A, E, D, B, C... Vitamins are essential for the body, they participate in growth, muscle, bone, immune, nervous systems... With the exception of vitamin D and K that the body makes, the others are available in the diet. Definition, role, food, deficiencies... Everything you need to know about vitamins.
What is a vitamin?
Vitamins are organic substances with no energy value but are essential to the body. The human body generally cannot produce them alone, and their food intake is therefore indispensable. They participate in the construction of the body (growth, development of the skeleton...), the functioning and maintenance of the body (transformation and use of macronutrients, vision, blood clotting, muscular, nervous, immune systems, DNA manufacturing...)'.To date, we have identified thirteen vitamins, including eight vitamins of group B (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8, B9, B12), vitamin C, and four fat-soluble vitamins, soluble in food fat. These are vitamins A, D, E, and K', explains Laurence Plumey, a nutritionist.
Role of vitamins for the body
Through multiple mechanisms of action, vitamins play many roles that participate in the proper functioning of the human body. Vitamins are numerous and we distinguish in particular vitamin A, having a role in growth and vision in particular, vitamins of group B helping in many reactions of manufacture (anabolism) or destruction (catabolism) of materials, vitamin C promoting the absorption of iron and entering into the synthesis of blood cells, vitamin D allowing the absorption of calcium and its fixation to strengthen bones, vitamin K, which contributes to blood clotting...
→ 'there are no more essential vitamins than others. They are all important. On the other hand, there are some vitamins that are more concerned with deficiencies than others. This is the case for vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin B9 '.
What are the benefits of vitamins?
Vitamin A (retinol or beta-carotene) plays an important role in vision, skin cell renewal, and the immune system.
Vitamins of group B refer to all eight vitamins of group B.
Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, and B8 are involved in energy production. 'Vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8 transform the proteins, fats, and carbohydrates we eat into energy,' says Laurence Plumey.
Vitamin B9, or folic acid, is involved in the division of cells. 'It is a very important vitamin for women,' says our specialist, 'because almost one in two women is in need, which can cause fetal malformations during an early pregnancy in a deficient woman.'
'Vitamin B12 is also involved in cell divisions like B9,' she adds. It also contributes to the proper functioning of the brain and nervous system. Vitamins B9 and B12 also participate in the formation of red blood cells.
Vitamin C has antioxidant properties that fight against the aging of cells. It helps in healing and consolidates teeth and bones. 'Very valuable in winter, it also strengthens the immune defenses,' says Laurence Plumey.
Vitamin D 'This absolutely essential vitamin is used to fix calcium on the waters. It has a valuable role in immunity and the prevention of cancers', stresses the nutritionist. 'We have also noticed that many patients who developed a severe form of Covid-19 were deficient in vitamin D, unlike those who did not, unlike those who did a mild form,' add Laurence Plumey.
Vitamin E participates in the protection of cell membranes and thus helps to slow down skin aging. 'Vitamin E also has antioxidant properties. It is very useful to limit the oxidation of cholesterol in the blood, the first risk factor for the formation of plaques
Vitamins and diet
Apart from the vitamins K and D that the body makes, the others are provided by the diet, hence the importance of having a balanced diet to avoid deficiencies.
→ Vitamin A "Just put colored vegetables on your plate to cover a large part of our daily need for beta-carotene," says Laurence Plumey. Vitamin A is found in vegetables (carrots, sweet potato, winter squash, peppers, etc.). It is also found in foods of animal origin such as liver, fish oil, eggs, and dairy products as well as butter.
→ Vitamins of group B: mainly in whole grains, fish, poultry, seeds, and pulses.
Vitamin B9 is mainly found in green vegetables (spinach), cabbage, liver, and oilseeds. Vitamin B12 is mainly found in animal foods, meat, fish, and eggs. "It only takes two eggs to cover your daily need for B12," says the nutritionist.
→ Vitamin C: mainly provided by citrus fruits, kiwis, and mangoes. "I strongly advise drinking orange juice in the morning, either homemade or bottled – bottled orange juice contains almost as much vitamin C as homemade squeezed juice. This will cover 70% of our daily vitamin C needs. People have negative assumptions about bottled orange juice and this is a mistake because there is no added sugar and it is a guaranteed intake of vitamin C and hesperidin (another anti-oxidant, rare), from the morning. It is therefore very useful for tone and immune defenses! ', says Laurence Plumey. Vitamin C is also found in some raw vegetables (peppers, cabbage, horseradish)
→ Vitamin D: 'It is found in fatty fish (sardines, herring, mackerel, and salmon) that should be consumed two to three times a week'. Our expert also recommends consuming one teaspoon of cod liver oil per day.
Note: vitamin D is the only vitamin that our body is able to synthesize under the action of the sun.
→ Vitamin E: mainly provided by oil, almonds, hazelnuts. "You should consume one to two spoons of oil a day. It should also be noted that a nice handful of 23 almonds covers 65% of an adult's daily vitamin E requirement; its exceptional', details the specialist.
→ Vitamin K: is present in green vegetables, egg yolk, and cereals.
How to detect a deficiency?
Vitamins should not be present in excess in the blood, nor should they be lacking. A blood test may be prescribed by a doctor to assess the level of a vitamin (C...). 'For most vitamins, deficiencies occur mainly during diets that are often too severe inflicted on themselves by women – or by following unbalanced eating methods,' notes Laurence Plumey. 'Indeed, as soon as one removes one or more families of foods from one's diet, one risks deficiencies; it's inevitable. A deficiency of vitamins is responsible for pathologies or disorders related to the deficiency of the functions in which they participate.
Vitamin deficiencies B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B8 will be characterized by skin signs such as eczema and neurological disorders how tingling or cramping.
Vitamin A deficiency will be characterized by decreased vision, dryness of the skin, and susceptibility to infections.
The first symptoms of vitamin C deficiency will be irritability and fatigue. After several months, the symptoms of scurvy settle down.
Vitamin D deficiency is characterized by progressive demineralization, high susceptibility to infections, and leads to muscle weakness.
Vitamin K deficiency leads to bleeding disorders.
Vitamin B9 deficiency can cause anemia and poor fetal development during pregnancy.
Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause anemia and nervous disorders.
"To have specific signs of deficiencies in each of its vitamins, you really have to suffer from deep deficiencies, situations that you hardly encounter anymore in France – except in situations of great precariousness. With a varied, balanced, and sufficient diet, we give ourselves the means not to have deficiencies, "says our expert. Thus, in Western countries, the most common sign of moderate deficiency will be especially fatigue.
When to take vitamins?
According to Laurence Plumey, "in winter, it's good to do a small vitamin cure of a month or two. This is sure to fill our reserves. I recommend a complete vitamin formula with between 10 and 12 vitamins per daily intake.
In detail, it identifies three situations in which it is important to supplement:
► Vitamin B9: 'Any woman with desire of pregnancy must absolutely supplement with vitamin B9 so as not to run out of it from the first days of pregnancy.'
► Vitamin B12: 'Vegans should supplement with vitamin B12 because it is mainly found in foods of animal origin.'
► In vitamin B1: "The only cause of severe vitamin B1 deficiency is the bypass (Bariatric surgery performed in people suffering from massive obesity) in the absence of supplementation," comments Laurence Plumey.
No comments:
Post a Comment