, vitamin D is viewed as the most essential vitamin particularly to the enhancement of the immune system (Lappe, 2007). Explanations on how it provides these benefits are lacking. In addition, the available rationalisations on how these benefits accrue are simplistic and imprecise. Thus, it has been established that lack of sufficient and reliable information linking immune system and the vitamin is a major problem for most academic researchers and professional nutritionists. It is such attributive relations that will be explored in this study.

Research questions

This cross-sectional study will be assessing whether vitamin D increases the activities of immune systems. Therefore, the conclusion of this study tends to answer the following questions:

• Does intake of food rich in vitamin D increases the individual immune system?
• Is there any improvement in the symptoms of the related diseases such as autoimmune with the increase in Vitamin D intake?
• What are other factors that might explain the symptom improvement with the increased intake of Vitamin D?

Hypothesis to be tested

This study will test the following hypothesis:

• H1: Vitamin D contributes to the activation of the immune system.
• Ho: Vitamin D do not contributes to the activation of the immune system or suppresses the immune system.

The above stated hypotheses will be tested based on the collected data. If the null hypothesis is correct, it will be accepted while the alternative hypothesis will be rejected. Conversely, in case null hypothesis is found to be incorrect, it will be cast off whereas alternative hypothesis will be suitable.

Literature review

Early studies indicate that various forms of vitamins including vitamin D may possibly be defensive against persistent maladies (Marshal, 2008). These findings have not been confirmed by long-term studies and systematic reviews. However, Arnson et al. (2007) assert that patients suffering from autoimmune indicate lack of 25-hydroxyvitamin-D. Arnson et al. (2007) further argue that the consumption of foods that will help elevates 25-D or rich in vitamin D alleviate the symptoms of the autoimmune disease. Molecular biologists, Autier & Gadini (2007) have associated secosteroids with 25-D. It is believed that secosteroids depress inflammation and is understood as ways through which symptom get better.

While in active mode, the nuclear receptors of vitamin D have great impact on the transcription of at least 900 genes (Lappe, 2007). Further, the genes have been found to influence calcium metabolism in addition to antimicrobial peptides expression. According to Autier & Gadini (2007), bacteria are currently becoming more pervasive. Thus, the probability that autoimmune disease being caused by bacteria is pronounced. Further, molecular evidence indicates that those administered with vitamin D show symptomatic improvement. This is as a result of the capability of 25-D to temper with bacterial induced inflammation through reducing the activities of vitamin D nuclear receptors (Arnson et al., (2007).

Significance of the study

Findings from this research will provide explanations for the metabolisms of vitamin D. Further, this study will provide more knowledge on the importance of vitamin D to human health as well as the need to increase vitamin D in the diet. Most importantly, the study findings will provide information that links vitamin D and the immune system. This knowledge is highly needed by the nutritionists as well as health practitioners.

Limitations of the study

Given the kind of research study to be carried out, the stipulated timeframe might hinder the full investigation and coverage of all the success parameters. Moreover, effects of consumption of vitamin D can not easily be measured since most of such variables are non-quantifiable. This is anticipated to pose considerable threats when the gathered research data will be evaluated and consequently analysed.

Methods

Participants

In this particular study, all health professionals as well as patients are deemed viable. However, the population target will be chosen patients and nurses of the selected hospital. The sample will comprise of 60 participants consisting of both male and female. This sample size is selected via a convenience sampling strategy and the research questionnaire will be administered to them to help in addressing the formulated research questions (Reeve & Smith, 2001).

The proposed sample size will comprise of forty five nurses and fifteen patients suffering from the disease relevant to the study. All the participants will be interviewed to obtain the required data. Regardless of the fact that the chosen sample size of sixty participants materialize to be exceptionally small given the type of research study to be carried out, the constraints such as the available financial resources and the planned timeframe makes it completely necessary to confine the study selected sample to the precisely specified size.

Data collection

As a field survey, the relevant information will be collected through administering properly designed research questionnaires, observation alongside conducting well structured in-depth interviews to the unbiased selected participants (Reeve & Smith, 2001). The soundly designed research questionnaire will be administered to sixty participants comprising health practitioners and the patients. Each part of the questionnaire will constitute key items that suitably attend to the research questions.

The questionnaire will thus be made of both open and closed ended research questions and this is believed to be of great significance to the researcher since it will assist in performing data analysis. Different scales will however be applied in the survey questionnaire during data collection to ensure the scales reliability and validity of some research questions. For example, ordinary scale will be applicable in various research questions given that most questions will measure knowledge, feelings and experience.

Data analysis

In order to ensure logical completeness as well as response consistency, the acquired data will be edited by the researcher each day to be able to identify the ensuing data gaps or any mistakes that needs instant rectification. When data editing is completed, the collected research information will definitely be analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. For example, any data that will be collected through in-depth interviews and secondary sources such as the patients’ health records and the hospital documents will be analysed by means of content analysis along with the logical analysis techniques.

References

Arnson, Y., Amital, H. & Shoenfeld, Y. (2007). Vitamin D and autoimmunity: new aetiological and therapeutic considerations. Ann Rheum Dis, 66(9), 1137-1142.

Autier, P. & Gadini, S. (2007). Vitamin D supplementation and total mortality: meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Arch Intern Med, 167(16), 1730-1737.

Lappe, J. (2007). Vitamin D and calcium supplementation reduces cancer risk: results of the randomized trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 85(6), 1586-1591.

Marshal, T. (2008). Vitamin D discovery outpaces FDA decision making. Bioessays, 30(2), 173-182.

Reeve, C. & Smith, S. (2001). Refining Lodahl and Kejner’s job involvement scale with a convergent evidence approach: Applying multiple methods to multiple samples. Organizational Research Methods, 4(2), 91-111.

Introduction

Vitamin C is a very important micronutrient that has various important functions in the body. In every meal, ensuring that the diet is rich in high quality sources of vitamin C is very important because of its great benefits. Other than what is long known about vitamin C (it prevents scurvy), it is a cofactor in many physiological reactions (Johnston, Steinberg, and Rucker 2007), enhances the intestinal absorption of iron and acts as an antioxidant (Bender, 2003). Some of the life-threatening diseases such as atherosclerosis and cancer occur due to oxidative damage of tissues (Health Supplements Information Service 2010). Vitamin C works in tandem with vitamin E in its antioxidant activity. Vitamin C is oxidized to dehydroascorbic acid in a reversible reaction in scavenging for free radicals and regenerating the reduced form of vitamin E (α-tocopherol) (Al-Ani, Opara, and Al-Bahri 2007).

According to the Food and Nutrition Board (2000), the recommended dietary allowances (RDA) are 75mg/day and 90mg/day in adult women and men, respectively. The RDA for vitamin C in children (9-12 years) is 45 mg/day. The major sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, green leafy vegetables, brussels sprouts, pepper, and broccoli (Eitenmiller, Ye, and Landen 2008). Adequate intake of vitamin C is a challenge to a significant number in Britain despite the fact that fruits and vegetables are readily available in the market (Health Supplements Information Service 2010). This leads to the research question whether processing might have an effect on the availability of nutrients and especially the more oxidative vitamin C. A lot of literature has shown the effects of processing on vitamin C levels. Some of the processing procedures like washing, peeling and blanching are the reason for loss of water-soluble vitamins where vitamin C is part. Vitamin C is especially sensitive to pre-freezing treatments and canning hence special consideration is given to this important nutrient (Rickman, Barett &Bruhn 2007). Fruits however are not blanched but other processes such as transport and storage degrade some of these vitamins and especially the more sensitive vitamin C (Rickman, Barett &Bruhn 2007).

