Vitamins/Supplements A to E, by Dominic

Ascorbic acid, Vitamin C

 

Vitamin C, also know as ascorbic acid, is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables. Good sources include peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, oranges and kiwi fruit.

How much do I need?

Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin, which means you need it in your diet every day because it can't be stored in the body.
You cannot get all the vitamin C you need from your daily diet. Adults need lots more than the RDA of 40mg a day due to the amount of processed foods and lack of fresh ‘live’ food eaten these days. With the new research information that’s available now it is now proven that if taken in large amounts (megascorbic) this essential nutrient can prevent and cure many degenerative diseases. Suggested intakes of 5000mg and over are not unusual and if at any time symptoms manifest then it is suggested to double the dose until they go away. Every single living cell in the body uses vitamin C but rarely is there enough available to do so. In tests, high doses have been shown to actually help clear arteries of plaque and prevent build up of it there by preventing heart disease. In the book written by Irwin Stone in 1972 called “The healing Factor” he studies its uses and effects in detail and says that…… “Vitamin C may save your life!  A noted biochemist reveals for laymen the exciting research into ascorbic acid's powers against such deadly enemies as cancer, heart disease, strokes, mental illness, old age, diabetes, arthritis, kidney disease, hepatitis – even alcoholism & cigarette smoking!”

At BewellHealthy.com we suggest everyone should read this book as it will possibly change your life and maybe even save it using a cheap simple to take everyday food supplement.

Go To http://www.vitamincfoundation.org/stone/ and down load your free copy online now.

What does it do?

Vitamin C has hundreds of life preserving crucial functions. For example it:

• Helps produce hundreds of crucial immune processes
• helps protect cells and keeps them healthy

·         helps the body absorb iron from food

·         helps produce collagen in the body to bind tissues together

·         acts as a powerful anti oxidant

·         acts as an antibiotic (with no side effects)

·         acts as an antibacterial

·         acts as an antifungal

·         acts by helping leucocyte (white blood cell) production

For more Vit C details go to http://www.drsgoodman.com/vitamin-c-chapter4.php

What happens if I take too much?

Taking large amounts of vitamin C can sometimes cause mild stomach discomfort, diarrhea and flatulence. But these symptoms will disappear once you reach the correct amount for your needs at the time.

It is important to know that the vast majority of Vitamin C on the market is mostly useless. It is advised to avoid any of the well know brands of Vitamin C available in big high street chemist and sometimes even corner shops. These are mostly nutritionally valueless due to them being made from the wrong kind of vitamin C which is also m ad the wrong way. When ascorbic acid is synthesized on a mass production line there are 2 kinds of product produced.

Vitamin A

Vitamin A is also known as retinol. Good sources of vitamin A include cheese, eggs, oily fish (such as mackerel), milk, fortified margarine and yoghurt.
Liver is also a rich source of vitamin A. But, because it's such a rich source, if you already eat it every week, you might want to choose not to have it more often.
If you're pregnant, you should avoid eating liver because of the amount of vitamin A it contains.

How much do I need?

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means you don't need it every day because any of the vitamin your body doesn't need immediately is stored for future use.
You should be able to get all the vitamin A you need from your daily diet. This is:
0.7 mg a day for men
0.6 mg a day for women

What does it do?

Vitamin A has a number of important functions. For example it:

helps maintain the health of skin and mucus linings (in the nose for example)

helps strengthen immunity from infections

helps vision in dim light

What happens if I take too much?

Some research suggests that having more than an average of 1.5mg per day of vitamin A over many years may affect your bones and make them more likely to fracture when you're older.
Older people, particularly women, are already at risk of osteoporosis. This is where bone density reduces and so the risk of fractures increases.
If you eat liver or liver products such as pâté once a week, you are likely to be having, on average, 1.5mg of vitamin A per day.
If you aren't getting enough vitamin D, you might be more at risk of the harmful effects of too much vitamin A. People who may be particularly short of vitamin D include women of Asian origin who always cover up their skin when they're outside and older people who rarely get outdoors. So if you're short of this vitamin it might be a good idea to boost the amount of vitamin D you're getting. Good sources of vitamin D include oily fish and eggs. The best source of vitamin D is summer sunlight – but remember, if you're out in the sun, take care not to burn.
Many multivitamins contain vitamin A. Other supplements, such as fish liver oil, are also high in vitamin A. So if you take supplements containing vitamin A, make sure you don't have more than a total of 1.5mg per day from your food and supplements. If you eat liver every week, you should avoid taking any supplements that contain vitamin A.

If you're pregnant, having large amounts of vitamin A can harm your unborn baby. Therefore, if you are pregnant or thinking of having a baby, you should avoid eating liver or liver products such as pâté because these are very high in vitamin A. You should also avoid taking supplements that contain vitamin A. Ask your GP or midwife if you would like more information.

Vitamin B1

Thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, is found in most types of food. Good sources include pork, vegetables, milk, cheese, peas, fresh and dried fruit, eggs, wholegrain breads.

How much do I need?

Thiamin is a water-soluble vitamin of the B complex (vitamin B1), whose phosphate derivatives are involved in many cellular processes including breaking down and using sugars and various amino acids. If there is a deficiency it causes beriberi which affects the nervous and cardiovascular system which can be fatal if immediate thiamine supplementation is not provided.

You should be able to get all the thiamin you need from your daily diet. This is:
1 mg a day for men
0.8 mg a day for women

What does it do?

Thiamin has a number of important functions. For example it:

• works with other B-group vitamins to help break down and release energy from the food we eat
• helps keep nerves and muscle tissue healthy

What happens if I take too much?

There isn't enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of thiamin supplements each day.

What is FSA advice?

You should be able to get all the thiamin you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.
Taking 100 mg or less of thiamin supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.

Vitamin B2

Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is found in small amounts in many foods. Good sources include milk, eggs, fortified breakfast cereals, rice and mushrooms.
UV light can destroy riboflavin, so ideally these foods should be kept out of direct sunlight.

How much do I need?

