Dr. Adina Rusu, dietician: “Vitamins A and D have the greatest potential to cause adverse effects when consumed in excess”

Read here in full “Ziarul de Sănătate” no. 18

– First, I would ask a general question – can we regulate our diet according to the amount of vitamins our body needs? Would it be too much effort to do this or can we do it naturally in our daily diet?

In general, people in good health can and should get the most nutrients, including vitamins, from a balanced diet based on a wide variety of good quality foods. Such an approach reduces the risk of both deficiency and excess for all nutrients. It is also known that, unlike supplements, foods, through their complexity and structure, provide a number of health benefits that have not yet been fully elucidated.

Therefore, foods, both of vegetable and animal origin, provide vitamins to the human body. For example, meat and meat products are excellent sources of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine and vitamin B12. Liver (including poultry or fish) is a good source of vitamins A, D, E and B12, as well as folic acid, and eggs are a good source of biotin. Animal products are generally not good sources of vitamin C, K (with the exception of pork liver) or folic acid. Beans, peas and lentils are generally good sources of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, biotin, pantothenic acid and folate.

On the other hand, dairy products are important sources of vitamins A and C, thiamin, riboflavin, pyridoxine and vitamin B12. Also, in many cases milk is also enriched with vitamin D, so it is an important source of this vitamin. Vegetables are generally good sources of vitamins A, K, C and pyridoxine, and fruits are good sources of vitamin C, some of which (eg mangoes) are also good sources of vitamin A. Grains are generally good sources of thiamin , riboflavin and niacin, and vegetable oils are good sources of vitamin E.

Therefore, it is easy to see that each food group provides different vitamins, so the solution lies in the diversity and balance of the menus chosen, so that we can have such a large variety of nutrients to bring in.

– Let’s talk a little about B. From their synthesis, about 100 years ago, the first vitamins prepared artificially were those that started from vitamin B – eight in number. In general, we understand that each of the eight helps, at some level, to carry out metabolic processes in good conditions. From a nutrition and nutritional perspective, what do you tell patients about these vitamins, how important are they?

Vitamins in the B complex are directly involved in energy metabolism, more precisely in the metabolic reactions through which the body receives the necessary energy from the “burning” of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. In addition to this very important role, each of these vitamins also perform other functions, which are necessary for the proper functioning of the body. For example, vitamin B1, called thiamine, is an essential coenzyme for the metabolism of glucose to obtain energy, but it also plays an important role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, in the metabolism of other sugars and some amino acids, as well as in synthesis of neurotransmitters. synthesis of ribose and deoxyribose, sugars that are part of the structure of nucleic acids, DNA, RNA respectively.

In turn, riboflavin, in addition to its role in energy metabolism, is directly or indirectly involved in the conversion of vitamins such as folic acid, niacin, vitamin B6 and vitamin K to their active forms.

Niacin is a vitamin that creates essential coenzymes for both glucose metabolism and the synthesis of fatty acids and cholesterol. Niacin’s involvement in metabolism is so extensive that its deficiency causes exposure throughout the body. In turn, biotin, another vitamin in the B complex, is, in addition to its important role in energy metabolism, also very important in the metabolism of fatty acids and amino acids.

Another example is pantothenic acid, which plays an important role in energy metabolism, but also in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, fatty acids, cholesterol, steroid hormones and hemoglobin. Vitamin B6 is particularly important for the metabolism of amino acids and proteins, being essential in the synthesis of neurotransmitters, hemoglobin, in the transformation of tryptophan to niacin, and in the breakdown of glycogen to release glucose into the blood, to to maintain blood. sugar within normal limits.

The role of folic acid in pregnancy is already known, as it is involved in the synthesis of DNA and in the metabolism of some amino acids, while vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is essential for obtaining energy from some fatty acids, but also for the maintenance of the myelin of the skin on nerve cells, for the transformation of folic acid into its active form, which is necessary for DNA synthesis, but also for cardiovascular health.