The levels of vitamin C in these sources however are subject to oxidative and enzymatic degradation and the final result is a compound (diketogulonic acid) with no vitamin C activity (Nyyssonen, Salonen & Parviainen 2000). Under standard conditions, the levels of vitamin C continue to drop over time. Regardless of too much research on the effects of processing on nutrient quality, comprehending the differences in vitamin C quality in different types of canned and frozen vegetables is somewhat complex. Most researches analyse the effects of processing on nutrient availability in fruits and vegetables from a particular locality. This method reduces the effects of variability but it is not representative of the fruits and vegetables in the entire market since fruits and vegetables in the market come from different localities. There are also different brands of fruits and vegetables. This project will assay for vitamin C in randomly selected vegetables from various markets in the region. Information on maturity, locality, and cultivar is necessary to help understand the results better. Previous reports have indicated that even though vitamin C gets damaged through food processing, what remains is enough to meet the body’s needs. However, this needs confirmation and the project described below will seek to clarify this.

Project aims and objectives

Aim

• To determine the effect of processing (freezing and canning) on the vitamin C content of peas and carrots.

Objectives

1. To extract nutrients from the peas and carrots (frozen, canned, and fresh) by using trichloroacetic acid.
2. To determine the absorbance of the colour generated once the extract react with folin ciocalteu.
3. To establish the difference in vitamin C levels in the different types of peas and carrot samples.
4. To determine the effects of freezing and canning on vitamin C in peas and carrots.

Experiment Design

This is a laboratory experiment and availability of vitamin C in fresh and processed (canned and frozen) peas and carrots will be determined by colorimetric method (Jagota & Dani, 1982). This project aims at determining if the levels of vitamin C in particular types of vegetables are different. The vegetables in question are carrots and peas. Some of these vegetables will be frozen while others will be in cans. Each sample of vegetables will have three replicates to cater for reproducibility of results. Since canned and frozen vegetables come in different brands, I will randomly select three brands (General Mills, Tesco, and Waitrose) and each brand will have three replicates. I will end up having 9 samples of frozen peas, 9 of frozen carrots, 9 of canned peas, 9 of canned carrots but only 3 of fresh carrots, and 3 samples of fresh peas.

The levels of vitamin C in these kinds of vegetables will then be compared with vitamin C levels in fresh unprocessed carrots and peas. The colorimetric method is the most ideal method to use in this case because the samples being used are high in organic matter. This is because it is 100% efficient and does not face interferences from other available compounds. This method is also quick and simple to conduct. This technique follows the law by Beer-Lambert which stipulates a maximum concentration of 45 micrograms. The colour developed has a stability of up to 18 hours. This method, just like other vitamin C assays, makes use of its anti-oxidant ability.

Procedure

Reagents

• Trichloroacetic acid
• Folin-ciocalteu
• Extracts of:
  • Canned peas from 3 brands
  • Canned carrots from 3 brands
  • Frozen peas from 3 brands
  • Frozen carrots from 3 brands
  • Fresh peas and carrots

Procedure

1. Extraction of contents from the vegetables.
   Extraction procedure
   10g of each type of vegetable will be homogenized with 15ml trichloacetic acid (80%) in a centrifuge test tube. Add 10% of trichloacetic acid to 0.2 ml extracts of frozen, canned, and fresh peas and carrots in a test tube. Vigorously shake the tubes. Place the mixture in the test tubes in an ice bath for 5 min. Centrifuge the mixture in the test tubes for another 5 min at 3000rpm. The supernatants will be transferred cautiously into another test tube to avoiding swirling the precipitate. The extracts will then be diluted with distilled water.
2. Use 0.2ml of the supernatants from each sample to determine vitamin C amount.
3. Dilute the extract to 2.0 ml with distilled water.
4. Add 0.2ml of folin reagent to the extract and shake thoroughly. 0.2 ml of folin ciocalteu will be prepared by diluting 2.0M of commercially prepared folin with 10 folds of distilled water.
5. The mixture will be left for 10 min at room temperature for reaction to take place completely.
6. The absorbance of light by the samples will then be determined and maximum absorbance will be measured at 760nm. Results will be recorded for the purpose of sample analysis (interpreting the results on absorbance of colours from the colorimetric procedure performed on the samples).
   Sample analysis will entail using the results on absorbance to determine levels of vitamin C in the different samples. This is important for the statistical analysis to be performed next.
7. Standard solutions of ascorbic acid will be prepared from 0.05-0.7 ml of these solutions in 5-70 micrograms water.
8. Folin will be added and procedures for 4 and 5 carried out as above.
9. A standard curve will be designed as shown below from the absorbance of light at a specific wavelength based on the different concentrations of vitamin C.
10. The standard curve shown below will be used to estimate levels of vitamin C based on the absorbance of each sample.

Notes

The concentration of the blue colour is tested by measurement of its absorbance of light at a specific wavelength of light. Since the colour/wavelength of the filter for the colorimeter is very important, a red colour will be set.

Ethical Considerations

Since this experiment entails selection of vegetables from certain stores, the different samples from the different stores will be anonymously labelled. This is meant to protect the rights of the businesses involved. However, the information can be used for research purposes, where no harm will be imposed to the involved businesses. For example, if any differences in the samples used are identified, the researcher may want to investigate the reasons behind this. Only under such circumstances will the actual names be used but discreetly (without disclosing to the public).

Statistical Procedure

Once the different estimates have been determined from the curve above, Microsoft excel 2007 will be used to perform statistical analysis. Data will be expressed in terms of means+ standard deviation (SD) of the minimum replicate of extracts from each set of samples. One way ANOVA will be used to determine differences in vitamin C between the different samples. A p-value of 0.05 will be used.

Time Plan

References

Bender, D. A. (2003) “Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)”. in Nutritional Biochemistry of the Vitamins. 2nd ed. ed. by Bender, D. A. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 357–384.

Eitenmiller, R. R., Ye, L., and Landen Jr., W. O. (2008) “Ascorbic acid: vitamin C”. in Vitamin Analysis for the Health and Food Sciences, 2nd edn. ed. by Eitenmiller, R. R., Ye, L., and Landen, Jr., W. O. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 231–289.

Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine (2000) Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Selenium, and Carotenoids, Washington, DC: National Academies Press. Web.

Jagota, A. K. and Dani, H. (1982) “A new colorimetric technique for the estimation of vitamin C using Folin Phenol reagent”. Analytical Biochemistry 127(1), 178-182.

Johnston, C. S., Steinberg, F. M., and Rucker, R. B. (2007) “Ascorbic acid” in Handbook of Vitamins, 4th ed. ed. by Zempleni, J., Rucker, R. B., and McCormick, D. B. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 489–520.

Al-Ani, M., Opara, L., and Al-Bahri, D “Spectrophotometric quantification of ascorbic acid contents of fruit and vegetables using the 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazine method”. Journal of Food, Agriculture & Environment 3(3&4), 165-168. n.d.

