Stress 壓力

Stress can come from any situation or thought. Interpretation of that scenario can lead to feelings of frustration, anger or anxiety. A healthy body is able to detect and respond to stress. Prolonged exposure to stress may lead to fluctuating responses or an insensitivity / hypersensitivity to stress, which may further lead to undesirable habits and conditions such as alcoholism, temper issues and depression.

Under sudden stress, adrenal glands release cortisone, deoxyribose, adulterine and IL-6. These require A, B2, C, E, pantothenic acid and linoleic acid.

Adrenaline accelerates the metabolism of proteins, fats and carbohydrates into energy for the body to use. This causes to body to excrete amino acids, potassium and phosphorous. It also depletes magnesium in muscle tissue and reduces calcium storage. It can destroy membranes (soft protein structures) if constantly released or becomes uncontrollable. Ulcers, breathing problems and eczema can result.
Cortisol ages brain cells and builds fat around the body’s midsection.
Interleukin-6 has direct effects on most cells in the body and is associated with many disorders, including diabetes, arthritis, cancer, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, periodontal disease and cardiovascular disease.

Our enzymes and bodily fluids responsible for the millions of actions our bodies undertake everyday are made from micronutrients and amino acids which are reduced by stress. With inadequate supplies, the body tries to make something similar, but which is actually a histamine, an agent which causes inflammatory responses. Histamine is useful where there is actual cell injury since it brings white blood cells and blood to the area. If histamine is produced randomly, it can be an unnecessary irritant.

Stress is regulated by the release of calcium. If there is inadequate supplies in the blood, calcium is forced from bone where 99% of it is stored. Therefore, long periods of stress can result in osteoporosis and arthritis. If that occurs, calcium is not a first priority. Vitamin C and glucosamine is. Vitamin C is needed together with amino acids to fulfil its potential.

Phosphorous comes from processed meats and foods. This mineral replaces calcium and magnesium in our bodies, leading to lower absorption of those essential minerals. If the body has inadequate magnesium, calcium gets stuck in membrane structures leading to splinters, stones and arthritis.

The body does not absorb nutrients well when under stress, which can cause a multitude of other problems. It promotes the growth of free radicals that can oxidise and damage body tissues, especially cell membranes. Stress suppresses the immune system and long term stress will increase susceptibility to illness and slow healing.

In short, stress is to be avoided as much as possible.

Possible signs and symptoms

Twitching or trembling, muscle tension, headaches, sweating, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing and abdominal pain. General fatigue, inability to sustain concentration and short tempers.

Applied nutrition

Nutrition serves to help the body respond properly to stress. It is also essential to target and reduce the source of stress, and to help interpret and discuss appropriate responses to the stress being experienced.

Supplement	Benefit	Suggested Dosage
Vitamin B	All B vitamins are necessary for health and proper functioning of the nervous system. B5 is an anti-stress vitamin needed by the thymus gland	5x twice daily
Vitamin C	Essential to adrenal gland function. Stress depletes the gland’s anti-stress hormones	5x twice daily
Calcium + magnesium	Replaces minerals lost by stress. Deficiency is common in highly stressed persons and can result in anxiety, fear and even hallucinations	4x twice daily
Q10	Also includes taurine which increases energy and protects brain, heart and immune system	2x twice daily
Multivitamin + phytonutrients	Supplements nutrition lost or prevented from absorption from stress	As directed
Selenium E	Disarms free radicals caused by stress, improves immunity	1-2x daily

Fatigue 疲倦

Fatigue is generally related to mental or physical tiredness following prolonged or intense mental or physical activity/stress. Conversely, a lack of adequate exercise can also cause fatigue. Inadequate nutritional or fluid intake may also contribute to fatigue. A diet rich in a multitude of vitamins and minerals is essential. Fatigue may also result from low iron intake, possibly anaemia. Iron is also required for a healthy immune system and for energy production. Prolonged fatigue may lead to other problems, such as depression.

