Spring beriberi: rare vitamins. Where is vitamin B found: products for beauty, tranquility and health The rarest vitamin in the world

We think we know everything about vitamins, or at least a lot.
There are hyped star vitamins. Everyone, even wake up in the middle of the night, will say that ascorbic acid increases immunity and helps to cope with colds, that vitamin D and calcium strengthen bones, and vitamins A and E are good for hair and skin.

And there are vitamins - "fighters of the invisible front." They are, as it were, in the shadows, but at the same time they are important for the body no less than the promoted "colleagues". We decided to eliminate injustice.

Our consultant is pharmacologist Natalya Opykhtina.

So, meet!
Biotin - against gray hair, choline - for harmony and memory!

Biotin, also known in narrow circles as coenzyme R or vitamin H, it turns out, is responsible for how quickly we turn gray and go bald. It has some connections with the function of hair follicles. It also regulates absorption. fatty acids. That is, it depends on him whether the kilograms of salmon and mackerel eaten for the sake of the most useful Omega-3 acids will benefit our vessels.

If there is not enough biotin in the body, hair loss, drowsiness, “wandering” muscle pains and even depression can begin.

Choline - a fat-like substance - is rubbed into the trust of "bad" cholesterol and breaks it to smithereens. And solid fats, which strive to settle on our waist, are utilized by choline, turning into an emulsion.

But in addition to fighting for our harmony, choline also tries with all its might to preserve our memory and coordination of movements. In any case, he is trying to keep track of the transmission of neuromuscular impulses in order to save us from Alzheimer's and Huttington's diseases, which are still incurable (this is a violation of limb control).

Lack of choline can lead to increased blood cholesterol levels, hypertension at a young age, reduced vascular elasticity, fatigue and reduced concentration.

Inositol saves the liver

This substance is extremely necessary for modern man. It protects the liver from a variety of harmful effects - from alcohol to the effects of medication (antibiotics, hormonal drugs). Inositol also prevents the growth of adipose tissue around the liver, that is, the development fatty hepatosis(according to gastroenterologists, up to 70% of adult Europeans now suffer from it to varying degrees due to low mobility and chronic overeating).

Inositol deficiency is fraught with an increase blood pressure, indigestion, constipation.

Pangamic acid reduces alcohol cravings

Otherwise, it is called vitamin B15 and is a powerful antioxidant and "purifier" of the body of toxins. Increases physical endurance, improves metabolism and even reduces cravings for alcohol! It is also known that pangamic acid increases the lifespan of body cells and prevents their degeneration into malignant ones.

When the body lacks B15, oxygen supply to cells is reduced internal organs, including the brain. This causes chronic fatigue, palpitations, mood swings.

And here's a vitamin called PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid) or otherwise vitamin B10 protects the lungs from the harmful effects of ozone, and the skin - from excessive exposure to ultraviolet radiation (by the way, PABA is often included in sunscreens). This vitamin has one more most useful property- it reduces exposure to tobacco smoke and secondhand smoke tar. In general, it is an adaptogen, that is, it helps our body adapt to negative natural and weather changes.

The best sources of rare vitamins:

Biotin - Cauliflower, brewer's yeast, boiled chicken yolks, whole grain bread.
Choline - Offal (brains, heart, liver, kidneys), legumes (peas, chickpeas, lentils).
Inositol - Brewer's yeast, peanut butter, grapefruit, lime, melon.
Pangamic acid - Brown rice, bran, sesame, pumpkin, liver.
Para-aminobenzoic acid - Offal, beef, lamb, mushrooms, spinach, brewer's yeast.

As a rule, if the conversation turns to vitamins, then we remember only the most famous and popular ones - A, B, C, D, E, although everyone has known about them for a long time. But you can’t say the same about such rare vitamins as, for example, vitamin K, N or U. Where are they kept? Why do people need?