Riboflavin is water-soluble, which means you need it in your diet every day because it can't be stored in the body.
You should be able to get all the riboflavin you need from your daily diet. This is approximately:
1.3 mg a day for men
1.1 mg a day for women

What does it do?

Riboflavin has a number of important functions. For example it:

• helps keep skin, eyes, the nervous system and mucous membranes healthy
• helps produce steroids and red blood cells
• may help the body absorb iron from the food we eat

What happens if I take too much?

There isn't enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of riboflavin supplements each day.

What is FSA advice?

You should be able to get all the riboflavin you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.
Taking 40 mg or less of riboflavin supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.

Vitamin B3

Niacin is also known as vitamin B3. Good sources of niacin include beef, pork, chicken, wheat flour, maize flour, eggs and milk.

 

How much do I need?

There are two forms of niacin: nicotinic acid and nicotinamide, and both are found in food. Niacin is a water-soluble vitamin, which means you need it in your diet every day because it can't be stored in the body.
You should be able to get all the niacin you need from your daily diet. This is approximately:
17 mg a day for men
13 mg a day for women

What does it do?

Niacin has a number of important functions. For example it:

• helps produce energy from the foods we eat
• helps keep both the nervous and digestive system healthy

What happens if I take too much?

Taking high doses of nicotinic acid supplements can cause skin flushes. Taking high doses for a long time could lead to liver damage.
There isn't enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of nicotinamide supplements each day.

What is FSA advice?

You should be able to get the amount you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take niacin supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.
Taking 17 mg or less of nicotinic acid supplements a day, or taking 500 mg or less of nicotinamide supplements a day, is unlikely to cause any harm.

Vitamin B4

Vitamin B-4, also known as (Adenine) is considered to be a member of the B-Complex family.  Vitamin B-4 (Adenine) is also considered to be a water-soluble vitamin.  I want to underscore the term "considered" and the reason for this is, in factuality there is very little known about Vitamin B-4 (Adenine and its characteristics.
 
However, it is known that Vitamin B-4 (Adenine) is a substance that acts as a co-enzyme with other substances, such as other vitamins to produce energy.  Most of our energy comes from the mitochondria, which is the power producers of a cell.  The mitochondria are like a power plant which burns fuel to produce the electricity that runs machinery.
 
The food we eat is the fuel that is "burned" inside the mitochondria to produce energy.  In my opinion, complex carbohydrates produce the best fuel and it is my belief that most complex carbohydrates contain Vitamin B-4 (Adenine).  A product of the above mentioned "burning" is called "adenosine triphosphate" or (ATP).  An "adenosine triphosphate" (ATP) consists of three substances: (1) Adenine (Vitamin B-4 (2) ribose, and (3) three phosphate groups.
 
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is also produced during a process called "photosynthesis". Photosynthesis is also the process by which the plant kingdom converts carbon dioxide and water into natural organic sugars. Conversely, body cells produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP) in a more complicated process.  First the body's digestive system breaks down the food we eat.  The digestive system breaks carbohydrates down into natural sugar, proteins into amino-acids, and fats into fatty acids.
 
The blood carries these substances to all the cells in the body.  In the cytoplasm, the natural sugars are broken down into pyruvic acid, and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is produced.  Since, we have now learned that Vitamin B-4 (Adenine) must be present in order for adenosine triphosphate (ATP) to be produced, it is clearly conceivable that Vitamin B-4 (Adenine) is contained within these natural sugars (complex carbohydrates) that originate from the plant kingdom.
 
As you can see, it seems that Vitamin B-4 (Adenine) must be present in order for the body to produce adenosine triphosphate (ATP).  Still, there is much that is unclear about this process.  However, as research on Vitamin B-4 (Adenine) progresses I believe it will be more clearly identified.  This will enable us to better understand and make an informed decision concerning the importance of the role that Vitamin B-4 (Adenine) plays in our health.

Natural Sources:

Brewer's yeast, whole grains (breads and cereals), raw unadulterated honey, bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis, most fresh vegetables, most fresh fruits.  It is believed that all complex carbohydrates contain varying amounts of Vitamin B-4 (Adenine).
 
Vitamin B-4 (Adenine) is also probably found in the following herbs:
Blessed thistle, blue cohosh, burdock, capsicum (cayenne), caraway, cascara sagrada, catnip, cloves, couch grass, ginger,
golden seal, hawthorn, hops, jojoba, kelp, lady's slipper, mullein, rose hips, sage, sarsaparilla, spearmint, strawberry, thyme, yucca.
 
NOTE: Although it is considered or believed that the above natural sources do contain Vitamin B-4 ( Adenine), I want to underscore the fact that at this time it is in part only scientific theory.  This meaning that there is a great deal pertaining to Vitamin B-4 (Adenine) that has not been confirmed or officially factuated.
 
Notwithstanding, I believe that soon Vitamin B-4 (Adenine) as it relates to our health, will be substantiated by naturopathic doctors and scientists relative to empirical evidence.  Empirical evidence, meaning something proven by experiment and experience.
 
HERBAL medications are teeming with nutrients, and the body WILL readily utilize them in its behalf...  actually detoxifying and rebuilding the system, therefore enhancing one's health.

Vitamin B5

Pantothenic acid is found in virtually all meat and vegetable foods. Good sources include chicken, beef, potatoes, porridge, tomatoes, kidney, eggs, broccoli and whole grains such as brown rice and whole-meal bread.
Breakfast cereals are also a good source if they have been fortified with pantothenic acid.

How much do I need?

Pantothenic acid is one of the B-group vitamins. It's water-soluble, which means you need it in your diet every day because it can't be stored in the body.
You should be able to get all the pantothenic acid you need from your daily diet.

What does it do?

Pantothenic acid has a number of important functions. For example it works in the body to help release energy from the food we eat.

 

What happens if I take too much?

There isn't enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of pantothenic acid supplements each day.

What is FSA advice?

You should be able to get all the pantothenic acid you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful. Taking 200 mg or less of pantothenic acid supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.

