VITAMIN WHAT IT DOES FOOD SOURCES SYMPTOMS AND

DISEASES
Vitamin A  Promotes good eyesight  Liver
 Normal functioning of the  Fish oils
immune system  Dairy products
 Eggs
 Leafy green vegetables
 Oranges vegetables
 Yellow vegetables
Vitamin B1  Conversion of food into energy  Whole grains
(thiamine) (brain and nervous system)  Sunflower seeds
 Needed for healthy skin, hair,  Pork
muscles, and brain and is  Nuts
critical for nerve function.  Enriched grain products
 Beans and peas
Vitamin B2  Conversion of food into energy  Eggs
(riboflavin)  Growth and development  Enriched grain products
 Red blood cell formation  Meats
 Needed for healthy skin, hair,  Milk
blood, and brain  Mushrooms
 Poultry
 Seafood
 Spinach
Vitamin B3  Conversion of food into energy  Beans
(niacin)  Helps with digestion  Beef
 Helps make cholesterol  Enriched grain products
 Essential for healthy skin, blood  Nuts
cells, brain, and nervous system  Pork
 Poultry
 Seafood
 Whole grains
 Blindness in children
 Night blindness
 Increase risk of maternal
mortality
 Fat malabsorption
 Liver disorders
 Beriberi
 Wernicke-korsakoff
 Weight loss and
anorexia
 Mental problems
 Weak muscle and
cardiovascular system
 Ariboflavinosis
 Cataract
 Congestive heart failure
 Dizziness frequently
 Glossitis
 Hair loss
 High homocysteine
 Hypertension
 Iron deficiency anemia
 Migraine headache
 Parkinson’s disease
 Pellagra
 Dermatitis
 Diarrhea
 Dementia
 Headache
 Fatigue
 Memory loss
 Vitamin B5  Conversion of food into energy  Avocados  Paresthesia
(pantothenic  Hormone production  Beans and peas  Anemia
acid)  Red blood cell formation  Broccoli  Joint and muscle aches
 Nervous system function  Eggs  Headache, depression,
 Fat metabolism  Milk insomnia and fatigue
 Mushrooms  Reduced immunity
 Poultry
 Seafood
 Sweet potato
 Whole grain
 Yogurt
Vitamin B6  Red blood cell formation  Chickpeas  Sickle cell anemia
(pyridoxine)  Support the nervous system  Fruits (other than citrus)  Asthma
 Protein, carbohydrate and fat  Potatoes  Carpal tunnel syndrome
metabolism  Salmon  Skin lesions
 Helps keep the immune system  Tuna  Loss of muscle control
strong  Nervousness, insomnia
Vitamin B7  Helps convert food into energy  Avocados  Graying of hair
(biotin)  Helps make and break down  Cauliflower  Hair loss
some fatty acids  Eggs  Dermatitis
 needed for healthy bones and  Fruits  Abdominal discomfort
hair  Liver and diarrhea
 Pork  Growth retardation
 Salmon  Liener’s disease
 Whole grains  Egg-white injury

Vitamin B9  Promotes cell development  Asparagus  Cancer

(folic acid)  Prevents birth defects  Avocado  Heart disease
 Promotes heart health  Beans and peas  Anemia
 Helps red blood cells form  Enriched grain products  Congenital deformities
 Green leafy vegetables  Fatigue
 Orange juice  Sores around mouth
 Memory and cognition
difficulties

