Water soluble vitamin is
- Vitamin C and
- Vitamin B complex
due to they are readily dissolve in water for their tendency to make Hydrogen bond and dipole-dipole interactions with water molecule. water soluble Vitamin C doesn’t dissolve in hydrocarbons or fats due to absence of polarity of these solvents and dipole-dipole interactions is not possible here.
When the positive and negative charges are unequally distributed then that chemical species is known as “Polar” that means there is a difference between the electronegativity between hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen contains electronegativity value 2.1 where Oxygen contains 3.5.
If the electronegativity difference is low then form “Covalent bond” and the difference is high then form “Ionic Bond”.
Vitamins are mainly organic compounds which are essential in almost everyday diet in small or trace amounts to perform the biological function at a specific manner to maintain the normal and regular growth of human health.
The word Vitamin has been derived from Greek word “VITAMINE” that means “Vital for life” or “Vivacious for life”
Water soluble vitamin need to intake body regularly due to it didn’t store in the body and they are readily eliminated through urine where fat soluble vitamins store in the body day by day and a certain period of time, it cause various types of undesirable effect if it take overdose.
We can divide the all type of vitamins in 2 type
- water soluble vitamin
- Fat soluble vitamin
water soluble vitamin can be divided into 2 types
- Vitamin C [L-enantiomer of ascorbic acid, E300, antioxidant]
- Vitamin B complex
Vitamin B complex is the combination of several vitamins though at the first time it was assume that vitamin B is single component later it was discovered that the water soluble vitamin b is the combination of several other vitamins. Now water soluble vitamin B can be divided as follows
- Essential Vitamin B
- Non-essential Vitamin B
Essential water soluble vitamin B
- Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
- Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
- Niacin (Vitamin B3)
- Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5)
- Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
- Biotin(Vitamin B7
- Folic Acid(Vitamin B9)
- Cobalamins (Vitamin B12)
Thiamine (vitamin B1),Riboflavin (vitamin B2),Niacin (vitamin B3),Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) known as Energy releasing vitamin and Folic Acid and vitamin B12 known as Hamatopoetic.
Non-essential water soluble vitamin B
- Choline
- Inositol
- Para-Aminobenzoic Acid (PABA)
All of the above water soluble vitamin is the member of vitamin B complex
water soluble vitamin Source
Thiamine (B1)
Great Food Source:
- Asparagus
- Beet greens
- Brazil Nuts
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cornflakes
- Cremini Mushrooms
- Eggplant
- Flax Seeds
- Green Peas
- Ham
- Oatmeal
- Asparagus
- Beet greens
- Brazil Nuts
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cornflakes
- Cremini Mushrooms
- Eggplant
- Flax Seeds
- Green Peas
- Ham
- Oatmeal
- Asparagus
- Beet greens
- Brazil Nuts
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cornflakes
- Cremini Mushrooms
- Eggplant
- Flax Seeds
- Green Peas
- Ham
- Oatmeal
- Asparagus
- Beet greens
- Brazil Nuts
- Brussels Sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cornflakes
- Cremini Mushrooms
- Eggplant
- Flax Seeds
- Green Peas
- Ham
- Oatmeal
- Pork
- Rice
- Romaine Lettuce
- Spinach
- Sunflower Seeds
- Turkey (Dark meat)
- Wheat Germ
Decent Food Source:
- Barley
- Black beans
- Carrots, grits
- Corn (enriched)
- Dried Peas
- Kidney Beans
- Lentils
- Lima Beans
- Navy Beans
- Oats
- Orange Juice
- Oysters
- Peanuts
- Pecans
- Pinto Beans
- Salmon
- Sesame Seeds
- Soybeans
- Spaghetti (enriched)
- Sweet Potato
- Watermelon
- Whole Wheat Bread
What is Thiamine deficiency?
The lack of thiamine in body is known Thiamine deficiency where low level of Thiamine present in the body. At the early stage of deficiency; it can’t read at all. It is unclear. This may include tiredness, irritability, poor memory, loss of taste, sleep instabilities, abdominal embarrassment, and subsequent weight loss.
When the deficiency create a critical stage the two type of beriberi appears such as wet beriberi, and dry beriberi; wet beriberi directly affect the cardiovascular system cause fast heart rate, leg swelling and shortness of breath. Nerve, heart, and brain may show irregularities.
Most of the cases the babies may affect by the one type of acute beriberi resulting loss of appetite, vomiting, changes in heart rate, enlargement of the heart and lactic acidosis. Chronic diarrhea, alcoholism, white rice, dialysis and taking high doses of diuretics is the main risk factor for this diseases. This type of problem may be occurs due to difficulties in absorbing of thiamine containing food but this is very rare case where genetically factor may involve.
