Mineral	Product source of mineral	Functions in the body	Recommended daily dose	Maximum permissible dose
Calcium (Ca)	Milk, yogurt, hard cheese, as well as other dairy products; green leafy vegetables (spinach).	Indispensable for the growth and strength of bones, blood clotting, muscle contractions, and the transmission of nerve signals.	Adults 19-50 years old: 1,000 mg/day Adults over 51 years old: 1,200 mg/day	2,500 mg/day
Chromium (Cr)	Meat, poultry, fish, some grains	Helps control blood glucose levels	Adult men 19-50 years old: 35,300 mcg/day Adult men over 51 years old: 30,300 mcg/day Adult women 19-50 years old: 25,300 mcg/day Adult women over 51 years old: 20,300 mcg/day Pregnant: 30,300 mcg/day Nursing: 45,300 mcg/day	Unknown
Copper (Cu)	Seafood, nuts, seeds, wheat bran, cereals, whole grains	Participates in iron metabolism	Adults: 900 mcg/day Pregnant: 1,000 mcg/day Nursing: 1,300 mcg/day	10,000 mcg/day
Fluorine (F)	Fluoridated water, some sea fish, as well as some toothpastes and mouth rinses	Prevents tooth decay and stimulates bone growth	Adult men: 4 mg/day Adult women: 3 mg/day	10 mg/day
Iodine (I)	Specially prepared food, iodized salt, water	Participates in the synthesis of thyroid hormones	Adults: 150 mcg/day Pregnant: 220 mcg/day Nursing: 290 mcg/day	1,100 mcg/day
Iron (Fe)	By-products, legumes, beef, eggs	Iron-containing hemoglobin is a key element of red blood cells. Iron is a component of many enzymes	Men: 8 mg/day Women 19-50: 18 mg/day Women over 51: 8 mg/day Pregnant: 27 mg/day Nursing: 9 mg/day	45 mg/day
Magnesium (Mg)	Green leafy vegetables; nuts – especially almonds, Brazil nuts, soybeans	Normalizes heart rate; important for nervous system, muscle function and bone strength	Men 19-30: 400 mg/day Men 31 and older: 420 mg/day Women 19-30: 310 mg/day Women over 31: 320 mg/day Pregnant: 350-360 mg/day Nursing: 310-320 mg/day	The mineral obtained from products is not limited. If source is supplements or fortified foods – 350 mg/day
Manganese (Mn)	Nuts and legumes, tea, whole grains	Important for bone formation and the production of a number of enzymes	Men: 2.3 mg/day Women: 1.8 mg/day Pregnant: 2.0 mg/day Nursing: 2.6 mg/day	11 mg/day
Molybdenum (Mb)	Legumes, grains, nuts	Extremely important for the synthesis of a number of enzymes	Adults: 45 mcg/day Pregnant and nursing: 50 mcg/day	2,000 mcg/day
Phosphorus (Ph)	Milk and dairy products, peas, meat, eggs, some cereals and breads	Plays a key role in bone growth. Supports cell functions, participates in the body's energy metabolism	Adults: 700 mg/day	Adults up to 70: 4,000 mg/day Adults over 70: 3,000 mg/day Pregnant: 3,500 mg/day Nursing 4,000 mg/day
Potassium (K)	Bananas, yoghurts, potatoes with peel, citrus fruits, soybeans	Responsible for normal water-electrolyte metabolism; helps control blood pressure; reduces the risk of kidney stones	Adults: 4,700 mg/day Nursing: 5,100 mg/day	Unknown
Selenium (Se)	Meat and seafood, some plants grown in soil enriched with selenium; brazil nuts	Regulates the activity of thyroid hormones; protects cells from free radical damage	Adults: 55 mcg/day Pregnant: 60 mcg/day Nursing: 70 mcg/day	400 mcg/day
Sodium (Na)	As an additive during cooking	Important for water and electrolyte balance	Adults 19-50: 1,500 mg/day Adults 51-70: 1,300 mg/day Adults from 71: 1,200 mg/day	2,300 mg/day
Zinc (Zn)	Red meat, some seafood	Supports immunity, nervous system, reproductive function	Men: 11 mg/day Women: 8 mg/day Pregnant: 11 mg/day Nursing: 12 mg/day	40 mg/day

You also need to remember about fiber and dietary fiber, which we do not classify as minerals or vitamins; they have no nutritional value. However, fiber, due to its functions as a filler and sorbent, is a necessary and essential element of a healthy diet for any person.

The table of vitamins and minerals in foods will help you determine the necessary vitamins and microelements, their sources, and will also help you understand the daily dose of each substance that our body needs. The tables will help you create a diet, control the overall tone of your body and, of course, create a competent nutrition program.

My name is Alex, I am the author of this site and a bodybuilding coach, in the field of amateur bodybuilding since 1992. I'll give it to anyone who wants it FREE consultation, I will draw up a competent individual training program taking into account your athlete, both a beginner and an intermediate level. You can write to me

We live in extremely intense times. And, probably, every modern person is familiar with the feeling of overwork. It can occur for many reasons. To overwork and chronic fatigue can result from poor organization of the workplace, monotonous work without rest. Prolonged overwork often leads to the development of chronic fatigue, which can occur even in healthy people.

We often do not understand other people, their motives, actions, words, and someone does not understand us. And the point here is not that people speak different languages, but in facts that influence the perception of what is said. The article contains the most common reasons why people cannot reach mutual understanding. Familiarity with this list, of course, will not make you a communication guru, but perhaps it will prompt changes. What prevents us from understanding each other?

Forgiveness is different from reconciliation. If reconciliation is aimed at a mutual “deal”, which is achieved through bilateral interest, then forgiveness is achieved only through the interest of the one who asks for forgiveness or forgives.