Vitamin B12  Assists in making new cells  Dairy products  Megaloblastic anemia
(cobalamin)  Breaking down some fatty acids  Eggs  Pernicious anemia
and amino acids.  Fortified cereals  Atrophic gastritis
 Protects nerve cells and  Alzheimer's disease
 Meats
encourages their normal growth  Vascular dementia
  Poultry
Helps make red blood cells and  Parkinson's disease
DNA  Seafood
 Vitamin C  Acts an antioxidant  Broccoli  Scurvy
(ascorbic acid)  Promotes a healthy immune  Brussels sprouts  Anemia
system cantaloupe  Bruising
 Collagen and connective tissue  Citrus fruits and juices  Bleeding gums
formation kiwifruit  Loose teeth
 Absorption of iron, wound healing  Peppers
and maintenance of cartilage,  Strawberries
bones and teeth  Tomatoes and tomato
juice
Vitamin D  Helps maintain normal blood  Eggs  Cancer
(calciferol) levels of calcium and  Fish  Type 1 diabetes
phosphorus  Fish liver oil  multiple sclerosis
 Helps form teeth and bones  Fortified cereals  Osteomalacia
 Bone growth  Fortified dairy products  rickets osteoporosis
 Blood pressure regulation fortified margarine  Myopia
 Immune and nervous system  Fortified orange juice  Coronary heart disease
function fortified soy beverages  Malformation of bones
 Hormone production  Muscle weakness
Vitamin E  Acts an antioxidant  Fortified cereals and  Anemia
 Immune function juices green vegetables  Poor balance
 Formation of blood vessels  Nuts and seeds  Hair loss
 Neutralizing unstable molecules  Peanuts and peanut butter  Dry skin
that can damage cells vegetable oils  Cancer
 Protects vitamin a and certain  Muscle weakness
lipids from damage.  Atherosclerosis
 Blindness
 Fertility problems
 Immunity
Vitamin K  Activates proteins and calcium  Green vegetables (e.g.,  Hepatitis
essential to blood clotting broccoli, kale, spinach,  Cystic fibrous
 Bone metabolism and turnip greens, collards,  Celiac disease
regulating blood calcium levels swiss chard, mustard  Osteoporosis
greens)  Blood clotting disorders
MINERAL WHAT IT DOES FOOD SOURCES SYMPTOMS AND DISEASES
Calcium  Needed for bone growth  Almond, rice, coconut,  Hypocalcemia
and strength and hemp milks  Osteoporosis
 Helps with muscle  Canned seafood with  Hormone disorder
contractions and nerve bones hypoparathyroidism
impulse transmission  Dairy products  Dental changes
 Plays a role in hormone  Fortified cereals and  Cataracts
secretion and enzyme juices  Alterations in the brain
activation  Fortified soy beverages  Excessive bleeding
 Green vegetables  Bad mascular movement
 Tofu
Chloride  Conversion of food into  Celery  Stroke
energy  Lettuce  Heart attack
 Balances fluids in the body  Olives  Hypertension
 Acid-base balance  Rye  Hyperchloremia
 Essential to digestion  Salt substitutes  Seizures
 Nervous system function  Seaweeds  Hypochloremia
 Table salt and sea salt
 Tomatoes
Chromium  Protein, carbohydrate and  Broccoli  Impaired glucose
fat metabolism  Fruits tolerance
 Enhances the activity of  Grape and orange juice  Weight loss
insulin Meats  Impaired insulin function
 Helps maintain normal  Spices  Inhibition of protein
blood glucose levels  Turkey synthesis and energy
 Needed to free energy from  Whole grains production
glucose
 Type 2 diabetes
 Heart disease
Copper  Plays important role in iron  Chocolate and cocoa  Anemia
metabolism and immune Crustaceans and  Fatigue
system shellfish Lentils  Damage to liver and
 Helps make red blood cells  Nuts and seeds kidneys
 Antioxidant  Organ meats  Menkes disease
 Bone formation  Whole grains  Alopecia areata
 Energy production
 Collagen and connective
tissue formation
Fluoride  Prevents cavities in teeth  Water that is fluoridated  Osteoporosis
 Helps with bone growth  toothpaste with fluoride  Skeletal fluorosis
 marine fish  Fluorosis
 teas  Dental caries
 Iodine  Helps set body temperature  Iodized salt  Goiter
 Influences nerve  processed foods  Congenital thyroid disorder
 Muscle function,  seafood  Hypothyroidism
 Reproduction and growth  Cretinism
 Thyroid hormone  Hearing and speech defects
production  Low IQ
 Eye defect
Iron  Energy production  Red meat  Nutritional anemia
 Growth and development  Poultry  Constipation
 Immune function  Eggs  Nausea
 Red blood cell formation  Fruits  Stomach pain
 Reproduction  green vegetables  Vomiting
 Wound healing  fortified bread
 grain products
Magnesium  Blood pressure regulation  Green vegetables (e.g.  Diarrhea
 Blood sugar regulation spinach and broccoli,  Nausea
 Bone formation legumes, cashews,  Vomiting
 Energy production sunflower seeds and  Abdominal cramping
 Hormone secretion other seeds)  Cardiac arrest
 Immune function  Halibut  Muscle weakness
 Muscle contraction  whole-wheat bread  Difficulty breathing
 Protein formation  milk  Confusion
 Nervous system function  Lethargy
 Affect balance
 Coma
Manganese  Carbohydrates, protein and  Fish  Muscle pain
cholesterol metabolism  Nuts  Nerve damage
 Cartilage and bone  Legumes  Neurological symptoms e.g.
formation  whole grains fatigue and depression.
 Wound healing  tea
Molybdenum  Enzyme production  Legumes  Joint pain
 Nuts  Mouth and esophageal
 grain products cancer
 milk
Phosphorus  Helps build and protect  Milk and dairy products  bad teeth and bones
bones and teeth  Meat, fish and poultry  loss of weight
 Energy production ans  Eggs  stunted growth
storage  Liver  rickets
 Acid-base balance  Green peas  osteomalacia
 Hormone activation  Broccoli  osteoporosis
 Potatoes  hypophosphatemia
 Almonds
Potassium  Balances fluids in the body  Meat  Hypokalemia
 Helps maintain steady  Milk  Irregular heart rhythm
heartbeat and send nerve  Fruits  Nerves
impulses  Vegetables  Paralysis of muscles
 Needed for muscle  Grains  Constipation
contraction  Legumes  Bloating
 Growth and development  Abdominal pain
 Nervous system function
Selenium  Acts as an antioxidant  Organ meats  Reduce antibody
 Neutralizing unstable  Seafood production
molecules  Walnuts  Keshan disease
 Helps regulate thyroid  grain products  Cardiomyopathy
hormone activity
 Immune function
 Reproduction
Sodium  Balances fluids in the body  Salt  Hyponatremia
 Helps send nerve impulses  soy sauce  Chronic kidney disease
 Needed for muscle  processed foods  Hypernatremia
contractions  vegetables  Seizures
 Blood pressure regulation  Coma
 Acid-base balance
 Nervous system function
Sulfur  Helps form bridges that  Protein-rich foods  Obesity
shape and stabilize some (e.g. meats, fish, poultry,  Heart disease
protein structures nuts, legumes)  Alzheimer's
 Needed for healthy hair,  Chronic fatigue
skin and nails  Gastrointestinal issues
Zinc  Growth and development  Red meat  growth failure
 Needed for immune system,  Poultry  sexual infantilism
taste, smell and wound  oysters and some other  loss of taste
seafood
healing  delayed wound healing
 fortified cereals
 Nervous system function  chronic fatigue
 beans
 Protein formation  nuts  weight loss/gain
 Reproduction  poor concentration