Recent studies have shown that as many as 7 out of 10 pre-menopausal women do not get enough iron. Women, particularly during pregnancy, teenage girls, athletes and vegetarians are most likely to be at risk from inadequate iron intake.

Applied nutrition

Do more outdoor sports to increase circulation. Exposure to activity and sunshine lets the body produce endorphins which improve mood and break the vicious cycle of chronic fatigue.

Supplement	Benefit	Suggested Dosage
Protein	For tissue and organ repair	1-2 scoops,  2x daily
Multivitamin + minerals + phytonutrients	All nutrients are necessary in balanced amounts. Helps increase energy release at the cellular level.	As indicated on packaging
Multi-carotene	Powerful free radical scavengers fight to protect cells and enhance immunity.	1 tab, 2x daily
Parselinium E		2 tabs, 2x daily
B Complex	Essential for normal energy levels, adrenal function and brain function. B6 aids in absorption of B12, which is a natural energy booster needed to prevent anaemia.	2 tabs, 2x daily
Iron + folic acid	Needed for red blood cell formation, increasing oxygen capacity.	1 tab, 3x daily
Vitamin C + bioflavonoids	Has a powerful antiviral effect and increases energy levels.	2 tabs, 3x daily
Co-enzyme Q10	Works to increase energy and protects the heart and immune system.	2 tabs, 2x daily

Pantothenic acid (Vitamin B5)

Vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, is one of 8 B vitamins. All B vitamins help the body convert carbohydrates into fuel (glucose), which is used to produce energy. These B vitamins, often referred to as B complex vitamins, also help the body use fats and protein. B complex vitamins are needed for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver. They also help the nervous system function properly.

All B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning that the body does not store them and must be replenished daily.

In addition to playing a role in the breakdown of fats and carbohydrates for energy, vitamin B5 is critical to the manufacture of red blood cells, as well as sex and stress-related hormones produced in the adrenal glands atop the kidneys. Vitamin B5 is also important in maintaining a healthy digestive tract, and it helps the body use other vitamins, particularly B2 or riboflavin. It is sometimes called the “anti-stress” vitamin.

Your body needs pantothenic acid to synthesize cholesterol.

It is rare for anyone to be seriously deficient in vitamin B5. Symptoms of a vitamin B5 deficiency include fatigue, insomnia, depression, irritability, vomiting, stomach pains, burning feet, and upper respiratory infections.

High Cholesterol/High Triglycerides

Several small, double-blind studies suggest that pantethine may help reduce triglycerides, or fats, in the blood in people who have high cholesterol. In some of these studies, pantethine has also helped lower LDL (bad) cholesterol and raise HDL (good) cholesterol. In some open studies, pantethine seems to lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in people with diabetes.

Wound Healing

Studies, mostly in test tubes and animals but a few on people, suggest that vitamin B5 supplements may speed wound healing, especially following surgery. This may be particularly true if vitamin B5 is combined with vitamin C.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

Some early evidence suggests that pantothenic acid might help with symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). One study found that people with RA may have lower levels of B5 in their blood than healthy people, and the lowest levels were associated with the most severe symptoms. A small study conducted in 1980 concluded that 2,000 mg/day of calcium pantothenate improved symptoms of RA, including morning stiffness and pain.

Dietary Sources

Pantothenic acid gets its name from the Greek root pantos, meaning “everywhere,” because it is available in a wide variety of foods. A lot of vitamin B5 is lost when you food is processed, however. Fresh meats, vegetables, and whole unprocessed grains have more vitamin B5 than refined, canned, and frozen food. The best sources are brewer’s yeast, corn, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, tomatoes, avocado, legumes, lentils, egg yolks, beef (especially organ meats such as liver and kidney), turkey, duck, chicken, milk, split peas, peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes, sunflower seeds, whole-grain breads and cereals, lobster, wheat germ, and salmon.

Upper Limits

The Council for Responsible Nutrition recommends an upper limit of 1,000 mg / day for pantothenic acid, citing the lack of adverse effects with daily intakes as high as 10 g.