Many have learned from their own experience that the power of positive thinking is great. Positive thinking allows you to achieve success in any endeavor, even the most unpromising. Why doesn’t everyone have positive thinking, since it is a direct path to success?

If someone calls you selfish, it's definitely not a compliment. This makes it clear that you are paying too much attention to your own needs. Selfish behavior is unacceptable to most people and is considered immoral.

There are times when a person is hit by a series of problems and a dark streak comes in life. It feels as if the whole world has rebelled against him. How to get out of a streak of failures and start enjoying life again?

There are more than seven billion people on Earth. They are all unique and differ from each other not only in appearance, but also in their set of psychological traits. There is a category of people who easily communicate with strangers, easily fit into unfamiliar companies and know how to please almost anyone. Such people are more successful in personal life and in career than others. Many people want to become just such people, a sort of “life of the party.” Today we will talk about what to do to please people and become a more successful person.

Conflicts can arise anywhere, regardless of the people around you and the circumstances. An angry boss or unscrupulous subordinates, demanding parents or dishonest teachers, grandmothers at bus stops or angry people in public places. Even a conscientious neighbor and a dandelion grandmother can cause a big conflict. This article will discuss how to properly get out of a conflict without suffering damage - moral and physical.

It is impossible to imagine a modern person who is not subject to stress. Accordingly, each of us experiences such situations every day at work, at home, on the road; some sufferers even experience stress several times a day. And there are people who constantly live in a stressful state and don’t even know it.

Vitamins are nutrients that are necessary for the full structure of the human body. In modern nutrition, proteins, carbohydrates and fats are usually supplied in normal quantities, but vitamins and minerals are often lacking. This cannot and will not affect health and beauty, so let's take a closer look at the value of vitamins and their content in products. That is, in which products to look for, beneficial properties are needed.

Modern nutritionists believe that the aging of the body is directly related to the amount of vitamins and minerals entering the body. With regular consumption of these beneficial substances, aging can be prevented.

It is very important to know that all vitamins are divided into water-soluble and fat-soluble.

Water-soluble vitamins.

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid.

This vitamin is not produced by the body, so it must be supplied to the body independently through food and additionally with nutritional supplements. Ascorbic acid is found in fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as in greens. For example, currants, citrus fruits, tomatoes and potatoes, red peppers, parsley and dill. To get the most out of this healthy vitamin you need to eat foods raw, because heat treatment it (vitamin C) is easily destroyed.
Important advice. When preparing food, you need to cook vegetables in a sealed container and place them in boiling water.
With a lack of vitamin C, the walls of blood vessels are primarily affected, and then the human organs.

Vitamin B1 or thiamine.

A person needs from 1.5 to 2 mg of this substance per day. Its deficiency causes disorders in the muscular and nervous systems.
What foods contain B1? These are products of plant and animal origin. A huge amount of it is found in yeast and wholemeal bread. Also in legumes.
For example, in meat and fish. In the liver and lungs of beef and pork, in egg yolk. In vegetables such as beans, asparagus, potatoes, peas.

Vitamin B2 or riboflavin.

The amount of B2 consumed depends on the activity and activity of the body, on average 2-2.5 mg.
It is found in dairy products: cheese, cottage cheese, milk. In vegetables such as cabbage, fresh peas, beans, tomatoes. In the germs of wheat, rye and oats.

Vitamin PP (niacin).

The daily diet of an adult should contain from 16 to 20 mg of this substance. It can be found in bread, cereals, brewer's and baker's yeast, dried mushrooms and meat.

Vitamin B6 or pyridoxine.

The daily requirement of B6 should be at least 2-3 mg. The main source is dairy products, meat and offal, various cereals. Fish and eggs.

Take advantage of the convenient

Fat-soluble vitamins.

Fat-soluble ones include:

A (axerophthol),
D (calciferol),
E (tocopherol),
vitamin K.

Vitamin A

The human body synthesizes it from provitamin A (keratin). An adult needs to consume 1.5-2.5 ml of vitamin A per day. It can be found in vegetables and fruits. For example, carrots, sweet peppers, green onions, parsley, lettuce, spinach. Fruits rich in vitamin A are apricots, peach, grapes. We can also use it with meat, eggs, butter, cream and fish oil.

Vitamin D

Capable of being synthesized into human body when exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet exposure. It can also enter the body with food. Daily requirement for children from 0.0025 to 0.01 ml. For an adult, the norm has not been determined.

Vitamin K

Contained in vegetables: carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, as well as legumes. The daily norm for humans is 1.8-2.2 mg per day.

Vitamin E

Is in vegetable oils(except olive). And also in meat, milk, butter. A person needs 2-6 mg per day.

Minerals.

When considering vitamins, we cannot help but talk about minerals. There are about 100 minerals, 20 of which are essential for humans. Scientists have proven that all minerals are present in the human body, but despite this, their supply must be replenished.

Minerals are divided into three groups.

The first is macroelements, these include iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium, phosphorus. The second is iodine, fluorine, manganese, aluminum, bromine, zinc, nickel, arsenic, cobalt, silicon. The third is gold, lead, mercury, silver, radium, rubidium.

The last two groups differ from the first in that they are found in very small quantities in food, and they are also toxic. Consuming such minerals in large doses is dangerous to your health.

