Everything You Need to Know About Vitamins

Some vitamin pic I stole off the internet. ;-)

Remember when you were a kid and you had the Big Book of Science or the Big Book of Birds?

Well, we've got a LOT of vitamins at this place, and half the people who come in for an IV don't have any idea what they're for, how much they need, how much is too much, or whether they actually need them at all.

So, I'm about to go through all of them, and if you can suffer through it maybe you'll pick up a little something and know what to get and what to avoid. Best bet would of course be to get bloodwork done at your doctor's office and let them tell you what you need, but I'm not holding my breath that many of y'all of are gonna do that. ;-)

I just scrolled back to the top of this after finishing it (I'm not saying it took three weeks, but I'm not gonna say it didn't), and I have a suggestion for you: Bite-sized pieces. Nobody can finish this dry thing in one sitting, and even if you can you won't absorb (bah-dom-pom) anything. Maybe use it as a reference, or try to read about one vitamin a night over several days.

Good luck.

So I present to you, the Big Blog of Vitamins.

Obviously we have to start off with

Vitamin A

What it's for: Vitamin A is really a group of things called retinoids. It's no coincidence that retinoid sounds a lot like retina, which is part of your eye. Vitamin A is essential for healthy vision. It's especially helpful for low-light (like nighttime) vision. It helps your body produce something called "rhodopsin", which is the protein that helps your eyes respond to light.

Deficiency: You are not Vitamin A deficient. Less than 1% of the population in the U.S. is vitamin A deficient, and those people are malnourished or have a medical condition of which they're perfectly aware. Lots of people in Africa are Vitamin A deficient (literally almost half) but none of those folks are reading this.

Being deficient can cause blindness. I wouldn't sweat it though. If you're really worried about it, your primary care doctor can run a quick lab test for you.

How much you need: Not much. About 300 micrograms a day, and that's pretty easy to get as long as you aren't fasting.

How to get it: You've always heard that carrots are good for your vision. Well, that's because they contain carotenoids, and those are converted by your intestine into Vitamin A. Meat, eggs, and lots of other things get you the Vitamin A you need. No need to go find a supplement unless your vision is fading, especially at night, and even then it could be due to something else.

Too much: Long-term excess Vitamin A can cause all sorts of nasty things like liver failure, hair loss, skin issues, etc. Short-term excessive Vitamin A consumption can cause vomiting, nausea, dizziness, yuck... As long as you aren't supplementing, you're safe.

Vitamin B

That's a big ball of wax. First, have you ever asked yourself why there are SO MANY B vitamins? Are they all similar? Do they do some of the same things? No and no, but sorta yes.

What they all are is water-soluble. Some vitamins can be given in an IV because they can be blended into fluids like Ringer's Lactate and normal saline.

Vitamins that (in general) have to be injected and can't go in your IV bag are called fat-soluble, and were initially called A vitamins. There are 4 of those, and they aren't all called A vitamins anymore. There are 8 B vitamins, despite the fact that they are numbered up to 12.

It's okay to give up worrying about the nomenclature. All you need to know for now is that B vitamins are water-soluble, and we can put them in your IV.

B1 (thiamine):

We put thiamine in a LOT of different IVs. It's also expensive as hell (but worth it). I believe the box of 25 doses cost us about $160, so a little more than six bucks a whack. It's sort of a cheat, and I'll explain that below.

What it's for: Basically helps your body metabolize food into energy. It's a "pep" boost.

Deficiency: You'd think fatigue, and you'd be right. Being deficient in thiamine can also lead to nerve damage, decreased cardiovascular efficiency, irregular heart rate, shortness of breath, all sorts of bad stuff. Those symptoms require serious deficiency, but the fatigue, muscle pain, and lethargy can really come on with just a bit of deficiency.

How much you need: Just over one milligram a day, and it's pretty easy to get.

