Birgit Bortoluzzi

 Long Covid - ME/CFS - chronic diseases - Strategies from a 360 perspective

Vitamin Sheet - personalized nutrition plan

Vitamin A - fat-soluble

benefits

Vision, regulation of the immune system, skin health/mucosa, supports wound healing, bones, teeth, reproduction

food sources

preformed sources of vitamin A (retinol): liver, fish, dairy products, eggs, Foods with a lot of beta-carotene: carrots, leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, kale, spinach, lamb's lettuce

special features to be observed

Vitamin-A-Stoffwechsel und -Transport / Vitamin A metabolism and transport f. e. BCMO1


Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) - water-soluble

benefits

- Energy metabolism: conversion of carbohydrates into energy for mental and physical activities (concentration + mental performance)
- Maintenance of nerve and heart muscle tissue and growth
- Nerve function (formation of neurotransmitters)
- Regeneration of the nervous system after illness or trauma
- Involved in the production of serotonin (happy hormone)
- Involved in the synthesis of DNA and RNA

food sources

Nutrient-dense foods: whole grains (barley, oats, rice, quinoa, spelt), legumes (lentils, peas, black and white beans), leafy vegetables (lamb's lettuce, kale, fennel, spinach) or lean meat, soy, nuts, sesame seeds, pork, fish

special features to be observed / important keywords

Note: continuous intake with food and only minimally processed foods to maintain a high nutritional value. Refining and grinding of grain can lead to loss of vitamin B1.

Carbohydrate metabolite, coenzyme, citric acid cycle, alpha-lipoic acid, oxidative decarboxylation, oxidative phosphorylation, pyruvate, acetyl-CoA, NADPH, nucleotide biosynthesis (ATP, GTP), mitochondrial metabolism


Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) – water-soluble

benefits

Helps convert food into energy – supports healthy hair, skin, blood and brain, physiological activation and biosynthesis of vitamin D, detoxification of homocysteine, cellular immune response, anti-inflammatory effect (reduction of IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-1ß)

food sources

dairy products, meat, green leafy vegetables, fortified wheat, oysters

Special features / key words to note

flavin coenzymes, anti-inflammatory (IL-6, TNF-alpha, IL-1ß), biological redox system (oxidation reaction, reduction reaction), flavin-dependent proteins, mitochondrial respiratory chain, detoxification, homocysteine


Vitamin B4 (Choline) - Water Soluble

Benefits

Important for the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine in brain function, memory, cognitive function and muscle control, support the removal of fats from the liver, structural integrity of the cell membrane

food sources

Whole grains, fish, meat, fish, eggs

Special features / keywords

Vitamin B4 interacts with vitamins B2 and B3 to produce energy, making it an important component of the vitamin B complex. Limit alcohol consumption or avoid alcohol altogether to avoid a deficiency.


Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) - water-soluble

benefits

conversion of food into energy, formation of red blood cells, synthesis of neurotransmitters, support of healthy methylation processes, supports immune system, improves sleep, regulates various hormones (e.g. mood)

food sources

poultry/chicken, fish, tofu, beef liver, bananas, potatoes, legumes, nuts, watermelon, seeds

Special features to be noted / keywords

Since some of the valuable vitamin B6 is lost during canning, cooking and frying, please consume enough seasonal vegetables and fruits to optimally maintain your vitamin B6 levels. Alcohol limits the utilization and absorption of vitamin B6, so avoid it if possible. Please also keep in mind that stress can negatively affect your vitamin B6 levels.

A deficiency can lead to anemia, skin disorders and nerve damage – conversion (absorption and utilization) is done by pyridoxal kinase genes.

MTHFR, SLC19A1, COMT, ALPL, NBPF3

Reminder for stress management: morning and evening meditation, yoga, autogenic training, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing


Vitamin B9 (folate) - Water soluble

Benefit

- Plays a decisive role in the growth and development of the human body, e.g. infancy and pregnancy (formation of maternal tissue and risk of neural tube defects in the unborn child) - Cell division and cell growth

- Metabolic processes: Formation of DNA and RNA

- Involvement in the synthesis of white and red blood cells

- Involvement in amino acid metabolism (conversion of AS into proteins in the context of muscle building and tissue repair)

- Mental health: synthesis of neurotransmitters / signal transmission between nerve cells

- Contributes to the reduction of fatigue (European Commission, 2016)

- Together with vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, contributes to an easier breakdown of the harmful AS homocysteine in the context of conversion to methionine.