Let's summarize. To be healthy, have beautiful hair and nails, healthy skin color, you need vitamins and minerals. Which we can and should receive from food, since our body does not synthesize them itself. When you know which product contains what, you can easily maintain your health.

norm of minerals, vitamins, calories rich in vitamins and minerals such as: vitamin A - 100%, beta-carotene - 100%, vitamin B1 - 100%, vitamin B2 - 100%, choline - 100%, vitamin B5 - 100%, vitamin B6 - 100%, vitamin B9 - 100%, vitamin B12 - 100%, vitamin C - 100%, vitamin D - 100%, vitamin E - 100%, vitamin H - 100%, vitamin K - 100%, vitamin PP - 100%, potassium - 100%, calcium - 100%, silicon - 100%, magnesium - 100%, phosphorus - 100%, chlorine - 100%, iron - 100%, iodine - 100%, cobalt - 100%, manganese - 100%, copper - 100%, molybdenum - 100%, selenium - 100%, fluorine - 100%, chromium - 100%, zinc - 100%

What are the benefits of the norm of minerals, vitamins, calories

Vitamin A responsible for normal development, reproductive function, skin and eye health, and maintaining immunity.
B-carotene is provitamin A and has antioxidant properties. 6 mcg of beta carotene is equivalent to 1 mcg of vitamin A.
Vitamin B1 is part of the most important enzymes of carbohydrate and energy metabolism, providing the body with energy and plastic substances, as well as the metabolism of branched amino acids. A lack of this vitamin leads to serious disorders of the nervous, digestive and cardiovascular systems.
Vitamin B2 participates in redox reactions, helps to increase the color sensitivity of the visual analyzer and dark adaptation. Insufficient intake of vitamin B2 is accompanied by impaired condition of the skin, mucous membranes, and impaired light and twilight vision.
Kholin is part of lecithin, plays a role in the synthesis and metabolism of phospholipids in the liver, is a source of free methyl groups, and acts as a lipotropic factor.
Vitamin B5 participates in protein, fat, carbohydrate metabolism, cholesterol metabolism, the synthesis of a number of hormones, hemoglobin, promotes the absorption of amino acids and sugars in the intestines, supports the function of the adrenal cortex. A lack of pantothenic acid can lead to damage to the skin and mucous membranes.
Vitamin B6 participates in maintaining the immune response, processes of inhibition and excitation in the central nervous system, in the transformation of amino acids, the metabolism of tryptophan, lipids and nucleic acids, promotes the normal formation of red blood cells, maintaining normal levels of homocysteine in the blood. Insufficient intake of vitamin B6 is accompanied by decreased appetite, impaired skin condition, and the development of homocysteinemia and anemia.
Vitamin B9 as a coenzyme they participate in the metabolism of nucleic acids and amino acids. Folate deficiency leads to disruption of the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, resulting in inhibition of cell growth and division, especially in rapidly proliferating tissues: bone marrow, intestinal epithelium, etc. Insufficient folate intake during pregnancy is one of the causes of prematurity, malnutrition, and congenital deformities and child development disorders. A strong relationship has been shown between folate and homocysteine levels and the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Vitamin B12 plays important role in the metabolism and transformation of amino acids. Folate and vitamin B12 are interconnected vitamins that are involved in hematopoiesis. A lack of vitamin B12 leads to the development of partial or secondary folate deficiency, as well as anemia, leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia.
Vitamin C participates in redox reactions, functioning immune system, promotes iron absorption. Deficiency leads to loose and bleeding gums, nosebleeds due to increased permeability and fragility of blood capillaries.
Vitamin D maintains homeostasis of calcium and phosphorus, carries out mineralization processes bone tissue. A lack of vitamin D leads to impaired metabolism of calcium and phosphorus in the bones, increased demineralization of bone tissue, which leads to an increased risk of developing osteoporosis.
Vitamin E has antioxidant properties, is necessary for the functioning of the gonads and heart muscle, and is a universal stabilizer of cell membranes. With vitamin E deficiency, hemolysis of erythrocytes and neurological disorders are observed.
Vitamin H participates in the synthesis of fats, glycogen, amino acid metabolism. Insufficient consumption of this vitamin can lead to disruption of the normal condition of the skin.
Vitamin K regulates blood clotting. A lack of vitamin K leads to an increase in blood clotting time and a decreased level of prothrombin in the blood.
Vitamin PP participates in redox reactions of energy metabolism. Insufficient vitamin intake is accompanied by disruption of the normal condition of the skin, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system.
Potassium is the main intracellular ion that takes part in the regulation of water, acid and electrolyte balance, participates in the processes of conducting nerve impulses and regulating pressure.
Calcium is the main component of our bones, acts as a regulator of the nervous system, and is involved in muscle contraction. Calcium deficiency leads to demineralization of the spine, pelvic bones and lower limbs, increases the risk of developing osteoporosis.
Silicon is included as a structural component in glycosaminoglycans and stimulates collagen synthesis.
Magnesium participates in energy metabolism, synthesis of proteins, nucleic acids, has a stabilizing effect on membranes, and is necessary to maintain homeostasis of calcium, potassium and sodium. A lack of magnesium leads to hypomagnesemia, an increased risk of developing hypertension and heart disease.
Phosphorus takes part in many physiological processes, including energy metabolism, regulates acid-base balance, is part of phospholipids, nucleotides and nucleic acids, and is necessary for the mineralization of bones and teeth. Deficiency leads to anorexia, anemia, and rickets.
Chlorine necessary for the formation and secretion of hydrochloric acid in the body.
Iron is part of proteins of various functions, including enzymes. Participates in the transport of electrons and oxygen, ensures the occurrence of redox reactions and activation of peroxidation. Insufficient consumption leads to hypochromic anemia, myoglobin deficiency atony of skeletal muscles, increased fatigue, myocardiopathy, and atrophic gastritis.
Iodine participates in the functioning of the thyroid gland, ensuring the formation of hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine). Necessary for the growth and differentiation of cells of all tissues of the human body, mitochondrial respiration, regulation of transmembrane transport of sodium and hormones. Insufficient intake leads to endemic goiter with hypothyroidism and slowing of metabolism, arterial hypotension, stunted growth and mental development in children.
Cobalt is part of vitamin B12. Activates enzymes of fatty acid metabolism and folic acid metabolism.
Manganese participates in the formation of bone and connective tissue, is part of enzymes involved in the metabolism of amino acids, carbohydrates, catecholamines; necessary for the synthesis of cholesterol and nucleotides. Insufficient consumption is accompanied by slower growth, disturbances in the reproductive system, increased fragility of bone tissue, and disturbances in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism.
Copper is part of enzymes that have redox activity and are involved in iron metabolism, stimulates the absorption of proteins and carbohydrates. Participates in the processes of providing oxygen to the tissues of the human body. Deficiency is manifested by disturbances in the formation of the cardiovascular system and skeleton, and the development of connective tissue dysplasia.
Molybdenum is a cofactor for many enzymes that ensure the metabolism of sulfur-containing amino acids, purines and pyrimidines.
Selenium- an essential element of the antioxidant defense system of the human body, has an immunomodulatory effect, participates in the regulation of the action of thyroid hormones. Deficiency leads to Kashin-Beck disease (osteoarthritis with multiple deformities of the joints, spine and limbs), Keshan disease (endemic myocardiopathy), and hereditary thrombasthenia.
Fluorine initiates bone mineralization. Insufficient consumption leads to caries, premature wear of tooth enamel.
Chromium participates in the regulation of blood glucose levels, enhancing the effect of insulin. Deficiency leads to decreased glucose tolerance.
Zinc is part of more than 300 enzymes, participates in the processes of synthesis and breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, nucleic acids and in the regulation of the expression of a number of genes. Insufficient consumption leads to anemia, secondary immunodeficiency, liver cirrhosis, sexual dysfunction, and the presence of fetal malformations. Research recent years The ability of high doses of zinc to disrupt the absorption of copper and thereby contribute to the development of anemia has been revealed.