How to get it: All ways other than an IV are bad ideas... for me... ;-) But seriously, you can maintain your thiamine levels pretty easily. Instant oatmeal is packed with thiamine. So is ground pork. Those are the two best ways to get it from food. Pretty good load in eggs too.

It's in almost every multivitamin you'll find at the store. I actually buy it as a standalone supplement from Puritan's Pride and take it first thing in the morning.

Too much: Well, imagine too much caffeine. Sweating, heart palpitations, flushing of the skin, wheezing, jitters, just bad "antsy" stuff all the way around. It's not likely you'll get some kind of persistent thiamine overload, but certainly can get it temporarily.

Side note: Most of the folks who come in to see us are dragging. That's why almost all of our bags have thiamine in them. Sometimes people will get a little flush from either thiamine or niacin at the start of their bags, but in the case of thiamine that's because you're getting jet fuel. Enjoy it, but when you walk out remember, it's sorta cheating. We're basically giving you an energy boost and that can mask a lot of problems.

B2 (riboflavin):

What it's for: This beast does everything. It (like B1) helps your body burn food to create energy. It also supports your immune system, acts as an antioxidant, helps with cellular repair and growth (especially in your immune system), and is great for your eyes and skin.

Deficiency: You can probably guess. It helps you burn food for energy, so anemia and lethargy happen when you're riboflavin deficient. It's good for your skin and eyes, so scratchy, watery eyes are a symptom of deficiency, as are various skin conditions like dermatitis. It supports your immune system, and being B2 deficient makes you more vulnerable to viruses.

How much you need: Same as B1... just over a gram.

How to get it: Dairy products, leafy vegetables, and legumes. Pretty much there's some of it in most things you eat. Oddly, yeast rolls. Yum. All multivitamins have it. You can buy it individually, but it seems like a waste to do so.

Too much: This one is odd. B2 GIVES you energy (or more properly said, helps you generate it yourself) so it seems strange, but too much B2 causes all sorts of lethargy. It makes it hard to breathe because you can get tongue and throat swelling. You'll "dry out" too, causing chapped and cracked lips and your urine will start looking like Gatorade. If there's one you DON'T want to get too much of, riboflavin is it.

B3 (niacin/niacinamide)

Before we get going on B3, this is the one that occasionally causes people to freak out in the office. It's in our multivitamin, and actually in most of them. The trick is that some people get what's called "niacin flush" from it. If you've had it (which I have) you know what I'm talking about. You get some chest tightness, some trouble breathing, and you're likely to feel hot as hell and have an increased pulse. It usually lasts just a few minutes and goes away. It's almost always completely harmless. Happens to about half the people who take big doses, and a much smaller percentage (1 in 100 or so) of people who just get any by IV or orally.

You aren't having a heart attack. Relax and it'll go away pronto. If it doesn't, we'll discontinue your IV and run you a bag of plain fluids with no vitamins. We won't let anything bad happen to you.

What it's for: It's in meat, fish, all manner of nuts and legumes, whole-grain cereal and breads... pretty much everything you eat has some niacin in it.

Deficiency: How's this for hijinks? Memory loss, confusion, headache, disorientation... Yuck. Also, just for giggles you can get bad diarrhea. The good news is, almost nobody in the U.S. is niacin deficient.

How much you need: Between 14 and 16 milligrams (mg) per day, and 18 is a good idea if you're pregnant. When you're breastfeeding you can even go to 20.

How to get it: Here's a shocker - eggs. Good grief. Eggs really have it all, eh? You can also get it from meat of all kinds. I mean ALL kinds. Beef, chicken, fish, pork... It's also in dairy products. Therefore, we must all eat bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast tacos every day to get plenty of niacin. If you're going to buy it in capsule form (which, not to piss off The Big Niacin Lobby, is completely unnecessary) make sure you get the "no flush" variety because there's so much in it you can get flush in a hurry.

