Vitamins

Vitamins - more online sources

Advanced Health & Life Extension - Products focusing on health improvement, life extension, disease prevention, and weight loss. Full line of vitamins, minerals and other natural therapies.

Affordable Nature's Life - Offering the entire line of Nature's Life vitamins, minerals and supplements.

Bayho Vitamins - Informative site selling a wide range of supplements.

A Better Health, Nutrition, and Vitamin Store - Information, products, and services relating to improvement of health, wellness and quality of life are presented. Food, cooking, recipes, herbs and herbal preparation are included in the overall theme of getting better.

BetterLife.com - Offers a full range of natural supplements.

BioActiv - This multinutrient consists of phytonutrients, vitamins, minerals and enzymes. A nutritional biochemist is available to answer email.

Body Language Vitamin Company - Scientifically formulated nutritional supplements based upon years of in-depth study and documented clinical research.

Cooper Complete Vitamins - Offering supplements for arthritis pain, neck pain relief, rheumatoid arthritis and more

DNA Vitamins - Providing vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements. Including Certified Organic and Vegetarian friendly products

Elixir Health Foods - Branded vitamins, supplements, herbal and health products.

Hair Vitamins Hair Growth - This specifically developed hair program will enhance your hair growth

Halal Vitamins - A Muslim physician custom formulates all products, which are all certified Halal. Retail/wholesale sales are available.

Health Beauty & Fitness, Corp. - Offering wide variety of health products and books. Over 12,000 products to choose from.

Herbahealth - Vitamins, skin care products, and herbal supplements.

In Good Health Online - A homeopathic and holistic medical practitioner offers a line of vitamins and supplements.

InVite Health - Multivitamin and mineral supplements developed by Samuel Benjamin, M.D. and Andrew Weil, M.D.

Klamath Blue Green Algae - You can order freeze dried products from a harvesting and processing Facility on Upper Klamath Lake.

Life Wise - Providing a wide variety of Life Wise Brand vitamin supplements.

Life-Rise - These preservative-free dietary supplements appeal to people who prefer a natural way.

MD LOGIC - Complementary and alternative medicine is innovative and progressive.

Middle Earth, Inc. - This is the "Vitamin Lady" and Natural Health Center of the MidWest. Product photos are included.

Mid-West Discount Vitamins, Inc. - Alton, Illinois: offers online sales.

Minavite - This multi-vitamin formula offers a source of vitamins, including zinc, magnesium, Vitamin A, Vitamin E.

MyVits.net - Offers custom vitamin and mineral plan designed for lifestyle specific daily supplements. Available in 90 day supply of packets

NutriStart Vitamin Company - A "Pod" (pack) is a selection of natural vitamins, minerals, herbs & trace minerals.

NutriVision - Features eye vitamin supplements which duplicates the ingredients shown in a recent scientific study to be effective in reducing the progression of macular degeneration.

One Life USA - Features a wholesale all natural vitamin and herbal supplement source.

Performing Science - This online store sells high-potency, dissolving, effervescent vitamin C tablets.

Priority One Vitamins - Selling vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbs to doctors. Over 400 products to choose from.

Schiff Vitamins - One of the most trusted and respected brands in the natural supplement and dietary supplement industry

Smokers Vitamin - SmokersVitamin.com offers a customized daily supplement designed exclusively for smokers.

SporTabs International, Inc. - There are 25 essential nutrients, including Vitamin E in its natural form, in this multi-vitamin.

Team Rx - Provides a customized formula of vitamins and minerals based on user input. Allows monthly shipment of these vitamins.

Tower Laboratories - This seller offers vitamin C and lysine in a drinkable form.

The Truth About Spray Vitamins - Products included are human and pet supplements and a skin care regimen.

Upscale Vitamins - Shop securely at this private-label online store. This easy-to-navigate site offers health advice and product photos.

Vega Vitamins - These products are manufactured in England and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Vita Logic - High quality products available through healthfood stores. Locations to purchase these products are listed.

Vitaball - Nutrient rich vitamin gum balls give children and adults a quick nutrition boost.

VitaGanza - Use toll-free customer service. Store offers vitamins, minerals, supplements and herbal products.

