Dr. Angela Agrios, ND
My very talented Naturopathic Doctor
She treats a wide variety of conditions
Office & phone appointments available
Los Angeles, CA (Pacific Palisades)
Vitamin A, B, C, D, E & K
What Vitamins Do and Why You Need Them
Vitamins play very important roles in our body, and if we are lacking in any one vitamin, all kinds of health issues can arise. Conversely, if we have a health condition, we may be lacking in certain vitamins (or other nutrients) and replenishing those vitamins can actually help heal that condition. This, in fact, is how natural medicine works—by restoring to the body what it is lacking so that it can heal, on its own. We don't need drugs to manage symptoms; we need proper nutrition—including vitamins—to help the body do what it knows how to do: heal. On this page you can learn about each vitamin and some of its major functions in the body, and where to go to get additional information. Dr. Angela Agrios, ND (my personal naturopathic doctor) has reviewed all of the information on this page. Vitamins are important! Read on to learn about vitamins.
Vitamin A Supports Vision, Immune Function And Skin Health Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that has many functions in the body. It helps iron incorporate into red blood cells, which helps the body with proper oxygenation. It is essential for an effective immune system because 1) it helps with the integrity of skin and mucosa, and 2) Vitamin A supports the production and differentiation of white blood cells. Vitamin A also supports good vision, especially in low light.
Vitamin A Functions Good Vision
Strong Immune System
Healthy Skin
Red Blood Cell Production
White Blood Cell Function
Vitamin A Food Sources As a carotene (pre-cursor): dark leafy organic vegetables and yellow/orange veggies
As Vitamin A: liver, kidney, raw organic milk, raw organic butter, cod liver oil
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Vitamin A Supplementation 2,500 IU to 25,000 IU per day (or higher under medical supervision)
Vitamin A may be toxic in higher doses for some people.
Pregnant women should not take Vitamin A above 2,500 IU.
Vitamin A is either manufactured in the body from a “carotene” (from plants) or used directly by the body if the source is actually “Vitamin A” (from an animal source).
Vitamin B - B vitamins: will be posted in a few weeks.
Vitamin C Supports A Healthy Immune System And Creates Radiant Skin Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin that cannot be manufactured in the body. Vitamin C is required for the synthesis of collagen, which is a protein that is a major structural component of skin, blood vessels, tendons, ligaments and bone. Vitamin C is important in supporting proper immune function. Vitamin C also serves as a powerful antioxidant that protects our cells from free radical damage and degeneration.
Vitamin C Functions Strong Immune System
Builds collagen (elastic, young looking skin—anti-aging!)
Antioxidant (protects cells from damage and degeneration)
Vitamin C Deficiency Symptoms Scurvy: bleeding gums, poor wound healing and extensive bruising
Cardiovascular disease
Weak immune function
Vitamin C Food Sources Citrus fruits
Vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, peppers, potatoes and Brussels sprouts
Maximum vitamin C is attained from fresh foods
Vitamin C Supplementation Ascorbic acid (most popular) – tablets, capsules, powders, etc.
Buffered ascorbic acid (to lesson gastrointestinal irritation)
Mineral ascorbate (sodium ascorbate & calcium ascorbate are most popular)
Oral: 1 Gram to 9 Grams per day
Intravenous (IV): 15 grams to 75 grams (by a medical professional)
Conditions Effectively Treated With Vitamin C Scurvy
Cardiovascular disease
Cancer
Diabetes
Common cold
Asthma
Allergies
Cataracts
Vitamin D: Bone Health, Strong Immune Function and Blood Pressure Regulation Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin required for normal calcium metabolism, which makes it important to bone health. Vitamin D also has important immune modulating effects. It enhances appropriate immune function to help us prevent getting sick. It also decreases overactive immune responses such as inflammation and autoimmune disease. Lastly, Vitamin D is cardiovascular protective due to its role in the regulation of blood pressure and insulin secretion.