Too much: If you suffer from gout, this is a quick way to make things way worse. Don't take extra niacin if you have, or even HAVE had, gout.

Too much niacin leads to all sorts of GI issues. You can get stomach pain, stomach cramps, diarrhea (that one seems everywhere), nausea, vomiting, the whole gamut. I'm just thinking "be careful with the niacin".

B5 (pantothenic acid)

This is in every "beauty IV" you've seen advertised, and it's always a case of "Well we read that it's good for your hair and skin so we'll pitch it to people who don't know any better."

What it's for: Like almost all B vitamins it helps you metabolize food. It is important for the health of your skin, hair, and eyes. That said, piling a bunch into an IV isn't going to turn you into Marilyn Monroe. If you're deficient it can certainly help, but it isn't a miracle.

It's also really important for the production of red blood cells and, wait for it, the sec hormones testosterone, progesterone, and estrogen.

Deficiency: Same as everything else. Muscle cramps, nausea, headache, etc. More importantly, lower sex drive and increased cortisol production (which regulates blood pressure, keeps you from metabolizing fat, etc.).

How much you need: About 5mg (milligrams) per day, for men and women.

How to get it: If I have to say eggs one more time I'm going to jump off a building... but, eggs. Also avocado, whole grains, and liver.

Too much: Diarrhea and stomach cramps.

Side note: A lot of shampoos and such say they have panthenol, and I don't even know if it absorbs through your scalp... BUT, people buy it. Just like they buy IVs called "Beauty Drip" that are supposed to be good for your skin and everything else, and get excited when they leave because they have a "glow". That glow comes from the fact that you're fully hydrated and your wrinkles aren't as obvious. When your skin is "plumped" you don't see wrinkles, and you think the beauty IV worked magic. The plain IV would've done the same. Don't fall for BS. YES, you need panthenol. No, one squirt of it in an IV bag isn't going to change you.

B6 (pyridoxine)

So just to let you know, honestly this is one nobody thinks about, and there's about a 1 in 10 chance you actually SHOULD be supplementing this. In the U.S. basically nobody is deficient in almost anything (except one we'll come to in a shake), but this is one that about 10% of the population has an actual deficiency. Probably explains why the road is always full of morons around me, but I'll get to that.

What it's for: It does a LOT of things, but the one thing it's really known for is being "the brain vitamin" and "the blood vitamin". It's absolutely critical for producing neurotransmitters. Those are the little chemical messengers that shoot signals from one part of your brain to another. Not enough neurotransmitters leads to brain fog, loss of memory, inability to form cohesive thoughts, etc. Those same chemicals work for your nervous system. Basically, if you don't have enough B6 to create the proper amount of neurotransmitter chemicals, you're screwed.

It also helps you metabolize food, produce hemoglobin (protein in your blood cells that move oxygen around), regulate your immune system and your hormone levels, and on and on and on.

If you're pregnant, PLEASE talk to your OB/Gyn about a prenatal vitamin because B6 is critical in the proper development of your baby.

Deficiency: You can get anemia in a hurry because you aren't producing enough hemoglobin and your cells aren't properly oxygenated. So that draggy feeling that makes you THINK you need an iron infusion. You probably don't. You just need to have your pyridoxine levels checked.

You can also get things like rashes and cracked lips, but a tell-tale sign is mood swings. B6 regulates your hormones, and when those get out of whack you go from happy to crabby quickly. Worse, you aren't making enough neurotransmitters to think quickly so you're half-witted and even more cranky. Your ability to make quick decisions and your ability to control your mood are compromised when you're B6 deficient.

How much you need: Guys need about a milligram and a half a day, ladies a little more (menstruation and such), and pregnant women need up to 2mg a day.

How to get it: Eggs and peanuts. Shocking. Fish, potatoes, and bananas are also good. Probably the best is liver, but I'd rather be cranky and stupid than eat liver. Chicken breasts are up there too...