Nyyssonen, K., Salonen, J. T., and Parviainen, M. T. (2000) in Modern Chromatogragraphic Analysis of Vitamins. ed. by Leenheer, A. P., Lambert, E., and Bocxlaer, J. F. New York: Marcel Dekker, 271–300.

Rickman, J., Barett, D., and Bruhn, C. (2007) “Nutritional comparison of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables. Part 1. Vitamins C and B and phenolic compounds”. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 87, 930-944.

Summary

Fruits, such as mangoes, pineapples, berries and papaya have diversified tastes and flavors, and make up excellent sources of various minerals and vitamins in the diet (Rababah, Ereifej & Howard 2005). Some substances that are essential for life may themselves cause adverse effects in human bodies. For instance, while oxygen may be essential for life, it can poison the body through the oxidation of essential molecules to form free radicals. The human body protects itself against such damaging effects of oxygen using antioxidants (Hickey & Saul, 2009).

Antioxidant refers to substances or mechanisms that prevent the oxidation of biomolecules in human bodies. Antioxidants check oxidation harm in human bodies by donating electrons to replace those lost through oxidation. Antioxidants neutralize free radicals in human bodies. Among the numerous antioxidants found in fruits, vitamin c has the most significant biological role in the human body. Vitamin C donates electrons to free radicals produced from oxidation and prevents them from taking electrons (reducing) from useful molecules in the body (Hickey & Saul 2009); thereby preventing disruption of such functional molecules. In fact, vitamin C plays numerous roles in the body.

Vitamin C helps to decrease levels of C-receptive protein (CRP) and to fight inflammations. In addition, blood levels of vitamin C less than 10µmol/L serve as predictors of heart disease (Cadenas & Packer 2001, p.157) threat of arteriosclerosis, and various forms of cancer. Citrus fruits and leafy vegetables contain L-Ascorbic acid in abundance (Brevard et al. 2010).

Vitamin C is necessary for human growth and repair of tissues, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels through the formation of collagen. According to Vasco & Ruales (2008, p. 817), the ease with which vitamin C oxidizes causes it to diminish faster in fresh fruits than in processed ones, and when cooked, or processed in the open air. Ascorbic acid is freely soluble in water, and therefore, tinned fruits retain their vitamin C in the liquid. Vitamin C is slightly acidic and is partially soluble in alcohol, and insoluble in chloroform, ether and benzene (Rickman, Barret & Bruhn 2007). The formula for ascorbic acid is C₆H₈O₆ and the figure below represents its chemical structure:

Nutritional compounds present in fruits include vitamins, fats, proteins, minerals, and sugars. Indeed, fruits are the major dietary sources of vitamins A, E and C. The protective effects of a diet rich in fruit are attributed to bioactive compounds having anti-mutagenic and antioxidant activity. Sinha et al. (2012, p. 113) assert that retention of the antioxidant and consequent nutritional value of fruits is the primary goal of most processing procedures, of which freezing and frozen processing are amongst the few known less destructive procedures offering long-retention of vitamin C rich fruits.

Freezing procedures have a partial effect on the original Ascorbic acid content of fruits. The demise of ascorbic acid happens during frozen and freezing storage and manufacturers have employed this parameter to minimize the frozen processing duration of frozen fruit. The chief cause of vitamin C loss relates to the action of ascorbate oxidase (enzyme). Preservation effects of these processes based on the destruction of this enzyme. However, if freezing or pre-treatment techniques do not kill this enzyme, its activity will persist into the frozen phase. Degradation of ascorbic acid is a factor of elements such as time-temperature, fruit type and variety, nature of pre-treatments and/or freezing and packaging, among others (Sinha et al. 2012). These factors influence the retention of vitamin C in fruits differently. This paper discusses an experiment to evaluate the content of vitamin C in fruits using the colorimetric technique, which applies the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent, to compare vitamin C content in fresh pineapples and strawberries against processed pineapples and strawberries.

Experimental Design

This experiment will be comparing the content of vitamin C in fresh, frozen and canned fruits (pineapples and strawberries) using the direct colorimetric technique. Folin phenol reagent, which is an oxidizing agent, yields a blue color on reduction, and biochemists use it for estimating the amount of specific protein at pH 10 (Jagota & Dani 1982).

Requirements and Procedure

Reagents

• 10% trichloroacetic acid,
• Folin-Ciocalteu reagent 0.2 M,
• Ascorbic acid (stock) of 100 µg/ml,
• Double-distilled water.

Materials

• Fresh pineapples fruits and two or more tins of canned pineapples,
• Fresh strawberries fruits and two or more tins of canned strawberries, 4 replicates

Equipment

• Refrigerator
• Test Tubes
• Paper filters
• Analytical scale
• Knives
• Blenders/choppers
• Funnel
• Gloves
• Lab coat
• Spectrophotometer
• centrifuge

The Samples

Strawberry

Remove buds from the strawberries, transfer 250 g of the strawberries into a blender, and add 250 ml of double-distilled water. Blend for at least 20 minutes to produce a homogenate. Filter the strawberries juice into a conical flask and label it as ‘fresh strawberries’.

Blend 250 g of canned strawberries with 250 ml of distilled water for 20 minutes. Collect a filtrate of the strawberry juice in a conical flask and label it as ‘canned strawberries’. Preserve an equal number of strawberries cans at room temperature.

Pineapples

Wear protective hand gloves and peel off the skin of a fresh pineapple fruit using a sharp knife taking great caution to avoid cutting your fingers or palm. Chop the peeled pineapple into small bits and weigh 250 g of the pineapple slices into a clean blender. Add 250 ml of distilled water and blend to homogenize the fruit tissue (Porter 2012). Then filter the homogenate to extract a filtrate for the assay. Freeze extra pineapple fruits in the refrigerator with the above specification and preserve some in perforated boxes in the laboratory rack. Record the daily temperature and humidity of the laboratory.

Blend 250 g of canned pineapple with 250 ml of distilled water for 20 minutes. Collect filtrate of the pineapple juice in a conical flask and label it as ‘canned pineapple’. Preserve some pineapple fruit cans at room temperature and an equal number in the refrigerator below -10⁰C. Record the room temperature and humidity on daily basis.

Procedure to Estimate Vitamin C Content of the Samples

1. Wear fresh gloves.
2. Add 0.8 ml 10% trichloroacetic acid to 0.2 ml of freshly prepared pineapple juice. Check the test tubes vigorously and place them in an ice bath for 5 minutes. Thereafter, centrifuge the tubes at 3000 rpm for 5 minutes.
3. Dilute 0.2 – 0.5 ml of the above extract to 2.0 ml with double-distilled water. Then add 0.2 ml of diluted Folin reagent.
4. Prepare a standard curve by taking 0.05 – 0.7 ml of standards solutions of ascorbic acid in double-distilled water.
   

   

5. Repeat the above procedure for the other threes samples, including fresh strawberries fruit, canned pineapple, and canned strawberries. The experimenter must wear protective gear, particularly gloves, to prevent corrosive trichloroacetic acid and Folin-Ciocalteu from coming into contact with skin.
6. Repeat the above steps 30 days later for the preserved samples and record observation to compare them with those of the first experiment.

Data Analysis

The calculation of the vitamin C content of the different samples will base on the standard curve of ascorbic acid shown in figure 2. The absorption of color is optimal at 760 nm wavelength. The standard curve of ascorbic is linear up to 45 µg of ascorbic acid and appears to deviate from Beer-Lambert law beyond this concentration.

