Medical answers

Archive for the ‘Vitamins’ Category

Drug Uses
Rocaltrol is used to treat abnormally low levels of calcium in those with chronic kidney failure who are undergoing dialysis or who have other conditions resulting in low blood calcium such as hyperparathyroidism. Read the rest of this entry »

A vitamin of the B group. It is a derivative of nicotinic acid, another B vitamin, and both forms of the
vitamin are equally active in the body, being required for many metabolic reactions. Deficiency can lead to pellagra, symptoms of which include dermatitis. Supplements of nicotinamide in the form of tablets or multivitamin preparations are used to treat or prevent deficiency; most of them are available without a prescription. Nicotinamide is also used
for the topical treatment of mild to moderate inflamed acne; it is available as a gel and can be obtained without a prescription, but only from pharmacies. Read the rest of this entry »

Drug Uses
Alpha-Lipoic Acid is used to help the body use glucose. Alpha-Lipoic Acid
Reduces the complications from a high sugar diet and doubles as a diet supplement.
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A proprietary combination of ascorbic acid (see VITAMIN c), vitamin A, ergocalciferol (vitamin D2),
calcium hydrogen phosphate (a calcium supplement), and potassium iodide (a source of iodine), used as
a vitamin and mineral supplement for women who are breastfeeding. It is available without a prescription.
Side effects and interactions with other drugs: see VITAMIN A.
Precautions: these tablets are not recommended for women who are pregnant or likely to become pregnant unless a doctor advises otherwise.

A fat-soluble vitamin that is necessary for the production of factors (including prothrombin) that are essential for blood clotting. Because vitamin K dissolves in fat, people who do not absorb fat properly also do not absorb vitamin K and become deficient in the vitamin. Read the rest of this entry »

A group of fat-soluble vitamins that stabilize cell membranes by protecting them from the damaging effects of oxygen free radicals, which are produced by various disease processes and toxic substances, i.e. they have antioxidant effects. Read the rest of this entry »

A fat-soluble vitamin that promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the intestine and their deposition in bone. Read the rest of this entry »

A water-soluble vitamin that is essential for maintaining healthy connective tissues and the integrity of cell membranes: it is necessary for the synthesis of collagen, which is required to produce connective tissue. Vitamin C has antioxidant properties, i.e. it neutralizes oxygen free radicals, which are produced by various disease processes and toxic substances and have damaging effects on the body. Read the rest of this entry »

A group of water-soluble vitamins that, although not chemically related, are often found together in the same kinds of food (including milk, liver, and cereals).
Vitamin B1 is required for carbohydrate metabolism; a deficiency leads to beriberi. Vitamin B2
is important for oxygen exchange in the tissues. Vitamin B6 is involved in protein metabolism. Vitamin B12
is necessary for the synthesis of nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), the maintenance of myelin (an important component of certain nerve cells), and the proper functioning of folic acid. B12 can be absorbed only in the presence of intrinsic factor, a protein secreted in the stomach. Read the rest of this entry »

A fat-soluble vitamin that is necessary for healthy vision, particularly vision in dim light. It is also essential for growth and the integrity of mucous tissue (in the mouth, eyes, nose, and genitals). Vitamin A deficiency causes stunted growth, night blindness, and drying and thickening of the cornea, which can progress eventually to blindness. The vitamin occurs in foods of animal origin, especially milk products, egg yolk, and liver, and it can be formed in the body from beta-carotene, a pigment found in vegetables, especially carrots, cabbage, and lettuce. Read the rest of this entry »