What is the main cause of thiamine deficiency?
Thiamine deficiencies are caused by limited dietary intake, low absorption from dietary sources and factors which are cause thiamine breakdown.
Signs and symptoms of Beriberi
Beriberi:
Most of the cases theSymptoms of beriberi is emotional disturbances, weight loss, impaired sensory perception, irregular heart rate, weakness and pain in the limbs, swelling of bodily tissues. Lactic acid and Pyruvic acid content may increase in the blood. If the disease gone critical then cardiac failure may arise.
Beriberi may be classified in Four types
- Wet beriberi mainly affects the cardiovascular system and other physical systems.
- Dry beriberi mainly affects the peripheral nervous system.
- Infantile beriberi affects malnourished mothers and babies.
- Gastrointestinal beriberi mainly affects the digestive system and other biological systems which was recognized in 2004.
Outbreaks
In the late 1800s when the increased processing of rice; then Thiamine deficiency became more common in Asia though it was described for thousands of years in Asia. Thiamine deficiency is intermittent in the United States. Most of the cases it was found in refugee camps and remains common in sub-Saharan Africa.
Symptoms of Dry beriberi
This type of diseases causedamage of peripheral nerves, which cause wasting and partial paralysis. Endemic neuritis is the name of these diseases. It is characterized by-
- Speech difficulties and mental confusion may arise
- Walking difficulty
- Paralysis condition arise at the lower part of the leg
- Numbness may occur in hands and feet
- Tendon reflexes may loss
- Eyes movement occur irregularly in strange manner
- Vomiting may occur in sometime
- Loss of sensation in hands and feet.
- Burning situation may occur
Symptoms of Wet beriberi exhibits
- Prompt heart rate
- Rapid breath throughout physical activity
- Enflamed lower part of the legs
- Short of breath while waking up
- Impaired cellular metabolism
- Reduced cardiac function
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome may occur in the extreme case of beriberi. Korsakoff syndrome and Wernicke encephalopathy cause two forms of brain damage where the main cause is thiamine deficiency.
Memories forming area of the brain generally affected by Korsakoff syndrome and cause
- Loss of memory
- Hallucinations
- New memory forming capacity may loss
Thalamus and hypothalamus are mostly affected by Wernicke encephalopathy where the common causes are follows-
- Memory loss
- Confusion
- Muscle coordination loss
- Double vision due to rapid eye movement
What causes beriberi?
This is very clear that intake of low thiamine is the main cause to beriberi. This is less common in USA on the other side Asia and Africa is the common place where take place it very occasionally due to less available of vitamins enriched foods. Processed white rice is the major cause to less thiamine where brown rice contains ten times more thiamine.
Who is at risk?
Some other factor, which cause thiamine deficiency
- Alcohol consumption prevent the body to absorb and store thiamine
- Genetic beriberi prevent the body to absorb and store thiamine though it is the rare condition.
- Extreme nausea and vomiting during pregnancy period
- Bariatric surgery
- AIDS
- Use of diuretics and prolonged diarrhea
- Kidney dialysis
- Breastfeeding mothers need daily thiamine in their diet as it does not store in the body and excrete through urine.
- Over activity of thyroid gland (Hyperthyroidism)
How is beriberi diagnosed?
When you identify that, the thiamine concentration of urine is high compare to the thiamine concentration in blood cause thiamine deficiency, though a series of blood and urine test is required to perfectly determine the thiamine concentration in your body but it is the common phenomena.
A series of neurological test to be perform to sort out difficulty walking, lack of coordination, weak reflexes, droopy eyelids, and People with critical stages of beriberi will expression loss of memory, delusions or confusion.
Thiamine loading test is the best solution to determine the thiamine deficiency and while more than 15% activity of the enzyme activity is the definitive marker of thiamine deficiency.
A doctor can realize your any type of heart problem, swelling of the lower legs, Rapid heartbeat and difficulty breathing that is the all symptoms of beriberi.
Beriberi is easily treated with thiamine supplements. Your doctor may prescribe a thiamine shot or pill. For severe cases, a healthcare professional will administer intravenous thiamine.
Your progress will be monitored with follow-up blood tests to see how well your body is absorbing the vitamin.
How is beriberi treated effectively?
Thiamine supplementation to be ensure by mouth or by injection as when required where symptoms generally resolve in a couple of weeks and the this diseases may be prevent by ensuring proper intake of Thiamine in regular manner.
A progress test to be done to see the thiamine concentration of the blood and how you your body are going to adjust with the essential thiamine concentration.