Vitamin classification

In general, medicine knows 13 essential substances that are directly vitamins. it water soluble vitamin C, B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, B6, B12, niacin, folate, and biotin), and fat-soluble vitamins A, C, D and K. In addition to vitamins, there are also vitamin-like compounds such as choline, inositol, lipoic acid (vitamin N), linoleic acid (vitamin F), carnitine, bioflafonoids (vitamin P) and others. They have a number of vitamin properties and therapeutic effects in certain diseases, but, as a rule, do not perform any vital functions in the body. In addition, they do not have all the features that vitamins have, and therefore are not considered "complete" vitamins. At the same time, most often we call them out of habit " vitamins". But even the fact that they are considered vitamins conditionally does not mean that they should not be given due attention, because their deficiency still affects our health. Consider the three most rarely remembered by us vitamins, namely: K, N and U. What are they responsible for and how to determine that you are missing them?

Let's start with vitamin K

Opening . This vitamin was discovered in 1929 and named vitamin K - from the first letter of the word "coagulation", because at the same time it was found out that it was he who helps blood clot. Exactly 10 years later, vitamin K was first isolated from alfalfa and named phylloquinone, and in the same year, a slightly different antihemorrhagic substance was isolated from fishmeal, which was called vitamin K2 or menaquinone.

role in the body. So, we need a vitamin:

Deficiency symptoms. With a lack of vitamin K, as we already understood, the symptoms will be mainly associated with blood clotting disorders.

• Numerous persistent painful bruises
• Prolonged bleeding due to the most trifling wounds
• Hemorrhagic diathesis, in which the skin becomes covered with dark spots due to loss of blood by capillaries

consumption rate. It is believed that the norm of this vitamin is approximately 1 μg per kilogram of body weight. In the case of large blood loss, injuries, operations, additional doses are prescribed to improve hematopoiesis. I must say that the deficiency of this vitamin is a rare phenomenon, since the usual diet contains it in excess.

Where is contained. In all green vegetables and herbs. In addition to lettuce, spinach, dill and parsley, these are nettle, birch, currant, linden, raspberry leaves (they can be added to tea). Cruciferous vegetables (cabbages of all kinds) are also high in vitamin K.

You can find this vitamin in unripe tomatoes, green peas, rose hips, any cereal grains (but not boiled, but raw). Their animal products can be called pork liver and eggs.

Let's continue with vitamin N

Opening . This vitamin, whose other names are lipoic and thioctic acid, was isolated from beef liver, and then chemically synthesized in the 50s of the twentieth century by American microbiologists.

role in the body. This vitamin is considered one of the most powerful natural antioxidants, that is, it fights free radicals that oxidize the cells of our body and thereby destroy them. Moreover, vitamin N enhances the action of other antioxidants, and this is its most important role. This means that he is the "guardian" of our health, naturally increasing his defenses and performance. But that's not all.

• Vitamin N is a participant in many biochemical processes, such as glycolysis - the conversion of sugars into energy
• Supports the activity of mitochondria - small structures found inside every muscle cell
• It is also an important component in the regulation of the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.
• Improves Liver Functions
• Increases oxygen consumption by brain cells
• Reduces the content of total cholesterol and its esters in the blood
• Has a choleretic, detoxifying and antispasmodic effect

Deficiency symptoms. With a deficiency of vitamin N, aggressive acids accumulate in the body, incl. pyruvic. This leads to various neurological disorders.

• Inflammation of one (neuritis) or several nerves (polyneuritis)
• Tics and seizures
• dizziness
• Frequent colds and viral infections

consumption rate. The daily requirement for vitamin N is 0.5 mg, but in the case of a number of diseases, additional doses are prescribed. This is chronic fatigue syndrome; cardiovascular pathologies, viral infections (ARVI, influenza, herpes), atherosclerosis, impaired concentration, Alzheimer's disease, polyneuropathy, hepatitis, fatty liver, cirrhosis.

Where is contained. A lot of foods contain this valuable vitamin for us: all dairy products, beef and poultry, liver and kidneys, cabbage, all kinds of greens, from cereals - brown rice.

And finish with vitamin U

Discovery history. Vitamin U (S-methylmethionine) was discovered in 1949 by one of the American biologists while studying the properties of cabbage juice. Vitamin U is a derivative of methionine, an essential amino acid.

role in the body.

