Vitamins and Minerals Demystified

By Steve Blake

Encapsulating the science behind vitamins and minerals

Need to understand how vitamins and minerals work but find dense texts difficult to absorb? Here's your panacea! Vitamins & Minerals Demystified makes it easy to digest information on everything from A to zinc.

Written by a holistic health doctor, this essential guide explains the crucial role vitamins and minerals play in nutrition and physiology. You'll find details on the type and amount required for survival and for increased disease resistance. The book outlines the food sources of different vitamins and minerals and covers the benefits and pitfalls of both natural and synthetic vitamins. Featuring end-of-chapter quizzes and a final exam, this book will fortify your knowledge of vitamins and minerals.

This fast and easy guide offers:

• Numerous figures to illustrate key concepts
• Graphs indicating the foods rich in various vitamins and minerals
• Charts featuring U.S. Recommended Daily Allowances (USRDAs)
• Coverage of deficiency-related diseases
• Quick summaries of each vitamin and mineral reinforce learning

Simple enough for a beginner, but challenging enough for an advanced student, Vitamins & Minerals Demystified is the perfect supplement for anyone studying or interested in this important health topic.

• Language: English
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Education
• Release date: Oct 16, 2007
• ISBN: 9780071594714

Book preview

Vitamins and Minerals Demystified

Demystified Series

Accounting Demystified

Advanced Calculus Demystified

Advanced Physics Demystified

Advanced Statistics Demystified

Algebra Demystified

Alternative Energy Demystified

Anatomy Demystified

asp.net 2.0 Demystified

Astronomy Demystified

Audio Demystified

Biology Demystified

Biotechnology Demystified

Business Calculus Demystified

Business Math Demystified

Business Statistics Demystified

C++ Demystified

Calculus Demystified

Chemistry Demystified

Circuit Analysis Demystified

College Algebra Demystified

Corporate Finance Demystified

Data Structures Demystified

Databases Demystified

Differential Equations Demystified

Digital Electronics Demystified

Earth Science Demystified

Electricity Demystified

Electronics Demystified

Engineering Statistics Demystified

Environmental Science Demystified

Everyday Math Demystified

Fertility Demystified

Financial Planning Demystified

Forensics Demystified

French Demystified

Genetics Demystified

Geometry Demystified

German Demystified

Home Networking Demystified

Investing Demystified

Italian Demystified

Java Demystified

JavaScript Demystified

Lean Six Sigma Demystified

Linear Algebra Demystified

Macroeconomics Demystified

Management Accounting Demystified

Math Proofs Demystified

Math Word Problems Demystified

MATLAB® Demystified

Medical Billing and Coding Demystified

Medical Terminology Demystified

Meteorology Demystified

Microbiology Demystified

Microeconomics Demystified

Nanotechnology Demystified

Nurse Management Demystified

OOP Demystified

Options Demystified

Organic Chemistry Demystified

Personal Computing Demystified

Pharmacology Demystified

Physics Demystified

Physiology Demystified

Pre-Algebra Demystified

Precalculus Demystified

Probability Demystified

Project Management Demystified

Psychology Demystified

Quality Management Demystified

Quantum Mechanics Demystified

Real Estate Math Demystified

Relativity Demystified

Robotics Demystified

Sales Management Demystified

Signals and Systems Demystified

Six Sigma Demystified

Spanish Demystified

SQL Demystified

Statics and Dynamics Demystified

Statistics Demystified

Technical Analysis Demystified

Technical Math Demystified

Trigonometry Demystified

UML Demystified

Visual Basic 2005 Demystified

Visual C# 2005 Demystified

Vitamins and Minerals Demystified

XML Demystified

Vitamins and Minerals Demystified

Dr. Steve Blake

Copyright © 2008 by The McGraw-Hill Companies. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

ISBN: 978-0-07-159471-4

MHID: 0-07-159471-X

The material in this eBook also appears in the print version of this title: ISBN 978-0-07-148901-0, MHID 0-07-148901-0.

All trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners. Rather than put a trademark symbol after every occurrence of a trademarked name, we use names in an editorial fashion only, and to the benefit of the trademark owner, with no intention of infringement of the trademark. Where such designations appear in this book, they have been printed with initial caps.

McGraw-Hill eBooks are available at special quantity discounts to use as premiums and sales promotions, or for use in corporate training programs. To contact a representative please e-mail us at [e-mail].

Sponsoring Editor

Judy Bass

Production Supervisor

Pamela A. Pelton

Editing Supervisor

Stephen M. Smith

Project Manager

Madhu Bhardwaj

Project Manager

Joanna V. Pomeranz

Copy Editor

Matthew Kushinka

Proofreader

D & P Editorial Services, LLC

Art Director, Cover

Jeff Weeks

Composition

D & P Editorial Services, LLC

Information contained in this work has been obtained by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (McGraw-Hill) from sources believed to be reliable. However, neither McGraw-Hill nor its authors guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information published herein, and neither McGraw-Hill nor its authors shall be responsible for any errors, omissions, or damages arising out of use of this information. This work is published with the understanding that McGraw-Hill and its authors are supplying information but are not attempting to render engineering or other professional services. If such services are required, the assistance of an appropriate professional should be sought.