Time Plan

Gantt Chart

References

Brevard, P, Marques, K, Renfroe, M, Lee, R & Gloeckner, J 2010, ‘Differences in Antioxidants Levels of Fresh, Frozen and Freeze-dried Strawberries and Strawberry Jam’, International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, Vol 61 No.8, pp. 759-769.

Cadenas, E & Packer, L 2001, Handbook of Antioxidants, Mercel Dekker, Inc., New York.

Hickey, S & Saul, A 2009, Vitamin C: The Real Story, Steve Hickey & Andrew W. Saul, United States.

Jagota, S & Dani, H 1982, ‘A New Colorimetric Technique for the Estimation of Vitamin C Using Folin Phenol Reagent’, Analytical Biochemistry, Vol 127, pp. 178-182.

Porter, Y 2012, ‘Antioxidant Properties of Green Brocolli and Purple-Sprouting Brocolli Under Different Cooking Conditions’ Bioscience Horizon, Vol 5, pp. 1-11.

Rababah, T, Ereifej, K & Howard, L 2005, ‘Effects of Ascorbic Acid and Sehydration on Concentration of Total Phenolics, Antioxidants Capacity’, Anthocyanins, and Color in Fruits. J Agri Food Chem., Vol 53, pp. 4444-4447.

Rickman, J, Barret, D & Bruhn, C 2007, ‘Review: Nutritional Comparison of Fresh, Frozen and Canned Fruits and Vegetables, Part I. Vitamins C and B and Phenolic Compounds’, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, Vol 87 No.7, pp. 930-944.

Sinha, N, Sidhu, J, Barta, J, Wu, J, & Cano, P 2012, Handbook of Fruits and Fruit Processing, Wiley-Blackwell, Ames, Iowa.

Vasco, C & Ruales, J 2008, ‘Total Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidants Capacities of Major Fruits from Ecuador’, Food Chem, Vol 111, pp. 816-823.

Human body relies on several food components in order to remain healthy. Vitamins play a significant role in keeping the body at its proper state. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), in particular, has been identified as being one of the most frequently used and highly valued vitamins globally (Pressman & Buff, 2000). This vitamin group helps in fighting many diseases. The research paper provides the different recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for the children, adolescents, and the elderly. It also discusses the complications associated with inadequate RDA for vitamin C as well as the effects of excessive intake of the vitamin on the body. Furthermore, the paper explains the role of vitamin C in maintaining good health.

Medical researchers have found that the amounts of vitamin C required by different age groups are never the same. The minimum recommended dosage per day, also known as the RDA, for the children, adolescents and the elderly has been established. For children aged between 4 and 10, they require about 40-45 mg of ascorbic acid. Adolescents aged 15-24 require between 45 and 60 mg of ascorbic acid. This dosage requirement, according to research, does not vary significantly between adult males and females who must also take in a minimum of up to 60 mg of ascorbic acid daily (Pressman & Buff, 2000). For pregnant and lactating women, it is recommended that they take between 75 and 95 mg of ascorbic acid daily. This ensures the safety of the unborn child as well as the developing baby. The elderly, however, do not need large amounts of vitamin C.

The stated RDA only refers to the minimum possible amounts of vitamin C that can help in fighting scurvy, a disease caused by inadequate levels of vitamin C. In fact, research findings estimate that a healthy person should have an intake of about 200 to 500 mg of ascorbic acid each day (Cass & English, 2008). As already mentioned, low levels of vitamin C in the body mainly result in a deficiency disease called scurvy and can be clinically treated by increasing the levels of vitamin C in the body. Besides, lack of vitamin C can also cause hemorrhages below the skin surface resulting in soft skin that is easy to bruise. Moreover, inadequate vitamin C causes poor healing of wounds, the gums become soft and spongy which in turn loosen the teeth (Pressman & Buff, 2000). Lower levels of vitamin C in the body also cause edema which is characterized by the retention of water. General body weakness, indigestion, and bronchial infections may also be indicators of inadequate supply of vitamin C in the body. Excessive intake of vitamin C has been clinically established to be very harmful. Ascorbic acid is highly soluble in water and any excesses are lost through urine. Toxic levels cause gastrointestinal problems which worsen with continued intake. The levels at which the ascorbic acid become toxic vary significantly from person to person as well as age. Relatively lower levels of about 1000 mg can be toxic to some individuals while others can manage up to highs of about 25,000 mg daily.

Vitamin C, therefore, plays a pivotal role in maintaining a healthy body. Researchers have found that the intake of vitamin C is higher when an individual is undergoing some kind of trauma, infections, demanding exercises, or during higher temperatures in the environment (Cass & English, 2008). Vitamin C also enhances the body’s antioxidant characteristics which help in protecting the body against harmful body wastes. Due to its reducing properties, vitamin C helps in the prevention of some cancers, cataracts, as well as cardiovascular infections/diseases.

References

Cass, H. & English, J. (2008). The user’s guide to vitamin C: understanding how vitamin C can improve health (4^th ed.). Prentice Hall

Pressman, H. A. & Buff, S. (2000). The complete idiot’s guide to essential vitamins and minerals (3^rd ed.). McGraw Hill Plc.

One of the most well-known and misunderstood skincare compounds is vitamin C. Vitamin C is indeed an important component for healthy skin since it aids in the creation of the skin barrier and collagen in the dermis, as well as the capacity to combat skin oxidation and the modulation of cellular signaling pathways for cell growth and differentiation (Wang et al., 2018). Vitamin C deficiency, on the other hand, can induce or worsen the beginning and progression of some skin disorders, such as atopic dermatitis (Wang et al., 2018). The unproportionable injections and overuse of skincare serums of vitamin C also can lead not to the improvement of the skin but to the skin damages and discrepancies in the daily skincare routine

Many misconceptions concerning vitamin C have been promoted. Vitamin C comes in various topical forms, but the serum is one of the most common. However, because it is a volatile acid, it is fraught with controversy, despite the fact that it is widely utilized by many semi-professional skincare practitioners (Enescu et al., 2021). Applying topical vitamin C to the skin has been proven in certain studies to help decrease hyperpigmentation, brighten the region, protect it from environmental aggressors, and stimulate collagen synthesis (Wang et al., 2018). As a result, products incorporating this chemical are growing in the skincare market. Many vitamin C products are on the market, including serums, cleansers, moisturizers, and more. It is an antioxidant that helps prevent aging, reduces inflammation, and even promotes collagen creation in the skin (Enescu et al., 2021). However, it might be a challenging substance to integrate into the body appropriately. It may, for example, not mix well with the rest of the skincare products and feel sticky or irritating on the skin.

One of the most widespread myths regarding vitamin C serums is that the higher the vitamin C content, the more effective it is. This is not the case, and it can even be harmful to the skin. Vitamin C’s efficacy is determined by its pH and formulation (Enescu et al., 2021). It is okay to use percentages between ten and twenty; however, it is preferable to inject vitamin C into the skin at a lower proportion (Wang et al., 2018). It also oxidizes fast, making it useless, so, for example, a year-old 20 percent serum may not be effective at all. What matters most is absorption, since a lower concentration of a derivative that is known to be more absorbed may generate more obvious benefits than a recipe with a greater proportion but less penetration into the skin (Enescu et al., 2021). Too much vitamin C can cause skin irritation and damage, so more is not always better.