Vitamin B6

Vitamin B6 also known as pyridoxine, is found in a wide variety of foods, for example: pork, chicken, turkey, cod, bread, whole cereals (such as oatmeal, wheatgerm and rice), eggs, vegetables, soya beans, peanuts, milk, potatoes and some fortified breakfast cereals.

 

How much do I need?

Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin. This means you need it in your diet every day because it can't be stored in the body.
You should be able to get all the vitamin B6 you need from your daily diet. This is approximately:
1.4 mg a day for men
1.2 mg a day for women

What does it do?

Vitamin B6 has a number of important functions. For example it:

• allows the body to use and store energy from the protein and carbohydrates found in the foods we eat
• helps hemoglobin to form (the substance that carries oxygen around the body)

What happens if I take too much?

Taking large amounts of vitamin B6 (more than 200 mg a day), or taking it for a long time, can lead to a loss of feeling in the arms and legs - known as peripheral neuropathy.
Generally these symptoms are reversible - so once you stop taking the supplements, the symptoms usually stop.
However, in a few cases when people have taken large amounts of vitamin B6, especially for more than just a few months, the effect has been irreversible.
Taking doses between 10 and 200 mg a day, for short periods of time, might not cause any harm. But there isn't enough evidence to say for how long these doses could be taken safely.

What is FSA advice?

You should be able to get the amount you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take vitamin B6 supplements it's important not to take too much because this could be harmful.
The Agency advises against taking more than 10 mg of vitamin B6 supplements a day. But you should continue taking a higher dose if this is under medical advice.

Vitamin B7

Biotin is found in many foods. Good sources include meat such as kidney, eggs and some fruit and vegetables, especially dried mixed fruit.
How much do I need?

Biotin is one of the B-group vitamins and is water-soluble, which means you need it in your diet every day because it can't be stored in the body. But we only need very small amounts of biotin.
You should be able to get all the biotin you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Adults need between 0.01 mg and 0.2 mg a day.

What does it do?

Biotin has a number of important functions. For example it helps the body turn the food we eat into energy.

What happens if I take too much?

There isn't enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of biotin supplements each day.

What is FSA advice?

Most people should be able to get the amount they need from their daily diet. But if you decide to take supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.
Taking 0.9 mg or less of biotin supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.

 

Vitamin B8 (Inositol)

Another B complex factor that has an unclear status as a B vitamin is the compound called inositol. While the specifics of this vitamin’s action in the human body remains a mystery, experiments conducted on animals have resulted in the identification of this compound as a necessary factor for the normal growth and survival of organisms. Large amounts of the compound inositol can be found in the skeletal and heart muscles, in organs like the lungs, liver and brain, in blood, in milk and related dairy products, in urine and in eggs. The actual metabolic role of the compound inositol in these tissues and the other types of tissues is still a mystery.

The probability of practical applications of the inositol is indicated by the results obtained from some clinical research carried out on the functioning of inositol in the human body. In addition, a lot of animal experiments have shown that raising the dietary levels of inositol can help in the prevention of the decrease in motor nerve conduction resulting from degeneration in the nerve insulation as a symptom of diseases such as diabetes. A similar effect is also seen during the use of supplements of inositol as part of the dietary intake in humans who are confirmed diabetics. As a general rule, the nerve conduction is generally better the more inositol present in the diet - usually a maximum of 1400 mg per person daily. Nerve conduction is the lowest whenever people consume a diet that is deficient in levels of inositol. If the diet was deficient in the vitamin, then the consumption of a diet considered sufficient in inositol resulted in improved nerve conduction, this improvement did not match the improvement seen in patients on a supplemented diet of inositol.

The potential of using supplements of inositol against certain forms of cancer affected tissues has also been acknowledged by clinical researchers. During one animal test, the use of intravenous injections of inositol led to the inhibition of tumour growth in laboratory mice. The dosage of the inositol used in the injections determined the degree of inhibition, if the dose was high than the inhibitive effect was greater and vice versa. A human experiment conducted by one doctor was to give high doses of inositol - at doses of 3 to 4 grams a day - to people affected by advanced cases of cancer in the genitourinary tract. This beneficial effect apparently failed to be evident in at least seven people affected by terminal malignancies in the penis, the prostate gland, as well as the testicles. However, at least six cases of people with bladder cancer benefited from the dosage of inositol. In these patients, the size of the tumours decreased, and the treatment resulted in the disappearance of hematuria - blood in the urine.

The ability of the liver to resist the infiltration of fatty deposits and to recover from accumulated toxin damage is shown to be improved by doses of inositol. In men and in animals, this compound has also been reported to lower cholesterol levels in repeated tests. The compound lecithin was however, the main source of this inositol used in the experiments. For this reason, some clinicians suggest that as lecithin also contains choline and other compounds, the resulting cholesterol reducing effect might not have been induced by inositol acting alone, though the researchers did not attribute this action to inositol alone.

Good dietary sources of the vitamin inositol can include compounds such as lecithin, foods like yeast, all kinds of organ meats, different types of nuts, all types of fruits and vegetables as well as all kinds of whole grains. There are a wide range of dosages as far as inositol supplements are concerned, ranging from doses that are less than a hundred milligrams to doses that are several hundred mgs each. That the body does not always synthesize inositol in “adequate” amounts is indicated by the fact that both animals and people have been aided by supplements of inositol in case of deficiencies.

Deficiencies of inositol have not been reported and are very rare if they ever occur, though some supplemental inositol can really aid diabetics who have increased excretion and loss of nutrients.

Usual dosage

Inositol supplements are not required by most people as deficiencies are very rare. At the same time, inositol found in small amounts commonly seen in different multi-vitamin supplements is possibly not necessary and ineffective in treating people. Supplements of inositol are sometimes suggested to patients, by nutritionally oriented doctors at doses of 500 mg taken two times daily.

Side effects and cautions

While elevated levels of inositol is seen in individuals affected by chronic renal failure, there are no reports of inositol induced toxicity in people - such toxic effects may only affect those already affected by some disorder. The presence of large amounts of phytate, the most common dietary form of the compound inositol can inhibit the absorption of minerals such as calcium, iron, and zinc. This effect is however, not apparent in patients using supplemental inositol.

