Water
Soluble Vitamins
Water Soluble Vitamins
By: Dr. George Obikoya
The water-soluble vitamins, excluding vitamin
C, popularly are termed the B-complex vitamins. There are eight
of them, namely; B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B6 (pyridoxine),
niacin (nicotinic acid), B12, folic acid, pantothenic acid, and
biotin. The water-soluble vitamins, inactive in their so-called
free states, must be activated to their coenzyme forms. B-complex
vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble vitamins that are not stored
in the body and must be replaced each day, preferably through a
high-quality liquid multivitamin..
The water-soluble vitamins are absorbed in our intestine, pass directly
to the blood, and are carried to the tissues in which they will
be utilized. Vitamin B12 requires a substance known as “intrinsic
factor for absorption".
Water-soluble vitamins usually are excreted in the urine on a daily
basis. Thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), pyridoxine (B6), ascorbic
acid (C), pantothenic acid, and biotin appear in urine as free vitamins
Tissue storage capacity of water soluble vitamins is limited and,
as the tissues become saturated, the rate of excretion increases
sharply. This keeps us from overdosing but this is also why we need
to take these vitamins daily. Unlike the other water-soluble vitamins,
however, vitamin B12 is excreted solely in the feces. Some folic
acid and biotin is also normally excreted in this way. Although
fecal excretion of water-soluble vitamins (other than vitamin B12,
folic acid, and biotin) occurs, their source probably is the intestinal
bacteria, which synthesize the vitamins, rather than vitamins that
we have eaten and used.
The effects of the water-soluble vitamins are obvious in many parts
of the body. They act as coenzymes to help the body obtain energy
from food. They also are important for normal appetite, good vision,
healthy skin, healthy nervous system and red blood cell formation.
Vitamin B deficiency leads to beriberi, pellagra and pernicious
anemia. Alcoholics are especially prone to thiamin deficiency because
they hardly eat good food or any at all. You can also become deficient
in vitamin B if you eat “polished” rice, that is, removing its outer
layer, and end up with thiamin deficiency, or beriberi.
Like the other vitamins, the body needs vitamin C to keep it in
good working condition. Also called ascorbic acid, vitamin C helps
hold body cells together, aids in wound healing, assists in bone
and tooth formation, and strengthens the blood vessel walls. Vitamin
C is also crucial to the functioning of our immune system, and it
helps improve the absorption and utilization of iron. Vitamin C
also helps prevent scurvy.
Our bodies cannot make vitamin C and our capacity to store vitamin
C is limited. We must, therefore, take in some daily. You are likely
to need even more vitamin C if you are under stress, use oral contraceptives,
have a healing wound, if you are pregnant or a child, have fever
or infections, and if you smoke cigarettes. Megadoses of vitamin
C can be help prevent or possibly even cure a case of the common
cold. Vitamin C also serves as a powerful antioxidant. It works
synergistically with vitamin E as a free-radical scavenger. Studies
suggest that vitamin C may reduce the risk of certain cancers, heart
disease and cataracts. Recent studies also suggest that the combination
of vitamins C and E in high doses can help reduce the risk of developing
Alzheimer’s disease. Vitamins C and E can both be found in a high-quality
liquid multivitamin.
Remember that water-soluble vitamins, the B-complex group and vitamin
C, dissolve in water, are not stored and they are eliminated in
urine. We need a continuous supply of them in our diets to ensure
proper health and nutrition.
A good multivitamin is the foundation of health
and nutrition. Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of
the popular brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement,
quality level, and overall value. If you are looking for a high
quality liquid multivitamin, we suggest that you take a look at
the Multivitamin
Product Comparisons.
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