Coenzyme Q10
Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) is found in every cell in the body (CoQ10 is also called ubiquinone, because it is ubiquitous). CoQ10 is a fat-soluble, vitamin-like substance that plays an important role in energy production....
Monthly Archive: May 2010
Vitamin B12 Cyanocobalamin
Vitamin B12 is composed of several compounds that are given the generic name cobalamins because all of them contain cobalt. Vitamin B12 cannot be synthesized by plants and is found primarily in meat and...
Vitamin B9 Folic Acid (Folate)
The terms folate and folic acid are used interchangeably when referring to vitamin B9. Folic acid is the most stable of the two forms and is often found in supplements and fortified foods. Folate...
Vitamin B7 Biotin
Biotin acts as a coenzyme that helps transport carbon dioxide between compounds. Biotin also plays a role in protein synthesis, the formation of long-chain fatty acids and the Krebs cycle, the basic biological process...
Vitamin B6 Pyridoxine
There are three forms of vitamin B6: pyridoxine, pyridoxal and pyridoxamine. All three are present in most body tissues, with the highest concentration being in the liver. Of the three, pyridoxine is the most...
Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid
Pantothenic acid is very common – its name comes from the Greek root pantos, which means “everywhere”. Pantothenic acid is involved in over a hundred critical body processes, including energy production and the manufacture...
Vitamin B2 Riboflavin and Vitamin B3 Niacin
Vitamin B2 – Riboflavin Riboflavin participates in the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the body’s basic energy currency. The body uses ATP any time energy is needed – to move muscles, digest food, breathe,...
Vitamin B1 – Thiamine
To better understand what thiamine does in the body, consider the word that describes thiamine deficiency: beriberi. This Sinhalese word means, “I can’t, I can’t”. And people suffering from beriberi can’t do a lot....
Vitamin B
The B vitamin family comprises eight water-soluble nutrients that are essential for functions and processes throughout the body. Most of us probably take the B vitamins for granted, but if we understood how important...
Vitamin C – Recommended Daily Allowance
The U.S. government recently raised the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin C for adults from 60 milligrams to 80 milligrams. The following table offers RDAs for specific age and risk groups: It’s important...
Vitamin K and Bone Health
Scientists are increasingly recognizing the critical role that vitamin K plays in building strong bones and maintaining bone health. In fact, three proteins that the body uses to form bone tissue – osteocalcin, anticoagulant...
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that the body uses for blood clotting and bone formation. The “K” in vitamin K comes from the German word koagulation, because the vitamin is essential for the...
Vitamin D Deficiency – Parkinson’s Disease
Parkinson’s disease is a serious, debilitating health condition that causes stiffness, tremors, and lowness of movement due to inadequate levels of dopamine in the brain. In a 2008 study, researchers at the Emory University...