Vitamin B9

Folic acid, known as folate in its natural form, is one of the B-group of vitamins. Folate is found in small amounts in many foods. Good sources include broccoli, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, peas, chickpeas and brown rice.
Other useful sources include fortified breakfast cereals, some bread and some fruit (such as oranges and bananas).

How much do I need?

Folate is a water-soluble vitamin, which means you need it in your diet every day because it can't be stored in the body.
Most people should be able to get the amount they need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Adults need 0.2 mg a day.
However, if you are pregnant or thinking of having a baby you should take a daily 0.4 mg (400 microgram) folic acid supplement from the time you stop using contraception until the 12th week of pregnancy.
This is to help prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida. If you have already had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, a higher dose is recommended. Speak to your GP for more advice.

What does it do?

Folate has a number of important functions. For example it:

• works together with vitamin B12 to form healthy red blood cells
• helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida in unborn babies

What is FSA advice?

Unless you are pregnant or thinking of having a baby, you should be able to get all the folate you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
If you're taking folic acid supplements, it's important not to take too much because this could be harmful.
Taking 1 mg (1000 micrograms) or less of folic acid supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm.

Vitamin B10 & B11

Vitamin B10, also known as factor R was later determined to be pteroylmonoglutamic acid mixed with other B vitamins. Its deficiency caused slowed growth and deteriorated feather development in chicks, along with blood problems. It was believed by some researchers to apply to humans. Some early researchers used the term "vitamin B10" to denote para-aminobenzoic acid.
RDA: Not established

Vitamin B11, also known as factor S was related to vitamin B10. It was also believed to have similar properties, and was also later determined to be a mixture of substances.
RDA: Not established

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is found in virtually all meat products and certain algae such as seaweed. Good sources include meat, salmon, cod, milk, cheese, eggs, yeast extract, and some fortified breakfast cereals

How much do I need?

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin.
Adults need approximately 0.0015 mg a day.
If you eat meat, fish or dairy foods then you should be able to get enough vitamin B12 from your diet.
However, because vitamin B12 isn't found in vegetable foods (such as fruit, vegetables and grains), vegans might not get enough of this vitamin and become deficient.

What does it do?

Vitamin B12 has a number of important functions. For example it:

• helps make red blood cells and keeps the nervous system healthy
• helps release energy from the food we eat
• is needed to process folic acid

What happens if I take too much?

There isn't enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high doses of vitamin B12 supplements each day.

What is FSA advice?

You should be able to get all the vitamin B12 you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take vitamin B12 supplements it's a good idea not to take too much because this might be harmful.
Taking 2 mg or less of vitamin B12 a day is unlikely to cause any harm.

Beta-carotene

Beta-carotene is what gives yellow and orange fruit and vegetables their colour. The main food sources of beta-carotene are yellow and green (leafy) vegetables such as spinach, carrots and red peppers, and yellow fruit such as mango, melon and apricots.

How much do I need?

You should be able to get the amount you need from your daily diet.

What does it do?

Beta-carotene is turned into vitamin A in the body and, therefore, can perform the same functions in the body as vitamin A.

What happens if I take too much?

Beta-carotene supplements have been found to increase the risk of lung cancer developing in smokers and in people who have been heavily exposed to asbestos at work.
It's possible that taking large amounts of beta-carotene supplements would also increase the risk of cancer in other people.
Some research suggests that having large amounts of vitamin A (retinol) over a long time may affect people's bones and make them more likely to fracture when they are older. But beta-carotene doesn't have this effect. This is because the body's conversion of beta-carotene into vitamin A isn't very efficient, so it's unlikely to result in high levels of retinol in the body.

You should be able to get the amount you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take beta-carotene supplements it's important not to take too much because this could be harmful.
The Agency advises against taking more than 7 mg of beta-carotene supplements a day. But you should continue taking a higher dose if this is under medical advice.
People who smoke or have been exposed to asbestos are advised not to take any beta-carotene supplements.
There is no evidence to suggest that the beta-carotene we get from food is harmful.

Calcium

Good sources of the mineral calcium include milk, cheese and other dairy foods, green leafy vegetables (such as broccoli, cabbage and okra, but not spinach), soya beans, tofu, soya drinks with added calcium, nuts, bread and anything made with fortified flour, and fish where you eat the bones, such as sardines and pilchards.

How much do I need?

You should be able to get all the calcium you need from your daily diet. Adults need 700 mg a day.

What does it do?

Calcium has a number of important functions. For example it:

• helps build strong bones and teeth
• regulates muscle contraction, including the heartbeat
• makes sure blood clots normally

It's thought that calcium may help to lower high blood pressure and may help to protect against colon and breast cancer, although more evidence is needed to confirm this.

What happens if I take too much?

Taking high doses of calcium could lead to stomach pain and diarrhoea. It also depletes the body of magnesium if taken in large doses and this lead can lead to serious heart problems and diabetes.

What is FSA advice?

You should be able to get all the calcium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. But if you decide to take calcium supplements it's a good idea not to take too much.
Taking 1500 mg or less of calcium supplements a day is unlikely to cause any harm. 

Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral found in a wide variety of foods. The richest sources are green leafy vegetables (such as spinach) and nuts. Good sources include bread, fish, meat and dairy foods.

Magnesium is the most critical mineral required for the electrical stability of every cell in the body. Its major role is at and in the cells so that blood levels, whole blood, serum, plasma, and 
even white blood cell levels of magnesium do not give an accurate 
picture of optimal magnesium levels. In fact, serum levels of magnesium are low only in acute alcoholics and in severe 
starvation. Magnesium stored in bones is stolen by the body to
maintain the narrow range of serum levels required for life.

