Vitamins A, B, C, D, E & K

Vitamin C is a vitamin. Some animals can make their own vitamin C, but people must get this vitamin from food and other sources. Good sources of vitamin C are fresh

fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits. Vitamin C can also be made in a laboratory.

Most experts recommend getting vitamin C from a diet high in fruits and vegetables rather than taking supplements. Fresh-squeezed orange juice or fresh-frozen concentrate is a better pick than ready-to-drink orange juice. The fresh juice contains more active vitamin C. Drink fresh-frozen orange juice within one week after reconstituting it for the most benefit. It you prefer ready-to-drink orange juice, buy it 3 to 4 weeks before the expiration date, and drink it within one week of opening.

Historically, vitamin C was used for preventing and treating scurvy. Scurvy is now relatively rare, but it was once common among sailors, pirates, and others who spent long periods of time onboard ships. When the voyages lasted longer than the supply of fruits and vegetables, the sailors began to suffer from vitamin C deficiency, which led to scurvy.

These days, vitamin C is used most often for preventing and treating the common cold

. Some people use it for other infections including gum disease, acne and other skin infections,

bronchitis, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, stomach ulcers caused by bacteria called

Helicobacter pylori,tuberculosis, dysentery (an infection of the lower intestine), and skin infections that produce boils (furunculosis). It is also used for infections of the bladder and

prostate Some people use vitamin C for depression , thinking problems,dementia ,Alzheimer's

disease, physical and mental stress, fatigue, and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Other uses include increasing the absorption of iron from foods and correcting a protein imbalance in certain newborns (tyrosinemia).

There is some thought that vitamin C might help the heart and blood vessels. It is used for hardening of the arteries, preventing clots in veins and arteries,

heart attack

, stroke,

high blood pressure

, and

high cholesterol

.

Vitamin D is a vitamin. It can be found in small amounts in a few foods, including fatty fish such as herring, mackerel, sardines and tuna. To make vitamin D more available, it is added to dairy products, juices, and cereals that are then said to be “fortified with vitamin D.” But most vitamin D – 80% to 90% of what the body gets – is obtained through exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D can also be made in the laboratory as medicine.

Vitamin D is used for preventing and treating rickets, a disease that is caused by not having enough vitamin D (

vitamin D deficiency

). Vitamin D is also used for treating weak bones (

osteoporosis

), bone pain (osteomalacia), bone loss in people with a condition called hyperparathyroidism, and an inherited disease (

osteogenesis imperfecta

) in which the bones are especially brittle and easily broken. It is also used for preventing falls and

fractures

in people at risk for osteoporosis, and preventing low

calcium

and bone loss (renal osteodystrophy) in people with

kidney failure

.

Vitamin D is used for conditions of the heart and blood vessels, including

high blood pressure

and

high cholesterol

. It is also used for

diabetes

,

obesity

, muscle weakness,

multiple sclerosis

,

rheumatoid arthritis

, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD),

asthma

,

bronchitis

,

premenstrual syndrome

(PMS), and

tooth

and gum disease.

Some people use vitamin D for skin conditions including

vitiligo

,

scleroderma

,

psoriasis

, actinic keratosis, and lupus vulgaris.

It is also used for boosting the immune system, preventing

autoimmune diseases

, and preventing

cancer

.

Because vitamin D is involved in regulating the levels of minerals such as phosphorous and calcium, it is used for conditions caused by low levels of phosphorous (

familial hypophosphatemia

and Fanconi syndrome) and low levels of calcium (

hypoparathyroidism

and

pseudohypoparathyroidism

).

Vitamin D in forms known as calcitriol or

calcipotriene

is applied directly to the skin for a particular type of psoriasis.

Vitamin E is a vitamin that dissolves in fat. It is found in many foods including vegetable oils, cereals, meat, poultry, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and wheat germ oil. It is also available as a supplement.

Vitamin E is used for treating vitamin E deficiency, which is rare, but can occur in people with certain genetic disorders and in very low-weight premature infants.

Some people use vitamin E for treating and preventing diseases of the heart and blood vessels including hardening of the arteries,

,

chest pain

, leg pain due to blocked arteries, and

high blood pressure

.

Vitamin E is also used for

treating diabetes

and its complications. It is used for preventing cancer, particularly lung and

oral cancer

in smokers;

colorectal cancer

and polyps; and gastric,

prostate

, and

pancreatic cancer

.

Some people use vitamin E for diseases of the brain and

nervous system

including Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, Parkinson’s disease, night cramps,

restless leg syndrome

, and for epilepsy, along with other

medications

. Vitamin E is also used for Huntington’s chorea, and other disorders involving nerves and muscles.

Women use vitamin E for preventing complications in late

pregnancy

due to high

blood pressure

(pre-eclampsia),

premenstrual syndrome

(PMS), painful periods, menopausal syndrome,

hot flashes

associated with

breast cancer

, and breast cysts.

Sometimes vitamin E is used to lessen the harmful effects of medical treatments such as dialysis and

radiation

. It is also used to reduce unwanted side effects of drugs such as

hair loss

in people taking

doxorubicin

and lung damage in people taking

amiodarone

.

Vitamin E is sometimes used for improving physical endurance, increasing energy, reducing muscle damage after

exercise

, and improving muscle strength.

Vitamin E is also used for

cataracts

, asthma, respiratory infections, skin disorders, aging skin, sunburns,

cystic fibrosis

,

infertility

, impotence,

chronic fatigue

syndrome (CFS),

peptic ulcers

, for certain inherited diseases and to prevent

allergies

.

Some people apply vitamin E to their skin to keep it from aging and to protect against the skin effects of chemicals used for cancer therapy (chemotherapy).

The American Heart Association recommends obtaining antioxidants, including vitamin E, by eating a well-

balanced diet

high in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains rather than from

supplements

until more is known about the risks and benefits of taking supplements.

How does it work?Vitamin E is an important vitamin required for the proper function of many organs in the body. It is also an antioxidant. This means it helps to slow down processes that damage cells.