Vitamin D Functions Maintain normal serum calcium levels
Cell differentiation: cells divide appropriately, and not prolifically (e.g., cancer and tumors)
Strong immunity and immune response (prevents cold & flu, cancer prevention)
Blood pressure regulation
Insulin secretion (better blood sugar control)
Vitamin D Deficiency Symptoms Rickets: soft bones in children (e.g., proper mineralization does not occur)
Osteomalacia: soft bones in adults, usually elderly
Muscle Weakness and Pain
Weak immune system (e.g., get sick a lot)
Vitamin D Sources Sunshine, several times a week approximately 10 minutes a day (no sunscreen)
Darker skinned people require more sun time than lighter skinned people
Fatty fish (mackerel, salmon, sardines)
Fish liver oils
Sunscreen at SPF 8 or higher reduces Vitamin D production by 95%
Vitamin D Supplementation Avoid Vitamin D2, which is synthetic Vitamin D (conventional prescription)
Vitamin D3 is the recommended form of Vitamin D to take (health food stores)
2,000 IU to 10,000 IU per day (don’t exceed 10,000 IU per day)
Conditions Effectively Treated With Vitamin D Recurring bone fractures
Soft bones
Low immune function
Cancer
Diabetes
Autoimmune disease
High blood pressure
Vitamin E Is An Important Antioxidant That Prevents Aging and Degeneration Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is an antioxidant that protects our cell membranes from degeneration and aging. Vitamin E supports oxygenation of our body by maintaining the health of our red blood cells and cardiovascular tissues. It keeps our immune function strong by protecting our white blood cells. Vitamin E is also very important to the health of our neurons and nervous system.
Vitamin E Functions Antioxidant (fights free radicals)
Protect cell membranes
Prevent chemicals and heavy metals from entering cells
Proper immune function - Protects white blood cells and the thymus gland cells
Cardiovascular: protects the membranes of red blood cells to prevent anemia, and decreases oxidative damage in our cardiovascular tissues
Nervous system health: protects our neurons
Risk Factors For Vitamin E Deficiency Include: Fat malabsorption syndromes (celiac disease, cystic fibrosis, etc.)
Premature birth
Hereditary disorders of red blood cells
Dialysis patients
Symptoms of Vitamin E Deficiency Nerve damage
Muscle weakness
Poor circulation
Anemia
Vitamin E Supplementation Mixed Tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, delta) are full spectrum tocopherol supplementation (highly recommended)
d-alpha-tocopherol is the natural version of alpha tocopherol Vitamin E
dl-alpha-tocopherol is the synthetic version of alpha tocopherol Vitamin E (not recommended)
The natural form of Vitamin E is fat soluble
The synthetic form of Vitamin E is water soluble (not recommended)
500 to 1,000 IU per day
Conditions Effectively Treated With Vitamin E Diabetes
Cardiovascular disease
Cancer
Acne
Parkinson’s disease
Cystic Fibrosis
Dementia
Cataracts
Intermittent claudication
Hormone Imbalances (e.g., PMS)
Vitamin K Is Essential For Healthy Blood Clotting And Strong Bones Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin. It is responsible for many functions related to cell growth and regulation. Vitamin K is essential for the proper function of proteins involved in the process of blood clot formation, which is known as coagulation. Healthy coagulation ensures that we stop bleeding when we are injured or our tissues are damaged. Vitamin K is also important for the mineralization of our bones.
Vitamin K Functions Blood clotting
Mineralization of bone
Cell growth and regulation
Vitamin K Deficiency Symptoms Impaired blood clotting (e.g., easy bruising, bleeding gums, nose bleeds, blood in the urine or stool)
Skin hyperpigmentation
Osteopenia/osteoporosis
Deficiency symptoms can also be due to taking anticoagulant drugs
Vitamin K Sources Leafy greens (Vitamin K1)
Vegetables (Vitamin K1)
Vegetable oils (Vitamin K1)
Green Tea (Vitamin K1)
Also made in the gut by beneficial bacteria (Vitamin K2)
Synthetic forms (Vitamin K3) – not recommended
Vitamin K Supplementation Fresh green juice drinks
Wheat grass juice
150 to 500 micrograms per day
Conditions Effectively Treated With Vitamin K Osteoporosis
Excessive menstrual bleeding
Hemorrhagic disease of the newborn
Cardiovascular disease (because calcium has deposited into the arteries instead of the bones, due to Vitamin K deficiency)