Too much: So along with the usual (rashes, etc.) your nervous system can actually go the wrong way with too much of this one. You can get peripheral neuropathy, and not be able to feel your extremities. It'll keep you from feeling your feet and keep your brain from sending proper signals to your legs as well and you'll get a weird, wobbly gait. Don't get too much B6.

B7 (biotin)

This is another "hair and nail" thing, but it has other important functions.

What it's for: The aforementioned "hair, skin, and nails" health, metabolism, your immune system, and most importantly (at least for the future of the human race) embryonic growth.

Deficiency: You first notice because you have a draggy, slow metabolism but don't always attribute it to B7 deficiency, and then you get dry, flaky nails, and hair loss. Being seriously deficient can lead to low birth-weight pregnancies and slow-to-develop fetuses.

How much you need: About 25-30 micrograms (mcg) a day for normal healthy adults, but at least 30 and up to 35 a day for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

How to get it: Bananas and oatmeal have lots of it, so having oatmeal with banana slices really turns the trick. Eggs and nuts of course. Once again, avocados. Feel like you could have banana nut bread and eggs with slices of avocado and knock this out before lunch.

It's in EVERY prenatal vitamin. I know most of y'all aren't pregnant, but I'm kinda paranoid about everything going right in pregnancy.

Too much: Most of the same nausea, diarrhea, skin reactions and such, but more importantly confusion and eventually seizures. If you start getting confused, the seizure is likely to follow. Don't get too much folate.

B9 (folate)

We give this in a lot of IVs as folic acid. We give a TINY amount because that's all you need.

What it's for: It's critical for production of red blood cells, and DNA replication. Folate also helps with the production of RNA, and helps you metabolize amino acids.

Deficiency: Anemia, weakness, and brain fog. I know you're thinking "that's the same crap as all of them". Well, spoiler alert: I'll explain that at the end of this.

How much you need: Only 400mcg (micrograms) for the average adult, but about 500 if you're breastfeeding and 600 if you're pregnant. Also, people who drink a lot of booze need about 600.

How to get it: Eggs, chicken, fish, and liver. Jeez... Ugh... also, various beans and citrus fruits. Or, just about any of our IVs.

Too much: Same stomach issues and confusion and stuff, but it's generally not a big deal. It IS A BIG DEAL for people who have kidney issues. You process it through your kidneys and pass excess folic acid through your urine. That's one reason we don't give IVs to people who have kidney problems. If you have kidney issues definitely talk to your physician, and for damned sure don't supplement with folate.

B12 (cobalamin)

There are a ton of B12s out there. Methylcobalamin, cyanocobalamin, hydroxocobalamin, and Adenosylcobalamin. We give cyanocobalamin in our B12 injections.

What it's for: Produces red blood cells, is important for nerve function, and DNA synthesis, but the reason we give it, and everyone else gives it too, is that it increases your metabolic rate and gives you a boost of energy.

Deficiency: Same as all the rest of them (memory issues, confusion) but most of those all stem from the same thing: anemia. Dragggggggggy.

How much you need: About 2.5mcg a day, which is easy to get, and a little more of you're pregnant. Just like one cheeseburger will get you all you need.

How to get it: YEAH, red meat... Steak... also eggs... cheeses too, so if you get a charcuterie board with sliced filet and pieces of cheese, you're winning.

Too much: First thing is that everything you read about excess B12 mentions injections. There's a reason we don't let people have them more than once a week. Too much B12 will have you barfing and stuck in the bathroom. It's temporary, but it's ugly. Also, best not to get it too late in the day or you won't sleep well at night.

I KNOW some people think "It doesn't affect me like that so it's okay for me to have more than one a week." DON'T come to us and get one and then go somewhere else the next day, and somewhere else the day after that because you're trying to beat feeling draggy. If you want to risk something like that there are plenty of places not named Rapid Recovery where you can risk your health and wellness. There are rules for a reason, and the reason is your health.

