Throughout mankinds history vitamin and mineral deficiencies have been two of the

primary causes of disease in both man and animal. Deficiency diseases were documented as
early as 1500 B.C. in the Ebers papyrus and in early Roman and Greek writings. In the early
days of world exploration by European nations, when long periods were spent at sea,
deficiency diseases ravaged many seafaring crews.
According to nutrition experts, and documented by testimony on the Congressional Record
(see excerpts below), a wide variety of diseases are caused by or exacerbated by vitamin
and mineral deficiencies. Mineral deficiency diseases can be attributed to the following:
heart disease and heart attacks to deficiency of selenium, copper and calcium, strokes and
ruptured aortic aneurysm to deficiency of copper, arthritis and bone diseases to a deficiency
of calcium and boron, mental depression and hyperactivity to a deficiency of calcium,
hypoglycemia and fatigue to a deficiency of chromium and vanadium, blood problems to a
deficiency of iron, neurological irregularities to a deficiency of potassium and magnesium,
and a lack of bacterial resistance to a deficiency of sulfur. Vitamin deficiency diseases can be
attributed to the following: scurvy to vitamin C deficiency, neurological development
problems and pernicious anemia to vitamin B 12 deficiency, rickets and joint disorders to
vitamin D deficiency, cancer and cataracts to vitamin E deficiency, numerous metabolic
problems to various vitamin deficiencies and the list goes on.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is one of the most common.
According to the CDC, most individuals who develop a vitamin B12 deficiency have an
underlying stomach or intestinal disorder that limits the absorption of vitamin B12. Often
the only symptom of these intestinal disorders is anemia resulting from B12 deficiency. It is
also common in individuals with dietary patterns that exclude animal or fortified foods.
What is vitamin B12 and where is it found?
vitamin B12 is also called cobalamin. It is crucial in the maintenance of healthy red blood
cells and nerve cells and is also necessary for the production of DNA. Vitamin B12 is found
bound to the protein molecules in food which is released by hydrochloric acid in the stomach
during digestion. After being released, B12 combines with a substance called intrinsic factor
(IF) before it is absorbed into the bloodstream. vitamin B12 is most plentiful in animal
protein including poultry, fish, meat, milk products, and eggs,
What are the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency?
vitamin B12 deficiency is manifested by fatigue, nausea, constipation, flatulence (gas),
loss of appetite, and excessive weight loss. Other common symptoms are a difficulty in
maintaining balance, depression, confusion, poor memory, and soreness of the mouth or
tongue. Deficiency also can lead to neurological changes such as numbness and tingling in
the hands and feet. Some of these symptoms can also result from a variety of medical
conditions other than vitamin B12 deficiency. so be sure and have a physician evaluate
these symptoms so that appropriate medical care can be given.
Heart disease, homocysteine, and vitamin B12 deficiency.
An amino acid normally found in your blood called homocysteine may be increased by a
deficiency of vitamin B12, folate, or vitamin B6. There is evidence that an elevated blood
level of homocysteine is an independent risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It is also
suggested that high levels of homocysteine may damage coronary arteries or make it easier
for blood clotting platelets to clump together and form a clot.

Psychological impairment and vitamin B12 deficiency.