Eighty percent of American women and seventy percent of men do not eat even the recommended daily requirement of magnesium. And 
soil throughout the world is deficient in magnesium except in 
Egypt. Thus, most foods today, even those supposed to have a high content of magnesium, are low themselves. As a single essential nutrient, magnesium may be responsible for more diseases than any
other nutrient! There are many reasons for this widespread 
deficiency: nutrition, stress and drugs.

White flour has had removed 85% of its magnesium. Considering 
the fact that almost 20% of calories come from white flour,
essentially a junk food, this inadequate food is responsible
for about 17% 'loss' of magnesium. Chemical fertilizers, high in nitrates, phosphates, and potassium, deplete soil magnesium 
so that even most whole wheat is basically borderline.

Oral magnesium supplements are often ineffective and laxative
at therapeutic levels, requiring about a year to raise levels
significantly. Intravenous magnesium is the most rapid, but most
people don't like needles, and it may be difficult to find a physician to prescribe them. The simple, painless, riskfree
method is absorption of magnesium through your body's largest
organ, the skin.

How much do I need?

You should be able to get all the magnesium you need from your daily diet but unfortunately this is most definitely not the case these days. This is due to the vast majority of public eating processed
300 mg a day for men
270 mg a day for women

What does it do?

Magnesium has a number of important functions. For example it:

• helps turn the food we eat into energy
• helps make sure the parathyroid glands work normally. The parathyroid glands produce hormones important for bone health

What happens if I take too much?

There is an epidemic deficiency of magnesium in the west. We need to be aware that having a plentiful supply of this crucial mineral in our diet is so important for health. If you are not sure how much you take in your food then supplements are recommended 300mg twice a day is a good starting point with a balance of the same in a good quality calcium one too. This is crucial to maintain a healthy heart. Taking high doses of magnesium can occasionally possibly cause mild diarrhea.
There isn't enough evidence to say what the effects might be of taking high doses of magnesium for a long time but we believe it’s possibly beneficial in conjunction with a healthy balanced diet.

 

Vitamin D& D3

Vitamin D is found in a small number of foods. Good food sources are oily fish like mackerel, sardines, tuna and free range eggs.

But we get most of our vitamin D from sunlight on our skin. This is because the vitamin forms under the skin in reaction to sunlight. The best source is summer sunlight but also a bright sunny day in winter is equally as good a source on your face.
Liver and liver products are also good sources of vitamin D, but they are also a rich source of vitamin A. So if you already eat them every week, you might want to choose not to have them more often. Vitamin D, which is often referred to as the "sunshine vitamin," is actually a fat-soluble hormone that the body can synthesize naturally. We need vitamin D to facilitate calcium absorption and to promote bone mineralization, as well as for protection against a number of serious diseases. We get vitamin D through foods such as fortified milk and cereals as well as eggs, salmon, tuna and mackerel, and our bodies make vitamin D with exposure to sunlight, but even with sufficient sun exposure and eating a healthy variety of foods, many people still need supplements to obtain an optimum amount of vitamin D. This is especially true for seniors, as our ability to synthesize vitamin D decreases with age.

How much do I need?

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means you don't need it every day because any of the vitamin your body doesn't need immediately is stored for future use. But due to the lack of it in today’s processed food and the fact the vast majority of us wear clothes and get very little sunlight most of the year round we need to supplement our diets with a little.

If we spend 15 minutes in bright sunlight daily, our body naturally synthesizes around 5,000iu.
So most people should be able to get all the vitamin D they need from their diet and by getting a little sun each day.

The evidence from the latest science now suggests that low levels of this essential nutrient can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Researchers in Utah followed 27,000 men and women over the age of 50 who had no history of heart disease. After a year, they found those with the lowest levels of vitamin D were:

1. 77 percent more likely to die than those with adequate levels of vitamin D.
2. 45 percent more likely to develop coronary artery disease than those with adequate levels of vitamin D.
3. 78 percent more likely to have a stroke than those with adequate levels of vitamin D.
4. Twice as likely to develop heart failure than those with normal levels of vitamin D.

The study, from the Intermountain Medical Center, was presented at the Nov. 16, 2009, session of the American Heart Association's Scientific Conference. We recommend 2,000 IU of vitamin D per day.

• are of Asian origin or dark skinned as you will need more exposure in the sun due to your body’s natural melatonin or pigment.
• If you always cover up all your skin when you're outside
• Or if you rarely get outdoors
• Or maybe you eat little meat or oily fish

 

If you aren't getting enough vitamin D, you might be more at risk of some of the harmful effects of too much vitamin A so a balance is always important.

 

What is Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)?

Vitamin D3, otherwise known as cholecalciferol, is a pro-hormone and essential nutrient produced in the skin. It is a seco-steroid hormone that regulates calcium homeostasis and balance within the body. For this reason, Vitamin D is best known for its role in the development and maintenance of healthy teeth, bones, and cartilage in children and adults. Vitamin D helps the body keep bones and teeth strong by improving the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the small intestine. Vitamin D also affects parathyroid hormone, which regulates bone turnover and release of calcium from bone.

Vitamin D, or also known as the "sunshine vitamin", can be made from exposure to ultraviolet light, thus the name. Sun exposure for as long as just around ten to fifteen minutes daily can provide 2,000 to 5,000 IU of vitamin D. There are two varieties of Vitamin D sources: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol, a poor source derived from sources such as fortified milk, herring, mackerel, tuna, salmon, sardines, eggs, fortified cereals and baked goods) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol, the best source derived from animal products, fortified foods and exposure to UV rays). Aside from playing an important role in supporting calcium absorption, bone health, and wound healing, this fat-soluble vitamin has also been found to reduce the likelihood of breast, colon, ovarian and other cancers.

Cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) is the active and most preferable form of vitamin D. It is the most widely known of the vitamin D series and is a fat soluble vitamin that is stored to a certain extent in the body. Vitamin D3 can be produced photochemically by the action of sunlight or ultraviolet light from the precursor sterol 7-dehydrocholesterol which is present in the epidermis or skin of most animals. Vitamin D formed in this manner is called "natural vitamin D" or vitamin D3. It can also be consumed in the form of fish oil, or eaten in foods such as eggs or fish. Vitamin D3 is often the preferred vitamin because it has a higher bioavailability and it has more roles in biological activity for its various metabolites or isomers that have biological benefit.