Source

University of Maryland Medical Center

Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)

Overview

Vitamin B12, also called cobalamin, is one of 8 B vitamins. All B vitamins help the body convert carbohydrates into fuel (glucose), which is used to produce energy. These B vitamins, often referred to as B complex vitamins, also help the body use fats and protein. B complex vitamins are needed for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver. They also help the nervous system function properly. All B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning that the body does not store them and must be replenished every day.

Vitamin B12 is an especially important vitamin for maintaining healthy nerve cells, and it helps in the production of DNA and RNA, the body’s genetic material. Vitamin B12 also works closely with vitamin B9 (also called folate or folic acid) to help make red blood cells and to help iron work better in the body. Folate and B12 work together to produce S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), a compound involved in immune function and mood.

Vitamins B12, B6, and B9 work together to control blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine. High levels of homocysteine are associated with heart disease.

Defficiency

Mild defficiency is relatively common with unwholesome diets and low stomach acid levels, which the body needs to absorb B12. Low levels of B12 can cause a range of symptoms including fatigue, shortness of breath, diarrhoea, nervousness, numbness, or tingling sensation in the fingers and toes. Severe deficiency of B12 causes nerve damage. Others at risk for B12 deficiency include:

Vegans, vegetarians who also don’t eat dairy or eggs – vitamin B12 is found only in animal products
People with problems absorbing nutrients, due to conditions such as Crohn’s disease, pancreatic disease, and people who have had weight loss surgery
People who are infected with Helicobacter pylori, an organism in the intestines that can cause ulcers. H. pylori damages stomach cells that make intrinsic factor, a substance the body needs to absorb B12
People with eating disorders
People with HIV
The elderly

Pernicious Anaemia

Pernicious anaemia is a type of anaemia that happens when stomach cells are not able to make intrinsic factor. Without intrinsic factor, your body cannot absorb vitamin B12. Symptoms include weakness, pale skin, diarrhoea, weight loss, fever, numbness or tingling sensation in the hands and feet, loss of balance, confusion, memory loss, and moodiness. Vitamin B12 supplements in high doses, either given as injections or orally, are prescribed to treat pernicious anaemia. Pernicious anaemia can be a dangerous condition and patients should always be co-treated with a doctor.

Heart Disease

Many studies suggest that people with high levels of the amino acid homocysteine are roughly 1.7 times more likely to develop coronary artery disease and 2.5 times more likely to have a stroke than those with normal levels. B complex vitamins, especially vitamins B9, B6, and B12, help lower homocysteine levels.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

One large study found that women who took 1,000 mcg of vitamin B12 along with 2500 mcg of folic acid and 500 mg of vitamin B6 daily reduced their risk of developing AMD, an eye disease that can cause loss of vision.

Fatigue

Fatigue is one of the symptoms of a vitamin B12 deficiency. One small study, done several years ago, suggested that some people who were not deficient in B12 might gain more energy from B12 shots. Please consider other causes and solutions for fatigue to provide wholesome advice.

Breast Cancer

Although there is no evidence that vitamin B12 alone reduces the risk of breast cancer, population studies have shown that women who get more folate in their diet have lower risk of breast cancer. Vitamin B12 works with folate in the body, so it may help contribute to a lesser risk. Another preliminary study suggested that postmenopausal women who had the lowest amounts of B12 in their diet had an increased risk for breast cancer.

Male Infertility

Studies suggest that vitamin B12 supplements may improve sperm counts and sperm mobility.

Dietary Sources

Vitamin B12 is found only in animal foods. Good dietary sources include fish, shellfish, dairy products, organ meats — particularly liver and kidney– eggs, beef, and pork.

