Vitamins and Supplements

Our skin, hair, eyes, mouth and nails can all be early warning indicators of ill health, including vitamin deficiencies. Some vitamins and supplements need to be taken daily whereas others are stored in your body. Men, women, children and babies all have different daily requirements so it’s important to eat a healthy balanced diet.

Important!
This list of vitamins and supplements is for information only and does NOT constitute medical nor lifestyle advice. We recommend you seek professional medical advice before taking any vitamins and supplements.

Vitamin: Other Name/s Food Sources Needed daily? Affects Vitamin Deficiency Symptoms May Include:

Vitamin A Retinol, beta-carotene Green and yellow vegetables, carrots, oranges, peppers, kale, pumpkin, liver, cheese, eggs, milk products, yoghout, fortified low-fat spreads No Retina, vision, bone and tooth structure, growth. Night blindness, dry and rough skin, dermatitis.

Vitamin B₁ thiamine Whole grain, un-husked rice, wheat germ, beans, nuts, eggs, liver, fish, milk. Yes Releasing energy from carbohydrates, interaction of muscles and nerves, proteins, fat, keeping skin young and healthy. Nausea, fatigue, tremors, forgetfulness, depression.

Vitamin B₂ riboflavin Soya beans, milk, eggs, rice, turkey, fortified breakfast cereals, spinach, almonds Yes Helps keep eyes, skin and the nervous system healthy, helps your body release energy from carbohydrates cracked and red lips, inflammation of the tongue, lining of mouth, mouth ulcers, cracks at the corners of the mouth, sore throat, dry skin, iron-deficiency anemia, itchy, watery, bloodshot eyes, sensitivity to bright light.

Vitamin B₃ niacin Whole grain, peas, beans, peanuts, yeast, liver, meat, eggs, fish. Yes Releasing energy from glucose and fat, hormones, keeping skin young and healthy. Weight loss, nausea, diarrhea, depression.

Vitamin B₅ pantothenic acid, pantothenate Whole grain, wheat, green vegetables, peas, beans, liver, meat. Yes Releasing energy, skin, hair, sex hormones. Very rare, headaches, cramps, abdominal pain.

Vitamin B₆ pyridoxine Most food, especially whole grains, wheat germ, bananas, beans, liver, fortified breakfast cereals. Yes Carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, antibodies; keeping skin looking young and firm. Skin problems, anemia, chapped lips.

Vitamin B₈ Inositol Fruit, especially oranges and cantaloupes. Can also be extracted from nuts, beans and grains. Promotes healthy hair growth. Helps prevent fatty build-up in the liver and heart. Possible natural treatment for depression, panic disorders, OCD and other psychiatric disorders. Anxiety, depression, impotence, OCD, panic disorders, eczema, psoriasis, baldness

Vitamin B₉ folic acid, vitamin M, Vitamin Bc, folacin Green vegetables, fruits, whole grain bread, nuts, peas, beans, yeast, liver, eggs. Yes DANN formation, red blood cells, nervous system. Anemia, sores in the mouth.

Vitamin B₁₂ cobalamin Liver, meat, fish, eggs, dairy products (except butter), green leafy vegetables Formation of new cells, including red blood cells, keeping skin young and healthy. Fatigue, loss of appetite, concentration disorder, burn-out

Vitamin C ascorbic acid Vegetables, raw fruits, peppers, potatoes, broccoli, citrus fruits, tomatoes. Yes Growth, immune system, healthy bones, teeth and gums, blood vessels. General pain, loose teeth, nosebleeds.

Vitamin D calciferol Oily fish, salmon, tuna, cod liver oil, liver, eggs. Yes Bone and tooth hardness, blood clotting, metabolism, nerves and muscles, relief of psoriasis Soft bones, rickets in children, restlessness.

Vitamin E tocopherol Vegetable oils, egg yolk, whole grains, cereals, oatmeal, wheat germ, nuts, green leafy vegetables, parsley No Cell membranes (delays aging), red blood cell-formation, wound healing Very rare, possibly anemia.

