Disclosure: While I have taken considerable efforts to make sure whatever written here is true, it cannot be guaranteed to be 100% accurate. This article is only meant to improve your knowledge of various vitamins and help you learn their functions and importance.
I advise you to do your research by following the links in the article and consulting your doctor or dietician before making any huge changes to your diet.
Food for thought: What is collagen, and what does it do?
Collagen
Collagen is a type of protein that constitutes one-third of all the protein in the body. It is fibrous and hard. It is found in skin, muscles, bones, and connective tissues.
Collagens are macromolecules (made up of a large number of atoms) responsible for holding the body together. They are elongated structures that form a strong connection between cells. They make the skin strong and flexible and form protective coatings over internal organs (like kidneys).
Collagen can help heal wounds and replace dead skin cells with new ones. It can be synthesized by the body as well as broken down and reabsorbed by the body.
As you get older, collagen synthesis reduces. This is one of the reasons for wrinkled skin. Exposure to UV light and smoking can also reduce collagen synthesis.
Maintaining a varied and healthy diet, exercising regularly, giving up smoking, and reducing exposure to UV light can help prevent the reduction of collagen synthesis. This can, in turn, keep your blood vessels, skin, bones, joints, ligaments, and muscles healthy and strong for a long time. It also reduces the visible effects of aging, like wrinkled skin.
As the disease progresses, worse symptoms might appear:
Dry and bulging eyes
Swelling of bones and joints in the hands and legs
Bleeding gums that are purple
Brown, scaly and bleeding skin that is yellow
Loss of teeth
Hair that breaks off easily
Reduced healing of wounds
Loss of nerve feeling or function
If left untreated, scurvy always results in death.
Overconsumption
Even though the overconsumption of vitamin C through food is not a problem, one must take care of the supplements. If you consume high doses (more than 1 gram/day), it can cause nausea and diarrhea. In some people, it might increase the risk of kidney stones.
Sources of Vitamin C
For infants less than a year old, RDA couldn’t be calculated. So, AI is used instead. For these age groups, no UL data is available.
Heat and light can destroy vitamin C. So, avoid cooking at high temperatures or for a long time.
It is soluble in water, i.e., from the food, it leaks into the water. So, don’t wash once you peel the outer skin. Use as little water as possible for cooking or drink the liquid used to cook.
Light destroys this vitamin. Therefore, store food items in a dark place.
To obtain the maximum amount of vitamin C, eat foods raw when they are ripe.
Who should take supplements?
Adequate amounts of vitamin C can be obtained from food. Therefore, normal healthy people normally don’t suffer from vitamin C deficiency. However, the following types of people are at risk of deficiency and might benefit from supplements.
Infants fed with boiled cow’s milk (cow’s milk contains less vitamin C)
People who don’t have a limited diet that lacks in variety
People who have diseases that affect the absorption of vitamins
Even though supplements can help several groups of people, it is advisable to consult your doctor first.
How long does it take for your body to absorb vitamin C completely?
If you eat your RDA of vitamin C, 80% of it is absorbed within 24 hours. If your intake is very less when compared to your RDY, only 50% of it is absorbed in 24 hours.
How long does vitamin C stay in the body?
It can vary from person to person. But generally, within 24 hours, most of the vitamin leaves your body.
What happens to any excess of the vitamin you consume?
Your body removes any excess amounts through the urine regularly. Only at very high doses, more than 2000mg/day, it might cause undesired effects.
Food vs. supplements
The natural and synthetic forms are identical chemically. However, synthetic forms are cheaper.
Summary:
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which our body cannot produce on its own. So, we need to consume it every day.
Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant protecting your body from harmful chemicals. It also strengthens your immune system.
It is found in guava, broccoli, papaya, and citrus fruits.
Vitamins can be divided into fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. Your body doesn’t store water-soluble vitamins. It rapidly removes them through urine. Hence, you need to consume sufficient amounts of these vitamins every day.
Vitamin B and C are the only water-soluble vitamins. Vitamin B can be further divided into eight vitamins. All the vitamins that fall under the category of vitamin B are coenzymes.
Food for thought: What are coenzymes?
A lot of chemical reactions happen in our bodies. Without these reactions, our survival would be impossible.
Enzyme
An enzyme is a macromolecule (a molecule made up of more than a hundred atoms). It acts as a catalyst (a helper) in chemical reactions like digestion and metabolism. However, these enzymes are highly selective catalysts, i.e., each enzyme acts as a catalyst only for a particular chemical reaction.
By reducing the energy needed to start these chemical reactions, enzymes speed up chemical reactions, up to a million times. In the absence of enzymes, some of these chemical reactions may not even happen.
Food: Enzymes help in breaking down the complex molecules in our food into smaller molecules like glucose, which provide instant energy.
DNA: Whenever a cell splits, the DNA it contains should be copied to the resulting daughter cells. Enzymes play a significant role in this process.
Toxins: Enzymes help the liver perform one of its primary functions – breaking down toxins in our bodies.
Proteins: Enzymes help break down proteins into amino acids, which are vital for many processes, including repairing cells after a workout.
Fats: Enzymes also help in breaking down fats, in our guts, into fatty acids. Fatty acids are absorbed into the bloodstream and used by the body for repairing cells, producing energy, and improving immunity.
Detergents: Enzymes are also used in many industries. One famous example is the use of enzymes in detergents to break down the proteins present in blood and egg.
During these processes, enzymes themselves are not consumed. Hence, once they finish catalyzing one chemical reaction, they can go and catalyze another similar chemical reaction.
Cofactors – To function properly, enzymes need cofactors. Cofactors help coenzymes function properly. There are two types of cofactors – coenzymes (organic – ions containing carbon) and inorganic ions (ions containing non-carbon atoms like Magnesium, Calcium, etc).
Coenzymes – Coenzymes can’t function alone. However, they attach themselves to enzymes so that the reacting molecules attach easily with the enzymes to form intermediate products.
These intermediate products then react with other reacting molecules to form the final product and the enzyme. During this reaction, the shape of the coenzyme might change.
Coenzymes are essential to our bodies because they help enzymes perform chemical reactions easily and quickly.
Disclosure: While I have taken considerable efforts to make sure whatever written here is true, it cannot be guaranteed to be 100% accurate. This article is only meant to improve your knowledge of various vitamins and help you learn their functions and importance.
I advise you to do your research by following the links in the article and consulting your doctor or dietician before making any huge changes to your diet.
The approach used in this blog post
To understand the importance of vitamins, first, you will read the symptoms that occur due to its deficiency.
Then, you can try to identify the vitamin from these symptoms.
Once you have done that, you can go on to find the sources of that vitamin.
Then, you will find out who needs to take supplements of that vitamin, and how to help your body absorb that vitamin better.
If you want to read about fat-soluble vitamins, you can read my blog post here: Fat-soluble vitamins.
Identify this vitamin – 1
Among all the water-soluble vitamins, this is the first B vitamin that was discovered. It helps your body to convert carbohydrates into energy. The cells throughout your body, including those in your brain, use this energy.