A NOTE ON B VITAMINS

It's pretty obvious that, aside from eggs and fish and nuts having all of them, B vitamins all do a lot for your metabolism. That's why a lot of places have B-complex. We tried but nobody wanted it. Anyway, it's an energy boost to get B vitamins, especially if you're deficient in any of them, but THERE'S A CATCH: They work together. You can have all the B1 and B12 you need, and be short of B6 and still be screwed. Same with any of the rest of them. You've got to be aware of your levels for all of them. If nothing else, get a multivitamin supplement and take it every morning. Coming in for a B12 injection isn't going to fix your folate problem. That's why we use Infuvite, which has a wide range of all the Bs. It ain't cheap, but it's the best way to make sure you're getting them all. Anyway, make sure you do something to get a broad spectrum because they work together and a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

Vitamin C

I know everybody knows about all there is to know about Vitamin C, but I have to include it.

First things first:

Taking giant doses of Vitamin C WILL NOT cure cancer. There were a few studies done decades and decades ago that showed that massive doses of Vitamin C injected into lab rats slowed the growth of tumors. That's great, but that level of C can be toxic in humans. We stop you at 15g because at 20g you have to have bloodwork to make sure you aren't going to get in trouble. Even at that, C produces oxalates, processes through your kidneys, and you're likely to end up with kidney stones. Granted, I'd rather have kidney stones than cancer, but I think you're just going to end up with both. Chemo is awful and radiation sucks even worse, but do your 15g of C if your kidneys and GI tract can handle it, and stick with the stuff that sucks but is proven to work. I don't want anyone thinking Rapid Recovery, or any IV spa, can end your cancer. There are a bunch of quacks out there who'll tell you their #1 treatment for cancer is massive doses of Vitamin C. They're either crooks or nuts. Can some C help? Maybe so, and if it does, great, but don't make it your only weapon in the battle.

What it's for: A few BIG things. First, it helps your body produce white blood cells. That makes it bigtime for your immune system. It's critical for the production of collagen (which is good for reducing wrinkles and keeping your skin jazzy). Collagen is so important to your skin that it even works to help heal wounds. That's why it's in every other cream and face wash and everything else...

Deficiency: Well, it causes [arrrggghh, ya mangy cur] scurvy. Hahahaha... I hate doing all this work so I have to have some fun. Pirates (and other seagoers) used to get it because they didn't have fruit onboard. They ate fish and meat and bread and whatever, but they didn't know to take fruits. Even if they did, they didn't last. For the rest of us, it just causes crepe-skin, bruising that lasts FOREVER, slow-to-heal wounds, and some anemia. Mostly skin problems. If you get to the point of scurvy, you're just not eating anything other than meat. Don't do that. You'll get gout AND scurvy.

How much you need: Women need about 75mg and men need about 100 depending on their weight. Pregnant women REALLY need it... about 125mg.

How to get it: Citrus fruits. There are other ways, but this is the best answer. There are about 50mg in an orange. If you can get one down a day, between that and your food, you're good. If not, just get some fruit every day, or take a daily multivitamin. I drink one packet of generic Walmart brand EmergenC every day, and I take a multivitamin. Sometimes when it strikes me I'll peel an orange. Truth is that most processed foods like cereal and store-bought stuff (even bread) that isn't meat has been juiced up (pardon the pun) with some C.

Too much: BAD BAD stomach problems and diarrhea. Headache, flushing, nausea, vomiting. Those are all temporary, but you can also end up with kidney stones. I've had two. I'd rather get kicked in the stomach by a mule. Don't get too much Vitamin C.

Vitamin D

I'm such a fan of it, and so few people get as much as they should (especially in the winter months) that we've actually given it away for long periods of time.

What it's for: For starters, it's great for your mood. For real. It's part of the reason why everyone is happier when Spring rolls around and the sun comes out. Your body produces Vitamin D when it's in the sun, and Vitamin D makes you happy.