The best treatment is to take thiamine containing foods or any type of supplements regularly. You have to make a chart; how much thiamine require everyday meals then you have to take effective steps.
How we prevent beriberi?
The only one way to prevent beriberi is to take balanced diet contains thiamine enrich foods and vegetable. Here is the list, which is the best source of thiamine-
- Beans
- Fish
- Meat
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Whole grains
- Dairy
- Romaine Lettuce
- Oatmeal
- Asparagus
- Corn squash
- Brussels sprouts
- Spinach, and beet greens
- Flax Seeds
- Green Peas
- Ham
- Brown Rice
You may take the breakfast cereals, which are enriched with thiamine; any type of cooking process decrease the thiamine content in the foods. A decent concern may arise in infant formula. You have to select your infant formula with great care; ensure a thiamine content with best source.
Alcohol consumption is serious issue regarding thiamine deficiency. Always try to reduce your alcohol consumption to maintain a good level of thiamine concertation at blood. Which will always prevent you from beriberi.
Fate of beriberi
If you think, you are suspected at beriberi; contact at your physicians end will show the right path. If it diagnose at early stage then you can get rid of it gradually. You can save your nerve and heart from it but if Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome occur already then result will be reversible; poor chance to recover. If you start your treatment, you can easily recover from Wernicke encephalopathy but if brain damage occur, the you cannot revert it easily.
So maintain a healthy balanced diet is crucial to protect thiamine deficiency effectively. Always consult with your doctor first before starting of any type of medication.
What happens if you get too much of thiamine?
Thiamine is water-soluble and if anyone take excess amount of thiamine; normally it does not create any harmful effect due to after absorption of required amount the excess dose excrete through urine. So it is very much assumable that excess amount of thiamine do not create any hazard to the body.
Recommended dose of thiamine
As per Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) in USA, thiamine intake for a person over 18 Years is
- 1.2 mg for Adult healthy Male equivalent to less than ½ cup of Rice
- 1.3 mg for Adult healthy Female equivalent to 1.5 cup of black beans
- 1.4 mg for Pregnant or breastfeeding women equivalent to 3 cup of Egg noodles
The above quantity is recommended for a healthy person but you can increase it several times if any severe case arise where you have to take 300 mg thiamine daily in three-divided dose at three months’ time bound. This case is generally occur in serious kidney damage person with diabetes.
How is thiamine destroyed?
If thiamine is exposed at the heat over long time then it may loss. This process generally occur when you are going to cook thiamine-containing food at high heat for a long time. A great cause to loss thiamine is processing, that is mainly food processing. Normally brown rice contains high content of thiamine [3.03mg/100gm, Indonesian variety, unpolished] but when you make it white rice by processing its thiamine [0.053mg/100gm, Poland variety, polished] content decrease.
What is the best source of thiamin?
Thiamine found in wide ranges of foods but the best option stated here-
- Wheat germ
- Lentils
- Pork
- Oatmeal
- Yogurt
- Lean meats
- Sunflower seeds
- Ham
- Brazil nuts
- Turkey
- Poultry eggs
- Cornflakes
- Rice
- Seafood
- Beans
- Peas
- Nuts and seeds
- Soy products
- Seafood
- Beans
- Pork
- Fish
- Seeds
- Beef
Riboflavin (B2)
Great Food Source:
- Asparagus
- Beet Greens
- Bok Choy
- Broccoli
- Cheerios
- Chicken Liver
- Clams Beef Liver
- Collard Greens
- Corn Flakes
- Cow Milk
- Crimini Mushrooms
- Eggs
- Green Beans
- Kale
- Milk
- Mustard Greens
- Oatmeal
- Sea Vegetable
- Shiitake Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Swiss Chard
- Turnip Greens
- Yogurt
Decent Food Source:
- Almonds
- Beef (Porterhouse Steak)
- Bell Peppers
- Cottage cheese
- Chicken (Dark Meat)
- Eggs
- Enriched white bread
- Green Peas
- Ground Beef
- Ham
- Herring
- Mushrooms
- Pork
- Soybeans
- Soy milk
- Sweet Potato
- Tempeh
- Turkey (Dark Meat)
- Yogurt
Riboflavin is the nutrient factor to help growth of the body. Its main function is to breakdown the proteins, carbohydrates and fats, produce sufficient energy, and allows oxygen to be cast off by the body.
There is another major role of Riboflavin is to growth and function of the skin, lining of the digestive tract and blood cells. Riboflavin also protect glutathione that is the important antioxidant in the eye.