LM sources

Apples, avocados, kiwis, melons, apricots (dried), spinach, kale, carrots, green salad, asparagus, sauerkraut, sprouts, papayas, leeks, oranges, broccoli, Tomatoes, pulses (kidney beans, lentils, chickpeas), eggs (egg yolk), liver (beef, veal, lamb, duck), seeds (wheat germ), nutritional yeast (CIQUAL data, Anses 2017) (1)

Special features to note / key words

In industrialized countries, folate deficiency symptoms often occur, as cooking and long cooking processes destroy the valuable vitamins. A deficiency can lead to congenital malformations, anemia, fatigue, sleep disorders, neurological disorders, irritability, memory problems (2), a higher risk of cancer, and genetics (genes that affect the folate pathway, e.g. MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase: conversion of homocysteine to methionine, neurotransmitter synthesis, DNA methylation), SLC19A1, FOLR1 (uptake and transport of folate into the cells), DHFR (methylation, DNA synthesis, conversion of dihydrofolate to tetrahydrofolate during the synthesis of nucleotides)) can play a decisive role in folate metabolism. It is possible that the conversion of folate into methylfolate (active form) from food does not take place optimally.

Alcohol restricts the utilization and absorption of folate, avoid it if possible to achieve an optimal folate level.


Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) - Water soluble

Benefits

Powerful antioxidant and essential nutrient for maintaining health.

- Necessary for the growth and repair of body tissues such as skin, bone and cartilage

- Cofactor for collagen biosynthesis, carnitine and catecholamine metabolism and the absorption of dietary iron

- Neutralizes free radicals and toxins

- dampens inflammatory reactions, including sepsis syndrome

- stabilizes vitamin E and folic acid and impr

- In collagen, the proline residues of procollagen require vitamin C for hydroxylation (important for the formation of the triple helix of mature collagen). Fundamental importance for: Skin, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. Vitamin C deficiency leads to scurvy and manifests itself in bleeding, hyperkeratosis and hematological abnormalities.

- strengthens our immune system to fight off infections and diseases

- Genetic predisposition can affect vitamin C metabolism (the ability to absorb and utilize vitamin C in the body can be impaired and the risk of vitamin C deficiency increases) and can influence and (co-)promote the risk of certain diseases.


LM sources

Fresh and, if possible, natural foods such as oranges, kiwis, strawberries, citrus fruits, berries, broccoli, peppers, kale, potatoes, tomatoes, sulphur-rich vegetables such as onions, garlic and cruciferous vegetables, supplements e.g. buffered vitamin C

Caution: Vitamin C is sensitive to heat and light! Spread your vitamin C intake evenly throughout the day. Our body cannot store vitamin C over a longer period of time.

Improve your iron intake by combining iron-rich foods with fruit and vegetables such as citrus fruits, strawberries, green leafy vegetables, peppers and tomatoes, which are high in vitamin C. Avoid a parallel intake of dairy products and calcium-rich foods as these inhibit iron absorption.

Smoking, chronic stress and excessive alcohol consumption have a negative effect on vitamin C levels. Make sure you use sufficient stress management techniques such as meditation, sport and mindfulness exercises.

Other risk factors for vitamin C deficiency: food allergies, age (seniors), cancer, anorexia, inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal reflux, fad diets, unsupplemented parenteral nutrition, use of medications such as aspirin, tetracyclines, indomethacin, corticosteroids and oral contraceptives, renal cell carcinoma, dialysis (kidney failure due to leaching of water-soluble vitamin C), liver transplantation.


Special features to be observed / key words

Note before taking blood samples: Discontinue vitamin C at least 2 days beforehand; this can lead to falsification of transaminases, lactate dehydrogenase and bilirubin values. After administration of vitamin C in gram doses, the concentration of the active ingredient in the urine can increase to such an extent that the measurement of various urine values such as glucose, uric acid, creatinine and inorganic phosphate is disturbed. However, false negative results can also occur when attempts are made to detect blood in the stool.

Research by the University of California has shown that half a gram of vitamin C per day can reduce the inflammation value CRP in the blood by 24 percent. This plays a significant role in the diagnosis of coronary heart disease in particular, as an elevated CRP value indicates a higher risk of heart attack.


Glutathione, glutathione synthesis, mitochondrial efficiency, SLC23A1 (vitamin C transporter 1 (SVCT1) - regulation of vitamin C levels and antioxidant defense, collagen synthesis), GSTT1, SLC23A2, TMPRSS6, HFE, TFR2, TF, NMDA receptor, AKT1, CHPT1, FADS2, GSTA1, GSTA5, MAF, RER1, RGS14, SLC23A3, SNRPF, TBX2, influence on viral replication EBV (ascorbic acid plasma levels)




(1) Table of nutrient composition of foods Ciqual. https://ciqual.anses.fr, Anses (2017), Retrieved: 02.09.2024

(2) Guilland JC et al. Les Vitamin Issue No. 41 Online https://www.sjbm.fr/images/cahiers/2007-Bioforma-38-Les%20Vitamines.pdf, Bioforma, Retrieved: 02.09.2024