It is involved in the creation of neurotransmitters that stimulate muscle control and behavior. These neurotransmitters are also essential for memory and cognition. Hence, the nervous system and the brain need this vitamin to function properly.
Deficiency
The deficiency of this water-soluble vitamin can cause fatigue and weakness (due to lack of energy) and can cause nerve damage (this vitamin helps in the creation of neurotransmitters, remember?).
It can lead to diseases like Beriberi (damage to the nervous system leading to muscular paralysis or damage to the cardiovascular system leading to heart failure). In extreme cases, it can cause Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (damage to the brain leading to memory loss, hallucinations, etc.).
Overconsumption
Overdosing on this vitamin is extremely rare since your body excretes it through urine. Symptoms of rare cases of vitamin B1 supplement overdose can include diarrhea, allergic reactions, rapid heartbeat, etc.
Which vitamin is it?
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Sources
The Recommended Dietary Allowance for vitamin B1 is given in mg/day (milligrams per day). For infants less than a year old, RDA couldn’t be calculated. So, AI is used instead. Since vitamin B1 is not poisonous even when taken in high amounts, no UL data is available.
1. Vitamin B1 is a water-soluble vitamin. Your body can store it only for a short time. Then, your body removes it through the urine. So, you have to take it every day.
2. On cooking, 25% of the vitamin B1 is lost. So, using as little water as possible or using a microwave oven can reduce the amount of vitamin B1 lost through cooking.
Who should take supplements?
Healthy people normally don’t have a B1 deficiency. Hence, they don’t have to take vitamin B1 supplements.
1. People with high blood sugar levels are at risk of vitamin B1 deficiency because vitamin B1 is eliminated through urine. Vitamin B1 levels could be reduced by 75%-76% in these people. It is advisable for these people to either eat a B1 rich diet or take vitamin B1 supplements.
2. People who are chronic alcohol consumers are also at risk of vitamin B1 deficiency. While inadequate B1 intake is the main reason for this, high levels of alcohol can also impair B1 absorption as well as the conversion of B1 into coenzyme. These people can also benefit from vitamin B1 supplements.
3. Do not wash grains like rice in water if the packet doesn’t advise you to do so. Up to 25% of B1 is lost by washing rice once in the water.
How long does it take for your body to absorb the vitamin completely?
While most of the vitamin B1 you consume is excreted within a day, a very small portion of it can remain for up to 3 days.
What happens to any excess of the vitamin you consume?
Your body can hold only a maximum of 30 milligrams of B1. Anything in excess is removed through the urine.
Food vs. supplements
The synthetic form of vitamin B1 is fat-soluble. Hence, it can be stored in your body for a longer time. However, this also makes it easier to overdose due to supplements.
Identify the vitamin – 2
Like other water-soluble vitamins, this vitamin helps in breaking down carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. It helps in the creation of red blood cells and recycling antioxidants.
It plays a significant role in maintaining healthy skin and good vision. Taking an adequate amount of this vitamin every day may also help prevent cataracts. It may also help reduce the number of migraine attacks. Taking supplements of this vitamin during a headache may reduce the pain experienced during migraines.
Since this vitamin is available in many common foods, it is rare for healthy people to have this deficiency. It may be caused due to a poor diet.
Also known as Ariboflavinosis, the reasons for this deficiency can be: primary (lack of this vitamin in the diet) or secondary (disability of the body to absorb the vitamin properly).
Due to its deficiency, several symptoms could show up within a few days. The tongue becoming red; Throat becoming sore; Corners of the mouth becoming swollen; Eyes becoming sensitive to light; Skin becoming dry and itchy on the nose and lips; Hair starting to fall; Rashes developing on the genitals, are some of those symptoms.
Since it impacts the absorption of iron in the body, its deficiency may also cause anemia, leading to a shortage of red blood cells.
Overconsumption
Excess of this vitamin is removed from the body through the urine. So, overconsumption of this vitamin doesn’t have any side-effects.
Only in extreme overdoses, it might cause diarrhea or yellowish-orange color of urine.
Which vitamin is it?
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Sources
Vitamin B2 is present in various food items. The RDA for children below one year is not known. Hence, AI is used.
Water-soluble vitamins lose their nutrient value due to cooking.
However, vitamin B2 was believed to be the fraction of vitamin B that was most resistant to heat. But prolonged heating can still destroy its nutritional value. For example, milk loses up to 27% of its vitamin B2, when boiled for 15 minutes.
More than heat, light is the bigger enemy to vitamin B2. That is why milk comes mostly in opaque containers (paper or plastic).
To retain the vitamin B2 in the food you eat, store food items in a dark place. Eat fresh whenever possible. If you should cook, use as little water as possible, and drink the excess water after cooking.
Who should take supplements?
Normal healthy people don’t need to take supplements for water-soluble vitamins as deficiency is very rare in healthy people. This is true for vitamin B2 as well.
A poor diet and diseases that affect vitamin B2 absorption can cause vitamin B2 deficiency. It is more common in teenagers, older people, chronic alcoholics, and people with HIV.
Hence, these people may benefit from taking vitamin B2 supplements. Consuming even high doses of vitamin B2 is not toxic for healthy people. Hence, different doses of B2 are given to people depending on the intended benefit.
How much of the vitamin does your body absorb from your diet?
Your body can absorb nearly 100% of the vitamin B2 you eat.
How long does the vitamin stay in the body?
Like other B vitamins, it may remain in your body for 24 hours. Drinking lots of water can remove these vitamins faster due to the increased frequency of urination.
What happens to any excess of the vitamin you consume?
Excess vitamin B3 is not stored in your body. Instead, it is removed through urine rapidly.
Food vs. supplements
Natural forms of this vitamin are better absorbed and are safer to consume since toxicity due to overconsumption is rare. On the other hand, the safety of the synthetic forms has not been proven yet.
Identify the vitamin – 3
As a coenzyme, this vitamin is essential for digestion, energy production, and maintaining healthy skin and nerves.
This vitamin plays a vital role in cellular metabolism. It helps cells break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates, as well as create enzymes and nucleic acids (remember DNA? ).
This vitamin helps in transporting oxygen to the cells and also helps cells communicate with each other. It acts as an antioxidant, protecting the cells in your body from oxidation by free radicals.
The deficiency of this vitamin is rare among healthy people but can occur in alcoholics.
Since it plays a role in digestion and energy production, mild deficiency can cause fatigue, indigestion, and vomiting. It can also cause headaches, mood swings, and depression.
Severe lack of this vitamin can cause Pellagra. Symptoms include flakey skin, digestion problems, diarrhea, loss of sleep, memory loss, and even mental impairment.
Since the body can produce this vitamin from an amino acid, a high-protein diet can prevent severe deficiency.
Overconsumption
Overdosing on this vitamin due to diet alone is not possible.
However, taking supplements can be harmful when taken in large quantities. Taking more than 1 gram/day can cause stomach upset, nausea (feeling like vomiting), and red, itchy skin to appear in the neck, chest, arms, and face. Taking 3-9 grams/day over an extended period can cause liver damage.
