So what are the symptoms of insufficient vitamin intake? How should we make reasonable supplements?
Vitamins (pixabay)
Vitamins are actually a type of small-molecule organic matter that is necessary to maintain the normal life process of the human body. It is neither the main raw material for tissue nor a substance that supplies energy.
However, the important role of vitamins in the human body cannot be replaced by other nutrients.
Because most vitamins are coenzyme components of certain enzymes, they play an important role in substance metabolism.
Proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates are needed in large quantities because of macronutrients.
Minerals and vitamins are called micronutrients because they are needed in small amounts.
If there is a lack of certain vitamins during food intake or there is a disorder in the absorption and utilization of vitamins due to disease or other factors,
Then it will cause metabolic disorders of substances, thus showing vitamin deficiency.
The vitamin and mineral requirements of the elderly are no different from those of adults, but the elderly are more likely to be deficient in vitamins and minerals.
The main reason is that the demand remains unchanged but the intake decreases. The metabolic rate of the elderly decreases, and the activity level decreases after retirement. The demand for energy decreases, and the total food intake decreases, which naturally reduces the intake of vitamins and minerals. enter.
There are many types of vitamins, and their chemical structures are also very different. Vitamins can be divided into two categories according to their solubility.
Fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins.
Vitamin classification
Fat-soluble vitamins include:
Vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, etc.
Water-soluble vitamins include:
Vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin PP, vitamin B6 pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin C, etc.
The characteristic of fat-soluble vitamins is that they are insoluble in water but soluble in fat and organic solvents.
This type of vitamin can be stored in large amounts in the body, mainly in the liver. If taken in excess, it can cause poisoning.
The characteristic of water-soluble vitamins is that they are soluble in water. Except for vitamin B12, other water-soluble vitamins are almost never stored in the body and are mostly excreted in the urine.
Many studies have found that vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency are related to poor resistance to various infectious diseases. Not only is it related to the new coronavirus, but it is also related to mycoplasma pneumonia. People who are deficient in these two vitamins are at greater risk of severe mycoplasma pneumonia and are at increased risk of severe COVID-19.
Studies have found that vitamin A malnutrition increases the risk of severe mycoplasma pneumonia in children. Children with lower serum vitamin A levels are more likely to develop severe mycoplasma pneumonia. Vitamin A supplementation can effectively reduce the risk of severe mycoplasma pneumonia.
During the COVID-19 epidemic season, a large number of studies have confirmed that vitamin D deficiency is associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 infection, severe disease, and death. Recent studies have suggested that serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are related to the severity of the disease and the levels of inflammatory factors in patients with mycoplasma pneumonia, and are related to the risk of bronchial mucus plugs.
A variety of acute respiratory diseases are related to viruses, including coronavirus, influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, enterovirus, etc. The infection rate of these diseases will increase in children lacking vitamin D. In addition, the risk of severe pneumonia and bronchitis is increased when vitamin D is deficient. A meta-analysis of 25 studies supports an association between vitamin D insufficiency and acute respiratory tract infections.
Vitamin A (Public domain)
To determine whether you are deficient in vitamin D, you can pay attention to the blood test during the physical examination. This indicator is abbreviated as serum 25-OHD on the test sheet, and the appropriate range is around 50 to 125 nmol/L.
You should also suspect vitamin D deficiency if you find the following problems:
Inflammation often occurs, or it is difficult to recover from infection;
Feeling depressed, especially in the winter;
Joint pain, limb weakness, muscle pain;
Always feel tired.
There are two main methods to determine whether you are deficient in vitamin A: self-examination and blood test:
Blood test: Vitamin A in human blood generally exists in the form of serum retinol.
In children under 5 years old, serum retinol <0.7 micromoles per liter is considered to be at high risk of vitamin A deficiency; if serum retinol is <0.35 micromoles per liter, vitamin A deficiency is diagnosed.
When the serum retinol concentration is between 0.7 and 1.05 micromoles per liter, there is still a risk of subclinical vitamin A deficiency.
Plasma serum retinol-binding protein <23.1 micromoles per liter also indicates possible vitamin A deficiency.
Self-examination symptoms: The earliest symptom of vitamin A deficiency is a decrease in dark adaptation ability. In further development, night blindness may occur, and in severe cases, blindness may even occur. Lack of vitamin A can also cause the deterioration of the health of epithelial cells, resulting in dryness, proliferation, keratinization and susceptibility to infection in the skin and mucous membranes, and growth stagnation and developmental delay in children. Especially children, the elderly and people with low immunity are prone to respiratory inflammation.
Vitamin D (photoAC)
It’s not that more vitamin A is better. Because it is a fat-soluble vitamin that is metabolized relatively slowly, ingesting large amounts at one time or multiple times can cause acute or chronic poisoning. However, unless you take too many nutrient supplements, your daily diet will not cause an overdose of vitamin A.
The dietary reference recommended intake of vitamin A is: 800 micrograms of retinol active equivalents for adult men; 700 micrograms of retinol active equivalents for adult women; the maximum intake should not exceed 3000 micrograms of retinol active equivalents.
Vitamin A “Food Supplement Guide”
In daily diet, foods rich in vitamin A (retinol) mainly include animal liver, egg yolk, fish, cod liver oil, etc. Generally speaking, orange and dark green fruits and vegetables provide more B-carotene, which can be converted into vitamin A.
Common fruits and vegetables include carrots, pumpkins, dark green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, broccoli, mangoes, apricots, oranges, etc.
Pumpkin (pixabay)
Vitamin D “Food Supplement Guide”
Most foods do not contain vitamin D, and a few natural foods contain very trace amounts of vitamin D. However, fatty sea fish, animal livers, egg yolks, and butter contain relatively high amounts of vitamin D, while lean meats and milk contain relatively small amounts.
To prevent rickets, many countries or regions fortify fresh milk and infant formula with vitamin D.
2024-01-03 10:21:36
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