still hide

A complete guide to the most healthy products you can look in the app

In addition to the main nutrients, there are two more large groups of nutritional elements that are no less important for us. These are vitamins and minerals. For a diabetic patient, they, like proteins and fats, do not require careful calculation, but they cannot be neglected either.

The body itself cannot synthesize most vitamins (with the exception of vitamins D and K). Moreover, he is not able to create atoms of microelements, and therefore needs a daily supply of both, and in strictly defined and very limited quantities. large quantities. An excess of some vitamins and minerals can be more dangerous than a deficiency, so it is good to know their properties and understand when and how much of each you need to get from food.

History of the discovery of vitamins.

Vitamins, or vital amines (from the Latin vita - life), are organic substances with a small molecular weight that take an active part in bio chemical reactions, occurring in the body every minute, if not second. They themselves are not sources of energy, but without many of them it is impossible to obtain it from nutrients.

The history of the discovery of vitamins goes back centuries. Even the ancient Egyptians knew what night blindness was, and even then a special diet enriched with animal liver was used to treat those suffering from it. (It is now known that the liver is rich in vitamin A - it is its deficiency that causes blurred vision at dusk.)

In 1747, James Lind, who served as a ship's doctor on one of the Scottish caravels, indicated in his Treatise on Scurvy that lemon and orange juice eliminated the symptoms of this disease, which was so common among sailors. Of course, it was not he who singled out lemon juice ascorbic acid - this happened much later - in 1932, but it was after Lind that other ship doctors began to include large quantities of vegetables and fruits in the diet of seafarers, which made it possible to significantly reduce the manifestations of scurvy. Due to their specific diet with a large amount of lemon juice, the sailors even began to be called “lemons”, which greatly offended them. There were also “lemon” riots, when the ship’s crew threw all their supplies of lemon juice overboard. However, when the sailors became convinced that its use really saved their lives and preserved their health, such riots stopped.

About 100 years later, the Dutch doctor Christian Eickmann identified the dependence of the development of beriberi disease in the inhabitants of Southeast Asia on a monotonous diet of polished rice and confirmed this with experiments on chickens: birds whose food was supplemented with rice bran remained cheerful and looked great, while while their relatives, who were fed only polished rice, quickly became ill with beriberi. When rice bran was added to their diet, the chickens recovered safely. Eickmann did not yet know that the upper layers of the rice grain contain vitamin B1, and when polished this layer is lost, however, reducing the proportion of white rice in the diet of patients and replacing it with other products, as in experiments with chickens, made it possible to cope with this disease.

Finally, in 1912, Pole Casimir Funk isolated thiamine, vitamin B1, from rice bran. He also suggested that with scurvy and rickets there is also a deficiency of some nutrients.

The story of another disease associated with vitamin deficiency is interesting. We are talking about pellagra, which is manifested by the appearance of red cracks on the skin, redness of the tongue, loss of appetite, and indigestion.

Even at the beginning of the last century, it was considered an infectious disease, since many residents of cities and villages fell ill one after another. They searched for the causative agent for a long time and persistently, until they finally came to the conclusion that pellagra mainly affects people whose diet is dominated by corn dishes. This happened in 1915, but they were able to isolate the substance, the deficiency of which caused the disease, only after another 20 years. They called this substance niacin.

Strictly speaking, these are two substances - nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. It turned out that niacin is contained in corn, which was very common at that time, but is not digestible by humans, since it is in a form that is not susceptible to the action of human digestive enzymes. A monotonous diet with a predominance of corn dishes, especially typical for the poor, caused pellagra in them.