The general problem of the eyes are to form cataracts in any stage of life; by eating riboflavin and niacin containing foods daily lower the risk and prevent to form cataracts.
Riboflavin directly affect the formation of certain vitamins in the body such as Vitamin B9(folate) & Vitamin B6. Also, affect the formation of formation of Iron in the body as per long-term research of several journal such as American Journal of Clinical Nutrition where the lack of processing of Iron may form anemia.
During pregnancy Vitamin B2 play a major role; deficiency of Riboflavin cause preeclampsia the high blood pressure condition at the time of late pregnancy as per study of University Women’s Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany.
Riboflavin may helpful for the person having migraine by taking high dose of it.
Deficiency and dosage
Generally, it is not possible having riboflavin deficiency due to a wide variety of sources found vitamin B2 but if any person having digestive problem will fall in riboflavin deficiency. A alcoholic person is most prone to riboflavin deficiency due to taking of poor diet habit. Deficiency of Riboflavin cause the following problem
- Anemia
- Sore throat
- Mouth or lip sores
- Inflammation of the skin
- Swelling of soft tissue in the mouth
Recommended Dose
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of riboflavin is
1.3 milligrams daily for men and
1.1 mg for women Which is also depend on reproductive status age and gender. If you take 3 mg per day, you can protect cataracts where as Advanced doses up to 400 mg can be used to treat migraine. An easy way to reach the target is to take one cup of whole almonds, which contains 1.4 mg of riboflavin and covers upto 85 percent of the RDA.
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Great Food Source:
- All-bran
- Beef Liver
- Chicken
- Cornflakes
- Halibut
- Ground Beef
- Oatmeal
- Peanut Butter
- Pork
- Tuna
- Turkey (Light Meat)
- Salmon
Decent Food Source:
- Barley
- Brown rice
- Chicken Liver
- Cod
- Enriched White Bread
- Ham
- Mushrooms
- Porterhouse Steak
- Rice
- Salmon(With Bones)
- Shrimp
- Spaghetti (Enriched)
- T-bone steak
- Turkey(Dark Meat)
Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
Pantothenic derives from the Greek word pantothen that meaning is “from every side” Widespread; almost all types of foods contains it.
Pyridoxine (B6)
Great Food Source:
- All-Bran
- Banana
- Beef liver
- Cheerios
- Chicken Liver
- Cornflakes
- Garbanzo Beans
- Oatmeal
- Turkey (Light Meat)
- Watermelon
- Wheat-Bran Cereal
Decent Food Source:
- Brown Rice Turkey (Dark Meat)
- Carrots
- Ground Beef
- Ham
- Halibut
- Herring
- Pork
- Potato
- Porterhouse Steak
- Sesame Seeds
- Sunflower Seeds
- Sweet Potato
- Tomato Juice
Biotin(Vitamin B7)
Great Food Source:
- Cauliflower
- Cheese
- Cooked Yolks
- Liver
- Peanuts
Reduced sources:
- Beans
- Biotin
- Eggs
- Lean meats
- Lentils
- Lean meats
- Nuts and seeds
- Organ meats
- Peas
- Poultry
- Seafood
- Seeds
- Soy Products
Folic Acid(Vitamin B9)
Great Food Source:
- All-bran
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Beef liver
- Black beans
- Black-Eyed Peas
- Cheerios
- Chicken Liver
- Cornflakes
- Lentils
- Oatmeal
- Okra
- PintoBeans
- Romaine Lettuce
- Spaghetti (enriched)
- Spinach
- Soybeans
- Turnip Greens
Decent Food Source:
- Alaska KingCrab
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Collards
- Enriched Corn Grits
- Enriched White Bread
- Enriched White Rice
- Kidney Beans
- MustardGreens
- Oranges
- Sunflower Seeds
- Tomato Juice
- Wheat Germ
Cobalamins (Vitamin B12)
Great Food Source:
- All-bran
- Beef liver
- Chicken liver
- Clams
- Crab
- Ground beef
- Halibut
- Herring
- Lobster
- Oysters
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Shrimp
- T-Bone Steak
- Tuna
- Wheat-bran cereal
- Yogurt
Decent Food Source:
- Beef Bologna
- Beef Frankfurter
- Cod
- Cottage Cheese
- Milk
- Pork
- Squid
Choline:
- Asparagus
- Bananas
- Beef
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Chicken
- Cod
- Collard greens
- Eggs
- Green peas
- Green beans
- Mushrooms
- Salmon
- Sardines
- Scallops
- Shiitake
- Shrimp
- Spinach
- Soymilk turkey
- Summer squash
- Swiss chard
- Tuna