Upper Limits

The Council for Responsible Nutrition recommends an upper limit of 3,000 µg (3 mg) per day although it acknowledges that no toxic effects of B12 have been encountered in humans or animals at any level of oral intake (Miller and Hayes 1982; IOM 1998). The CNR states that the overall evidence indicates that vitamin B12 is virtually nontoxic. D

Source

University of Maryland Medical Center

Vitamin B3 (Niacin)

Overview

Vitamin B3, also called niacin (nicotinic acid), is one of eight B vitamins. It has 2 other forms, niacinamide (nicotinamide) and inositol hexanicotinate, which have different effects from niacin. All B vitamins help the body convert carbohydrates into fuel (glucose), which is used to produce energy. These B vitamins, often referred to as B complex vitamins, also help the body metabolize fats and protein. B complex vitamins are needed for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver. They also help the nervous system function properly, and are needed for good brain function. All B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning that the body does not store them and must be replenished daily.

Niacin also helps the body make various sex and stress-related hormones in the adrenal glands and other parts of the body. Niacin helps improve circulation.

Symptoms of mild deficiency include indigestion, fatigue, canker sores, vomiting, and depression. Severe deficiency can cause a condition known as pellagra. Pellagra is characterized by cracked, scaly skin, dementia, and diarrhea. It is generally treated with a nutritionally balanced diet and niacin supplements. Niacin deficiency also causes burning in the mouth and a swollen, bright red tongue.

Dietary Sources

The best food sources of vitamin B3 are found in beets, brewer’s yeast, beef liver, beef kidney, fish, salmon, swordfish, tuna, sunflower seeds, and peanuts. In addition, foods that contain tryptophan, an amino acid the body coverts into niacin, include poultry, red meat, eggs, and dairy products.

Upper Limits

The Council for Responsible Nutrition recommends different upper limits depending on the form of vitamin B3 being taken.

Nicotinic Acid: 35 mg / day
Nicotinamide: 1,500 mg / day
Inositol Hexanicotinate: 4,000 mg / day

Sources

University of Maryland Medical Center
The Council for Responsible Nutrition

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)

Overview

Vitamin B1, also called thiamine, is one of eight B vitamins. All B vitamins help the body convert carbohydrates into fuel (glucose), which is used to produce energy. These B vitamins, often referred to as B complex vitamins, also help the body metabolize fats and protein. B complex vitamins are needed for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver. They also help the nervous system function properly, and are needed for good brain function. All B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning that the body does not store them and must be replenished daily.

Like other B complex vitamins, thiamine is sometimes called an “anti-stress” vitamin because it strengthens the immune system and improves the body’s ability to withstand stressful conditions. It is named B1 because it was the first B vitamin discovered.

Thiamine is found in both plants and animals and plays a crucial role in certain metabolic reactions. Your body needs it to form adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which every cell of the body uses for energy.
It’s rare to be severely deficient in thiamine, although alcoholics, people with Crohn’s disease, anorexia, and those undergoing kidney dialysis may be deficient. Thiamine deficiency may result from dependence on unfortified, polished rice as the staple food
and from the consumption of a diet that is limiting in other respects. Symptoms of thiamine deficiency are fatigue, irritability, depression and abdominal discomfort. People with thiamine deficiency also have trouble digesting carbohydrates. That allows a substance called pyruvic acid to build up in their bloodstream, causing a loss of mental alertness, difficulty breathing, and heart damage, a disease known as beriberi.

Beriberi

The most important use of thiamine is to treat beriberi, which is caused by not getting enough thiamine in your diet. Symptoms include swelling, tingling, or burning sensation in the hands and feet, confusion, trouble breathing because of fluid in the lungs, and uncontrolled eye movements called nystagmus. People in the developed world usually don’t get beriberi.

Dietary Sources

Large amounts can be found in pork and organ meats. Other good dietary sources of thiamine include whole-grain or enriched cereals and rice, legumes, wheat germ, bran, brewer’s yeast, and blackstrap molasses.

Safety and limits

The Council for Responsible Nutrition considers 100 mg of supplemental Thiamine to be the safe upper limit, although studies suggest that much higher doses (6,000 mg daily) are safe.

Sources

University of Maryland Medical Center