TERMS OF USE

This is a copyrighted work and The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (McGraw-Hill) and its licensors reserve all rights in and to the work. Use of this work is subject to these terms. Except as permitted under the Copyright Act of 1976 and the right to store and retrieve one copy of the work, you may not decompile, disassemble, reverse engineer, reproduce, modify, create derivative works based upon, transmit, distribute, disseminate, sell, publish or sublicense the work or any part of it without McGraw-Hill’s prior consent. You may use the work for your own noncommercial and personal use; any other use of the work is strictly prohibited. Your right to use the work may be terminated if you fail to comply with these terms.

THE WORK IS PROVIDED AS IS. McGRAW-HILL AND ITS LICENSORS MAKE NO GUARANTEES OR WARRANTIES AS TO THE ACCURACY, ADEQUACY OR COMPLETENESS OF OR RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED FROM USING THE WORK, INCLUDING ANY INFORMATION THAT CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGH THE WORK VIA HYPERLINK OR OTHERWISE, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. McGraw-Hill and its licensors do not warrant or guarantee that the functions contained in the work will meet your requirements or that its operation will be uninterrupted or error free. Neither McGraw-Hill nor its licensors shall be liable to you or anyone else for any inaccuracy, error or omission, regardless of cause, in the work or for any damages resulting therefrom. McGraw-Hill has no responsibility for the content of any information accessed through the work. Under no circumstances shall McGraw-Hill and/or its licensors be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, punitive, consequential or similar damages that result from the use of or inability to use the work, even if any of them has been advised of the possibility of such damages. This limitation of liability shall apply to any claim or cause whatsoever whether such claim or cause arises in contract, tort or otherwise.

FIGURES, GRAPHS, AND RDA TABLES

FIGURES

PREFACE

This book is for anyone who wants an understanding of the fascinating role vitamins and minerals play in nutrition. It can be used as a supplementary textbook for nutrition classes, as a self-learning guide, and as a refresher for health professionals. This book broadens and explains the vitamin and mineral information found in standard nutrition courses.

Throughout the text are many figures, graphs, and tables that visually display information and relationships. If you have not taken a class in biochemistry, then this will be an interesting and relevant way to be introduced to it.

I recommend that you browse through each chapter or part before studying it in detail. My goal is for you to learn the information easily. You can use this book as a permanent reference as questions on vitamins and minerals come up. There are handy tables in most of the chapters that display the amount of each vitamin and mineral needed by people of different ages. You may find Appendix G to be helpful for reference as it contains the quick summaries for all of the vitamins and minerals. Appendix G has a black tab on each page to make it easy to reference.

There are quizzes at the end of each chapter. These quizzes are meant to be taken open book so that you can look up the answers. At the end of each of the four parts there are tests. These tests are meant to be taken closed book. These questions are designed to help you see which areas you have mastered and which areas need further study. At the end of the book is a final exam of 100 questions. These questions are a bit easier and cover the more important topics. The answers are in the back of the book.

Many vitamins and minerals assist enzymes in building, breaking down, and changing nutrients in our bodies. Enzymes are especially important in releasing the energy contained in food.

Several of the vitamins work as antioxidants to protect us from aging and from chronic diseases. Many of the nutritional minerals also work as essential parts of antioxidant compounds inside our bodies.

When you finish this course, you will have a solid grasp of how vitamins and minerals keep us healthy.

Suggestions for future editions are welcome. Good luck.

Dr. Steve Blake

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

My deepest gratitude goes to my wife Catherine for her thoughtful editing and encouragement. Special thanks to my sister Carolyn for her support. Thanks to my patient editor, Judy Bass. Thanks go to all those who gave valuable feedback, especially Jim Woessner, M.D., Chris Melitis, N.D., Lori Hager, R.D., Michael Gregor, M.D., Headley Freake, Ph.D., Linda Parker, M.H., Cynthia Peterson, Ph.D., Joanna V. Pomeranz, and Kiki Powers, M.S.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dr. Steve Blake has taught anatomy, physiology, and exercise physiology, and has authored over a dozen major publications including Alternative Remedies and Healing Medicine. He designed several best-selling vitamins including Children’s Chewable and the Advanced Nutritional System, and presented a popular radio show, Natural Health Tips from Dr. Steve. Dr. Blake has created one of the largest databases of natural remedies from around the world, and developed The Diet Doctor, computer software for evaluating and graphing the nutrients in diets. He has a doctorate in naturopathic medicine as well as a doctorate in holistic health. He and his wife Catherine live in Maui, Hawaii.

The Water-Soluble Vitamins

Introduction to the Water-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamin C and all of the B vitamins are water-soluble vitamins. These watersoluble vitamins circulate freely in the blood, in the watery fluids between cells, and in the fluids inside cells. The solubility