Myrna Chandler Goldstein - Vitamins and Minerals: Fact versus Fiction

Vitamins and Minerals This page intentionally left blank Vitamins and Minerals Fact versus Fiction Myrna Chandler Goldstein and Mark A. Goldstein , MD Copyright 2018 by ABC-CLIO, LLC All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Goldstein, Myrna Chandler, 1948 author. | Goldstein, Mark A. (Mark Allan), 1947 author.

Title: Vitamins and minerals : fact versus fiction / Myrna Chandler Goldstein and Mark A. Goldstein, MD. Description: Santa Barbara, California : Greenwood, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, [2018] | Includes bibliographical references and index. Identifiers: LCCN 2017055237 (print) | LCCN 2017059581 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440852107 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440852091 (alk. paper) Subjects: LCSH: Vitamins in human nutritionEncyclopedias. | Minerals in the bodyEncyclopedias. | VitaminsEncyclopedias. | NutritionEncyclopedias. | NutritionEncyclopedias.

Classification: LCC QP771 (ebook) | LCC QP771 .G65 2018 (print) | DDC 612.3/9903dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017055237 ISBN: 978-1-4408-5209-1 (print) 978-1-4408-5210-7 (ebook) 22 21 20 19 18 1 2 3 4 5 This book is also available as an eBook. Greenwood An Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC ABC-CLIO, LLC 130 Cremona Drive, P.O. Box 1911 Santa Barbara, California 93116-1911 www.abc-clio.com This book is printed on acid-free paper Manufactured in the United States of America This book discusses treatments (including types of medication and mental health therapies), diagnostic tests for various symptoms and mental health disorders, and organizations. The authors have made every effort to present accurate and up-to-date information. However, the information in this book is not intended to recommend or endorse particular treatments or organizations, or substitute for the care or medical advice of a qualified health professional, or used to alter any medical therapy without a medical doctors advice. Specific situations may require specific therapeutic approaches not included in this book.

For those reasons, we recommend that readers follow the advice of qualified health care professionals directly involved in their care. Readers who suspect they may have specific medical problems should consult a physician about any suggestions made in this book. We dedicate this book with love to our five grandchildren: Aidan Zev Goldstein, born February 8, 2008 Payton Maeve Goldstein, born December 4, 2009 Milo Adlai Kamras, born August 9, 2011 Erin Abigail Goldstein, born December 29, 2011 Zoe Scout Eames Kamras, born February 16, 2014 This page intentionally left blank Contents viii CONTENTS Many health claims have been made about a variety of vitamins and minerals, whether obtained from food or in supplement form. The objective of this book is to help readers evaluate these claims for themselves by providing key information and summaries of peer-reviewed scientific studies that take a critical look at the potential health benefitsand dangersof these substances. Each entry begins with an overview of the vitamin or mineral, followed by a list of top food sources and types of supplements available. Next, intake rec ommendations are provided, explaining exactly how much people should be in gesting based on their age, gender, and other factors.

The next section describes the symptoms associated with a deficiency or excess intake of each vitamin or mineral. That information is especially important for those at increased risk for deficiencies, such as those with eating disorders or malabsorption problems, and those who tend to take higher amounts of certain types of supplementation. The majority of each entry focuses on the findings of various published peer reviewed, scientific studies. We explore the actual scientific proofor lack thereofthat specific vitamins and minerals may have wide-ranging impacts on the human body. Although obviously not every study could be included, the ones summarized in this book represent a broad cross-section of the research available. It was not possible to include every single vitamin and mineral, as credible research on some of these is lacking, and it is beyond the scope of this project to discuss the many other nonvitamin/nonmineral substances critical to human health.

Still, we hope that this volume will prove an invaluable resource for those interested in learning more about their health. This page intentionally left blank We would like to thank our editor Maxine Taylor, who has edited several of our more recent books. Tirelessly dedicated, Maxine has repeatedly offered excellent suggestions and advice. She is one of the primary reasons that we continue to write books for ABC-CLIO. This page intentionally left blank Vitamins and minerals are substances your body needs to grow and develop nor mally. In most cases, the body requires only very small quantities (although these needs may increase or decrease based on sex, age, and certain life events such as pregnancy).

Without vitamins and minerals, your body is unable to complete the countless tasks it conducts each day; in short, vitamins and minerals are an integral part of your bodys functioning. Most (but not all) vitamins and miner als cannot be manufactured by the body and must be absorbed from food and/or consumed in a supplement. There are a few subtle differences between vitamins and minerals. Since they are organicmade by plants and animalsvitamins are somewhat fragile. Many may be broken down by heat, light, or acid. The very act of processing food can reduce the amount of many vitamins; they may lose potency or be destroyed by cooking, storage, or exposure to air.

On the other hand, minerals are inorganic from the soil and waterand are more stable. Vitamins are classified as either water soluble or fat soluble. Water-soluble vi tamins fill the watery portions of foods and are quickly and easily absorbed. The kidneys regulate the amount of water-soluble vitamins in the body; when the body has excess amounts, the kidneys remove them in the urine. On the other hand, fat-soluble vitamins usually must join with a protein to travel throughout the body. Fat-soluble vitamins may be stored in the body for extended periods of time.

That is why it is important to avoid high levels of fat-soluble vitamin supplementation, which may become toxic. Minerals are often categorized as macrominerals or trace minerals. Found in larger amounts in the body, the body needs to take in larger amounts of mac rominerals. Calcium and phosphorous are two common macrominerals. Trace xiv WHAT ARE VITAMINS AND MINERALS? minerals are found in smaller amounts in the body; the body requires only tiny amounts. Iron and zinc are examples of trace minerals.

In the body, minerals work in two ways. Many support body cells and structures. For instance, calcium and phosphorus help to build bones, and iron is an integral part of red blood cells. In addition, minerals may help to regulate body processes. Chromium, for example, is needed to normalize blood glucose levels. Long before people knew anything about vitamins and minerals, they did rec ognize an association between diet and health.

For example, sailors on long voy ages, who did not have access to fresh foods, were prone to an illness known as scurvy. Scurvy had a host of different symptoms, including bleeding gums, poor wound healing, and severe pain, and could eventually lead to death. People at the time understood that scurvy was caused by the absence of something in fresh fruits and vegetables, so sailors were given lemon or lime juice to prevent illness. It was not until the early 20th century that researchers determined that scurvy was actually caused by a vitamin C deficiency. Sailors also suffered from another ailment known as beriberi, which was char acterized by mental confusion, muscle wasting, fluid retention, high blood pres sure, walking problems, and heart disturbances. The rates of beriberi rose further when manufacturers began processing rice in the mid-1880s, which removed the vitamin-rich outer layer.