By 1948, all 13 vitamins necessary for humans were discovered.. The very name “vitamins” implies that the substances classified in this group contain vital amines - chemical nitrogenous compounds, but later it turned out that not all vitamins actually contain these same amines. By this time the name had already taken root, and no one dared to challenge it. Moreover, so-called vitamin-like substances were added to the group - orotic acid (designated vitamin B13), rutin (vitamin P), carnitine (vitamin T), pangamic acid (vitamin B15), inositol and lipoic acid. You can still find mention of vitamin F, and this is nothing more than linoleic acid (remember what I said about fats). Now it is not classified as a vitamin, but, in fact, this does not in any way detract from the role of linoleic acid in the body.

Let scientists argue about terms, and in the meantime we will eat everything that is good for us and get vitamins from food, regardless of their name. You just need to know what is healthy and in what quantities.

Table No. 24. Types of vitamins

Fat soluble
Retinol, beta-carotene
Calciferol
Tocopherol
Phylloquinone	Vitamin K
Water soluble
Ascorbic acid	Vitamin C
Thiamine	Vitamin B1
Riboflavin	Vitamin B 2
Pyridoxine	Vitamin B 6
Cyanocobalamin	Vitamin B 12
Pantothenic acid	Vitamin B 5
Folic acid	Vitamin B 9
Biotin	Vitamin B 7
Niacin	Vitamin PP

Due to the high activity of vitamins, the need for them is calculated in micrograms (which is why linoleic acid no longer classified as a vitamin - its daily requirement is 10 g per day). It would seem that such small volumes are easy to obtain from food, but this was not the case. For example, in order for the body to receive the required amount of vitamin B1 per day, you need to eat at least 2 kg of vegetables. This is, of course, unrealistic. This means that no matter what anyone says about multivitamin complexes, you need to take them.

Let's figure out which drugs should be preferred. To do this, you need to get acquainted with the biological effect of each vitamin separately.

There are 13 vital vitamins in total. They are usually divided into two groups - water-soluble and fat-soluble (see table No. 24).

Antioxidant properties of vitamins.

Some vitamins have antioxidant properties, so I think it would not be superfluous to briefly explain the essence of this term. There is a lot of different talk about antioxidants today. Some consider them a panacea for all ills, others believe that the role of antioxidants in the body is overly exaggerated. The truth, as always, is most likely in the middle.

A few free radicals are vital for the body: they participate in many biochemical reactions that provide energy and a wide variety of biological substances. A free radical itself is an atom or molecule that lacks electrons. This state is very unstable, and the molecule strives with all its might to make up for this deficiency, for which it has to “take” electrons from other molecules. Those, in turn, having lost an electron, also turn into free radicals (just like vampires!) and take electrons from others molecules - a chain reaction develops. The farther from its beginning, the higher the speed of these transformations. Everything would be fine - let them transform themselves, but the molecules, losing their original structure, stop performing their physiological functions, which leads to disruption of the functioning of first the corresponding organ, and then the entire organism.

Antioxidants interact with free radicals, neutralizing their activity. The destructive chain is interrupted.

All molecules surrounded by the neutralized radical remain safe and sound - this is the protective role of antioxidants. At the same time, the prevailing opinion that free radicals protect cells from aging has not yet been confirmed in studies, and many have been carried out on this subject.

The dependence of the effect on the dose of the antioxidant has already been confirmed: in very small quantities they are ineffective, in medium quantities they are very useful, excessive doses not only do not interrupt, but even accelerate the speed chain reaction the formation of more and more free radicals. This may be why megadoses of vitamins A and C are toxic to humans.

But let's get back to vitamins.

For absorption into the blood fat-soluble vitamins, as their name suggests, the presence of fats is necessary, therefore from plant food they are absorbed better in cases where it is combined with fats (for example, carrot salad with sour cream, buckwheat with milk). But, once absorbed, such vitamins can be stored as reserves in adipose tissue and in the liver, while the body cannot store water-soluble ones.

Vitamin A - if found in plant foods, it is called carotene, and if found in animals, it is called retinol. This vitamin is found in salmon fish, animal liver, egg yolk, dairy products, including butter. Among plant products, it is rich in fruits and vegetables of orange, yellow-red and dark green colors - tomatoes, pumpkin, carrots, apricots, peaches, oranges, herbs and many others.

In the human body, vitamin A acts as a powerful antioxidant. It is part of the visual pigment - rhodopsin, which is responsible for the perception of light, especially in the dark. Necessary for maintaining good condition of the skin and all mucous membranes. With a lack of vitamin A, the skin becomes dry, flaky, often inflamed, erosions appear on the mucous membranes - superficial small ulcers, and seizures in the corners of the mouth. The protective function of the skin and mucous membranes is reduced. If the mucous membrane is damaged digestive tract, food digestion significantly worsens, which further aggravates the deficiency of all vitamins, including vitamin A itself. In addition, this vitamin is very necessary for maintaining immunity, in particular anti-cancer immunity.

You need to take vitamin A carefully - this is the case when a slight deficiency of the vitamin is preferable to a slight excess: in high doses, vitamin A is toxic.

Vitamin D is also called calciferol. By the way, fish oil, familiar to everyone since childhood, is primarily vitamin A and then vitamin D. Without the participation of vitamin D, normal absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the intestines is impossible, which especially significantly affects the growth and development of bones and teeth in children. However, rickets is a multi-cause disease; in addition to vitamin D deficiency, protein deficiency, decreased physical activity, and an imbalance of other nutrients also play a role in its development. You ask, what is the connection between diabetes and rickets? Indeed, the diagnosis of rickets is given only to young children. In adults, it sounds much more serious - “osteoporosis,” and this is the condition that threatens many people with diabetes. Without vitamin D, it is useless to fight this terrible disease.

