Dr. Ben Kim's blog

Riboflavin is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin that is a key component of two enzymes in your body called flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN). FAD and FMN are used by every cell in your body to produce energy. FAD is used by other enzymes to protect your body against damage by free radicals.

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Magnesium is one of seven minerals that you need in relatively large amounts for optimal health. Most of your body's magnesium is located in your bones and teeth. Your remaining magnesium is present in your soft tissues and the fluids that surround these tissues.

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Iron is an essential component of hundreds of enzymes and proteins in your body.

As it is with other trace minerals, a little iron goes a long way. More specifically, your body needs about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of iron at any given time to carry out its everyday metabolic activities. Without this 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of iron in your body on a consistent basis, you could experience significant health challenges.

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Folate is found in whole foods and in your body, while folic acid is found in most vitamin supplements. Folic acid needs vitamin C, niacin, and vitamin B12 in order to be converted to its biologically active form.

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Although choline is not a vitamin or mineral, it is an essential nutrient for your health. Your body can make small amounts of choline from other nutrients, but you need to have reliable sources of choline in your diet to be at your best. Choline in your body is found mainly in specialized fat molecules called lecithin.

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There are two main forms of chromium: chromium-3 and chromium-6. Chromium-6 was made famous as a carcinogen by the movie Erin Brockovich. Chromium-3 is the main form of chromium that is found in foods and used by your body. The information on chromium in this article refers to the properties of chromium-3.

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Vitamin B6 is commonly referred to as pyridoxine. It is a water-soluble B vitamin that comes in six different forms. The most active form in your body is called PLP, short for pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The biological features of vitamin
B6 described in this article refer mainly to PLP.

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Niacin, also known as vitamin B3, is a water soluble B vitamin that actually refers to two similar compounds called nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. The term niacin was created in order to prevent people from confusing these two compounds with nicotine, the drug found in tobacco.

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Vitamin B12 is also known as cobalamin. In most nutritional supplements, B12 comes as cyanocobalamin, which breaks down in a healthy body into two active forms of cobalamin: methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosyl cobalamin.

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Zinc is mineral that your body needs in trace amounts for a variety of different mechanisms.

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