What is Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) used for and who uses it?

Vitamin D is one of those vitamins whose deficiency can lead to severe effects. Children that do not get adequate supplies vitamin D in their diets are more susceptible to developing rickets, a disease characterized by deformation of bones and teeth in children. Adults with insufficient amounts of vitamin D have an increased risk of developing osteomalacia (similar to rickets), and are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis, a bone-weakening disease. Vitamin D deficiency has also been associated to the progression of other illnesses, including type I diabetes, muscle and bone pain, and cancer.

Supplemental vitamin D is available in 2 different forms: vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). Vitamin D3 has proven to be the more preferred and effective form of vitamin D in all primate species, including humans. Vitamin D3 can also be synthesized in the skin through exposure to sun, and then subsequently metabolized by the liver and kidney to the biologically active form 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The primary function of vitamin D is to promote and enhance calcium and magnesium absorption, the two essential minerals necessary for strong bones. Vitamin D3 is required for the body to be able to utilize calcium and phosphorus, and for the absorption and metabolism of vitamin A. By increasing GI absorption of phosphorus and calcium, Cholecalciferol increases the serum calcium concentrations, which in turn increases osteoclastic resorption, and distal renal tubular reabsorption of calcium, whose optimal levels are required to ensure proper bone mineral density and serum (blood) calcium levels. This is extremely beneficial among very young children where it can treat rickets in conjunction with vitamin A, and in the treatment of osteoporosis in the elderly, especially post menopausal women who often suffer from fractures due to loss of bone density.

Vitamin D3’s ability to shield and protect against multiple sclerosis is two-fold: it can hinder the onset and the development of the disease, and limit its spread and progression as well. Vitamin D3 can also significantly improve and strengthen the immune system, and has a strong effect in regulating blood pressure. Without optimal and adequate levels of D3 in the blood, proper bone development and muscle contraction would not be possible, and that can lead to serious medical conditions including malnutrition and metabolic bone disease. The latter may not be evident until a broken arm or leg occurs. In a study, vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) supplementation caused an increase in bone mass in the lumbar vertebra of 2% of participants, as compared with a loss of 2% in the placebo group. In another study, supplementation with vitamin D increased bone density in the femur by 3% and in the lumbar spine by 2.3%. Because of the numerous cellular functions it influences, Vitamin D3 functions more like a hormone than a vitamin. In line with this, many researchers already regard vitamin D as a hormone because of its sterol chemical structure and the fact that sunlight on your skin can use your body to make vitamin D.

How pure is your Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)?

This BeWellHealthy Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) powder has 100,000 IU/gram, enough to supply the needed nutrients to prevent Vitamin D deficiencies and protect against future disease. You will receive a double sealed labeled bulk polyethylene bag containing this yellowish granular product. It contains no fillers, taste additives, or anti-caking agents. Studies show that more than 50 percent of people are vitamin D deficient. The widespread use of sunscreens, reduced sun exposure, residence in northeastern US or in areas with high pollution levels, the fall and winter season, and having more skin pigmentation, contributes to the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency.

Although sunlight remains as the best source of vitamin D because even just a few minutes of exposure provides enough vitamin D to reach the daily value, getting the right amount of vitamin D from the sun is not always as simple as it seems. For one, people in northern hemisphere may have problems getting vitamin D from sunlight during winter due to occasional exposure to direct sunlight (light coming through a glass window of a car or building doesn’t count, because it filters out vitamin D). Also, the recent spike in the number of skin cancer cases has caused public alarm, forcing more and more people to use more and stronger sunscreen, which limits the body’s ability to produce its own vitamin D from sunlight. If you have a history of skin cancer, or are simply trying to avoid sun damaged wrinkles, it is best to get the vitamin D needed from supplementation rather than the sun.

What are some of the common effects of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)?

Vitamin D is of paramount importance for normal bone growth and development, and to keep proper bone density. It is also required so that the body can effectively utilize both calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D functions as a hormone and improves the reabsorption of calcium and phosphorus by the kidneys. Vitamin D may also help people with gout and rheumatoid arthritis by increasing the calcium around their damaged joints. Vitamin D3 has also been used in the treatment and prevention of various cancers, including breast and prostate. Chronic vitamin D deficiency exists in populations which live in low sunlight climates, so people with adequate access to sunlight usually do not have to worry about taking dietary vitamin D because ultraviolet light converts 7-dehydrocholesterol (abundant in skin) to vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). However, in cases such as MS treatment wherein the use of steroidal drugs depletes vitamin D supplies and inhibits absorption, supplementation is extremely worthwhile. Anyone undergoing treatment from immune or autoimmune disorders can benefit from vitamin D supplementation.

What is the daily suggested dose of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)?

The commonly recommended dose for Vitamin D3 is in the range of 100IU (IU = International Units) to as much as 2000IU.

At 100,000IU per gram the commonly recommended dose for Vitamin D3 is extremely small, in the range of 1mg (one milligram) to 50mg. Because Vitamin D3 100,000IU powder can potentially be toxic in higher doses extreme care should be exercised when dosing this product for individual use and dietary supplementation. A single dose for Vitamin D3 is very small and you should make no attempt to dose this product using volumetric measuring techniques. In other words, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DOSE THIS PRODUCT USING MEASURING SPOONS OF ANY KIND! The only safe way to dose this product for individual use will be using an accurate milligram weight scale.

Potential side effects of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)

Like other fat-soluble vitamins, vitamin D can be toxic. Since Vitamin D is fat-soluble, this means that excess amounts of it are stored in the body tissues. Long-term high doses may be deposited in the soft tissues, irreversibly damage the kidneys and cardiovascular system. Symptoms of too much vitamin D include nausea, weakness, constipation, irregular heartbeat, weight loss, seizures, and irritability. As such Vitamin D supplements should be taken with caution.