It also helps your body absorb calcium. If you take a bunch of calcium and don't take Vitamin D, you aren't going to absorb it. The calcium will be more likely to give you kidney stones than help your osteoporosis. That's why we beg women over 50 to get Vitamin D. Just as importantly, if you're buying a supplement you need to get the Vitamin D that also includes K2. Calcium in your system that doesn't get into your bones can "stick" in your arteries, increasing your chance of a heart attack. Yuck. Vitamin D with K2. It's dirt cheap.

Deficiency: Weak bones, joint and bone pain,

How much you need: About 600iu (international units) works for most folks, though women can use a little more. As you age, more is better. Up to 800 or a thousand iu. Remember that if you take an oral supplement you're going to absorb about 1/2 what the dose says on the bottle. Generally a 1,000iu daily supplement will cut it for everyone.

We give 25,000iu "loading doses" for people who are deficient, and then want you to get a supplement. If you take more than about 50,000iu a day for a few months you're going to end up in BAD shape. W won't let you get the 25k shots more than once a week, and we really prefer that you keep it to about every 10 days to two weeks, and that's only if you REALLY need it.

How to get it: Most of the foods which have Vitamin D (eggs of course, oily fish, and fortified processed foods - which I never recommend) aren't as good for you as just a little time in the sun.

Too much: About the same as most of them, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite (your body doesn't want you taking in any more and you're having stomach issues), etc. This one comes with WAY increased urination, often leading to dehydration. Best bet: If you're low get a shot, another in ten days, and start on a 1,000iu daily D3+K2 supplement, oy maybe 5,000iu if you're in a "need" classification (older, stay indoors all the time, and/or have dark skin).

Vitamin E

So here's another one of those things that people tout for everything. It's basically a fat-soluble antioxidant that keeps your cells from suffering oxidative stress. Goof for your eyes, brain, and heart, but not the wonder drug the vitamin pushers will tell you it is.

What it's for: As previously mentioned (had to get that in once in this deal), E is a winner for your vision. The reason this works is that free radicals (oxidants) can cause cellular damage, especially to the very sensitive ninny cells in your eyes. If those "not so tough" cells start breaking down you can end up with AMD (age-related macular degeneration) and/or cataracts. Yuck.

It's also something of a blood-thinner, which can be great for your heart because it reduces your risk of clots forming. Clots = trouble.

E is also said to keep blood flowing in your brain, reducing your risk of vascular dementia. No blood flow means you can't think... Seems pretty simple.

Deficiency: First off, I wouldn't worry about it. Vitamin E is in just about everything, and if you're reading this on a computer or cellphone you probably aren't clinically malnourished, which means you aren't Vitamin E deficient. There are some people with genetic abnormalities that prevent them from absorbing E, but that's rare.

If you ARE Vitamin E deficient you're probably reading this through Coke-bottle lenses, have peripheral neuropathy, and shake uncontrollably (ataxia). If you have some of those symptoms you may be Vitamin E deficient and a blood test will tell you if so.

How much you need: This is tricky because there's a lot of debate on this one. Some places say 4-5mg a day, while some say 15. That's a pretty damned big difference. Lots of places say "average intake is only 7mg per day". Well, if 4-5 is what you need then 7 is plenty, but if you need 15 then 7 sucks. Everyone agrees that pregnant women need a lot more... like 20mg. The trick is that you're safe to take in 20 a day no matter who you are, so that's really the best bet for my money. Luckily, you can get that fairly easily.

How to get it: Oils, nuts, fruits and vegetables (especially avocado), and (shocking) eggs. My advice is to go get some extra virgin olive oil at We Olive and use it liberally. Seriously. If you do a little research on clean, high-quality extra virgin olive oil you'll be all over it. Or just eat guacamole more often. A handful of trail mix with dried fruit and some nuts will do the trick too.