Which vitamin is it?
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Sources
For children less than a year old, RDA amounts are not known. So, AI is used instead. The UL for these children are not known either.
Like other B-vitamins, your body can absorb B3 better when you eat it with food. Protein-rich foods also provide a little bit of B3, provided B2, B6, and Magnesium are not lacking. So, eating protein-rich foods can help prevent severe cases of deficiency.
Who should take supplements?
Ordinary healthy people don’t need supplements since most of the foods, which people consume daily, are rich in vitamin B3. People belonging to the following categories may benefit from taking vitamin B3 supplements.
Alcoholics
Malnourished kids
People eating low-calorie diets
People eating diets containing refined carbohydrates
Mothers who nurse more than one baby
People suffering from inflammatory bowel disease
People having vitamin B2, B6, iron or Magnesium deficiency
However, since vitamin B3 overdose can be deadly, it is advisable to consult a doctor before buying supplements.
How long does it take for your body to absorb the vitamin completely?
Most of the vitamin B3 you consume is excreted within 24 hours.
What happens to any excess of the vitamin you consume?
Any excess vitamin B3 you consume is removed through the urine.
Food vs. supplements
Synthetic forms of vitamin B3 are found to have better absorption rates than B3 in natural sources.
Identify the vitamin – 4
This vitamin is found in almost all food items. Indeed, it got its name from the Greek word ‘Pantothen,’ which means ‘from everywhere.’ On the contrary, it is also one of the lesser-known vitamins because its deficiency is rare.
It is vital for many chemical reactions that happen in your body. Like other B-vitamins, it helps in creating energy from carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, and in maintaining a healthy digestive system. It also helps in producing red blood cells, sex- and stress-related hormones, neurotransmitters, and in processing other vitamins (B2).
Its most important use is in synthesizing Coenzyme A. Coenzyme A helps the body in creating fatty acids and cholesterol from food. The liver also needs Coenzyme A for breaking down toxins and drugs.
Supplements of this vitamin are taken to reduce cholesterol.
Deficiency
The deficiency of this vitamin is extremely rare since it is found in almost all the food items. It can occur as a result of severe malnutrition and can affect many organs. Symptoms include vomiting, stomach pain, numbness, cramps, skin irritation, sleeping disorders, and depression.
Overconsumption
This vitamin, when taken through food, is completely safe. For this reason, it doesn’t have an upper limit. It causes diarrhea when taken in high amounts (10-20 g).
However, taking it as a supplement is a completely different story.
Which vitamin is it?
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid )
Sources
The graphs below show the RDA data for B5, as well as the amount of vitamin B5 contained in different food items.
Since other nutrients support the absorption of vitamin B5, eat it along with food. If you take supplements, take multivitamin supplements, instead of B5 supplements. Since heat can destroy vitamin B5, try to eat as many raw sources of B5 as possible.
Who should take supplements?
People who consume alcohol excessively or have Diabetes may need higher amounts of vitamin B5. Hence, taking supplements can benefit them greatly.
Care should be taken while taking vitamin B5 supplements since it can interfere with medications. For example, people taking blood-thinning medicines should not take B5 supplements, as it can increase the risk of bleeding. So, consult your doctor before taking vitamin B5 supplements.
How long does it take for your body to absorb the vitamin completely?
Your body excretes almost all of the vitamin B5 within the first 24 hours of consumption.
What happens to any excess of the vitamin you consume?
Vitamin B5 is one of the safest water-soluble vitamins. Your body removes any excess amount you consume by urination.
Food vs. supplements
Synthetic forms of vitamin B5 are easily available and are cheaper than natural food sources. Other than that, there aren’t any other advantages to taking supplements.
This blog post is the second part of the ‘Water-soluble vitamins’ blog post series.
Read the first part of the blog post here: Water-soluble vitamins
Identify the vitamin – 5
Like other B-vitamins, this vitamin also helps break down the food molecules into energy.
This vitamin helps in the formation of red and white blood cells in your body. It is required for the production of hemoglobin (in the blood), which transports oxygen throughout the body. It also aids your body in the production of insulin. Insulin, in turn, regulates the glucose levels in your body by helping cells absorb glucose in food to produce energy.
The nervous system is responsible for conveying the information from the brain to other parts of the body and vice-versa. It is composed of neurons. These neurons communicate with each other by releasing neurotransmitters. This vitamin is involved in the synthesis of specific neurotransmitters that regulate your mood and sleep cycles.
Along with B9 and B12, it helps reduce the levels of a dangerous amino acid in your body. This amino acid (Homocysteine), produced by eating meat, can cause depression, increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease, and heart disease.
Since this vitamin is so important to your body, its deficiency can cause a multitude of problems. If left untreated, it can be fatal.
Symptoms include a weak immune system, anemia, seizures, depression, confusion, nervousness, skin rashes, cracked lips, muscle weakness, and numbness.
Overconsumption
Even though this vitamin is vital to several processes in your body, overconsumption can be harmful to the body.
Taking more than 100mg/day of this vitamin can cause nausea, dizziness, and sensitivity to sunlight. Higher doses of more than 200mg/day could lead to imbalance and loss of feeling in the legs.
Which vitamin is it?
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Sources
The graphs below show the RDA data for B6, as well as the amount of vitamin B6 contained in different food items. For infants less than a year old, RDA is not known. Hence AI is used instead. For these age groups, UL is also not known.
Eat a variety of food items – vegetables, fruits, milk products, whole grains, oils, lean meats, fish, eggs, nuts, and seeds. They are all rich in vitamin B6.
Eat a lot of raw foods (vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds) because vitamin B6 is destroyed by heat. Sunlight also destroys vitamin B6. So, store these items in a dark place.
Who should take supplements?
It is advisable to try to take all your vitamins from your diet. However, unlike healthy people, some people might have trouble absorbing vitamin B6. People belonging to the following categories might benefit from vitamin B6 supplements:
Most of the vitamin B6 you eat is excreted through urine within 24 hours.
What happens to any excess of the vitamin you consume?
Normally, any excess vitamin B6 you eat is removed through the urine. However, when you overeat vitamin B6 regularly, it might be stored in organs like the liver and kidneys. This can become dangerous in the long run.
Food vs. supplements
Natural forms of vitamin B6 might be stored better in your body. However, it is difficult to obtain all the required RDA of vitamin B6 from the food alone.
Identify the vitamin – 6
This vitamin was known as vitamin H (Haut or Haar – skin or hair in German) because people took it as a supplement to keep the skin, hair, and nails healthy. However, its benefit in these areas is not proven.
Like other B vitamins, it helps break down proteins, fats, and carbohydrates.
Besides being present in various food items, bacteria in the intestines can also make small amounts of this vitamin. Hence, the deficiency of this vitamin is very rare among healthy individuals.
However, smokers can suffer from a deficiency of this vitamin. Raw egg whites contain a substance that can reduce the body’s ability to absorb this vitamin. More than 60% of it is lost upon cooking. Hence, if you drink a lot of raw egg whites, you are at risk of this deficiency.