• Normalizes the secretion of the digestive glands
• It has an antiulcer effect - with its shortage, aggressiveness increases gastric juice, which provokes erosion and ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract
• Participates in the metabolism of fats (in particular - in the fat metabolism of the skin) and proteins
• Neutralizes a range of toxins
• It has an anti-allergic effect, because. reduces the increased susceptibility of the body to various allergens

deficiency symptoms

• Excessive dry skin
• Digestive disorders
• With prolonged deficiency, the development of gastritis and ulcers of the stomach and duodenum is possible.

consumption rate. Vitamin U is not synthesized in the body, and today it is believed that its daily requirement is 200 mg.

Where is contained. First of all - in any vegetable oils, especially olive. From vegetables: beets, parsley, potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, celery. From animal products: eggs, fresh milk, liver, butter.

Healthy nervous system, good memory, strong immunity, clear skin and beautiful hair, sharp vision - all these signs healthy person depend on many factors.

One of them is a sufficient amount of vitamin B in the body. Or rather, a whole group of vitamins, combined common name, because in food they are contained in a complex.

The lack of these vitamins affects a person not in the best way. First of all, the nervous system suffers. And it's not just insomnia depressive states, fatigue, irritability, impaired memory, attention and thought processes. It is also paresis, convulsions, neuralgia, neuritis.

B vitamins are essential for cell growth and reproduction, efficient operation immune system. Their deficiency results in digestive disorders, dermatitis, and decreased visual acuity.

The required daily dose for each of these vitamins is different. It changes depending on various factors.

For example, it is higher for people experiencing high mental and physical exercise, stress. In pregnant and lactating women, the need for these vitamins also increases. Their daily dose should be higher when taking certain medications, with diets, unbalanced nutrition, especially vegetarianism.

Such people need to make up for the deficiency of B vitamins with the help of vitamin complexes in tablets or ampoules. But what it will be: injections, pills or dietary supplements - the doctor must decide.

Because an overdose of dietary B vitamins is unrealistic. And here are the consequences uncontrolled intake synthetic vitamins are quite possible in the form of the strongest allergic reactions, nervous excitement, headache, rapid pulse and even convulsive seizures.

Where to find B vitamins: what foods to choose as a source?

Optimal source of easily digestible vitamins without side effects- this is food. For B-group vitamins, these are primarily animal products:

• meat, liver and other offal,
• fish and caviar,
• eggs and milk.

Among vegetarian products, the leaders in the content of these vitamins are:

• unrefined cereals,
• cereals, beans,
• green vegetables and herbs.

Vitamin B1 and its sources

Vitamin B1, otherwise thiamine, is involved in supplying the brain with glucose. Therefore, if it is not enough, memory worsens, attention is scattered.

For the growth and full mental development of children, the work of the circulatory and digestive systems thiamine is also important.

To the delight of vegetarians, thiamine contains plant foods: cereals, peas, buckwheat, rice.

Also found in legumes, wholemeal bread, spinach. In small amounts in potatoes, carrots, pork and beef.

But it is in their husk, and besides, it is destroyed during heat treatment. In addition, it is not produced and does not accumulate in the body.

But its deficiency can lead to insufficient weight, fatigue, weakness, neuritis, and decreased intelligence.

Where is vitamin B2 found?

Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, takes part in all metabolic processes.

Without it, full-fledged hematopoiesis is impossible, normal work thyroid gland. The skin and mucous membranes will be healthy only if there is enough riboflavin in the body.

To do this, you need to include in the menu:

• meat and offal,
• eggs and milk
• buckwheat and rice
• broccoli and mushrooms.

Vitamin B2 is synthesized in the large intestine, so dysbacteriosis can easily cause its deficiency. The latter is manifested by dizziness, weakness. There may be pain and burning in the eyes, cataracts, conjunctivitis.

Seborrheic dermatitis, crusts and cracks in the corners of the mouth, itching and dermatitis of the hands and similar troubles can also be the result of a lack of riboflavin.

Pregnant and lactating women, people actively involved in sports, hard and physical labor, need it especially.