Too much: I'm going to put this in bold - DO NOT TAKE TOO MUCH VITAMIN E. I'm doing that mostly because I don't want to get sued. "Well Bob said to load up." No, Bob did not. Why not? You'll be like one of those cockswains on the crew. They're the guys who say "stroke, stroke, stroke". I know somebody who took gargantuan doses of Vitamin E because he thought it was the secret to living forever, and my Dad told him to stop because he'd end up having a stroke. Dude didn't stop with the E, and somewhat predictably had a massive stroke. Facepalm.

If you think about it, E helps prevent blood clots. That means it thins your blood. Lots of studies have shown that a ton of Vitamin E can cause strokes. Makes sense if you look at it backwards from its benefits. Don't stroke out. If you're taking a blood thinner like Coumadin or Eliquis AND taking a Vitamin E supplement it's probably a really good idea to talk to your doctor about the E.

Vitamin G

There is no Vitamin G. I just want to make sure you're paying attention.

Vitamin K (NOT potassium)

First off, K is the symbol for potassium on the periodic table of the elements (if you remember from the poster on your grade school wall), but it IS NOT the same thing as Vitamin K. They should've named Vitamin K something else to avoid the confusion, but what do I know?

Speaking of confusion, I don't eat it, but it was one of those soul-crushing moments where you realize that advertising is BS when I found out that Special K cereal doesn't have any more Vitamin K in it than most other cereals. They're ALL fortified with Vitamin K. I knew people exaggerated, but I mean to name something Jumbo Flakes or something if they're the same size as Regular Flakes, that's just scummy. Anyway, on with the last one.

What it's for: Sounds like a fantasy novel: Blood and Bones. K is really critical for the production of clotting factors. Keeps you from bleeding out every time you get a papercut. It's also get for directing calcium into your bones instead of letting it fester in your bloodstream and clog up your arteries. It's such a good clotting agent that if your pet (or your wife's) ever gets into rat poison (that your wife might've left out on the patio) the vet will give them massive doses, and send you home with an expensive bottle of Vitamin K supplement. Don't ask how I know this.

Deficiency: Before I get into what YOU might experience, this is a good time to note that infants REALLY need plenty of Vitamin K. They can get internal bleeding, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis (once killed one of my dogs), or even have seizures. Make sure that whatever you're feeding a newborn has plenty.

So, for adults, you get what you'd expect: nosebleeds, terrible bruising, prolonged bleeding after cuts or injuries (even after surgery), blood in your urine or stool... All nasty stuff. You can also get deep pains in your bones.

Believe it or not, ONE IN FIVE people in the U.S. are Vitamin K deficient. That's nuts. Pardon the soon-to-be obvious pun.

How much you need: Adult women need about 90 micrograms a day, and men need about 120 a day. Women need LESS not because of the menstruation thing, but because muscle mass requires a little more K. If you're muscly, more is better, male or female.

How to get it: Oily nuts and seeds (think peanuts, cashews, etc.), beef, eggs (last time saying this, thank God), cheese, green vegetables, and hummus.

Too much: Same old, same old (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea) with one MASSIVE "other": Bad liver damage. Liver problems to the point you'll get jaundiced. K serves as a clotting factor in your liver and too much can cause a shutdown of your body's internal mechanism. It's assbackwards, but it happens.

You AND your infant can get Vitamin K Toxicity from too much K, and that can lead to liver failure. For God's sake don't overdo the K.

If you think it sucked to read this, imagine how much it sucked to write it. Took me For-Ever. I'm sure it is full of typos, punctuation errors, and all manner of grammatical buffoonery, and I don't care. As long as you get this gist of what you need, how much of it you need, how to get it, and how bad it is to get too much, that's a win for everybody.

I feel like this buys me a few months of not having to write anything else, so don't expect to hear from me anytime soon. ;-)

As always, STAY HYDRATED, healthy, and happy... and take your vitamins, and we'll see you next time.

Bob