High doses of vitamin D can cause catastrophic changes in the kidneys, blood vessels and heart, especially since this is one of the few vitamins that, albeit in small quantities, can still be synthesized in the body - with the participation of the ultraviolet part of sunlight. With sufficient sunlight, vitamin D requirements are fully met through this synthesis, however geographical position Russia is such that this is not enough for the residents of our country.

It is estimated that residents of 40-43° northern latitude (Sochi, Vladikavkaz) can enjoy the sun and independently produce vitamin D about 6 months a year. For approximately 6 months, the sun pampers those who live in paradise, northern latitude ( Krasnodar region, Vladivostok). Only for 5 months - residents of the zone of 50° northern latitude (Volgograd, Voronezh, Saratov, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk) have this opportunity; even less - 4 months - the population of 55° northern latitude (Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod, Kazan, Yekaterinburg, Tomsk, Novosibirsk), and very little - 3 months - in more northern regions (St. Petersburg, Arkhangelsk, Syktyvkar).
As with vitamin A, a slight deficiency of vitamin D is better than a slight excess.

So the majority of our compatriots suffer from a deficiency rather than an excess of vitamin D, so we cannot do without its additional intake (see table No. 25).

Table No. 25. Preventive daily doses of vitamin D

Vitamin E is a tocopherol, an active antioxidant that protects various body cells from the effects of free oxygen radicals. This vitamin is necessary for the skin and mucous membranes (its deficiency manifests itself in much the same way as vitamin A deficiency), ensures normal muscle growth and function, maturation of red blood cells (affects hemoglobin levels), takes part in the regulation of the function of the gonads, and is therefore actively used in treatment infertility and failure to carry a pregnancy to term. Considering the whole cascade of metabolic disorders in the body of people suffering from diabetes, vitamin E is absolutely indispensable for such patients. Besides this vitamin, unlike its “compatriots” - vitamins A and D, no toxic effect even in large doses. Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils, eggs, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and leafy vegetables.

Vitamin K

And the last representative of the group of fat-soluble vitamins is, or phylloquinone. Its biological function is not as diverse as the three previous vitamins, but you can’t do without it: phylloquinone is necessary to ensure blood clotting and bone formation. We get this vitamin from zucchini, spinach, herbs, pork, liver, and green tea. Self-synthesis is possible (small amounts of vitamin K are produced in the liver, so when its formation is disrupted in severe liver failure, severe bleeding develops). A deficiency of this vitamin is manifested by increased bleeding and a tendency to form hematomas.

Water-soluble vitamins, as the name suggests, are soluble in water, so their absorption in the intestine is much easier than fat-soluble ones.

Vitamin C

This group is led by the well-known ascorbic acid - vitamin C. This is a powerful antioxidant that regulates oxidative processes in the body. Vitamin C increases blood clotting, stimulates tissue healing, participates in the chemical reactions of the transformation of many amino acids and folic acid, the synthesis of anti-stress hormones of the adrenal glands and prothrombin, the synthesis of fats and cholesterol metabolism, maintains the jelly-like state of the intercellular substance, enhances the action of many liver enzymes, ensuring its function in neutralizes toxic substances, regulates the permeability of the capillary wall, improves the absorption of iron in the intestines and the secretion of bile. And of course, vitamin C is involved in strengthening all parts of the immune system. And this is not a complete list of physiological effects. ascorbic acid.

Patients with diabetes should remember that when taken in large doses for a long time, vitamin C inhibits insulin production.

Vitamin C is not produced in the human body, so a lack of food will quickly affect the functioning of all organs and systems. It is found in many vegetables and fruits.

The richest fruits in it are citrus fruits, cabbage (especially kohlrabi), tomatoes, potatoes and greens. The problem is that when storing all these products, cooking them, and even when chopping them, for example for salads, vitamin C is partially destroyed. In addition, dietary fiber contained in vegetables and fruits slows down the absorption of ascorbic acid. Therefore, despite such a wide range of products, we, as a rule, experience a slight deficiency of this vitamin, and if there are few vegetables and fruits in the diet, then it is not a slight deficiency. The daily requirement of vitamin C for children is 50 mg, for adults - 70-100 mg. If it is necessary to prescribe therapeutic doses of ascorbic acid, children are given 50 mg 2-3 times a day, and adults - 100 mg 3-4 times a day. In general, there has long been debate about therapeutic doses of this vitamin: some researchers believe that a sick person should be given ascobin in loading doses, but we will refrain from extreme doses. Diabetes is not a testing ground. Considering the vulnerability of all organs in this disease, we will not take risks, because there is no convincing evidence of the therapeutic effect of megadoses of vitamin C.

Vitamin B1

The next representative of this large group is thiamine.

Thiamine is part of many enzymes involved in carbohydrate and energy metabolism, thus making its contribution to providing the body with energy and “building” materials. It is necessary for the perception of color, the normal functioning of the nervous, digestive and cardiovascular systems. Provides cognitive activity and other functions of the brain, participates in growth processes. Along with this, vitamin B1 is an antioxidant.

It is found in brewer's yeast, meat (pork, beef), liver, nuts and seeds, cereals, bread, legumes, vegetables (potatoes, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli).

As a result of a lack of vitamin B2, excess pyruvic acid accumulates in the body, to which the nervous system reacts painfully - encephalopathy (brain damage) or polyneuritis develops - inflammation of the peripheral nerves, which is very similar to diabetic polyneuropathy: pain along the nerves, paresthesia, numbness, sensitivity disorder. All this is accompanied by emotional instability, fatigue, anxiety, and even the development of delusional states.