Vital Basics Inc. - Nutraceutical company constantly striving to develop products to support your health and lifestyle. We offer products such as Focus Factor and Dr. Alibek's Immune System Support Formula

Vitality Works Inc - Shop for herbal liquid vitamins, herbal extracts and formulas at this private-label site. Resources and frequently asked questions are documented.

Vitamaximum - Offers vitamins, supplements and herbs. Featuring Jarrow Formulas, Source Naturals, Twinlab, and Alacer.

Vitamin Express - Vendor that sells body building supplements and provides articles.

Vitamin Factory - A variety of health supplements available to order online.

Vitamin Galore - Name brands and product photos are available at this site.

Vitamin Life - Personalize this store for vitamins, minerals, herbs, diet, weight loss and nutritional supplements.

Vitamin Resource - Vitamins, homeopathic remedies and Chinese medicine.

Vitamin Science, Inc. - Nutritional supplements to aid against the progression of macular degeneration.

VitaminBoost.com - This site features quality supplements at discount prices. Includes nutrition tips and useful product descriptions.

VitaminProShop.com - Your best source for vitamins & supplements. Great prices and award winning service.

Vitamins and Such online - Online vitamin and nutrition store.

Vitamins for Life - Over 14,000 products and 400 brands for herbs and beauty products.

Vitamins RX Us - Vitamins and minerals from the Nature's Bounty product line.

Vitasentials.com - Highest quality nutritional supplements using natural source materials. Brands are recognized by health professionals as industry standards.

VitaSprings - Offers herbal supplements.

Vitazings - Effervescent vitamins provide an alternative to taking traditional pills.

WebVitamins - Find name brands as well as newsletters offering health tips.

Yasoo Health - Vitamin E factor, aids for management of disease, and tocopherols can be found at this site.

YerbaMall.com - Features more than 12,000 top brand name vitamins

Vitamins - online information

Absolute Vitamins - Shop for vitamins, herbs, protein supplements, antioxidants, diet and weight loss supplements.

AskMen.com- Vitamins - Article highlighting the health benefits of vitamins and minerals with functions and traits of some listed.

Changing Shape - This chart recommends vitamin and mineral dosages, explains their function, and describes the effects of deficiency and overdose.

Co-Enzyme Q10 - Presents a brief explanation of CoQ10, therapeutic uses, and safety. [PDF Format].

Dietary Reference Intakes - A 2000 report on Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Vitamin B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, and Choline Dietary Reference Intakes. A NAP publication.

Eye on Nutrition - Test your diet and risk for cataracts and AMD. Diet analysis looks at lutein, zeaxanthin, vitamins C and E.

Mc Vitamins - A nutritional education site that has index of selected vitamins with scientific and health benefits of each.

Medlineplus: Vitamins - Overview of vitamins needed for normal metabolism, growth and development, and regulation of cell functions.

Minerals - Mineral listings for education information related to body function, deficiency symptoms, therapeutic uses, and food sources.

Minerals - Discussion of function, deficiencies, disease prevention, safety, food sources and research, indexed by mineral. From the Linus Pauling Institute.

Minerals and Vitamins - Information explaining the importance of vitamins and minerals in keeping our bodies functioning properly.

Naturally Informed - Vitamin guide containing vitamin information such as the vitamin benefit.

Nutrition.org - Information on major vitamins and minerals, daily requirements, sources, and toxic dosages.

Reference Guide For Minerals - Gives an overview and information on a variety of minerals and trace minerals.

USDA Nutrient Values - Interface to the USDA Nutrient Database. Nutrient values are available for 100 gram portions as well as common serving sizes. Percent RDA is given for males and females between the ages of 25 and 50.

Vision Club - Explains how to preserve your vision through vitamin and mineral supplements.

Vitamin B12 - Information on oral vitamin B12 including vitamin B12 reports and research papers.

Vitamin Directory - Resource directory on several vitamins, health supplements, and news.

Vitamin Guide - A handy vitamin guide with food sources, symptoms of deficiency, uses and benefits of different vitamins.

Vitamin Information Center - Basic information on all vitamins and their uses, daily requirements, and history.

Vitamin Nutrition Facts - Explains the difference between water soluble and fat soluble vitamins with intake recommendations.