Vitamin H biotin, coenzyme R, vitamin B7 Most foods, especially oats, wheat, nuts, beans, liver, egg yolk. No Elimination of waste materials; fat and carbohydrate metabolism. Very rare, sore tongue, muscle pain, eczema.

Vitamin K phytomenadione Cauliflower, broccoli, cheese, potatoes, wheat germ, liver, egg yolk. No Clotting ability of the blood. Very rare, nosebleeds, bruising.

NAME (also known as)

PURPORTED USES

POSSIBLE DANGERS

COMMENTS

ACONITE
(aconiti tuber, aconitum, radix aconiti)

Inflammation, joint pain, wounds, gout.

Toxicity, nausea, vomiting, low blood pressure, respiratory-system paralysis, heart-rhythm disorders, death.

Unsafe. Aconite is the most common cause of severe herbal poisoning in Hong Kong.

BITTER ORANGE
(aurantii fructus, Citrus aurantium, zhi shi)

Weight loss, nasal congestion, allergies.

Fainting, heart-rhythm disorders, heart attack, stroke, death.

Possibly unsafe. Contains synephrine, which is similar to ephedrine, banned by the FDA in 2004. Risks might be higher when taken with herbs that contain caffeine.

CHAPARRAL
(creosote bush, Larrea divaricata, larreastat)

Colds, weight loss, infections, inflammation, cancer, detoxification.

Liver damage, kidney problems.

Likely unsafe. The FDA advises people not to take chaparral.

COLLOIDAL SILVER
(ionic silver, native silver, Silver in suspending agent)

Fungal and other infections, Lyme disease, rosacea, psoriasis, food poisoning, chronic fatigue syndrome, HIV/AIDS.

Bluish skin, mucous membrane discoloration, neurological problems, kidney damage.

Likely unsafe. The FDA advised consumers about the risk of discoloration on Oct. 6, 2009.

COLTSFOOT
(coughwort, farfarae folium leaf, foalswort)

Cough, sore throat, laryngitis, bronchitis, asthma.

Liver damage, cancer.

Likely unsafe.

COMFREY
(blackwort, common comfrey, slippery root)

Cough, heavy menstrual periods, chest pain, cancer.

Liver damage, cancer.

Likely unsafe. The FDA advised manufacturers to remove comfrey products from the market in July 2001.

COUNTRY MALLOW
(heartleaf, Sida cordifolia, silky white mallow)

Nasal congestion, allergies, asthma, weight loss, bronchitis.

Heart attack, heart arrhythmia, stroke, death.

Likely unsafe. Possible dangers linked with its ephedrine alkaloids banned by the FDA in 2004.

GERMANIUM
(Ge, Ge-132, germanium-132)

Pain, infections, glaucoma, liver problems, arthritis, osteoporosis, heart disease, HIV/AIDS, cancer.

Kidney damage, death.

Likely unsafe. The FDA warned in 1993 that it was linked to serious adverse events.

GREATER CELANDINE
(celandine, chelidonii herba, Chelidonium majus)

Upset stomach, irritable bowel syndrome, liver disorders, detoxification, cancer.

Liver damage.

Possibly unsafe.

KAVA
(awa, Piper methysticum, kava-kava)

Anxiety (possibly effective).

Liver damage.

Possibly unsafe. The FDA issued a warning to consumers in March 2002. Banned in Germany, Canada, and Switzerland.

LOBELIA
(asthma weed, Lobelia inflata, pukeweed, vomit wort)

Coughing, bronchitis, asthma, smoking cessation (possibly ineffective).

Toxicity; overdose can cause fast heartbeat, very low blood pressure, coma, possibly death.

Likely unsafe. The FDA warned in 1993 that it was linked to serious adverse events.

YOHIMBE
(yohimbine, Corynanthe yohimbi, Corynanthe johimbi)

Aphrodisiac, chest pain, diabetic complications, depression; erectile dysfunction (possibly effective).

Usual doses can cause high blood pressure, rapid heart rate; high doses can cause severe low blood pressure, heart problems, death.

Possibly unsafe for use without medical supervision because it contains a prescription drug, yohimbine. The FDA warned in 1993 that reports of serious adverse events were under investigation.

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