Vitamin B 2

Vitamin B 2 - riboflavin. Along with thiamine it is integral part enzymes involved in redox reactions, and this is the regulation of protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism. Riboflavin is also important for maintaining normal eye function, especially color vision, and is indispensable in the synthesis of hemoglobin; without it, normal functioning of the nervous system is impossible. A lack of riboflavin causes changes primarily in the skin and mucous membranes: long-term non-healing cracks appear in the corners of the mouth - seizures (angular, or angular, stomatitis), lips crack and peel, scales are noted in the nose, ears, forehead (seborrheic dermatitis), the tongue becomes bright red, fear of light, conjunctivitis, and inflammation of the skin of the eyelids are possible. All this is accompanied by loss of strength, loss of appetite, burning sensation of the skin, and impaired twilight vision. The metabolism of vitamin B6 is also disrupted, which leads to the appearance of symptoms of its deficiency.

Riboflavin is one of the few vitamins that are produced in the body. True, it is not the body itself that does this work, but non-pathogenic microorganisms living in our intestines - this is the so-called normal intestinal microflora.

With dysbacteriosis, the intake of “internal” riboflavin is noticeably reduced, but a healthy person cannot do without additional intake of vitamin B2. We can get it primarily from meat and dairy products, liver, fish, egg whites, yeast, peas, and germ shells of cereal crops.

Vitamin B 6

Vitamin B 6 - pyridoxine. It is found in products in three forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine. All three have approximately the same biological properties and approximately equal biological activity. Vitamin Bg, like its colleagues in group B, is part of enzymes that ensure metabolic processes, primarily protein metabolism. Pyridoxine is involved in the formation of hemoglobin and its inclusion in red blood cells, the formation of immunity, regulates the production of sex hormones, prevents the retention of sodium ions in the blood, thereby helping to reduce high blood pressure and reduce edema. By ensuring an intensive exchange of amino acids in brain cells, pyridoxine activates their work, and therefore all types of brain activity - memory, thinking, mood, performance and many others.

A severe deficiency of pyridoxine can lead to the development of seizures, since the regulatory effect of this vitamin on the processes of inhibition and excitation of the central nervous system is reduced. Vitamin B 6 is also needed to nourish peripheral nerve fibers. It does not bypass other types of metabolism - fat, normalizing cholesterol metabolism, and carbohydrate, improving the supply of glucose to nerve cells.

No form of vitamin B 6 is produced in the body. Its deficiency can occur not only with malnutrition, but also during treatment with anti-tuberculosis drugs, the use of oral (tablet) contraceptives and with excessive addiction to alcohol.

With pronounced anxiety, the consumption of pyridoxine increases sharply - the production of stress hormones requires an increased amount of amino acids, and their processing without vitamin B6 is impossible. Therefore, those who are in a state of chronic stress should consider supplementing with this vitamin. It should be taken in combination with vitamin B2 - we already know that riboflavin improves the absorption of pyridoxine. To get the required amount of vitamin B6 from food, our diet must include meat, fish, poultry, bread and cereals, legumes, and greens.

Vitamin B 12 - cyanocobalamin.

Strictly speaking, this is also not one substance, but four: cyanocobalamin itself, hydroxocobalamin, methylcobalamin and 5-deoxy-adenosyl-cobalamin. All four forms are part of only two enzymes involved in the metabolism of amino acids, but these enzymes are so important for the body that their deficiency leads to serious disturbances in the hematopoietic system, and the latter affects not only red blood cells, but also leukocytes and platelets. Suffice it to say that for the discovery of vitamin B12 in 1934, William Murphy, George Whipple and George Minot were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. These scientists managed to isolate a substance from the liver that cures some forms of anemia, which was called vitamin B 12.

U We'll disappoint vegetarians - there is almost no vitamin B 12 in plant foods. Perhaps only in brewer's and nutritional yeast. And all products of animal origin contain it. So we eat meat, fish, poultry, liver and kidneys, as well as dairy products. To make life easier for vegetarians, many ready-made products, such as breakfast cereals, are artificially enriched with this vitamin, so there is a solution for this category of people too.

Vitamin PP (vitamin B3) - niacin.

And again, we are dealing with more than one substance: niacin is the common name for nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. They are both part of enzymes that ensure cellular respiration, normal function of the nervous system, regulate cholesterol levels and fat metabolism in general, reduce vascular tone, improving blood flow, and help maintain good condition of the skin and mucous membranes. The extremely important effect of niacin is its participation in the production of serotonin, a brain hormone. This hormone is responsible for our sound sleep and good mood.

But what is most important for us, since we are talking about diabetes after all, is the ability of nicotinamide to bind precisely those free radicals that damage the beta cells of the pancreas. Nicotinamide cannot stop the process of death of beta cells that has begun, but it can prevent or at least slow down the process of destruction. However, some studies have noted an increase in insulin resistance under the influence of nicotinic acid, so for the prevention of type 1 diabetes, not vitamin PP (or B 3), but tablets containing nicotinamide are used. They also contain an admixture of nicotinic acid, but in very small quantities. In terms of niacin content, animal products are superior to plant products: lean meat, poultry, fish, cottage cheese, eggs, and to a lesser extent milk are the main sources of niacin. Among plant products, peanuts, legumes, bread, and cereals are rich in it.

And the human body itself is able to produce niacin from the protein tryptophan. A little, of course. The need for this vitamin is not completely covered in this way, but still, still.

Niacin deficiency develops not only with a poor diet, but also with excessive consumption of sweets, since sugar reduces the absorption of this vitamin in the intestines. Hypovitaminosis RR is not such a rare phenomenon.