Hair loss, dry eyes, sore tongue, and red rash and scaly skin near the eyes, nose, mouth and genitals
Nausea, vomiting, and loss of appetite
Lack of sleep, depression, and hallucinations
Numbness and tingling sensation in arms and legs.
Overconsumption
This vitamin is a water-soluble vitamin. So, problems due to overconsumption are very rare, since the body removes any excess amount through urine, without storing it.
However, the symptoms of toxicity due to overconsumption include skin allergies, excessive thirst, urination, insomnia, and lower levels of vitamins B6 and C. In extreme cases, it can cause Anaphylaxis, which is a life-threatening allergy.
Which vitamin is it?
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
Sources
Since RDA amounts for vitamin B7 is not known accurately, AI is used instead.
Since vitamin B7 is not affected by heat. So, cooking does not destroy vitamin B7.
However, it is affected by water, since it is a water-soluble protein. So, when upon soaking or boiling in water, the vitamins seep into the water from the food items. So, use as less water as possible while cooking and avoid soaking in water.
People who are fed intravenously for extended periods
People who take antibiotics or anti-seizure medicines for long periods
Pregnant women (may develop marginal deficiency)
People who consume raw egg whites
Excessive alcohol drinkers
Smokers
People whose intestines have trouble absorbing vitamins
People who fall under these categories might benefit from vitamin B7 supplements. But, it is advisable to consult your doctor first before taking supplements.
How long does it take for your body to absorb the vitamin completely?
Most of the vitamin B7 does not stay in your body for more than 24 hours.
What happens to any excess of the vitamin you consume?
Urination rapidly removes excess vitamin B7.
Food vs. supplement
The natural form of vitamin B7 might be absorbed better and could be more effective.
Identify the vitamin – 7
It got its name from the Latin word ‘folium,’ meaning leaf because it was first isolated from spinach leaves.
This vitamin is essential for the formation of new cells, especially during rapid-growth periods like infancy, childhood, adolescence, and childbirth.
It is needed for the production of RNA and DNA, making red and white blood cells in the bone marrow, and for breaking down proteins and carbohydrates in the food.
Along with B6 and B12, it helps reduce the amount of homocysteine in your body. As a result, the chances of heart diseases and stroke are reduced.
Since this vitamin is vital for cell growth, its deficiency can cause impaired growth.
Deficiency during pregnancy can cause defects in the infant’s brain or spine and might increase the chances of miscarriage. So, pregnant women need to take at least 600 micrograms of this vitamin every day.
Due to its importance in creating red blood cells, its deficiency can cause anemia.
Symptoms include fatigue, shortness of breath, irritability, headache, and inability to concentrate.
Overconsumption
Overconsumption of this vitamin may increase the risk of seizures.
Vitamin B9 can create various health problems when consumed in excess. Hence, it is always safe to eat it as a part of a varied, nutritious diet.
Vitamin B9 is easily destroyed by heat. So eating overcooked vegetables might actually cause a deficiency of vitamin B9. So, try to get most of your vitamin B9 from raw fruits and vegetables.
Who should take supplements?
The deficiency of this vitamin is rare among healthy individuals and rare on its own. It normally occurs along with other vitamin deficiencies and may be caused by a poor diet. So, unlike healthy individuals, the below groups of people might benefit from vitamin B9 supplements.
If B9 reaches high levels, it will be difficult to detect a B12 deficiency. So, take a vitamin B12 test before starting a B9 supplement to make sure that you don’t have a B12 deficiency.
This vitamin is crucial for the normal functioning of the nervous system and the brain. It helps in forming a protective sheath around the nerves so that impulses can travel faster. It is also important for the creation of neurotransmitters (serotonin and dopamine). These neurotransmitters regulate your sleep, mood, movement, eating, and help us in experiencing pleasure.
Like other B-vitamins, this vitamin also plays a major role in converting fats and proteins into energy.
It is essential for cell division, building genetic material (DNA), and the creation of red blood cells.
Along with B6 and B9, it helps reduce the amount of homocysteine in your body. As a result, the chances of heart diseases and stroke are reduced.
Deficiency
The human liver can store excess amounts of this vitamin for up to four years. So, even if you are deficient, it may take several years for any symptoms to show up.
Vegans are at a greater risk of this deficiency because this vitamin is only found in animal products.
The deficiency of this vitamin can cause irreversible damage to the brain and the nervous system. It can also cause anemia.
Some of the symptoms include:
Fatigue and shortness of breath
Soreness in mouth and tongue
Loss of appetite, constipation and weight loss
Tingling in the arms and legs, numbness and difficulty maintaining balance
Anxiety, confusion, hallucinations, depression, and memory loss
Overconsumption
Since the body can absorb only a small portion of this vitamin, overconsumption of it is not considered dangerous. Indeed, the last occurrence of its toxicity was in 2001.
Which vitamin is it?
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
Sources
For infants less than a year old, RDA couldn’t be calculated. So, AI is used instead. For these age groups, no UL data is available.
So, if you cook, use as little water and oil as possible. If you boil the meat, drink the water you used to boil the meat as soup, instead of throwing it.
Who should take supplements
The following groups of people are at an increased risk of B12 deficiency and can, therefore, benefit from its supplements.
People who suffer from an eating disorder
People who have had weight-loss surgeries
Older people aged 60 or more
People who drink too much alcohol
People who are HIV-positive
Vegans
People who have difficulty absorbing vitamins (Example:- Irritable bowel syndrome)
How long does the vitamin stay in the body?
Traces of this vitamin are stored in the body for up to four years.
What happens to any excess of the vitamin you consume?
Any excess amount of vitamin B12 is removed through the urine. However, high doses can cause problems.
Synthetic B12 might be absorbed better (around 56%, when taken as a 1microgram oral dose) because it is already available in free form and therefore doesn’t need to be broken down. Moreover, natural B12 is only available in animal products. If you are a vegan, you cannot get vitamin B12 from food.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is another water-soluble vitamin that performs several vital functions in your body. You can read about it in detail here: Vitamin C.
Do you know what the four fat-soluble vitamins are and why your body needs these vitamins? Do you know how to identify if you lack any of these vitamins? If you don’t know, do not fret. This blog post will tell you everything you need to know.
There is an ancient Indian proverb that says food is medicine.
Our ancestors lived a life proving that it is true. By eating a balanced diet rich in proteins, healthy fats, carbohydrates, essential vitamins, and minerals, they lived healthily.
Many of us, however, have forgotten the importance and the source of vitamins vital to our survival.
Vitamins are named in the order of their discovery, starting from ‘A’ going all the way to ‘E’. The only exception is vitamin ‘K’, which was assigned ‘K’ from ‘Koagulation’ by its Danish researcher.
In a blog post like this, the usual approach is to list the vitamins, their sources, and their importance. However, in this blog post, I have used a different approach.
To understand the importance of vitamins, first, you will read the symptoms that occur due to its deficiency.
Then, you can try to identify the vitamin from these symptoms.
Once you have done that, you can go on to find the sources of that vitamin.
