VITAMINS AND OBESITY

Roma, May 26th 2007

Among the protective roles that the vitamins execute, if assumed in adequate quantitative, we have to consider what they is able to effect on the obesity, pathology more and more present in the people of ages in contemporary society.
The change of the lifestyles verified in the last years, with an increase of assumption of foods, with the unbalanced diets, with the excessive consumption of animal fat and the notable reduction of physical activity, it has determined in many subjects a considerable increase of the bodily weight that also reaches in many cases 50%.
Vitamins, that are metabolic activators and that turn them into active forms in the organism, the coenzymes, are able to metabolize more quickly the nutritious elements that are reduced to carbonic anhydride and water and then eliminated.
For the obesity two vitamins explicate their antioxidant action: the ß-caroten and the vitamin E.
The ß-carotene mainly effects its action as antioxidant for the EFA: the essential fat acids enter the constitution of the phospholipids that constitute the biological structure of membranes, and for their spherical configuration influence permeability, fluidity and enzymatic activity of it.
The vitamin E does the same function towards the essential fat acids and besides it reduces the peroxidation of cholesterol LDL.
The niacin prevents the obesity: the containing enzymes niacin play an important role in the production of energy in the metabolism of the lipids, of the cholesterol, of the glucides and in the synthesis of many components of the organism.
The supplements of niacin positively influence on numerous pathological states, above all on the hypercholesterolemia.
The pyridoxine acts on the obesity participating in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters of the nervous system and the prostaglandins.
The supplements of pyridoxine also reduces the arterial pressure: obese person is often an hypertensive subject.
In the obesity, there is an increased requirement of vitamin B12; it favors a good functionality of the nervous system, it intervenes in the synthesis of DNA and therefore in the cellular development. The vitamin B12 favors besides a correct use of energetic sources.
They are also increased, in the obese person, the requirements of thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and biotin.

Drawn from the book Professor Alberto Fidanza Geniale Scienziato
Edizioni Borgia
Edited by the Professor Alberto Fidanza's Foundation