Another misconception is that vitamin C is not really good for delicate skin. However, Vitamin C may be utilized on all skin types; all is needed to do is to locate the proper type. A less acidic formula can be used by persons with sensitive skin (Wang et al., 2018). Most other derivatives are more stable at lower pH values than L-ascorbic acid (Enescu et al., 2021). As a result, while it is one of the most effective forms of vitamin C, it also has the highest number of skin responses (Enescu et al., 2021). If a consumer has sensitive skin, irritation can indeed be encountered. However, this is mostly dependent on the formula used, as was mentioned previously. Moreover, how a person adopts it into their everyday routine is crucial. As with any other skincare serum, it is better to gradually introduce new substances into the diet and try to rule out any sensitivity issues if occurred.

References

Enescu, C. D., Bedford, L. M., Potts, G., & Fahs, F. (2021). A review of topical vitamin C derivatives and their efficacy. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology.

Wang, K., Jiang, H., Li, W., Qiang, M., Dong, T., & Li, H. (2018). Role of vitamin C in skin diseases. Frontiers in Physiology, 819.

Vitamin A supplementation facilitates child survival and growth and it also aids in enhancing their body’s immunity. Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of childhood blindness. However, children with moderate Vitamin A deficiency tend to have a weaker immune system and are at a higher risk of developing respiratory infections, malarial episodes, measles, and diarrheal diseases. A meeting was conducted earlier last week, and we were able to attend it. It included the government health officials and health care providers to facilitate Vitamin A Supplementation in the local region.

The meeting was conducted to ensure endless supplementation of Vitamin A to children within the age bracket of 6-59 months of age. The supplementation program will aid in reducing mortality and morbidity rates and thus improve the quality of life. The supplements were to be delivered to children during the health system contacts. After the accessories are given to the children and marked on their children’s health cards, it will help keep track of the defaulters who did not receive the second dose of the supplements. The children who received the Vitamin A supplementation were given a package of interventions such as deworming tablets, immunization, and mosquito nets.

In the meeting, we developed a suggested supplementation scheme for infants who are immunocompromised. The infants between the age of 6-11 received a dose of 100,000 IU of Vitamin A one dose. Children within the age bracket of 12-59 received a dose of 200,000 IU of Vitamin A, where the amount was administered every 4-6 months. To ensure quality assurance of Vitamin A supplements, one will ensure that they are well packaged and stored in a well-ventilated and uncontaminated environment. The meeting was terminated after we had agreed.

Introduction

The term vitamin B12 includes a group of associated materials acknowledged as cobalamins. It’s the largest of all the B complex vitamins and usually has a relative molecular mass of above one thousand. It has a corrin ring made up of four pyrroles with cobalt at the center of the ring. (Nexo, 461-475)

It is believed that animal foods are the only source of vitamin B12 and are mainly attached to foods synthesized by bacteria. Plants do not have the enzymes necessary for vitamin B12 synthesis. In living things cells, there are two vitamin B12 reliant enzymes and they consist of methionine synthase which makes use of the substantial form of vitamin B12 carrying the methyl group attached to the cobalt and the other enzyme is methymalonyl coenzyme mutase which makes use of the element form of the vitamin that is transportation a 5’-adeoxyadenosyl moiety attached to the cobalt. (Krautler, 315-339)

Sources of vitamin B12

The main sources of vitamin B12 are foods of animal origin since microorganisms such as algae and bacteria contain enzymes necessary for Vitamin B12 synthesis. These microorganisms also grow in the intestine as a result of the fermentation of food in the stomach which favors their growth. Mammalian products such as eggs, cheese, butter, milk, and meat are essential providers of vitamin B12 (Finke, 300).

Absorption

Vitamin B12 is bound to proteins in foods and can only be released by the action of a high concentration of hydrochloric acid. This process results in the free form of vitamin B12 which is immediately bound to the glycoprotein namely the R-binders and intrinsic factors both of which help in the absorption of vitamin B12.R-binders prevent the destruction of the vitamins by the acid while intrinsic factors enable the active absorption of the vitamin. The pancreatic proteases digest the R-binders in the duodenum releasing the vitamins which are bound quickly by the intrinsic factors which proceed to the small intestine, where they are absorbed by specific ileal receptors by a process called phagocytosis. (Trugo & Sardinha, 22-33)

Deficiency symptoms

Vitamin B12 is mainly found in animal products hence those stringent vegetarians are at high risk of vitamin B12 deficiency. The signs and symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency include weakness, loss of appetite, depression, poor memory, tingling in the hands and feet, and poor memory. Lack of vitamin B12 results in pernicious anemia. (Scott & Weir, 63-72)

Assessment of vitamin B12

The elevation of plasma homocysteine and plasma MMA are the best indicators of vitamin B12 deficiency, and high MMA in the body is always associated with low vitamin B12 in the body.MMA alone can not however be used as the only indicator for vitamin B12 deficiency since renal insufficiency can also result in elevated MMA in the blood. Therefore low serum levels of vitamin B12 should be the indicator of vitamin B12 deficiency and could e confirmed by high MMA in the blood. (Markle, 247-356)

Conclusion

Vitamin B12 is therefore necessary for proper body functioning. Its deficiency results in anemia and neurological impairments such as memory loss.

References

Finke, R.G (1998). Vitamin B12 and B12-Proteins, New York, NY, John Wiley.

Krautler, B (1999). Chemistry and Biochemistry of B12, New York, NY, John Wiley.

Markle, H. V (1996).Cobalamin, Critical Reviews in Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Vol. 33, No. 4, pp. 247-356

Nexo, E (1998). Vitamin B12 and B12-Proteins, John Wiley, New York, NY.

Scott, J. M & Weir, D. G (1994). Folate/Vitamin B12 Interrelationships. Essays in Biochemistry, Vol. 28, pp.63-72

Trugo, N. M., Cobalamin, S. F & Cobalamin (1994). Binding Capacity in Human Milk. Nutrition Research, Vol. 14, pp. 22-33.

Experimental Studies

Vitamin D and LDL

Among nine observational studies, seven unambiguously identified the nature of the relationship between vitamin D and LDL, and two did not find any association between these components. In addition, six of these seven studies demonstrate inverse correlation. At the same time, the results of the seventh study by Skaaby et al. (2012) argue that there is a direct relationship. However, on closer examination, LDL level changes in this observation are insignificant and of low statistical value (Skaaby et al., 2012). Therefore, the available evidence suggests a clear inverse relationship between vitamin D and LDL.

However, experimental studies do not show such a clear picture, as out of five papers, only three emphasize LDL reduction with vitamin D supplementation. The remaining two, by Makariou et al. (2017) and Wenclewska et al. (2019), indicate an increase in these lipoprotein levels. The results of the first work can be considered insufficiently statistically significant since the observed change in the LDL level is much less than the standard deviation (Makariou et al., 2017). On the other hand, the results of the study by Wenclewska et al. (2019) show a small but steady upward trend in LDL that cannot be ignored. Therefore, empirical evidence suggests an inverse relationship between vitamin D supplementation and LDL, but it needs further verification and analysis.

