|
Vitamin
facts |
|
Source |
Physiological Functions |
Deficiency |
Overconsumption |
|
 |
|
Vitamin A:
liver, vitamin A fortified milk
and dairy products, butter, whole
milk, cheese, egg yolk.
Provitamin A:
carrots,
leafy green vegetables,
sweet potatoes,
pumpkins,
winter squash, apricots,
cantaloupe. |
►Helps
to form skin and mucous membranes
and keep them healthy
►Increasing
resistance to infections
►Essential
for night vision
►Promotes
bones and tooth development.
►Beta
carotene is an antioxidant and may
protect against cancer.
►Reproduction
& cell division and gene expression |
Mild:
►Night
blindness ►Diarrhea
►Intestinal
infections ►Impaired
vision
Severe:
►inflammation
of eyes
►keratinization of skin and
eyes ►Blindness
in children. |
Mild:
►Nausea
►Irritability
►Blurred
vision
Severe:
►Growth
retardation
►Enlargement
of liver and spleen
►Loss
of hair
►Bone
pain
►Increased
pressure in skull
►Skin
changes |
 |
|
Vitamin D-fortified
dairy products fortified margarine,
fish oils, egg yolk. Synthesized by
sunlight action on skin. |
►Promotes
hardening of bones and teeth
►Increases
the absorption of calcium. |
Severe:
►Rickets in
children ►Osteomalacia
in adults |
Mild:
►Nausea
►Weight
loss
►Irritability
Severe:
►Mental and physical growth
retardation
►Kidney damage
►Movement
of calcium from bones into soft
tissues. |
 |
|
Vegetable oil,
margarine, butter, shortening, green
and leafy vegetables, wheat germ,
whole grain products,
nuts, egg
yolk, liver. |
►Protects vitamins A
and C and fatty acids
►Prevents
damage to cell membranes
►Antioxidant |
►Almost impossible to
produce without starvation
►Possible
anemia in low birth-weight infants. |
►Nontoxic under
normal conditions.
Severe:
►Nausea
►Digestive
tract disorders |
 |
|
►Dark green leafy
vegetables
►Liver
►Also made by
bacteria in the intestine. |
►Helps blood to clot.
|
►Excessive bleeding. |
►None reported. |