Then, you will find out who needs to take supplements of that vitamin, and how to help your body absorb that vitamin better.
Disclosure: While I have taken considerable efforts to make sure whatever written here is true, it cannot be guaranteed to be 100% accurate. This article is only meant to improve your knowledge of various vitamins and help you learn their functions and importance.
I advise you to do your research by following the links in the article and consulting your doctor or dietician before making any huge changes to your diet.
Types of vitamins
Vitamins are classified into two types: Fat-soluble and Water-soluble.
Water-soluble vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins, like the name indicates, are soluble in water. The tissues in your body can easily absorb these vitamins. However, Your body uses these vitamins immediately and does not storethem for later use. So, you have to regularly consume these vitamins in small doses.
Overconsumption of water-soluble vitamins is not harmful to the body since your body excretes any excess vitamins through urine.
If you want to read about water-soluble vitamins, read our blog post here: Water-soluble vitamins.
Fat-soluble vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, are like oil and are not soluble in water. The bloodstream in your body distributes them throughout the body and your liver and fatty tissues store them for later use. The body absorbs these vitamins better when eaten along with fats.
Overconsumption of fat-soluble vitamins can lead to the creation of poisonous chemicals in the body.
Definitions:
RDA
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) refers to the average daily amount of a vitamin that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of 97% – 98% of healthy people of a particular age, sex, physiological condition, or life stage. It is used for planning your diet.
AI:
Whenever RDA cannot be determined, an Adequate Intake (AI) is used. It is also a recommended average daily intake level. However, unlike RDA, it is not accurate. AI is based on approximations of nutrient intake by groups of healthy people that are observed, estimated, or experimentally determined and are assumed to be adequate.
UL:
The Upper Intake Level (UL) is the maximum amount of nutrients a person in the general population can consume, without exposing himself/herself to any risk of adverse health effects.
Identify this fat-soluble vitamin – 1
It is a fat-soluble vitamin needed for good vision and maintaining the health of your bones.
It helps in creating and distributing T-cells, a type of white blood cells, throughout the body. Therefore, it improves the immunity of the body.
It is important for cell growth. Hence, it plays an important role in keeping the skin cells healthy.
It is also involved in the development of sperms and eggs. Hence, it is needed for reproduction.
Deficiency
Since this fat-soluble vitamin is stored in the liver for years, it might take two years for the symptoms of this deficiency to show up.
Eye-related problems are some of the most common effects of deficiency of this vitamin.
Lack of this vitamin can also lead to dry skin, poor healing, reduced growth, and infertility. It is more common in African nations where malnutrition is prevalent.
Overconsumption
Overconsumption of this vitamin can lead to mouth ulcers, rough skin, vision changes, and birth defects in pregnant women. Hence, it is better to consult your doctor before taking vitamin supplements.
Which vitamin is it?
Vitamin A, also known as Retinol.
How much should you consume every day
The intake of vitamin A varies depending on the age of the person. The graph below gives you an idea of the Recommended Dietary Allowance and the Upper intake Limit per day for infants, children, women, and men of all ages.
Some vegetables and fruits contain Carotenoids (alpha- and beta-Carotene). Your body can convert these Carotenoids into vitamin A. So, Carotenoids are also called as Provitamin A because they are one stage before vitamin A. These carotenoids are excellent antioxidants.
However, not everyone’s body is equally effective in converting Carotenoids into vitamin A. Roughly, 45% of the people contain a gene that decreases the conversion rate. So, if you are a vegan, or depend primarily on vegetable supplies for vitamin A, the graphs below may not hold true for you.
Since fat-soluble vitamins are easily absorbed when eaten along with fats, add a little oil to your salads.
1. Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. To absorb it effectively, take some fats along with it. If you eat a diet less in fat every day, your body’s ability to absorb vitamin A will be reduced considerably.
2. Animal sources contain vitamin A in their direct form. Plant sources only contain provitamin A, which has to be converted into vitamin A by your body. So, try to consume more animal sources of vitamin A. If you are a vegan, add olive oil (fat) to your vegetables.
3. Don’t take vitamin A supplements on an empty stomach. It may lead to indigestion and heartburn. In addition to that, vitamin A may not be absorbed by your body.
4. Eating Avocado increases the absorption of vitamin A since it contains good fats.
5. Zinc is also essential for the body to absorb vitamin A effectively. Add food items like cashews, kidney beans, chickpeas, almonds, chicken, and pork, which are rich in zinc, to your diet.
6. Drink less alcohol and avoid taking weight loss medicines, to absorb vitamin A better. Ask your doctor if your existing medications affect your body’s ability to absorb vitamin A effectively.
Premature infants, breast-feeding moms, and pregnant women in developing countries are at risk of vitamin A deficiency. Hence, they might benefit from vitamin A supplements.
However, pregnant women are normally advised not to take any vitamin A supplements because too much vitamin A can cause birth defects in the baby.
So, it is advisable to consult your doctor before taking any supplements.
How much of the vitamin does your body absorb from your diet?
Vitamin A can stay in your body for a very long time – up to several years.
What happens to any excess of the vitamin you consume?
Any excess of the vitamin A you consume will be stored in your liver for years.
Food vs. supplements
Try to consume vitamin A through diet because vitamin A consumed through natural sources of food has a better absorption rate than the synthetic form of the vitamin consumed through supplements.
Identify this fat-soluble vitamin – 2
Calcium and Phosphorous play a vital role in the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth. The primary function of this fat-soluble vitamin is to improve the absorption of these minerals. It also strengthens the immune system.
Deficiency
As a result, the lack of this fat-soluble vitamin may cause bowed legs (Rickets) in children and loss of bone mass (Osteoporosis) and/or weak bones and weak muscles (Osteomalacia) in adults.
It can also lead to an increased risk of autoimmune diseases, cancers, infectious diseases, slow wound-healing, and hypertension.
This is one of those fat-soluble vitamins that people in countries that have snowy winters lack.
Overconsumption
Overconsumption of supplements of this vitamin can lead to increased levels of Calcium (Hypercalcemia) in the body. It can be identified by symptoms like head-ache, weight-loss, heart and kidney damage, and loss of appetite.
Which vitamin is it? – Vitamin D
Sources
The primary source of vitamin D is sunlight. Twice a week, taking a short walk for 15 minutes, with your arms, hands, and legs exposed, without any sunscreen, is enough to get sufficient vitamin D.
The recommended daily intake of vitamin D (either as food-items or supplements) is given in the graph below.
1 Vitamin D is a fat-soluble protein. So, eat it along with foods rich in fat like avocados, eggs, seeds, and nuts.
2. Don’t take vitamin D supplements on an empty stomach.
3. Take vitamin D supplements along with a meal.
4. Research doesn’t clearly indicate if vitamin D is effectively absorbed by taking it in the morning, afternoon, or night.
Who should take vitamin D supplements?
1. People who stay indoors or apply sunscreen or cover their entire bodies whenever they go out need vitamin D supplements.
2. Human milk contains very little Vitamin D. Therefore, breast-fed infants who are not exposed to sunlight should be given vitamin D supplements.