Finally, the reviewed literature makes it possible to identify pathways that influence the relationship between vitamin D and LDL. This vitamin significantly impacts various bodily functions, from reproductive to immune (Wieder-Huszla et al., 2019). In addition, it is closely associated with maintaining glucose homeostasis via the insulin signaling pathway (Wenclewska et al., 2019). However, the specific mechanism by which vitamin D affects lipids and metabolic syndrome (MetS) is less clear (Skaaby et al., 2012). Part of the research links MetS to insulin secretion and sensitivity, using this already well-studied pathway to explain this problem (Schmitt et al., 2018). However, one study takes a more specific approach, looking at calcium control and parathyroid hormone suppression as theoretical pathways (Skaaby et al., 2012). Thus, the particular mechanisms of vitamin D interaction with lipids remain not fully understood.

Vitamin D and HDL

Five of the nine observational studies reviewed found an association between vitamin D and HDL. Each of these cases demonstrates a direct correlation: higher vitamin D levels accompanied increased HDL and vice versa. However, four more studies did not indicate any relationship between these parameters, indicating a lack of evidence in comparison with triglycerides, for example. Thus, evidence from observational studies mostly underlines the positive relationship between these components but requires more detailed and careful investigation.

Among experimental studies, in four out of five cases, vitamin D supplementation also positively affected HDL levels. The only study showing a negative correlation is a work by Kelishadi et al. However, according to the results of their experiments, HDL levels differ very little, less than two mg/dL, while the standard deviation is 3.18 mg/dL (Kelishadi et al., 2014). Therefore, this result is insignificant, and a general analysis of the experimental work suggests solid experimental evidence of a relationship between vitamin D supplementation and HDL.

As in the case of LDL, the exact nature of the relationship between vitamin D and HDL remains not fully understood. The reviewed literature highlights the effects of vitamin D on multiple functions and its close association with various metabolic pathways (Wieder-Huszla et al., 2019). The insulin signaling pathway also seems to be an essential control mechanism (Scmitt et al., 2018). However, the path most closely identified is the regulation of calcium levels and the suppression of parathyroid hormone, as in the case of LDL (Skaaby et al., 2012). In addition, the literature makes it possible to identify the simultaneous influence of these pathways and their joint significance.

Vitamin D and Total Cholesterol

Six of the nine observational studies reported an inverse correlation between vitamin D and total cholesterol levels. At the same time, the authors of two more articles could not find any effect, and the work of Skaaby et al. (2012) noted a slight increase in this parameter. However, in contrast to the relationship between triglycerides and VLDL, the changes in values are extremely small, which reduces their significance. Therefore, based on evidence from observational studies, it is safe to say that there is a negative relationship between vitamin D and total cholesterol levels.

Experimental studies show, at first glance, an ambiguous result in the context of the relationship between vitamin D and total cholesterol. Out of five papers, three note a decrease in cholesterol levels, and two – an increase. However, in the case of Makariou et al. (2017), the increase in total cholesterol is statistically insignificant. However, the increase in total cholesterol in the study by Wenclewska et al. (2019) is caused by increased levels of both its components: HDL and LDL. Thus, there is little evidence for a direct relationship between cholesterol levels and Vitamin D supplements, suggesting that an inverse correlation predominates.

Considering the relationship between the level of total cholesterol and vitamin and analyzing the pathways that can explain this relationship, it is necessary to remember the components of this parameter. Since total cholesterol is made up of HDL, LDL, and other lipids, it is influenced by the same factors that have already been described above. Therefore, among potential pathways, insulin signaling pathway, sex hormone control, and blood pressure control measures can be identified. However, the most likely options concerning the lipid profile remain the management of calcium and parathyroid hormone levels (Skaaby et al., 2012). Moreover, according to the literature, the joint influence of factors is essential since their separate control does not change the picture as a whole (Ahmadi et al., 2015). Therefore, to fully explain these relationships, it is necessary to investigate additional pathways that affect lipid levels, both individually and in general.

Vitamin D and Triglycerides

Observational studies on the relationship between vitamin D and triglycerides show the most consistent results. Eight of the nine papers converge on the presence of feedback between these components, and only one article does not show statistically significant results (Wieder-Huszla et al., 2019). At the same time, other studies, such as the paper by Barbalho et al. (2018), show a significant increase in triglycerides in vitamin D deficiency. With the vast majority of investigations showing similar results, it is safe to conclude that there is strong evidence for an inverse relationship between vitamin D and triglycerides.

In the context of experimental studies, the most stable result is also observed since all five papers studied confirm a decrease in the triglycerides when using vitamin D supplementation. Therefore, the available experimental evidence additionally emphasizes the connection already established with the help of observations. However, it is worth noting that the reliability and unconditionality of such a relationship are because, unlike total cholesterol, HDL, and LDL, which are related to each other, triglycerides are a separate component. Therefore, its interaction with vitamin D is somewhat more straightforward.

The analyzed literature identified no mechanism that would directly explain the relationship between vitamin D and triglycerides. However, some already identified pathways may apply in this context. First of all, this association is best explained by the effect of vitamin D on insulin resistance. This mechanism provokes inflammatory cytokine production, which in turn is associated with obesity and, as a result, triglycerides (Kelishadi et al., 2014). In addition, the relationship between vitamin D and glucose tolerance may be a potential explanation (Baker et al., 2012). However, no exact explanatory effects have been found, and this issue requires further study.

References

Ahmadi, F., Damghani, S., Lessan‐Pezeshki, M., Razeghi, E., Maziar, S., & Mahdavi‐Mazdeh, M. (2016). Association of low vitamin D levels with metabolic syndrome in hemodialysis patients.Hemodialysis International, 20(2), 261-269. Web.

Alkhatatbeh, M. J., Abdul-Razzak, K. K., Khasawneh, L. Q., & Saadeh, N. A. (2017). High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and correlation of serum vitamin D with cardiovascular risk in patients with metabolic syndrome. Metabolic Syndrome and Related Disorders, 15(5), 213-219. Web.

Baker, J. F., Mehta, N. N., Baker, D. G., Toedter, G., Shults, J., Von Feldt, J. M., & Leonard, M. B. (2012). Vitamin D, metabolic dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis. The American Journal of Medicine, 125(10), 1036-e9. Web.

Barbalho, S.M., Tofano, R.J., de Campos, A.L., Rodrigues, A.S., Quesada, K., Bechara, M.D., de Alvares Goulart, R., Oshiiwa, M. (2018). Association between vitamin D status and metabolic syndrome risk factors.Diabetes & Metabolic Syndrome: Clinical Research & Reviews, 12(4), 501-507. Web.

Ferreira, P. P., Cangussu, L., Bueloni-Dias, F. N., Orsatti, C. L., Schmitt, E. B., Nahas-Neto, J., & Nahas, E. A. P. (2020). Vitamin D supplementation improves the metabolic syndrome risk profile in postmenopausal women. Climacteric, 23(1), 24-31. Web.

Fu, J., Han, L., Zhao, Y., Li, G., Zhu, Y., Li, Y., Li, M., Gao, S., & Willi, S.M. (2019). Vitamin D levels are associated with metabolic syndrome in adolescents and young adults: The BCAMS study. Clinical Nutrition, 38(5), 2161-2167. Web.

Kelishadi, R., Salek, S., Salek, M., Hashemipour, M., & Movahedian, M. (2014). Effects of vitamin D supplementation on insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk factors in children with metabolic syndrome: A triple-masked controlled trial. Jornal de Pediatria, 90(1), 28-34. Web.

