Water soluble vitamins are vitamin C and vitamin B, which include B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin (nicotinic acid),B5 (pantothenic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), B7 (biotin), B9 (folic acid), and B12 (cyanocobalamin.) Water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C and B-complex vitamins) are not stored in our body. This means that they have to be taken in daily, usually through food or a multivitamin supplement.
The water soluble vitamins are very easily destroyed by heat, strong light, and if stored too long. Processed foods usually contain limited supplies of these vitamins. Keeping your foods fresh, and refrigerated can help preserve both B-complex vitamins and vitamin C.
All the water soluble vitamins except vitamin B12 are directly absorbed into the intestine and passed to the blood. They are then transported to the tissues that need them. In order for this to be achieved by vitamin B12 there is a need for an extra protein which enables the B12 to be absorbed in the small intestine .
All water soluble vitamins can be found in our urine most every day. Pantothenic acid, vitamin C (ascorbic acid), B6, B2, B1 and biotin can be found in our urine as free vitamins. The human body comes with a limited tissue storage capacity for water soluble vitamins and this is important as it keeps us from getting an overdose. When the our tissues become saturated with these vitamins the excretion rate will become higher.
This is why we need to replenish the water soluble vitamins on a daily basis. The only difference stands in vitamin B12 as it is only eliminated from the body through feces. We can find small quantities of biotin and folic acid that are removed in this way although most are eliminated through urine.
Water soluble vitamins help us get energy from what we eat. They play an important part in our appetite, skin health, vision, formation of red blood cells and keeping our nervous system healthy. If we end up with a deficiency of Vitamin B, we might end up with pellagra, beriberi and/or pernicious anemia.
Alcoholics are very prone to a deficiency of thiamin as they do not eat as much as they should and they usually do not get the foods they need in order to get water soluble vitamins intake that is necessary for maintaining ones health.
It is important to understand that water soluble vitamins will dissolve in water and can not be stored, thus the excess is eliminated through urine. This is why we need them on a daily basis. Any good multivitamin supplement can aid us and having all of the needed vitamins in our body is crucial for good health and nutrition.
Lets look at food sources of water-soluble vitamins, deficiency symptoms caused by a lack of these vitamins, and symptoms of toxicity.
Vitamin B
Vitamin B, once thought to be a single vitamin, is in fact a group of several types of water-soluble vitamins,each playing important roles in cell metabolism by aiding in the activities of enzymes, the proteins responsible for promoting all chemical reactions in the body.
Each type of B vitamin is referred to by its specific name, but as a group, vitamin B is popularly known as Vitamin B complex and is composed of the following distinct types of vitamin B with the specific name of each type: B1 is thiamine, B2 is riboflavin. B3 is called niacin, B5 is pantothenic acid, B6 is pyridoxine, B7 biotin. B9 is popularly called folic acid, and B12 is cyanocobalamin.
Vitamin B is abundant in meat (turkey,chicken, beef, pork, fish), animal products like eggs, milk and dairy products, animal liver and flesh, and seafood like shellfish. It should be noted that the b vitamins are sensitive to heat and can be destroyed by over cooking.
Vitamin B plant sources include whole grains (wheat, barley, oat, brown rice, corn, etc.), green leafy vegetables ( spinach, lettuce, Moringa, cabbage, celery, and broccoli among many others), root crops like potatoes, and carrots, and fruits like bananas, strawberries, grapefruit and many other citrus fruits. B vitamins also abound in peas, peanuts, legumes (kidney beans, lentils) and mushrooms. Most plant foods that humans consume contain at least 1 type of vitamin B or a combination of several types, except B12 or cyanocobalamin.
Vitamin B1 deficiency results in beriberi, a disease exhibiting signs and symptoms like weight loss, mental confusion, swelling, paralysis and cardiac failure.
A person with insufficient riboflavin causes ariboflavinosis with symptoms that include angular cheilitis, seborrheic dermatitis, glossitis, pharyngeal swelling and cracking of the lips. Vitamin B3 deficiency results to sore skin, irritability, smooth tongue, and diarrhea. Vitamin B5 deficiency, though rare, may result in paresthesia and skin problems. Vitamin B6 deficiency can lead to high blood pressure, dermatitis, depression and microcytic anemia. Vitamin B7 deficiency rarely causes symptoms but may cause growth impairment and neurological disorders. Vitamin B9, when deficient especially in pregnant women, can cause birth defects. Lack of it may also lead to macrocytic anemia. Vitamin B12 deficiency cause peripheral neuropathy, memory loss, and macrocytic anemia.
Vitamin B supplements have their recommended dosages, depending on the type of vitamin B, the manner they are taken (oral like tablets, capsule,and suspension, or injected), and why they are taken. Most types of vitamin B supplements come in the B complex form, meaning they have at least 3, if not all the vitamin B types included in them, each type incorporated in its particular recommended dosage.
Although vitamins B1, B2, B5, and B7 have no known toxicity, and most vitamin B types are easily eliminated by the body and excreted in the urine, taking excessive amounts of certain vitamin B types may be harmful. Taking more than 3000 mg of niacin in a day may cause nausea, vomiting, and liver toxicity, while having more than 1000 mg of pyridoxine or B6 in a day may cause sensory neuropathy.
Vitamin C
Otherwise known as ascorbic acid, Vitamin C is an important part of our daily diet, as it cannot be naturally produced within the human body. This water soluble vitamin is crucial in the maintenance of the body, especially with cells and tissues.
It is no surprise that the first fruit mentioned is oranges, it is the go to fruit for people wanting to up their intake and just one cup can be enough to ensure your RDA. For those looking for an alternative, these fruits and vegetables are also high in Vitamin C: Broccoli, Red Cabbage, Peppers, Tomatoes and Kiwis. A tip for ensuring you get the most of the vitamin out of the vegetable is to eat it raw as Vitamin C is sensitive to heat.
One of the most dangerous signs of deficiency is scurvy. Before it gets to that level of severity there are many other signs to watch out for: dental problems – such weakened teeth, and inflamed, bleeding gums – the deteriorating quality of skin and hair, painful joints, slow healing of wounds and bruises, weight gain, nosebleeds and anemia.
Although it is generally safe, there are warnings against the vitamin supplement for anybody with kidney problems and diabetes or people taking the following drugs: oral contraceptives, blood thinning agents such as Warfarin and Aspirin, Tylenol, Barbiturates and chemotherapy drugs. Taking too much vitamin C can have a negative effect on the digestive system with symptoms ranging from simple stomach pain, to excess wind and even diarrhea.
Conclusion
There you have the water soluble vitamins, and some information on each one. If you would like more info, please visit All About Vitamins, Minerals, Supplements, Herbs, And Medicinal Spices