OMI: Traditional Chinese Medicine's FUNCTIONS of VITAMINS

Traditional Chinese Medicine's FUNCTIONS of VITAMINS

(Use only as educational tool; written in TCM jargon. Remember consult a professional before doing self-treatment & share what you found and they will prescribe if the vitamin fits YOU!)

Vitamin A: Tonifies blood, benefits the Jing Essence, brightens eyes, nourishes skin, clears heat from blood & treats deficiency fire patterns.
Vitamin B1: Regulates the Qi, activates the Qi, strengthens the spleen, dries dampness, help prevent stagnation, expedites the free flow of liver Qi & stop pain.
Vitamin B2: Tonifies the blood, nourishes & tonifies liver & kidneys, treats deficient yin & blood patterns, including Lao Bing & Wasting disease, nourishes stomach yin & benefits Jing Essence.
Vitamin B3: Relaxes constrained liver Qi, harmonizes the liver/stomach, liver/spleen, clears heat from the stomach & raises yang Qi.
Vitamin B5: Regulates the Qi, relieves liver Qi constraint, harmonizes the liver/spleen/stomach, raises clear yang, clears & eliminates damp heat & clears heat from liver.
Vitamin B6: Clears heat from liver/gallbladder, extinguishes wing, hamonizes wood & earth, relieves depression, clears heat from the stomach & damp heat from the gallbladder.
Vitamin B12 :Tonifies the Qi, tonifies the Qi to transport blood & stops bleeding.
Vitamin B15: Regulates the Qi, activates the blood, disperses stagnation, benefits the heart & therefore indirectly the lungs.
Biotin: Nourishes blood, relaxes the liver, nourishes the skin, tonifies the heart blood,
calms the Shen spirit
Choline: Nourishes the blood, extinguishes wind, nourishes the Jin sinews, moistens the
intestines
Folic Acid: Nourishes the blood, relaxes the liver, calms the Hun, secures the fetus
Inositol: Nourishes the blood, moistens the intestines, nourishes the skin, calms the Hun
PABA: Tonifies the liver and kidneys, tonifies the blood, benefits the Jing Essence,
Moistens the intestines, promotes bowel movements, expels wind from the skin,
Blackens the hair, retards aging
Vitamin C: Clears heat, stops bleeding, clears heat and dissolves toxins, clears heat from the
Heart and calms the Shen
Vitamin D: Tonifies the kidneys, benefits the Jing Essence, mends the sinews and bones,
Brightens the eyes, calms the fetus
Vitamin E: Tonifies the yang, nourishes the liver blood, tonifies kidney yang, benefits the
Jing Essence, nourishes the Jin sinews
Vitamin K: Stops bleeding, astringes the intestines, contains leakage of lung Qi, restrains
leakage of blood
Bioflavonoids: Regulates the blood, clear heat, stop bleeding, clear heat from the liver
Beta-carotene: Activates the Qi and dredges the liver, clears heat and dissolves toxins, disperses
Stagnations and accumulations, combats cancer

A beginning...

Also see: Garlic may repel prostate cancer (From the BBC)

"Here is some useful info, have fun! Greetings from Luz-Maria" (Dr. Al's friend):

Vitamin A (retinol) Food Sources: Liver, dark green vegetables, yellow-orange vegetables, cod liver oil.

Adult Female ( RDA ): 4,000 IU or 800 Retinol equivalents.

Types Available: Natural vitamin A, generally from cod liver oil is the most common supplement. Sometimes emulsified for marginally better absorption. Beta carotene is converted in the body to vitamin A. This is sometimes referred to, as it's provitamin function. Other carotenes such as Lycopene are also available.

Beneficial Effects: Vitamin A plays a roll in maintaining normal vision, skin, reproductive function, and protection against infection. Carotenes are antioxidants and Lycopene is being studied for it's possible role in preventing cancer. One study showed that women with recurrent vaginal yeast infections had low levels of beta carotene and when they took supplemental beta carotene the infections resolved. Cows fed diets low in beta carotene developed ovarian cysts, irregular menses and infertility. There may be a connection between beta carotene and ovarian function. Do these findings apply to women? We don't know, but the antioxidant effect alone is worth the extra effort to be sure you are getting enough beta carotene.

Dosage: Vitamin A: 2,500 IU, or Carotenes : 25,000 IU , or Beta Carotene : 15 mg.

Precautions: Women of childbearing age should not take vitamin A supplements. Doses greater than 10,000 IU a day have been associated with birth defects.

Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) Types Available: riboflavin or riboflavin-5-phosphate

Food Sources: liver, kidney, mushrooms, soybeans.( RDA ): 1.2mg.

Beneficial Effects: Vital in energy production. High dose (400mg) of riboflavin was shown in one study to reduce the severity of migraine headaches.

Dosage: 5-10 mg a day.

Precautions: No toxicity has been reported. Riboflavin can cause a fluorescent yellow-green glow to the urine; this side effect has no known significance

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Types Available: cyanocobalamin, methylcobalamin

Food Sources: liver, cheese, eggs, fish. / Adult Female ( RDA ): 2 mcg. Beneficial Effects: Vitamin B12 can be taken by mouth or by injection. Vitamin B12 helps keep your folic acid level up which keeps homocystine levels low. Depression has been linked to low levels of vitamin B12 and it has been used along with folic acid to treat depression.

Dosage: 100 mcg. A day. /Precautions: There have been no reports of toxicity from vitamin B12 Precautions: Always take vitamin B12 along with folic acid since folic acid can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency. High doses require a doctor's prescription because high doses can cause seizures in epileptics

Vitamin B6/ (pyridoxine)

Food Sources: whole grains, bananas, potatoes, nuts and seeds, cauliflower.

Adult Female ( RDA ): 1.6mg.

Types Available: pyridoxine hydrochloride.

Beneficial Effects: Pyridoxine is involved in the production of brain hormones (neurotransmitters). More than 50 chemical processes in the body are dependent on pyridoxine. Vitamin B6 levels can be low in depression or in women taking estrogen, in the form of birth control pills or hormone replacement therapy. Pyridoxine, folic acid and vitamin B6 deficiencies have been associated with osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. At least 10 studies have been done on the use of pyridoxine for PMS. Most studies have shown improvement of PMS symptoms with pyridoxine supplementation. Vitamin B₆ has now been associated with a decrease in the incidennce of heart disease in women.

Dosage: 500-1000mg.

Precautions: Diarrhea can result from mega-doses of 9 grams or more

Vitamin D
**(ergocalciferol)**

Food Sources: Cold water fish, butter, egg yolks.

Adult Female ( RDA ): 400 International Units (IU).

Types Available: Vitamin D 2 ergocalciferol and vitamin D 3 cholecalciferol.

Beneficial Effects: Vitamin D 2 is the form added to milk and used for supplementation. Vitamin D stimulates the absorption of calcium. Exposure to adequate amounts of sunlight is the best way to assure your vitamin D level is normal. Postmenopausal women who live in northern latitudes may need supplementation in the winter when exposure to sunlight is limited. Women being treated for or at risk for osteoporosis need to be sure they are receiving adequate amounts of vitamin D.

Dosage: 400-1000 IU a day.

Precautions: Dosage should not exceed 1000 IU a day. High doses can cause high blood levels of calcium that can result in numerous medical problems

Precautions: Vitamin E potentiate (cause a greater effect) of anticoagulant drugs such as Coumadin or aspirin. If you are on either of these drugs consult your doctor before starting vitamin E. Dosage: 400 mcg. A day.

MINERALS

Boron/ Calcium /Glucosamine /Magnesium

Boron Food Sources: Fruits and vegetables. ( RDA ): No RDA Types Available: Boron aspartate and boron citrate.

Beneficial Effects: Boron is a trace nutrient. But many Americans may not be getting enough in their diets. Boron is necessary for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. It probably does this by activating vitamin D and estrogen. One study showed that postmenopausal women who took 3mg. of boron a day decreased the amount of calcium lost in their urine and increased their estrogen levels. Larger studies of boron's effects in the menopause are needed.

Dosage: 3-9 mg a day.

Precautions: Boron is safe at recommended levels.

Dosage: 300-600 mg a day.

Precautions: If you have heart or kidney disease you should not take supplemental magnesium unless under the care of a physician

Glucosamine Food Sources: There are no good food sources of glucosamine. \Adult ( RDA ): There is no RDA for glucosamine.

Types Available: Glucosamine is available as NAG (N-acetyl-glucosamine), glucosamine hydrochloride, glucosamine sulfate. And combined with other supplements such as chondroitin. Glucosamine sulfate is the preferred form.

Beneficial Effects: Glucosamine's beneficial effects are on the joint. Glucosamine sulfate has been used in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis should not to be confused with osteoporosis which is thinning of the bones. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis seen in postmenopausal women. Several well designed scientific studies have shown glucosamine sulfate to be superior to aspirin and other NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) in reducing the pain and inflammation of osteoarthritis.