All these details highlight the complex role of these compounds in the body, they work as very sensitive coordinators of metabolic reactions. It is also clear that each of the vitamins included in the B complex has its own function and although they are generally included under the same name, they cannot replace each other and can only perform their own tasks.

„Nu it is recommended to drink alcoholic beverages to supplement the body with vitamins“

– There are some vitamins that are toxic if they are accumulated too long in the body. B and C are, as far as I know, split in the sound, except that – what kind of food should we eat and how much to avoid this accumulation?

Depending on how toxic an excess may be, vitamins can be classified into four categories. Therefore, vitamins A and D have the greatest potential to cause adverse effects when consumed in excess, followed by niacin with moderate potential. Vitamins E and C, thiamin, riboflavin and vitamin B6 have a low potential in this regard, while vitamin K, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid and vitamin B12 have a very low potential to cause adverse effects when consumed in excess. Several factors can affect the toxicity of vitamins, such as the route of administration, the number of doses, general health, food or drugs consumed. In general, for a healthy person, a balanced diet, with varied foods, eaten in optimal amounts should not pose a risk of nutritional deficiencies or excesses.

– How much is a myth and how much is the truth about the fact that beer contains a lot of vitamin B? How can we integrate alcohol consumption into a healthy diet from this point of view – does it have a place or should it be avoided altogether?

Beer is a known source of several B vitamins such as riboflavin, folic acid and thiamine. They come from malt and their number increases when they germinate barley. But we should not forget its content in alcohol. But we cannot talk about an amount of alcohol that is safe, without danger, for the human body. Therefore, the danger to the user’s health starts from the first drop of alcohol. Therefore, it is not the drink itself that can cause harm, but the alcohol in it. Therefore, it is not advisable to consume alcoholic beverages to add vitamins to the body because there is a risk of doing more harm than good.

„Cartichokes will lose 50% of their vitamin C content in a 5 month storage period“

– One of the recurring myths is that vitamin C helps to strengthen the immune system, which is why many people eat, to prophylactic, tablets containing the synthesized version of vitamins. How can we consume it naturally and is there a risk of being higher than synthesized versions of vitamins?

Vitamin C is found in both plant and animal foods. Fruits, vegetables and organs (eg, liver) are usually the best sources of vitamin C. Most seeds do not contain vitamin C, but they begin to synthesize it when they germinate. Some plants such as green tea, berries and rose hips accumulate a lot of this vitamin, but for practical purposes, citrus fruits and seasonal fruits can be considered good sources of this nutrient.

The vitamin C content of foods decreases significantly during storage and after heat preparation. For example, potatoes lose 50% of their vitamin C content in a storage period of 5 months, while apples and cabbage stored in winter lose 50% and 40% of their vitamin content. C have, also, loss in vitamin C content is higher when food is cooked by boiling, because vitamin C is not so stable in an aqueous solution. Therefore, potatoes can lose 40% of their vitamin C content by boiling. On the other hand, rapid heating methods can protect vitamin C.

Taking large doses of vitamin C supplements can cause diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramps. In susceptible individuals, high-dose supplements can increase the risk of kidney stones. Also, in people whose bodies cannot control iron absorption, vitamin C supplementation can increase iron absorption and the risk of it accumulating in the body in toxic amounts.

– What does a series of cooking preparations look like, that we can easily make at home, full of vitamins?

In general, it is good to avoid monotony in the selected menus because the different types of preservation or preparation can change both the content and the bioavailability of the vitamins in the food. The best way to ensure that we get a variety of vitamins and in the right amounts is to eat healthy food most of the time. This includes an emphasis on fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat proteins, and dairy products. The good news is that many commonly eaten foods contain multiple sources of vitamins, so it’s easy to meet our daily nutritional needs from everyday foods, as long as we vary as much as possible. we can and try to include different food groups in our daily menu.

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