3. In comparison to light skin, dark skin synthesizes less vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. So, people with dark skin, who spend less time in sunlight need to take vitamin D supplements.
4. The bodies of older people cannot synthesize vitamin D upon exposure to sunlight as effectively as younger people. So, older people who prefer to stay indoors are at a greater risk of vitamin D deficiency. Therefore, they should take vitamin D supplements.
5. The ability of people who are obese or have inflammatory bowel syndrome, to absorb vitamin D is highly reduced. Hence, they should take vitamin D supplements.
What happens to any excess of the vitamin you consume?
The liver and the adipose tissues, located under the skin and around the internal organs, store excess vitamin D.
Food vs. supplements
If you live in countries where sunlight is a scarce resource, particularly in winter, you may have vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is difficult to get from food alone. So, eating food items rich in vitamin D, fortified foods, and/or multivitamin tablets can provide your body enough vitamin D. But make sure you don’t overdose on vitamin D.
Identify this fat-soluble vitamin – 3
This fat-soluble vitamin acts as an antioxidant and protects the red blood cells, vitamin A and C, and fatty acids in your body from destruction by free radicals.
Food for thought: What does an antioxidant do?
A free radical is an atom or molecule whose electron has been removed. As a result, a free radical is unstable and in constant search of an electron to become stable.
It can steal an electron from your DNA, cell membranes, and proteins, thereby damaging them. This process, called oxidation, can disrupt the normal functioning of the cells in your body, eventually killing them.
Free radicals are created in your body due to various substances, including fried foods, pesticides, air pollutants, smoking, and drinking.
Antioxidants donate an electron to these free radicals before it can interact with body cells. Thus, antioxidants protect the cells in your body from getting destroyed by free radicals.
Deficiency
The deficiency of this vitamin is very rare in healthy people. It can occur in people who can’t absorb fats (due to liver diseases) and also in premature infants.
Symptoms include a weak immune system, weak muscles, numbness, and difficulty in seeing and walking.
Overconsumption
Overconsumption of this vitamin can only happen due to supplements, not because of food items.
It can prevent blood coagulation and lead to excessive bleeding. In extreme cases, the process of antioxidation could get reversed.
Which vitamin is it? – Vitamin E
Sources
Vitamin E is primarily found in oils, nuts, and seeds.
The graph below shows the recommended intake of vitamin E for all age groups.
As vitamin E deficiency is rare in healthy people, just by adding a few fats, you can absorb vitamin E easily. Adding a few almonds or sunflower seeds to your diet can improve the vitamin E intake considerably.
Who should take supplements?
There are no proven advantages in taking vitamin E supplements. The RDA of vitamin E required to maintain a healthy body can be obtained solely from natural products.
How much of the vitamin does your body absorb from your diet?
Synthetic forms of vitamin E (from supplements) are cheaper. However, vitamin E from food is absorbed better and can be twice as effective as synthetic forms.
Identify this fat-soluble vitamin – 4
Bacteria in the intestines produce this vitamin naturally. This vitamin plays a vital role in blood clotting. It also improves bone health and reduces the risk of heart diseases.
Deficiency
Your body doesn’t store high amounts of this vitamin, unlike other fat-soluble vitamins. So, if you don’t consume sufficient amounts of this vitamin, it can lead to deficiency within a week.
Just like vitamin E, deficiency of this vitamin is rare. It occurs in people whose fat-absorption abilities are impaired due to inflammatory bowel diseases, etc.
Overconsumption of vitamin A reduces the body’s absorption of this vitamin. Overconsumption of vitamin E counteracts this vitamin’s ability to clot blood.
Lack of this vitamin prevents blood from clotting quickly. It reduces bone health, thereby increasing the risk of fractures.
Overconsumption
Overconsumption of this vitamin can kill red blood cells, change blood clotting times, and damage the liver.
Which vitamin is it? – Vitamin K
Sources
In the case of vitamin K consumption, the RDA is not known; only the AI (Adequate Intake) is known.
K2, on the other hand, appears to enhance the quality of bones, reducing the risk of fractures. It is primarily found in animal products. Bacteria in your gut also produce K2, but only in small amounts.
Natural forms of vitamin K are safer and more effective than synthetic forms.
Summary
Vitamins A, D, E, and K are the four fat-soluble vitamins.
Eat a diverse diet containing meat, eggs, fruits, vegetables, greens, nuts, and seeds to get sufficient amounts of these four fat-soluble vitamins.
Since they are soluble in fat, add small amounts of fats like oil or butter. This will help your body absorb them easily, quickly, and efficiently.
The charts in this blog post can help you figure out know how much of these vitamins to consume and from where to get them. You can even print them out if you want to.
Usually, taking supplements for any of these vitamins is not necessary. However, if you are a vegan, you may suffer from vitamin A deficiency, and if you spend a lot of time indoors, you may suffer from vitamin D deficiency. In these scenarios, taking vitamin A or vitamin D supplements might be a good idea.
This blog post will help you understand what the three stages of memory are, and how to improve each stage.We don’t need any explanation of what memory is. The Multi-store model (also known as modal or Atkinson-Shiffrin model), which is the most popular model on memory, describes memory as being a sequence of three stages.
According to this model, experts divide memory into sensory memory, short-term memory and long-term memory. Every piece of information entering your body moves through these three memories subsequently (conditions applicable).
The three stages of memory
1. Sensory memory
This is the shortest form of memory. It lasts for just 0.2s to 0.5s. It retains the information sensed through one or more of your senses (touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste) very briefly, but accurately.
If the brain senses that this exterior information is useful, then it makes this information last longer. Other types of memories then capture this information and store it for later use.
Sensory memory is essentially a buffer between all the information we perceive and the useful information that gets stored.
Example: When you look at something and close your eyes and still remember what you saw accurately for less than a second, it is sensory memory.
How can you improve your sensory memory?
Attention – The only way to train your sensory memory is by improving your attention. Attention is the process of concentrating on some aspects selectively while ignoring everything else, which helps in filtering the relevant stimuli from the irrelevant surroundings.
Quit multitasking – You may think multitasking is a boon, but it can divide your attention between several things thereby affecting your sensory memory.
Location
The part of the brain responsible for sensory memory is the temporal lobe of the Cerebrum
2. Short-term memory (Working memory)
This is the place where the brain stores and processes information simultaneously. This part of the memory is important for the completion of several tasks.
The Short-term memory can store at most 5 to 9 items for a maximum of 10 to 15 seconds. But by using certain techniques, you can increase the number of items that your short-term memory can store. There are also techniques that help you increase the duration from 15 seconds to a minute.
Short-term memory is like a First-In-First-Out buffer. So, unless you take some conscious effort to retain older data, Short-term memory will erase older data to store newer data.
Examples:
While reading, your short-term memory stores the first part of the sentence till you finish reading the final part of that sentence. Otherwise, you won’t be able to understand the sentence.
While doing subtraction, your short-term memory stores the digits that are carried over.