What foods contain vitamin B3?

The name of vitamin B3 is a nicotinic acid- heard by many. It is also called niacin, or vitamin PP.

Niacin is considered a drug. It is important for normal circulation, a healthy heart and brain.

Doctors prescribe "nicotine" in injections and tablets for the treatment of pellagra, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, atherosclerosis and other diseases.

And fans of home cosmetics add it to various masks: to strengthen hair, healthy blush on the cheeks and clean skin, fighting cellulite.

To maintain the balance of this vitamin in the body, you need to lean on:

• buckwheat
• green vegetables,
• fish and meat,
• cottage cheese,
• nuts.

Do not neglect good quality offal, such as liver. Grain products also contain a lot of this substance, but only those prepared from unrefined grains.

Nicotinic acid deficiency is often confused with age-related changes. It is literally there:

• unhealthy complexion, pimples, pustules, boils;
• the skin becomes sensitive to external stimuli;
• memory worsens, sleep is disturbed;

It also increases anxiety and irritability. But often age has nothing to do with it: it is enough to restore the balance of vitamin B3 so that these unpleasant manifestations disappear.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 is a group of substances: pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine.

• germinated grain,
• nuts,
• legumes,
• cereals,
• cabbage,
• meat,
• liver,
• eggs,
• milk.

And they also enter the body not only from the outside: some of them are produced in the intestines.

When they are deficient useful material will not be absorbed and used by the body, even if it gets enough of them with food.

Pyridoxine is involved in hematopoiesis. With its participation, serotonin is synthesized, which is responsible for a good mood and healthy sleep. It is also involved in the supply of glucose to the brain.

And the lack of this vitamin can cause many diseases. Among them are decreased immunity, anemia, neurosis, skin inflammation, conjunctivitis and many others.

An increased dose of vitamin B6 is required for smokers, as well as those who drink alcohol, are subject to stress, high psychological stress, or take certain medications, such as contraceptives, some anti-rheumatoid, anti-tuberculosis drugs. But taking high doses of the vitamin is permissible only under the supervision of a doctor.

Sources of Vitamin B9

Vitamin B9 - folic acid - is especially well known to expectant mothers. It is recommended to take it even at the stage of preparation for pregnancy.

It is absolutely necessary for the full development of the fetus.

Foods rich in vitamin B9:

• liver,
• eggs,
• beans,
• spinach,
• parsley.

They should be fresh and minimally processed: during long-term storage and heat exposure, most of the vitamin is destroyed.

These products should be on the table not only for pregnant women. Without a sufficient amount of this vitamin, the normal functioning of the epithelium of the stomach is impossible. And the acidity of gastric juice depends on this, which means the absorption of nutrients.

Folic acid is involved in cell division, hematopoiesis. Without it, the brain and nervous system will not be able to function normally.

Its deficiency is a breakdown and headaches, distracted attention and poor memory. Anemia, slow growth and development of children, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can also be the result of a lack of folic acid.

Vitamin B12 is a problem for vegetarians

Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin) is just the vitamin found only in non-vegetarian foods:

• liver,
• eggs,
• dairy products.

Therefore, vegetarians and people who are fasting or dieting should maintain their levels through pills or injections.

With the help of this vitamin, the body fights stress. It contributes to the normal operation nervous system, education and recovery nerve cells; plays an important role in hematopoiesis.

And since this vitamin affects cell division, it is simply necessary for expectant mothers. During this period, the need for it increases several times.

Vitamin B12 is partly produced in the human intestine and is also stored in the liver. It may take several years for deficiency to show up.

Manifestations of B12 deficiency:

• neurological disorders,
• depression,
• irritability,
• memory impairment,
• anemia,
• dizziness,
• noise in ears,
• increased risk cardiovascular diseases, heart attack and stroke.

The peculiarity of cyanocobalamin is that it works only in conjunction with folic acid (B9), as well as pyridoxine (B6) and thiamine (B1). But some antibiotics interfere with its absorption in the body.

B17 is the rarest vitamin

Vitamin B17, or amygdalin, is the most controversial and not universally recognized B-complex vitamin.

