They include riboflavin, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, folic acid, vitamin B12, biotin, choline and inositol.
| Vitamins |
Important Sources |
Physiology and Functions |
Recommended Allowances* |
| Ascorbic acid Vitamin C |
Citrus fruits: tomatoes: melons; cabbage; broccoli strawberries; fresh potatoes; green leafy vegetables, lemon, amla, guava, sprouted grams |
Very little storage in body Formation of intercellular cement substance; Synthesis of collagen Absorption and use of iron Prevents oxidation of folacin, helps in wound healing, amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism and synthesis of some hormones. |
Men;60mg
Women:60mg
Pregnancy:80mg
Lactation:100mg
Infants:35mg
Children under 11:0.7-1.2mg
Boys and girls:50 mg |
Thiamin
Vitamin B-1 |
Whole-grain and enriched breads, cereals, flours; organ meats, pork; other meats, poultry, fish; legumes, nuts; milk; green vegetables |
Limited body storage Thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) is coenzyme for decarboxylation and transketolation; chiefly involved in carbohydrate metabolism |
Men;1.4mg
Women:1.0mg
Pregnancy:+0.4mg
Lactation:+0.5mg
Infants:0.3-0.5mg
Children under11:0.7-1.2mg
Boys and girls::1.1-1.5mg |
Riboflavin
Vitamin B-2 |
Milk; organ meats; eggs; green leafy vegetables |
Limited body stores but reserves retained carefully
Coenzymes for removal and transfer of hydrogen; flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) |
Men;1.6 mg
Women:1.2 mg
Pregnancy:+0.3mg
Lactation:+0.5 mg
Infants:0.4-0.6 mg
Children under 11:0.8-1.4 mg
Boys and girls:1.3-1.7 mg |
Niacin
Nicotinic acid
Nicotinamide |
Meat, poultry, fish; whole grain and enriched breads, flours, cereals; nuts, legumes Tryptophan as a precursor. |
Coenzyme for glycolysis, fat synthesis, tissue respiration. Coenzymes NAD and NADP accept hydrogen and transfer it |
Men;18mgNE
Women:13mgNE
Pregnancy:+2mgNE
Lactation:+5mgNE
Infants:6-8mgNE
Children under 11:9-16mgNE
Boys and girls:14-19mgNE |
Vitamin B-6
Three active forms:
Pyridoxine
Pyridoxal
Pyriodoxamine |
Meat, poultry, fish potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables |
Pyridoxal phosphate is coenzyme for transamination, decarboxylation, transulfuration of amino acids
Conversion of tryptophan to niacin; conversion of glycogen to glucose Requirement related to protein intake |
Men;2.2mg
Women:2.0mg
Pregnancy:+0.6mg
Lactation:+0.5mg
Infants:0.3-0.6mg
Children under 11:0.9-1.6mg
Boys and girls:1.8-2.2mg |
| Pantothenic acid |
Meat, poultry, fish; whole grain cereals; legumes Smaller amounts I fruits, vegetables, milk |
Constituent of coenzyme A: oxidation of pyruvic acid, & ketoglutarate, fatty acids; synthesis of fatty acids, sterols, and porphyrin |
Recommended safe and adequate intakes:
Adolescents and adults:
4-7 mg
Infants: 2-3 mg
Children: 3-4 mg |
| Biotin |
Organ meats, egg yolk, nuts, legumes |
Avidlin, aprotein in raw egg white, blocks absorption; large amounts of raw eggs must be eaten
Coenzymes for deamination carboxylation and decarboxylation |
Recommended safe and adequate intakes:
Adolescents and adults:
100-200 mg
Infants: 35-50 mg
Children: 65-120 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 Cyanocobalamin Hydroxy-cobalamin |
In animal foods only; organ meats, muscle meats, fish, poultry; milk |
Requires intrinsic factor for absorption
Biosynthesis of methyl groups
Synthesis of DNA and RNA
Formation of mature red blood cells |
Adults;3mg
Pregnancy:4mg
Lactation:4mg
Infants::0.5-1.5mg
Children:2-3mg under
Boys and girls:3mg |
Folacin
Folic acid
Tetrahydrofolic acid |
Organ meats, deep green leafy vegetables; muscle meats, poultry, fish, eggs; whole-grain cereals |
Active form is folic acid; requires ascorbic acid for conversion Coenzyme for transmethylation; synthesis of nucleoproteins; maturation of red blood cells Interrelated with vitamin B-12 |
Adults;400 mg
Pregnancy:800 mg
Lactation:500 mg
Infants30-45 mg
Children under 11:100-300 mg
Boys and girls:400 mg |
| Choline |
Egg yolk, meat, poultry, fish, milk, whole grains |
Probably not a true vitamin Donor of methyl groups; lipotropic action
Component of a etylcholine, lecithin, sphingomyelin |
Not known |
Lipoic acid
Thioetic acid
Protogen
Inositol |
Widely distributed in all foods |
Probably not a true vitamin Coenzyme for decarboxylation of keto acids
Lipotropic agent vitamin nature not established |
Not known |