The British Journal of Psychiatry in 1988 (Levitt/ Joffe) published a report about vitamin
B12 deficiency causing the psychotic form of depression. After the medical literature was
reviewed, it was found that psychotic depression is caused by B12 deficiency more than by
any other cause. Psychiatrists often dont even consider the deficiency and even when they
do and order a serum B12 level, they miss it because the lab "normal range" is so low that
their patient's B12 level may appear adequate. There is also the often held misconception
that the neuropsychiatric effects of vitamin B12 deficiency are always accompanied by a
macrocytic anemia, which is seldom the case. The ironic thing is that vitamin B12
supplementation is relatively inexpensive compared to the dehabilitating effects of
psychological impairment.
Genetic predispositions and vitamin deficiency.
Although there is obviously genetic predispositions for disease based on any number of
factors within families, it should be considered that patterns of eating, diet and
malabsorption of nutrients also run in families and that these abnormalities are often
curable with a nutritional approach. It has also been demonstrated that nutrition
engineering can modify and influence ones genetic structure.
Vitamin C is one of the water soluble vitamins. Since they are usually eliminated in the urine
when taken in excess, they are not usually associated with toxicity. Vitamin C is also stored
in the liver. It is interesting that most animals produce their own vitamin C, but man,
primates, and guinea pigs do not have this ability.
What is the importance of vitamin C?
Vitamin C is vital in the production of collagen and helps to protect the fat-soluble vitamins
A and E as well as fatty acids from oxidation. Collagen is a substance that is the most
abundant of the fibers contained in the connective tissue, which gives our body form and
supports our organs. A complex series of events occurs inside and outside the cells when
collagen is produced. Vitamin C is essential to cellular activity by adding oxygen and
hydrogen (hydroxylating) to two amino acids: proline and lysine, forming a precusor
molecule called procollagen, which is then modified into collagen outside the cell.
What are the best sources of vitamin C?
Vitamin C is found in citrus fruits such as oranges, limes, and grapefruit, and vegetables
including tomatoes, green pepper, potatoes and many others. Optimum amounts of vitamin
C are best derived from fruits and vegetables that havent been overcooked. Too much
processing and heat significantly diminishes the quality and quantity of vitamin C.
What is vitamin D?
Vitamin D, calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin, found in food, but is also produced in the body
after exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun. Vitamin D is converted by the liver and
kidney to its active hormone form. The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain
normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium,
helping to form and maintain strong bones.

Vitamin D sources:
Food
Very few foods naturally contain significant amounts of vitamin D, including fatty fish and
fish oils. Fortified foods are the major dietary sources of vitamin D. Prior to the fortification
of milk products in the 1930s, a bone disease seen in children called rickets was a major
public health problem in the United States. Milk in the United States is fortified with 10
micrograms (400 IU) of vitamin D per quart, and rickets is now uncommon in the US.
Sunlight
Exposure to sunlight is an important source of vitamin D. Ultraviolet (UV) rays from sunlight
trigger vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Season, latitude, time of day, cloud cover, smog, and
sunscreens all affect UV ray exposure. For example, in Boston the average amount of
sunlight is insufficient to produce significant vitamin D synthesis in the skin from November
through February. Sunscreens with a sun protection factor of 8 or greater will block UV rays
that produce vitamin D, but it is still important to routinely use sunscreen whenever sun
exposure is longer than 10 to 15 minutes.
Cancer and Vitamin D.
Vitamin D may be protective against some cancers, according to laboratory, animal, and
epidemiological evidence. Some dietary surveys have associated increased intake of dairy
foods with decreased incidence of colon cancer. Another dietary survey associated a higher
calcium and vitamin D intake with a lower incidence of colon cancer. Although a cancer and
vitamin D deficiency link is suggested, comprehensive research in this area havent yet been
conducted to be conclusive.

What is vitamin E?
Vitamin E exists in eight different forms as a fat-soluble vitamin, with each form having its
own biological activity. The most active form of vitamin E is Alpha-tocopherol, a powerful
biological antioxidant. Vitamin E as well as other antioxidants protect your cells against the
effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging by-products of the bodys
metabolism of oxygen.
Vitamin E and cancer.
Although the evidence is still not conclusive, vitamin E may protect against the development
of cancers by enhancing immune function as well as blocking the formation of nitrosamines,
which are carcinogens formed in the stomach from nitrites consumed in the diet. Free
radicals are some of the prime culprits in the development of cancer and other chronic
diseases.
Vitamin E and cataracts.
It has been found in observational studies that lens clarity, which is used to diagnose
cataracts, was better in users of vitamin E supplements and in persons with higher blood
levels of vitamin E. Antioxidants in general, are being studied to determine whether they
can help prevent cataracts, growths on the lens of the eye that cloud vision.

What are foods in which vitamin E is found?

National surveys, by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
and the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes of Individuals have shown that the
dietary intake of most Americans does not provide the recommended
consumption of vitamin E. Green leafy vegetables, nuts, and vegetable oils
and are the main dietary sources of vitamin E. Most adults get the much of
their vitamin E from the fat content in their diets and because of this,
individuals who consume low fat diets may be deficient in vitamin E and
require supplementation.