Solubility and suggested preparation of Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol)

Since Vitamin D3 is fat soluble or not soluble in water, it would be best to take this during meal times with fatty foods.

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is used in the following Proprietary Formulas

Country Life Vitamin D3 1000IU, Natures Answer Vitamin D3 Drops 4000 IU, Carlson Vitamin D3 Drops 1000 IU, Doctor's Best's Vitamin D3 2000IU, ENZYMATIC THERAPY Vitamin D3, FUTUREBIOTICS Chewable Vitamin D3, HERO Vitamin D3 (500IU), JARROW Vitamin D3 (2500IU), OW Vitamin D-3 (1000IU), SOLARAY Vitamin D-3 (400IU), SOURCE NATURALS Vitamin D-3 (2000IU), TWINLAB D3 plus K2 Dots

References & Further Research

1-alpha-hydroxyvitamin D3 treatment reduces bone turnover and modulates calcium-regulating hormones in early postmenopausal women
50 Japanese women within 10 years after menopause (mean age 52.5 years) were studied to determine the effects of vitamin D3 for 12 months on bone mass and metabolism. Overall data clearly demonstrate that vitamin D3 maintained bone mass by reducing bone resorption through the modulation of calcium-regulating hormones. Temporarily increased urinary calcium excretion was observed in control group, but did not appear to be effective in modulating bone turnover.

Bone mass and markers of bone and calcium metabolism in postmenopausal women treated with 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D (calcitriol) for four years
The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term effect of calcitriol treatment on bone mineral density (BMD) of the femoral neck and lumbar spine and the parameters of calcium and bone metabolism. Elderly women, 55 healthy, postmenopausal women, all aged 66 years, were enrolled in the study. Eighteen started a 4-year supplementation with 0.5 µg of calcitriol daily and 37 served as controls. Calcium intake of all the subjects was adjusted to 800 mg daily. Overall data suggest that calcitriol treatment increases bone mass at the femoral neck and lumbar spine, the increases being maintained for up to 4 years. The gain in bone mass results from reduced bone turnover which is partly a consequence of the enhanced intestinal absorption of calcium and suppressed serum PTH levels.

The effect of cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) on the risk of fall and fracture: a meta-analysis
We evaluated the effect of supplementation with cholecalciferol (excluding the potential effect of calcium supplementation) on the risk of fall and fracture, primarily in postmenopausal women, using a systematic literature review of MEDLINE, EMBASE, BIOSIS and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for the period January 1985 to June 2005. Our primary meta-analyses examined the effect of cholecalciferol on the risk of fall or fracture; additional analyses examined baseline and difference between baseline and final levels of several serum and urinary biochemical markers. There is a trend towards a reduction in the risk of fall among patients treated with cholecalciferol alone compared with placebo, suggesting that cholecalciferol should be an integral part of effective osteoporosis management.

Cholecalciferol or ergocalciferol supplement? The case against ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) as a vitamin supplement
Supplemental vitamin D is available in 2 distinct forms: ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3). Pharmacopoeias have officially regarded these 2 forms as equivalent and interchangeable, yet this presumption of equivalence is based on studies of rickets prevention in infants conducted 70 y ago. The emergence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D as a measure of vitamin D status provides an objective, quantitative measure of the biological response to vitamin D administration. As a result, cholecalciferol has proven to be the more potent form of vitamin D in all primate species, including humans. Vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, should not be regarded as a nutrient suitable for supplementation or fortification.

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) for International Customers

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Alpha-tocopherol: Vitamin E

 

Research carried out in universities, hospitals, and laboratories around the world has now provided conclusive evidence that alpha-tocopherol, better known as vitamin-E, is absolutely crucial to human health. Moreover, it has been clearly established that the amount of vitamin E present in even the most carefully selected diet is totally inadequate to meet the requirement for this vitamin.

The recognition that vitamin-E supplementation is essential is a radical departure from the previous stand of the medical/scientific community that very little, perhaps 10-30 milligram/day, of vitamin E is needed and that this amount can be supplied through the normal diet.

Vitamin E however, is not merely a vitamin. The most active component of the vitamin E complex is alpha-tocopherol and this organic substance is the most powerful antioxidant in the lipid (fat) phase of the human body (1,2). So alpha-tocopherol has two functions: it acts as a vitamin (vitamin E) and it acts as an essential antioxidant. It is this function as an antioxidant and its crucial importance which the mainstream scientific community has so belatedly come to realize.

Vitamin E can not be synthesized by the body and must therefore be supplied in the diet or through supplementation. It is only stored in the body for a relatively short time and must be replenished on a regular basis. Unlike the other fat-soluble vitamins, A,D, and K, which are stored in the liver, vitamin E is stored throughout the body in the lipid phase. This fact is of crucial importance in the utilization of alpha-tocopherol to modify metabolic reactions.

Human metabolism is aerobic, that is, it depends on oxygen for sustenance. This has many advantages, but also creates some problems. One of the very major problems is that oxygen has a pronounced tendency to create free radicals - dangerous and highly reactive molecules which are now recognized as being the culprits in a large array of debilitating and deadly diseases.

Antioxidants have long been used to prevent and break up free-radical induced chain reactions and are used extensively for that purpose in plastics, rubbers, gasoline, motor oils, and indeed in many, many foodstuffs. As a matter of fact, unsaturated fatty acids occurring in nature almost always contains alpha-tocopherol which protects them from going rancid. In the body, alpha-tocopherol acts very effectively to deactivate free radicals and stops chain reactions before they can run away (1). In contrast to the action of alpha-tocopherol as a vitamin it is actually consumed, sometimes quite extensively, in its role as antioxidant.

The extremely critical role of alpha-tocopherol in protecting against free- radical reactions becomes apparent when considering the vast number of diseases and conditions thought to be caused by these reactions (3,4). Among them are:

• Aging
• Many types of cancer
• Atherosclerosis and other circulatory diseases
• Arthritis
• Cataract formation
• Senile dementia (Alzheimer type)
• Respiratory diseases induced by pollution

 

Free-radical diseases are almost all diseases with a very long "incubation period". It is not uncommon for these diseases to show up only after 20 or more years of accumulated free-radical damage. This of course makes it very difficult and in many cases unethical, to perform experiments on humans in order to establish the benefits of alpha-tocopherol in combating these diseases. Nevertheless, recent medical literature provides a wealth of examples of the efficacy of alpha-tocopherol in preventing or arresting free- radical induced diseases.