In an argument, you may have to remember a point someone said, till he finishes talking so that you can counter it.
How can you improve your short-term memory?
Repetition/Rehearsal – This is the most common method for retaining information in your short-term memory longer. You can repeat the information in your mind again and again, so that the information reenters your short-term memory. This way, the short-term memory can retain the information for a longer time.
Chunking – Chunking is the process of grouping similar items together for better management. Each of these chunks can contain several similar items. But each chunk only represents just one of these 9 items you are trying to remember. (Do you remember that the short-term memory can store only a maximum of 9 items? If not, read the previous section called short-term memory once again). Therefore, the number of items that your short-term memory can store increases considerably.
Less distraction – The surroundings impact the quantity as well as the quality of the short-term memory considerably. Being in a calm environment can help you remember more items for a longer period of time.
Mnemonic strategies – The concept of linking a new data to a piece of information that we already know. More than any other technique, mnemonic strategies have shown to provide the best results to improve short-term memory.
Meditation – While meditating, the processing of information in the brain is not as active as it would be normally. Research doesn’t explain why it helps, but it does help.
Play brain games – Playing games like Sudoku and puzzles help you improve the processing speed of the short-term memory.
This blog post will help you learn about the different parts of the human brain and their functions. The brain is arguably the most important part of our body. It is the control center of the body. It is also the place where all the information, like memories, skills and emotions, related to our survival are stored.
The sperm whale has the biggest brain among mammals. But the human brain has the highest number of neurons, which store and transmit information as signals.
Parts of the brain and their functions
In order to lead a healthy life, maintaining a good mental health is indispensable. Therefore, learning about the different parts of the brain and their functions becomes important.
The closer a part of the brain is to the spinal cord, the more basic the functions it performs.
Brainstem
Location
This part of the brain is like the stem of a plant. It connects the brain to the spinal cord in the same way the stem connects the leaves to the roots.
Function
The functions this part of the brain performs are very basic. It controls several voluntary and involuntary functions like breathing, digestion, heartbeat etc. It can be further divided into Midbrain, Pons and Medula Oblangata.
Damage
Damage to the Brainstem can cause speech impairment, memory loss, loss of consciousness, coma, paralysis and stroke.
Prevention
Traffic accidents are the main cause of damage to the Brainstem. So, wearing helmets and seat-belts can reduce the risk of injury.
Cerebellum receives information from the nervous system, spinal cord and other parts of the brain and regulates body movements. It is also responsible for maintaining equilibrium, balance, coordination and learning motor behaviors like cycling, swimming, walking, etc.
Damage
Damage to Cerebellum can cause problems in juding distances properly and make you fall easily. It can also lead to weak muscles, slurred speech, difficulty/inability in performing fast alternate movements, headaches and stroke.
Prevention
Quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, exercising regularly, avoiding the handling of Lead and using protective head gears.
Thalamus
Location
This part of the brain is located just above the Brainstem and Cerebellum.
Function
The main functions of the Thalamus are relaying sensor signals to the Cerebrum and regulation of sleep, consciousness and alertness. Just below the Thalamus, we can find the Hypothalamus which is responsible for regulating body temperature.
Below the Hypothalamus the Pituitary gland is located. It secretes the Hormones that control growth, blood pressure, metabolism and the functions of sex organs, thyroid glands etc.
Damage
Damage to any part of Thalamuscould lead primarily to sensory confusion. For example, Audio sensory information (from your ears) could be wrongly sent to visual information processing center or vice versa. It can lead to reduced pain sensation and loss in sensation in one side of the body. It can also cause difficulties in finding words, memory and attention disorders, apathy, and inability to stop a thought from occurring. In some cases, it also leads to coma.
Damage to Pituitary gland can cause the Pituitary gland to stop producing one or more of its hormones. It might lead to reduced/excessive growth, reduced sex drive, weight gain and delaying or absence of puberty.
Prevention
While brain injuries can also damage the Thalamus, the primary reasons are malnutrition, eating- and genetic-disorders. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids (but contains less saturated fats), Vitamin B and Vitamin C can keep the Thalamus healthy.
The main cause of damage to Pituitary gland are Pituitary tumors (non-cancerous). Drinking at least 4-6 cups of water a day and reducing stress can help keep your Pituitary gland healthy. Eating a well-balanced diet (rich in fruits and vegetables, omega-3 fatty acids), and reducing Sodium intake are also important.
Cerebrum
Location
The Cerebrum is the largest part of our brain. It contains the cerebral cortex that can be further divided into right and left hemispheres.
Function
This part of the brain is responsible for everything that differentiates us from animals. It controls our decision-making abilities, thought process, memory, senses, speech and emotional response.
The Cerebrum can be further divided into the Frontal lobe, the Parietal lobe, the Occipital lobe and the Temporal lobe. The Frontal lobe is located just behind our forehead. It is responsible for reasoning, planning, problem-solving, our emotions, our social and sexual behaviors. In the mid section, the Parietal lobe is located, which is responsible for movement, orientation and perception of stimuli. At the back side, we have the Occipital lobe where visual processing takes place. On both sides, we have the Temporal lobe which is responsible for audio processing, speech and memory.
A Frontal lobe injury can cause personality, mood and behavioral changes; problems in focusing and problem-solving; difficulty in interacting.
A damaged Parietal lobe may cause problems in reading, drawing and hand-eye coordination; differentiating right and left; doing Mathematics.
An Occipital lobe injury may cause problems in reading, writing, distinguishing colors, locating objects, and cause visual hallucinations.
Damage to the Temporal lobe can cause auditory hallucinations, short-term memory loss, and aggressive behavior. It can also make recognizing faces difficult.
Prevention
Cerebral damage may occur during childbirth (Cerebral Palsy). It can also occur at a later point in life due to Stroke or Dementia. Moreover, traffic accidents, sports injuries, violence, and falling (Traumatic head injury) can also cause cerebral damage. So, to protect your child from Cerebral Palsy, get vaccinated before childbirth, and avoid using alcohol, tobacco and drugs. Also use protective headgear for your children when you think their safety could be compromised.
Eating a well-balanced diet and exercising for 30 minutes a day can help prevent a Stroke. As for traumatic head injuries, being careful and using protective head-gears can certainly reduce the probability of damage to the cerebrum. According to a research, running increased the lifespan of mice with cerebral damage from 40 days to about 365 days. So, exercising can certainly help keep your Cerebrum healthy.
Safety system
Our brains have several layers of defenses to protect them from external damage. The outermost layer is our skull. Inside the skull, the brain is further protected by sturdy membranes called Meninges. Inside the meninges, the brain lies in a layer of fluid to further cushion it from damage.
Fun facts that you probably didn’t know
The right hemisphere of the frontal lobe controls the left part of the body, and vice versa.
Your brain is almost 75% water. That’s why dehydration impacts the functions of your brain negatively.
The brain contributes to only 2% to your body’s mass. Yet, it consumes 25% of all the energy and uses 20% of the Oxygen and blood in your body.