By “eating” troubles with sweets, we reduce the content of niacin in the blood, this reduces the production of serotonin, and without it it becomes bad mood, sleep is disturbed, performance deteriorates, which increases the number and depth of stressful situations at work... Many small pimples appear on the skin, and we pay a lot of money to the cosmetologist. Digestive function is disrupted (constipation, diarrhea), gastritis develops, this is accompanied by ulcers on the oral mucosa and a bad odor from it... Complete discomfort.

What to do? Check your blood niacin levels. If this is not possible, buy a multivitamin complex containing this vitamin. It should get a lot easier.

The folic acid complex together with its derivatives is called folacin. They were isolated from spinach leaves in 1941, but the war delayed further development for 5 years, and synthesis folic acid artificially succeeded only in 1946. Was it worth it to deal with some kind of food acid in the hungry and turbulent post-war years? Judge for yourself. Folic acid takes an active part in the synthesis of nucleic acids, and these are the “building blocks” for building DNA. Without DNA, no protein synthesis processes are possible. Without protein there is no life. That's the whole importance of the problem. So it was worth trying, especially in the lean years.

Pregnant women and children especially need folic acid - cell division and growth require huge amounts of protein, and there should be no failures here. With a deficiency of folacin, growth slows down and the formation of erythrocytes - red blood cells - is impaired. If a lack of folic acid occurs in the early stages of intrauterine development, defects are possible, primarily in the structure of the nervous system. Impaired DNA synthesis can lead to mutations, which, in turn, lead to the appearance of atypical cells prone to uncontrolled division.

Given how important this element of the diet is, many governments require flour and grain producers to add folic acid to finished products. It is synthesized in small quantities by normal intestinal microflora, but we must obtain the predominant part from foods.

Sources of folacin are green leafy vegetables, legumes, liver, honey, wholemeal bread, and yeast.

Of all the vitamins, biotin is most actively involved in the metabolism of glucose - it starts the process of its transfer into the cell, stimulates the formation of reserves in the form of glycogen and, conversely, the production of glucose from these same reserves, thus stabilizing the blood sugar level. Biotin plays an important role in the metabolism of proteins and fats, stimulating the synthesis of the former and the breakdown of the latter.

The sulfur contained in biotin makes it a beauty vitamin: for the good condition of skin, hair and nails, they need sulfur, which is supplied by biotin. While not restoring lost hair, biotin nevertheless inhibits hair loss, reduces greasiness and improves appearance.

In addition to skin and hair problems, a lack of biotin causes muscle weakness, apathy, and decreased appetite.

The required amount of biotin can be synthesized by normal intestinal microflora, but in case of dysbiosis, the synthesis of the vitamin is disrupted, and the deficiency becomes noticeable. The same problem occurs in people who take anticonvulsants for a long time or abuse alcohol.

Raw egg white reduces the absorption of biotin, even as it contains avidin, the antivitamin of biotin. When eggs are cooked, avidin is destroyed and is no longer harmful to biotin

Additional sources of biotin are yeast, tomatoes, spinach, soy, egg yolk, mushrooms, and liver.

Table No. 26. Daily requirement for vitamins for adults

Vitamin	Daily allowance need	Upper acceptable level
	900 mcg	3000 mcg
	15 mcg	300 mcg
	10-15 mcg	50 mcg
Vitamin K	120 mcg	Indefined
Vitamin C	90 mg	2000 mg
Vitamin B,	1.5 mg	Indefined
Vitamin B 2	1.8 mg	Indefined
Vitamin B 6	2 mg	25 mg
Vitamin B 12	3 mcg	Indefined
Folic acid – vitamin B 9	400 mcg	1000 mcg
Niacin – vitamin PP or B 3	20 mg	60 mg
Biotin – vitamin B7	50 mcg	Indefined
	5 mg	Indefined

Vitamin B 5

And finally, last among the vitamins on the list, but not least - vitamin B 5 - pantothenic acid. This vitamin is involved in all types of metabolism - carbohydrate, protein, fat, and is a necessary component in the synthesis of hemoglobin, anti-stress and anti-inflammatory hormones of the adrenal cortex. With the help of pantothenic acid, choline is converted into acetylcholine, a substance that ensures the transmission of nerve impulses, without which the functioning of the nervous system is impossible.

Pantothenic acid is widely present in a wide variety of foods and, in addition, is synthesized by the human intestinal flora, so its deficiency develops quite rarely (most often this occurs in people who fast without medical supervision). Symptoms of deficiency are not very specific: fatigue, lethargy, discomfort from the digestive system, decreased immunity and, as a result, frequent colds. The use of multivitamin complexes containing vitamin B5 quickly eliminates this deficiency.

Along with vitamins, minerals participate in all metabolic processes. Let's pay attention to them - this knowledge will definitely be useful to you. In fact, almost the entire periodic table is represented in the human body, but only four of its elements are basic for the construction of all structures: carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen.

Moreover, the biological role of others is so great that people cannot exist without them. Mineral composition intercellular and intracellular fluid must remain constant, therefore a regular and sufficient supply of chemical elements is an indispensable condition maintaining health.

Table No. 27. Daily requirement for vitamins for children

Vitamin	Daily requirement for children aged 0-12 months	Daily requirement for ages 1-10 years	Daily requirement for ages 10-17 years
		500-700 mcg
		5-10 mcg
	10 mcg (400 IU)	10-2.5 mcg (400-100 IU)	2.5 mcg (100 IU)
Vitamin K		15-30 mcg
Vitamin C		45-60 mg
Vitamin B1		0.8-1.2 mg
Vitamin B 2		0.9-1.4 mg
Vitamin B6		0.9-1.6 mg
Vitamin B 12		1-2 mcg
Folic acid		100-200 mcg
Niacin		10-15 mg
Biotin – B7		20-25 mcg
Pantothenic acid – vitamin B 5		3-4 mg