Aging is thought to be caused by a decline in the functioning of the immune system as well as by lipid peroxidation leading to undesirable cross linking and damage to DNA (3). Daily supplementation with vitamins E and C has been shown to lower lipid peroxide concentration in humans (5). Daily supplementation with vitamin E (400 IU/day) was also shown to increase the T- cell mediated immune responses in healthy, elderly people (6).

Recent studies have shown that a low vitamin E concentration in human blood is associated with an overall increased risk for many cancers including breast and lung cancer (7,8,9). There is definite proof that alpha-tocopherol prevents the formation of cancer-promoting nitrosamines in the stomach (5,8). There is also some indication that an increased intake of vitamin E by smokers (experimental dosage: 1000 mg/day of alpha-tocopheryl acetate) can decrease their risk of developing cancer and heart disease (10).

Atherosclerosis is a common form of heart disease. It is characterized by fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries. Cholesterol and low density lipoproteins (LDP) are known to be heavily implicated in the build-up of the fatty deposits. Recent research has confirmed that high blood levels of LDP's accelerate atherosclerosis. It has also been shown that the LDP's are oxidized before they attach to the artery wall and that this oxidation can be slowed down by the use of antioxidants (11,12).

Alpha-tocopherol has been shown to improve the capacity of the blood to carry oxygen, to prevent and dissolve blood clots and is effective in preventing scar formation (13,14). Other research confirmed that daily supplementation with 400 IU of vitamin E results in a significant reduction in blood platelet adhesion in healthy adults (5). Vitamin E has also been found effective in treating varicose veins and thrombophlebitis (14).

Animal studies have shown that alpha-tocopherol can alleviate arthritis symptoms (15). Studies involving humans suffering from osteoarthritis have shown that supplementation with vitamin E is effective in relieving pain associated with this disease (15).

Cataracts are a very major health problem in North America. It is estimated that 45% of men and 48% of women over 75 suffer from cataracts. The disease is caused by long term accumulation of free radical damage. A recent study suggests that the risk of getting cataracts may be reduced by more than 50% through supplementation with vitamins C and E (600 and 400 IU/day respectively) (16).

The list of known benefits of alpha-tocopherol in the fight against free- radical induced diseases goes on and on. The evidence is overwhelming that vitamin E is an extremely critical factor in human health. However, it is equally clear that a normal or even carefully selected diet is totally inadequate to provide the needed quantities of the vitamin/antioxidant.

 

Nutrition-oriented medical doctors are reaching a consensus as to how much alpha-tocopherol is required for a healthy person eating an average diet. The magic number is 400 IU/day which is considered a basic amount (17,18). The optimum

 

Intake for an individual depends on many factors including the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the degree of exposure to air pollution and toxic chemicals. Higher dosages may be indicated for women suffering from premenstrual or menopausal problems, for smokers, for people engaging in heavy, out-door exercise, and for people having a family history of cancer (18). Interestingly enough, the intake of fish oils or a large consumption of fish has been shown to increase the requirement for vitamin E quite significantly (19).

Large, well-controlled studies of vitamin E supplementation have shown the vitamin to be non-toxic in intakes as high as 3200 IU/day (20). However, most researchers caution against daily intakes higher than 800-1200 IU/day for extended periods (13,17,18). It is also recommended that the progression to a daily dose of 400 IU be gradual as should any decrease in intake.

There are some cases in which high dosages (more than 30 IU/day) of vitamin E are contraindicated. Medical advice concerning dosage should be sought by individuals having high blood pressure, those taking anticoagulant drugs (Coumadin, warfarin) or having a tendency to prolonged bleeding, those having a vitamin K deficiency and those suffering from rheumatic heart disease, an overactive thyroid, or diabetes (13,18).

Inorganic iron (ferrous sulphate) destroys vitamin E and birth control pills deactivate it to some degree. So vitamin E should be taken with the main meal (to optimize absorption) and at least six hours before or after taking an iron supplement or a multivitamin/mineral tablet or a birth control pill.

Natural vitamin E comes in two forms: d-alpha-tocopherol (100 mg=149 IU) and d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate (100 mg=136 IU). The "d" designation in front of the "alpha" indicates that the products are derived from natural sources such as vegetable oils or wheat germ. A prefix of "dl", such as in dl-alpha- tocopherol, shows that the vitamin has been synthesized from a petroleum base. Recent research has shown d-alpha-tocopherol and d-alpha-tocopheryl acetate to be equally effective on an International Unit basis (21). Synthetic alpha- tocopherol acetate however, has been found to be considerably less effective than its natural equivalent in raising the blood plasma level of vitamin E and in preventing peroxide hemolysis even when ingested at equivalent IU levels (22).

Vitamin E is quite clearly a prime example of a vitamin/antioxidant which is present in the diet in an amount insufficient to sustain health. To obtain a daily dosage of vitamin E equivalent to 400 IU it would be necessary to consume 200 cups of brown rice, 10 cups of almonds, 80 cups of cooked spinach, or 12 tablespoonfuls of unrefined, fresh wheat germ oil - clearly not a viable alternative.

Perhaps the most telling evidence of the metamorphosis of vitamin E from ugly duckling to reigning swan of nutrition can be found in the fact that an eminent scientist who in 1974 supported the contention that an alpha- tocopherol intake of 10-30 mg/day would be adequate for an adult publicly stated in 1991 that he was himself taking 400 IU of vitamin E every second day (22,23). To quote: "... The knowledge that undesirable products of lipid peroxidation in human tissues can be decreased by taking vitamin E has persuaded me to personally take a 269 mg supplement of d-alpha-tocopherol every other day (23)."