Cholesterol is indispensable for learning and memory. Indeed, 25% of all the cholesterol inside your body is in your brain. However, depending on age and several other factors, high Cholesterol can have negative effects.
7-9 hours of sleep is recommended for your brain and body to heal and function properly. Sleep deprivation can kill brain cells impacting cognition, judgment and reaction time negatively.
Men’s brains are typically 10% larger than women’s. However, the Hippocampus (located in the Temporal lobe), which is mostly responsible for memory, is larger in women.
Technology impacts your brain negatively. The average attention span has dropped from 12s in 2000 to 8s as of now. Even a goldfish has a higher attention span of 9s.
Relying on GPS negatively impacts your innate sense of direction, that took thousands of years for your ancestors to develop and hone.
Don’t rely on your memory too much, because memories can change over time. Indeed accounts of eye-witnesses are only 50% accurate.
Common myths, Busted
You don’t have to be born as a genius. Due to Brain Plasticity, your brains can change throughout your life. So, even if you are not born as a genius, you can become one by training your brain.
Computer and video games are not always bad. They can actually improve your cognitive abilities (learning and problem-solving). However which type of games improve your cognitive abilities is not yet clear.
You don’t just use 10% of your brain. You use almost all of your brain all the time. But the intensity to which several areas of the brain are activated depends mostly on the activity you are doing at the current time. That’s why, sometimes, the solution to a problem materializes several days later, when you are not even thinking about it.
We hope that this blog post helped you understand about the different parts of the human brain and their functions. If you liked this blog post, you will like the following blog post too:
In this blog post, read about the different types of allergies, their causes, their symptoms and their remedies.
Even though allergies are not so common, they are increasing day by day. Learning about the different types of allergies and their symptoms can help you identify the allergy if you or your friend is suffering from it.
What causes an allergy?
An Allergy is caused when the immune system incorrectly identifies a harmless substance in the environment as a dangerous substance. This creates antigens. When your body comes in contact with these substances again, these antigens make the immune system release chemicals into your blood. The symptoms your body shows to these allergies are actually the reactions of your body to these chemicals. Depending on the chemical released, different symptoms can occur.
Some of the symptoms of an allergy include sneezing, runny nose, red eyes, swelling, shortness of breath, vomiting and diarrhea. About 20% of the people in developed countries have allergies. The following are some of the most common allergies that affect people.
Inflammation of the nose
Hay fever (Allergic rhinitis)
Among the different types of allergies, this is one of the most common allergies in the western world. Every year 10% to 30% of the people are affected. The most commonly affected age group is 20 to 40.
The allergy was initially wrongly identified to be caused by hay. That’s how it got the name Hay fever. However, it is actually caused by the immune system overreacting to harmless substances in the air. These harmless substances may be pollen, pet hair, mold or dust.
Symptoms
Symptoms are similar to common cold (runny nose, watery eyes, sneezing and swelling around the eyes). But they can last for 2 weeks or more. Genetics and environmental factors are the reason behind hay fever.
Treatment
Antihistamines can be used to treat hay fever. However, it can have some side effects. Allergen immunotherapy over a period of 3 years or more has been found to be effective. Allergen immunotherapy exposes the patient to gradually increasing amounts of the allergens (material causing the allergy).
Inflammation of the skin
Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)
Atopic Dermatitis is another common allergy among the differnt types of allergies in the world. It affects almost 20% of the people in the world at some point in their lives. This is more common in children.
Our skin, when healthy, protects us from irritants, allergens and bacteria. However, the skin becomes incapable of providing this protection. This may be due to genetic and environmental factors (sometimes due to food allergies). This is the cause for Eczema.
Symptoms
Dry and itchy (gets severe at night) skin with red or brownish gray patches often on the hands and legs. The skin can get thick and crack and sometimes be covered with bumps which leak fluid when crushed.
There is no cure for Eczema. However, the following measures can help keep it under control.
Taking warm, short showers instead of long, hot showers; applying moisturizers twice a day; using gentle soaps and soft towels; and identifying the triggers (outside triggers – pollen, dust, etc; inside triggers – stress, obesity, etc; and food triggers – milk, eggs, etc) that worsen your condition and staying away from these triggers can help control Eczema. If you are interested, read about the different types of Eczema.
The main cause of allergic asthma are allergens like pollen, pet dander, mold, cockroaches, and dust mites. Common triggers include tobacco, strong scent, pollution, cold air and fumes.
Symptoms
Symptoms of allergic asthma are wheezing, coughing, chest tightness leading to difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath.
However, home remedies like cleaning often using HEPA vacuum cleaners and using allergen proof bed-coverings can help reduce the contact with allergens. Using inhalers and taking certain steroids can help clear up the airways of the lungs.
Quick and Dangerous
Anaphylaxis
In some people, allergens can cause some of the above-mentioned reactions. However, for other people, the same allergens can cause life-threatening allergic reactions. The symptoms can occur rapidly and can cause death. Such a condition is called Anaphylaxis which often causes shock.
Have you or anyone in your family has already suffered from Anaphylaxis? Then you are more prone to this allergy.
The early symptoms are also varied, including wheezing, chest pain, hoarse voice, nasal congestion, low pulse, swelling of skin, itching, rashes, vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety and head ache. However, when any of the symptoms including breathing difficulty, low blood pressure or lack of consciousness occur, it means this allergy has become life-threatening.
Treatment
Since Anaphylaxis is extremely dangerous, it is better to see a doctor immediately. Sometimes, the symptoms can disappear and return after a few hours. So, do not takeit lightly.
Immunotherapy (also used for treating cancer) is the process of artificially suppressing or activating the immune system. Immunotherapy is used to treat Anaphylaxis. Finding the allergen that caused the allergy and avoiding exposure to this allergen is another effective way to combat Anaphylaxis. Injecting Epinephrine (also used for treating cardiac arrests) is the most common emergency treatment for people suffering from Anaphylaxis. If there isn’t sufficient response, the injection is repeated after 5-15 minutes. People suffering from Anaphylaxis also wear jewelry indicating their condition and the allergen they are allergic to, so that people can help them if they become unconscious.
Food allergies
Food allergies are caused by various harmless food items. The various food items that cause allergies and their symptoms will be discussed in a later blog post.
Our immune systems were designed to fight parasites. When we live in a clean environment breathing clean air, drinking clean water and eating clean food, our body starts identifying harmless food items as enemies. That’s why almost half of Americans are allergic to something.
Since food allergies are caused by proteins found in food, a team in Trinity college in Dublin tried to eliminate food allergies in mice by injecting them with parasites. Their experiment was successful; the immune system started ignoring the proteins and started fighting the parasites instead.
Inspired by the above experiment, Jasper Lawrence, who used to suffer from Asthma and other allergies, went to Africa and walked barefoot so as to infect himself with hookworms. As he had hoped, his asthma and other allergies weredefeated. He even started a business and was selling 35 hookworms for $3000.
We hope that this blog post helped you understand why some of the different types of allergies are caused, how to differentiate them, and how to treat them.
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Helpful resource
This website helps you find and tackle your health problem based on the symptoms you have.
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