Vitaminfo.com - Has facts about vitamins and minerals including omega-3, beta-carotene, and lutein. Also gives tips for balanced eating and living.

VitaminManual - Scientific journal with questions about potential benefits of vitamins and supplements. References to medical publications also given.

Vitamins - Discussion of functions, deficiencies, disease prevention and treatment, food sources, and research indexed by vitamin. From the Linus Pauling Institute.

Vitamins and Supplements Message Board - Forum for discussing health issues related to consumption and effects of vitamins and mineral supplements.

WVDA - Vitamins and Minerals - Food sources for vitamins and minerals, functions of vitamins and minerals in your body, and information about deficiency and toxicity.

Vitamins - information

A vitamin is an organic compound that cannot be synthesized (at all; or in quantities that meet all needs) by a given organism and must be taken (in trace quantities) with food for that organism's continued good health. The name was invented by the Polish biochemist Kazimierz Funk in 1912. vita in Latin is life and the -amin suffix is short for amine; at the time it was thought that all vitamins were amines. This is now known to be incorrect, but the name stuck. The term vitamin is not used for inorganic trace nutritional requirements (these are dietary minerals) or for essential fatty acids.

Introduction

Vitamins were first recognised by the diseases that occur from a lack of certain foods; for example, the British Royal Navy recognised that a constituent of limes prevented scurvy (one result of not having enough vitamin C over an extended period of time), so limes were added to the diet of sailors. Vitamin D prevents rickets, and so forth.

Vitamins can be divided in two groups by their solubility in water:

Water-soluble vitamins

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)

Thiamine (vitamin B1)

Riboflavin (vitamin B2)

Niacin or nicotinic acid (vitamin B3) (also called vitamin P -- for pellagra preventing)

Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)

Pyridoxine or pyridoxamine (vitamin B6)

Cobalamin (vitamin B12)

Biotin (vitamin H)

Folic acid (vitamin M)

Fat-soluble vitamins

Retinol (and derivatives) (vitamin A)

Calciferol (vitamin D)

Tocopherol (vitamin E)

Naphthoquinone (and derivatives) (vitamin K)

Fat-soluble vitamins may be stored in the body and can cause toxicity when taken in excess; water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. Unlike food, water, and--for aerobic organisms--air, an organism can survive for some time without vitamins, although prolonged vitamin deficit results in a disease state.

Vitamin deficiency diseases

Several diseases are caused by a lack of adequate vitamin intake. These can become severe, even life-threatening.

Some vitamin deficiency diseases include:

A - night blindness

B1 - beriberi

B2 - ariboflavinosis

B12 - pernicious anaemia

niacin - pellagra

C - scurvy

D - rickets

Other vitamin deficiencies are simply called after the name of the vitamin, like vitamin K deficiency disease.

Is vitamin D a real vitamin?

Vitamin D is synthetized by human body, but in quantities that are not always sufficient. The level of synthesis depends on exposure to sunlight, so in winter and in polar areas it acts more like a vitamin, and in summer and in equatorial areas it acts less like a vitamin. So it's usually treated as a vitamin, but one that isn't required in some areas and seasons.

Vitamins A and K

Neither vitamin A nor vitamin K is a single chemical substance, but all derivatives fulfill the same functions in organisms (or are converted into the active form by the organism), so taking just one of the derivatives is sufficient for good health. The derivatives differ in chemical structure and level of activity.

Names

Some obsolete vitamin names: Vitamin B - actually a complex of several vitamins: B-number, H, and M.

Vitamin G - another name for riboflavin (vitamin B2)

The usage of names in the format "vitamin letter" and "vitamin letter number" is diminishing. This is especially true for vitamins H, M, B1, B2, B3, and B5, which are usually called by their proper chemical names.

On the other hand, vitamins D and E are still usually called by their symbolic names, and A and K don't even have proper chemical names (since they are mixtures of chemicals).

The names ascorbic acid and vitamin C are used with similar frequency.

Whatever Happened to Vitamin F?

Vitamin F was the designation originally given to essential fatty acids that the body cannot manufacture. They were "de-vitaminized" because they are fatty acids. Fatty acids are a major component of fats.

Attribition: This informational article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Vitamins.