Its only source is fruit pits. Especially apricots, peaches and bitter almonds. But these same bones contain hydrocyanic acid, which can cause poisoning and even death in large quantities.

There is a theory that amygdalin deficiency in the body leads to the occurrence of cancerous tumors, and he himself is a panacea for this terrible disease. However official medicine does not recognize this theory, has no data to confirm it, and calls its supporters charlatans.

To date, the need for a person in this substance has not been confirmed.

In the vital vitamin B complex, each component has its own importance, but they all provide energy metabolism and the normal functioning of the nervous system. Both the effective functioning of the immune system and the active growth and reproduction of cells depend on them.

With the current number of stress-forming factors, the deficiency of these vitamins is simply dangerous, and they need to be constantly replenished. Moreover, they are obtained from common and affordable products. First of all, it is meat, liver and other offal, fish, eggs and milk. From plant foods, these are green vegetables, cereals, and legumes.

Vitamin PP (or niacin - another name for B 3) is nicotinic acid. This vitamin restores damaged cells, regulates the functioning of the liver and stomach, enhances its motility and the secretion of gastrointestinal juice. Not replaceable in therapy in the treatment of nervous diseases and heart disease.

Important for people whose work is stressful (train drivers, nuclear power plants, oil extraction, surgeons, etc.). Vitamin PP also lowers cholesterol levels, helps break down fats, converting them into carbohydrates and energy, prevents the formation of thrombosis and has a preventive effect on hypertension, thereby fighting heart disease.

Vitamin PP is found in pork, beef liver, cheeses, fish, milk and dairy products, kidneys, eggs, chicken meat. But a higher content of vitamin PP is found in foods plant origin: in broccoli, in potatoes and carrots, in tomatoes, in beans, in peanuts, in yeast and cornmeal, in dates. Nutritional supplements alfalfa - red clover are also a source of natural vitamin PP, as well as wild rose and cayenne pepper are its sources.

Vitamin K

Participates in the process of blood clotting, sealing the walls of blood vessels, is important for the regulation of work motor system, muscle mobility and strengthening of cardio-vascular system, not replaceable for the prevention of cancerous tumors of the stomach and ovaries. As a result of a deficiency of this vitamin, skin regeneration processes are disrupted, the likelihood of bleeding increases (in particular during and after surgical interventions), and the likelihood of involuntary nosebleeds in children is high. Foods that contain vitamin K: cabbage, pumpkin, spinach, green pea, pork liver, egg yolk, rye bread.

Vitamin P

A vitamin that strengthens the walls of blood vessels and is involved in the work of the thyroid gland. The lack of this vitamin is visually noticeable when small hemorrhages appear in the form of dots on the skin, depression signs, lethargy and fatigue are also observed. This vitamin is found in sufficient quantities in lingonberries, dill, cranberries, pomegranates, prunes, carrots, rose hips

Vitamin H

Muscle relaxant, relieves muscle pain, participates in the immune defense of the body, positively affects hair growth and prevents graying. Deficiency of this vitamin leads to edema, disruption of the gastrointestinal flora - that is, dysbacteriosis, to gastritis, as well as its deficiency manifests itself in the form of peeling of the cheeks, skin of the hands and feet. This vitamin is found in low-fat cottage cheese, green peas, soy products, corn, kidneys and liver.

Vitamin N

It has an anti-toxic effect in case of poisoning with salts of heavy metals (mercury), it also reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood, taking care of the prevention of cardiovascular disorders. With its deficiency, disorders of the nervous system appear, fatigue or nervousness, dizziness and convulsions, there are inflammatory processes peripheral nervous system. Vitamin N is found in dairy products, cabbage, veal and beef.

Additional factors in the fight against vitamin deficiency are different kinds motor activity, as a result of which the blood is quickly saturated with oxygen, thereby enriching the internal organs and accelerating the metabolism, as a result of which the stocks of fat deposits accumulated over the winter are broken down. Examples of such daily physical activity might be simply walking home after a day's work or taking a walk in a nearby park before bed.