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Carnitine
A vitamin-like chemical compound, carnitine is found in the tissues of the skeleton and heart muscle. It acts as a carrier molecule, moving fatty acids within cells, so that they can be broken down to release energy.
Sources
The human body is able to synthesize enough carnitine to meet its needs, so there is no dietary requirement.
Choline
Originally, this alkaline compound was classified as part of the B vitamin family, but it has now been redefined as a vitamin-like substance.
Deficiency
Because of its role in transporting and processing fats in the body, deficiency may lead to increaed cholesterol levels, a fatty liver, cirrhosis, raised blood pressure and kidney damage. However, although these deficiency states ahve been observed in animals, there have been no human studies to verify them. A shortage of choline has also been linked to Alzheimer's and arteriosclerosis.
Overdose
Choline is not proposed as a dietary supplement: the daily requirment is not very great, and generally easily obtained in the diet. Some forms of choline can interfere with the healthy functioning of bacteria in the gut, thus disrupting production of other vitamins.
Benefits
Essential in transporting and metabolising fats, there are some suggestions that choline can also act to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood. It may also be able to pass through the blood/brain barrier, and possibly help to imprive the memory - but this has not been conclusively proven.
Sources
Found in wheatbran, egg yolk, brewer's yeast and offal.
RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance)
There is no RDA: the daily requirement is about 500mg.
Inositol
Described as a sugar alcohol, because its chemical composition is an alcohol, though its structure is reminiscent of a sugar, the role of inositol in the body is not completely clear. It exists in a number of different forms; that absorbed by the body, through the intestine, is meso-inositol.
Deficiency
Experimental deficiencies have been caused in animals: they led to hair loss, rashes, constipation, a reduction in growth rate and increase in congenital eye defects. There is no evidence linking human deficiency to such effects.
Benefits
Although little is known about inositol's role in the body, it seems to be involved in various functions, including construction of cell membranes and lipoproteins in the plasma. It seems also to prevent fat accumulating in the liver and other organs, and is important for metabolising glucose.
Sources
Meso-inositol is widely available in plant and animal sources - particularly liver, wheat bran, nuts, milk, brewer's yeast, sweet corn, oats, whole grains, cabbage, raisins, grapefruit, lecithin and peanuts.
PABA (para-aminobenzoic acid)
One of the components of folic acid (vitamin B9), PABA used to be grouped with the B vitamin complex. It is synthesised by bacteria in the intestine.
Deficiency
No deficiency information available - see section on folic acid for more about deficiency of this vital vitamin.
Overdose
In very large doses, may cause vomiting.
Sources
It is found in meat, eggs, cereals and milk.
Ubiquinone
Also known as co-enzyme Q10, the name by which it is now becoming much better recognised. It is produced in the cells of the body and also ingested in many food stuffs, to varying degrees. Within the body, it is concentrated in the heart muscle.
Deficiency
It is possible that many of us are deficient in co-enzyme Q10, and that this may have an impact on our overall health: various studies of patients with heart disease, cancer and AIDS indicate that they are routinely deficient in CoQ10.
Benefits
There are two areas in which ubiquinone is active: it enables enzymes to do their work, producing energy at the cellular level; and it is a powerful antioxidant. A series of studies have demonstrated its efficacy in treating various illnesses - in fact, it is registered as a medicine in Japan, where it is used to treat patients suffering from heart failure, with great success. It has also been demonstrated to extend the lifespan of AIDS patients and cancer sufferers, including some cases where tumours have been completely eliminated following treatment with CoQ10 and other antioxidant vitamins and essential fatty acids.
Sources
The best dietary source is offal: few people consume enough to be sure of a good intake of CoQ10, and although it is manufactured in the body, again the efficiency with which this occurs is very variable, so a daily supplement is probably the best solution.
RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance)
There is no RDA, but doses between 10 and 30mg are generally suggested as an effective way of maintaining health. Therapeutic doses to treat disease could well be significantly higher, but these should only be taken under a doctor's supervision.
Lecithin
Part of the group of phospholipids, which form cell membranes. It contains both choline and inositol and therefore, unsurprisingly, plays a large part in the metabolism of fat.
Benefits
Apart from its role in metabolising fat, lecithin makes cholesterol soluble, and also constitutes 40% of brain tissue. It has been the subject of considerable research, and many people believe that it can help to decrease blood cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risks of arteriosclerosis, heart disease and blood clots. There is also evidence that it can improve memory and mental health in older people, and bring benefits to patients suffering from Alzheimer's and Friedrich's Ataxia, a progressive disease of the brain and nervous system.
Sources
Lecithin is produced in the body as part of bile, the liquid that helps us to digest fats. It is also found in vegetable oils and soya beans. It is a popular food supplement.
Lipoic Acid
Once classified as part of the vitamin B complex, lipoic acid is employed to assist in enzyme functions associated with obtaining maximum energy from glucose. It is actually manufactured in the body in sufficient quantity to make dietary intake unnecessary.