Makariou, S. E., Elisaf, M., Challa, A., Tentolouris, N., & Liberopoulos, E. N. (2017). No effect of vitamin D supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in subjects with metabolic syndrome: A pilot randomised study. Archives of Medical Sciences. Atherosclerotic Diseases, 2, e52. Web.

Salekzamani, S., Mehralizadeh, H., Ghezel, A., Salekzamani, Y., Jafarabadi, M. A., Bavil, A. S., & Gargari, B. P. (2016). Effect of high-dose vitamin D supplementation on cardiometabolic risk factors in subjects with metabolic syndrome: A randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial.Journal of Endocrinological Investigation, 39(11), 1303-1313. Web.

Schmitt, E. B., Nahas-Neto, J., Bueloni-Dias, F., Poloni, P. F., Orsatti, C. L., & Nahas, E. A. P. (2018). Vitamin D deficiency is associated with metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women. Maturitas, 107, 97-102. Web.

Skaaby, T., Husemoen, L. L. N., Pisinger, C., Jørgensen, T., Thuesen, B. H., Fenger, M., & Linneberg, A. (2012). Vitamin D status and changes in cardiovascular risk factors: A prospective study of a general population.Cardiology, 123(1), 62-70. Web.

Wang, Y., Si, S., Liu, J., Wang, Z., Jia, H., Feng, K., Sun, L., & Song, S. J. (2016). The associations of serum lipids with vitamin D status.PLoS One, 11(10), e0165157. Web.

Wenclewska, S., Szymczak-Pajor, I., Drzewoski, J., Bunk, M., & Śliwińska, A. (2019). Vitamin D supplementation reduces both oxidative DNA damage and insulin resistance in the elderly with metabolic disorders. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 20(12), 2891. Web.

Wieder-Huszla, S., Jurczak, A., Szkup, M., Barczak, K., Dołęgowska, B., Schneider-Matyka, D., Owsianowska, J., & Grochans, E. (2019). Relationships between vitamin d3 and metabolic syndrome.International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(2), 175. Web.

Overview

Many patients use vitamins and supplements to treat various conditions. Such patients do not consult a doctor and prescribe themselves their own treatment. The term ‘vitamin’ was coined in 1912 by the Polish biochemist Funk, who suggested that nutrients could prevent nutritional deficiency diseases (Godswill et al., 2020). The only condition in which vitamin intake is necessary is avitaminosis. Only in this diagnosed case, taking vitamins and supplements can be considered the main method of treatment, which can be used only after passing the necessary tests. This study aims to determine whether vitamin and supplement treatments are harmless, beneficial, or dangerous.

Evidence from the Verified Sources

There is ample evidence that vitamins can be part of the treatment for serious disorders. Vitamin D is mentioned as a possible depression correction method. Vitamin D is supposed to correct the course of depression, treatment advocates believe that it affects serotonin and dopamine production, it is claimed that treatment with vitamin D can improve mood. However, this view is controversial and lacks a serious evidence base (Menon et al., 2020). Although vitamin D supplementation may indeed affect depression, there is no evidence for the effectiveness and wide applicability of this method (Menon et al., 2020). This approach cannot be universal and recommended as a method of actual treatment for such a disease as depression.

There is a popular opinion that the consumption of a sufficient number of vitamins can affect the course of a new coronavirus infection and minimize the consequences of the disease. Proponents of treatment with vitamin C expect that it will improve the immune system, respectively, the body will be easier to fight the virus. The mainstay of treatment for coronavirus disease is mainly supportive, as there is currently no effective antiviral treatment. The use of high-dose intravenous vitamin C to treat COVID-19 in China and the US has shown promising results (Abobaker et al., 2020). No adverse reactions have been reported with short-term high-dose vitamin C. Considering that vitamin C is a cheap, available, and safe drug with beneficial effects in the treatment of viral infections and in critically ill patients, it is reasonable to add it to the COVID-19 treatment protocol (Abobaker et al., 2020). However, maintenance therapy should not be limited to adjunctive treatment.

The notion that vitamin therapy can play a role in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system is being popularized. Proponents of vitamin E treatment base their opinion on the general idea of the benefits of vitamins. They think this treatment for osteoarthritis will work because they believe that vitamins have a general strengthening effect on the body. Vitamin E is a potential tool for the prevention or treatment of osteoarthritis due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Cellular studies have shown that vitamin E alleviates oxidative stress in cartilage explants or chondrocyte culture caused by mechanical stress or free radicals (Chin & Ima-Nirwana, 2018). Vitamin E supplementation may improve outcomes in patients with osteoarthritis, but negative results have also been reported. Further research is needed to develop vitamin E as an anti-osteoarthritis agent to reduce the global burden of this disease.

Evidence from the Unverified Sources

Information from unverified Internet articles and blogs may look like vitamin treatment propaganda. For example, the SuperSmart website provides a complete list of vitamins available as supplements and explains what diseases they can be used to treat (2022). The site does not contain any information about potential risks, as well as a warning that a doctor’s consultation is necessary. Links to sources of information are not provided, it is impossible to verify its authenticity. The Cedars-Sinai resource is one of the first for ‘Is Vitamin Therapy Safe?’ The site provides a list of opinions from various professionals that the therapy is “more or less/mostly safe” (Cedars-Sinai, 2019). Many people, following unverified advice from the Internet, make common mistakes that can adversely affect their health. For example, taking vitamin D prophylactically is not worth it, since vitamin D is still a steroid hormone (Capozzi et al., 2020). Another important vitamin, calcium, is not absorbed when the body is deficient in vitamin D and magnesium (Capozzi et al., 2020). Thus, the spread of fakes about vitamin therapy has negative consequences for the health of patients.

Continuation of the Discussion and Conclusion

The main disease for which vitamin treatment is profitable, is avitaminosis. At this stage, it is not possible to recommend vitamin treatment for patients with depression, post-COVID syndrome, or diseases of the musculoskeletal system. The main problem lies in the fact that people follow untested advice and neglect the main treatment, which can be harmful to their health. Thus, it turns out that treatment with vitamins is not only useless, but dangerous. The following questions may be raised for future discussion:

1. What impact does the promotion of unproven treatments have on public health?
2. What measures can be taken to avoid the dissemination of false information?
3. In the treatment of which diseases, vitamin therapy can be indicated as an additional supportive treatment?

References

Abobaker, A., Alzwi, A., & Alraied, A. H. A. (2020). Overview of the possible role of vitamin C in management of COVID-19.Pharmacological Reports, 72(6), 1517-1528. Web.

Capozzi, A., Scambia, G., & Lello, S. (2020). Calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K2, and magnesium supplementation and skeletal health.Maturitas, 140(1), 55-63. Web.

Cedars-Sinai. Does IV Vitamin Therapy Work? Blog. Web.

Chin, K. Y., & Ima-Nirwana, S. (2018). The role of vitamin E in preventing and treating osteoarthritis–a review of the current evidence.Frontiers in pharmacology, 9(1), 946-961. Web.

Godswill, A. G., Somtochukwu, I. V., Ikechukwu, A. O., & Kate, E. C. (2020). Health benefits of micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) and their associated deficiency diseases: A systematic review.International Journal of Food Sciences, 3(1), 1-32. Web.

