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  • Vitamin C

    Vitamin C, or L-ascorbic acid, or ascorbate, is an essential nutrient for humans, a water-soluble vitamin. Humans, unlike most animals, are unable to synthesize vitamin C, so it is an essential dietary component. 

    • Vitamin C is required for the biosynthesis of collagen (an essential component of connective tissue), L-carnitine, and certain neurotransmitters, it is also involved in protein metabolism.
    • Vitamin C is also an important physiological antioxidant and has been shown to regenerate other antioxidants within the body, including alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E). Vitamin C regenerates vitamin E by reducing vitamin E radicals formed when vitamin E scavenges the oxygen radicals. 
    • Vitamin C plays an important role in immune function and improves the absorption of nonheme iron, the form of iron present in plant-based foods.

    Approximately 70%–90% of vitamin C is absorbed at moderate intakes of 30–180 mg a day. At doses above 1 g a day, absorption falls to less than 50% and absorbed, unmetabolized ascorbic acid is excreted in the urine. 

    Insufficient vitamin C intake causes scurvy, which is characterized by fatigue or lassitude, connective tissue weakness, and capillary fragility.

    Cells accumulate vitamin C. The total body content of vitamin C ranges from 300 mg (at near scurvy) to about 2 g.

    • High levels of vitamin C are maintained in cells and tissues, and are highest in leukocytes (white blood cells), eyes, adrenal glands, pituitary gland, and brain.
    • Relatively low levels of vitamin C are found in extracellular fluids, such as plasma, red blood cells, and saliva.

  • All Known Essential Vitamins

    Vitamins are a group of substances that are needed for normal cell function, growth, and development. There are 13 essential vitamins:

    • Vitamin A (retinol, retinal, 4 carotenoids)
    • Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
    • Vitamin D (D3 - Cholecalciferol, D2 - Ergocalciferol)
    • Vitamin E (tocopherols, tocotrienols)
    • Vitamin K (phylloquinone, menaquinones)
    • Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
    • Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
    • Vitamin B3 (niacin)
    • Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
    • Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine)
    • Vitamin B7 (biotin)
    • Vitamin B9 (folic acid)
    • Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)

    Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body's fatty tissue: vitamins A, D, E, K. 

    Water-soluble vitamins - the body must use almost all water-soluble vitamins right away - vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and C.
    Vitamin B12 is the only water-soluble vitamin that can be stored in the liver for many years.

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Charles Darwin

There is no fundamental difference between man and the higher animals in their mental faculties . . . The lower animals, like man, manifestly feel pleasure and pain, happiness, and misery.

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All Known Essential Minerals

Minerals (nutrients) are inorganic substances (contain no carbon) that are necessary for normal body function and development.

Macrominerals

Macro-minerals are needed in large doses (approximate recommended daily intake, milligrams (mg) per day ): 

  1. potassium, K (3500 mg) - metal, ions are necessary for the function of all living cells; 
  2. chloride, Cl− (3400 mg) - essential electrolyte in all body fluids; 
  3. sodium, Na, natrium (2400 mg) - metal, essential for all animals and some plants;
  4. calcium, Ca (1000 mg) - metal, essential for living organisms, produced in supernova nucleosynthesis;
  5. phosphorus, P (1000 mg) - in the form of the phosphate is required for all known forms of life; 
  6. choline (425 - 550 mg) - essential vitamin-like (vitamin B4) nutrient, synthesized in human body, but not sufficiently;
  7. magnesium, Mg (350 mg) - metal, essential for all known living organisms;

Trace Minerals

Trace minerals are needed in very small amounts (recommended daily intake, milligrams (mg) or micrograms (mcg) per day: 

  1. iron, Fe (15 mg) - metal, found in nearly all living organisms;
  2. zinc, Zn (8 - 11 mg) - metal, essential for humans and other organisms;
  3. manganese, Mn (5 mg) - metal, toxic essential trace element;
  4. fluorine, F, fluoride ion, F− (3 - 4 mg) - a beneficial poisonous element, essential for bone solidity;
  5. copper, Cu (2 mg) - metal, essential to all living organisms;
  6. iodine, I (150 mcg) - a key component of thyroid hormones;
  7. selenium, Se (35 mcg) - toxic in large doses, essential micronutrient for animals;
  8. chromium, Cr (30 mcg) - chromium (III) is questionably essential for humans.

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