Menon, V., Kar, S. K., Suthar, N., & Nebhinani, N. (2020). Vitamin D and depression: a critical appraisal of the evidence and future directions.Indian journal of psychological medicine, 42(1), 11-21. Web.

SuperSmart. (2022). Benefits of vitamins: the complete list! Www.supersmart.com. Web.

Introduction

The human body requires different minerals and vitamins to function optimally. The formulated guidelines for diet offer specific quantities and types of nutrients that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Some of the common vitamins include A, several Bs, C, D, K, and E. The sub-categories associated with B include niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin. Many specialists present divergent opinions regarding the best sources of most of the required complementary vitamins. A person’s diet should form the basis for any decision-making process revolving around the best source of complementary vitamins. This paper consults different research materials to support the use of diet and supplements as the best sources of complementary vitamins.

Best Sources of Complementary Vitamins

While the body requires vitamins in small quantities, they support a wide range of biological functions. Any form of deficiency could trigger various medical problems, such as health palpitations and fatigue. Tayyem (2018) acknowledges that the vitamins available from food sources are natural and easy to absorb in the human body. People who balance their diets and consider healthy foods will have increased chances of getting adequate complementary vitamins (Skrypnik et al., 2021). However, the changing lifestyles and agricultural production processes are affecting the overall availability of such nutrients in the body.

When the available food materials are incapable of delivering beneficial vitamins to the body, the use of supplements becomes a convenient choice. A study by Oh et al. (2020) revealed that the use of supplements to supply vitamins was not a bad practice. In most cases, some people were observed to record positive health outcomes through their continued use (Lehman, 2020). In specific patients, autoimmune diseases and other conditions interfere with the natural process of obtaining such vitamins from dietary intake. A good example of such illness is pernicious anemia whereby the human body becomes unable to absorb vitamin B12 (Lee et al., 2020). Affected individuals would need to receive such supplies from specified drugs or shots.

Some situations compel people to consider the use of additional medicines to increase the supply of vitamins and folic acid in the body. A good example is that of women during their pregnancies (Campbell et al., 2018). Additionally, patients suffering from kidney failure would record positive health outcomes when subjected to supplies of different vitamin supplements, such as folic acid (Binns et al., 2018). People operating in strenuous environments or completing demanding tasks would be compelled to consider the use of vitamin supplements if they are to record overall positive health outcomes.

This analysis reveals that human beings need to consider the best approaches to increase the supply of vitamins by striking a balance between dietary and supplement sources. In the modern world, people are usually busy and might be unable to eat healthy foods every single day (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, n.d.). When such situations happen, it becomes necessary for them to consider the best solutions for maximizing the supply of vitamins and nutrients in the body. Supplements become favorable sources for boosting the quantities needed in the body (Klemm, 2020). This mix will help reduce the chances of developing unanticipated medical conditions while allowing the individuals to pursue their social and economic aims.

Some analysts have gone further to offer additional insights for getting the best from these two distinctive sources. For instance, Incze (2019) argues that vitamin supplementary pills could result in unnecessary quantities in the body. This knowledge needs to guide all individuals to liaise with their health providers to make the most appropriate choices (Wang et al., 2017). Such professionals will guide patients and clients to understand the nutrients needed in the body and the right quantities (Kang et al., 2017). These efforts would amount to evidence-based practices and eventually ensure that the individuals record the best health experiences or outcomes.

This analysis reveals that people who focus on food sources might be in a position to lead high-quality lives. However, some circumstances and conditions might emerge and compel individuals to consider other sources of vitamins (Kilchoer et al., 2020). The hectic life associated with modernism, the existence of various medical conditions, and cases of pregnancy are compelling reasons for embracing supplements. Health professionals rely on this understanding to encourage more people to embrace these two sources.

The health benefits of receiving the specific nutrients and outweigh the predicaments emerging when people ignore them. For example, pregnant women who fail to take additional supplements while relying on food sources might increase their chances of giving birth to low-weight or unhealthy babies (Keats et al., 2021). These key findings should guide more decision-makers, policy experts, and clinicians to help more citizens make informed and beneficial choices regarding the source of complementary vitamins.

Conclusion

The issue of complementary vitamins forms an integral part of all discussions focusing on health outcomes. The completed discussion has supported the argument that humans should get vitamins from their diets and supplements whenever necessary. This arrangement can promote healthy outcomes and reduce most of the challenges associated with poor intake of nutrients. This practice is evidence-based and resonates with the demands of modern-day life.

References

Binns, C. W., Lee, M. K., & Lee, A. H. (2018). Problems and prospects: Public health regulation of dietary supplements. Annual Review of Public Health, 39, 403-420.

Campbell, R. K., Hurley, K. M., Shamim, A. A., Shaikh, S., Chowdhury, Z. T., Mehra, S., Wu, L., & Christian, P. (2018). Complementary food supplements increase dietary nutrient adequacy and do not replace home food consumption in children 6–18 months old in a randomized controlled trial in rural Bangladesh. The Journal of Nutrition, 148(9), 1484-1492.

Incze, M. (2019). Vitamins and nutritional supplements: What do I need to know? JAMA International Medicine Patient Page, 179(3), 460.

Kang, H., Joo, H. H., Choi, K. D., & Lee, D. (2017). Complementarity in dietary supplements and foods: Are supplement users vegetable eaters? Food & Nutrition Research, 61(1), 1-12.

Keats, E. C., Oh, C., Chau, T., Khalifa, D. S., Imdad, A., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2021). Effects of vitamin and mineral supplementation during pregnancy on maternal, birth, child health and development outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review. Campbell Systematic Reviews, 17(2), e1127.

Kilchoer, B., Vils, A., Minder, B., Muka, T., Glisic, M., & Bally, L. (2020). Efficacy of dietary supplements to reduce liver fat. Nutrients, 12(8), 2302-2315.

Klemm, S. (2020). Vitamins, minerals and supplements: Do you need to take them? Eat Right. Web.

Lee, H. J., Shin, C., Chun, Y. S., Kim, J., Jung, H., Choung, J., & Shim, S. M. (2020). Physicochemical properties and bioavailability of naturally formulated fat-soluble vitamins extracted from agricultural products for complementary use for natural vitamin supplements. Food & Science Nutrition, 8(10), 5660-5672.

Lehman, S. (2020). Benefits and risks of dietary supplements. Verywell Fit. Web.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. (n.d.). Vitamins and minerals. NIH.

Oh, C., Keats, E. C., & Bhutta, Z. A. (2020). Vitamin and mineral supplementation during pregnancy on maternal, birth, child health and development outcomes in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutrients, 12(2), 491-520.

Skrypnik, D., Moszak, M., Wender-Ozegowska, E., & Bogdanski, P. (2021). Comparison of Polish and international guidelines on diet supplements in pregnancy — Review. Ginekologia Polska, 92(4), 322-330.

Tayyem, R. F. (2018). Vitamin and mineral Supplements: The story so far. Canadian Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 6(1), 1-6.

Wang, J., Chang, S., Zhao, L., Yu, W., Zhang, J., Man, Q., He, L., Duan, Y., Wang, H., Scherpbier, R., & Yin, S. (2017). Effectiveness of community-based complementary food supplement (Yingyangbao) distribution in children aged 6-23 months in poor areas in China. PLoS ONE, 12(3), e0174302.