THE PURSER WELLNESS REFERENCE
Nutrients, made clearer.
Explore food sources, possible deficiency symptoms, supplement forms and questions to bring to your next visit.
94 entries
Symptoms can overlap. Herbs and other compounds do not all have a recognized deficiency syndrome; each entry explains the difference.
Açaí Berry
A fruit eaten as pulp or puree and also sold in concentrated products.
Other compounds & fatsAlpha-Ketoglutarate
A compound made in the body that participates in the citric acid cycle and amino-acid metabolism.
Botanicals & foodsAndrographis
An herb used in traditional preparations and sold as an extract.
Amino acidsArginine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Amino acidsAsparagine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Other compounds & fatsAstaxanthin
A carotenoid pigment found in some algae and seafood.
Botanicals & foodsAstragalus
A plant whose root is used in traditional herbal preparations.
Vitamins & mineralsBeta-Carotene
A carotenoid that the body can convert to vitamin A.
Vitamins & mineralsBiotin
Helps enzymes process fats, carbohydrates and amino acids.
Vitamins & mineralsBoron
A trace element found in food; a human dietary requirement has not been established.
Vitamins & mineralsCalcium
Provides structure for bones and teeth and supports muscle and nerve signaling.
Botanicals & foodsCamu Camu
A fruit used in powders and drinks, often marketed for its vitamin C content.
Other compounds & fatsCarnitine
A compound involved in transporting fatty acids into mitochondria.
Other compounds & fatsCatalase
An enzyme the body makes that breaks down hydrogen peroxide.
Other compounds & fatsChlorophyll
The green pigment plants use to capture light.
Vitamins & mineralsCholine
Contributes to cell membranes, acetylcholine and transport of fats from the liver.
Vitamins & mineralsChromium
A trace element marketed in supplements; its essential role in humans remains under discussion.
Vitamins & mineralsCopper
Supports iron handling, connective tissue and antioxidant enzymes.
Other compounds & fatsCoQ10 (Coenzyme Q10)
A compound involved in mitochondrial electron transport and antioxidant chemistry.
Amino acidsCysteine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Vitamins & mineralsDelta-Tocotrienol
One member of the vitamin E family; it is distinct from alpha-tocopherol, the form used to establish vitamin E requirements.
Botanicals & foodsEchinacea
A group of plants used in herbal preparations.
Botanicals & foodsElderberry
A berry used in cooked foods and extracts.
Botanicals & foodsFrankincense
Resin from Boswellia trees; preparations for fragrance and oral extracts are different products.
Botanicals & foodsGinkgo Biloba
A tree whose leaf extracts are sold as supplements.
Other compounds & fatsGlutathione (GSH)
A molecule made from glutamate, cysteine and glycine that participates in cellular redox balance.
Amino acidsGlycine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Botanicals & foodsGoji Berry
A fruit also called wolfberry, sold dried and in extracts.
Botanicals & foodsGrape Seed Extract
A concentrated botanical preparation containing grape-seed polyphenols.
Botanicals & foodsGreen Tea
A beverage from Camellia sinensis; concentrated extracts differ from brewed tea.
Amino acidsHistidine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Other compounds & fatsInositol
A compound involved in cell-membrane signaling.
Vitamins & mineralsIodine
Is needed to make thyroid hormones.
Vitamins & mineralsIron
Helps hemoglobin carry oxygen and supports many cellular processes.
Amino acidsIsoleucine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Amino acidsL-Glutamine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Amino acidsL-Lysine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Amino acidsL-Methionine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Amino acidsL-Phenylalanine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Amino acidsL-Serine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Amino acidsL-Threonine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Amino acidsL-Tryptophan
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Amino acidsL-Tyrosine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Amino acidsL-Valine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Botanicals & foodsLavender
An aromatic plant used in fragrances and selected herbal preparations.
Amino acidsLeucine
An amino acid used in protein synthesis and other metabolic processes.
Other compounds & fatsLipoic Acid
A cofactor involved in mitochondrial enzyme reactions, also sold as alpha-lipoic acid.
Vitamins & mineralsLithium
An element found in trace amounts in the environment and used in prescription medicines.
Other compounds & fatsLutein
A carotenoid found in foods and in the retina.
Other compounds & fatsLycopene
A carotenoid pigment found in tomatoes and certain other fruits.
Vitamins & mineralsMagnesium
Helps enzymes, nerves and muscles work, and participates in energy production.
Botanicals & foodsMaitake
An edible mushroom also sold in extract form.
Vitamins & mineralsManganese
Helps several enzymes, including a mitochondrial antioxidant enzyme, function.
Botanicals & foodsMangosteen
A tropical fruit also sold in juice and concentrated extracts.
Other compounds & fatsMelatonin
A hormone involved in the timing of sleep and the body clock.
Botanicals & foodsMilk Thistle
A plant whose seed extracts contain a mixture called silymarin.
Vitamins & mineralsMK-4 & MK-7
Are forms of vitamin K2, a family involved in activation of vitamin K-dependent proteins.
Vitamins & mineralsMolybdenum
Supports enzymes involved in processing sulfites and other compounds.
Other compounds & fatsNADH
The reduced form of a coenzyme involved in cellular energy reactions.
Botanicals & foodsNoni Berry
A tropical fruit sold as juice and concentrated preparations.
Other compounds & fatsOmega-3
A family of fats that includes ALA, EPA and DHA.
Other compounds & fatsOmega-6, Omega-7, and Omega-9
Different families of fatty acids. They do not all have the same dietary requirements or biological roles.
Other compounds & fatsOmega-7
A family of monounsaturated fats that includes palmitoleic acid.
Other compounds & fatsOmega-9
A family of fats that includes oleic acid, abundant in olive oil.
Vitamins & mineralsPantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
Is used to make coenzyme A, important in energy and fat metabolism.
Botanicals & foodsPiperine
A compound in black pepper that can affect absorption and metabolism of other substances.
Botanicals & foodsPomegranate
A fruit whose arils, juice and extracts differ in fiber and concentration.
Vitamins & mineralsPotassium
Helps fluid balance, nerve signaling and muscle contraction.
Other compounds & fatsPQQ (Pyrroloquinoline Quinone)
A compound sold in supplements; it is not an established essential human vitamin.
Botanicals & foodsPycnogenol
A trademarked extract of French maritime pine bark.
Other compounds & fatsQuercetin
A flavonoid present in onions, apples and other plant foods.
Other compounds & fatsResveratrol
A plant compound found in grape skins and some other foods.
Botanicals & foodsRhodiola
An herb whose root extracts are sold in supplements.
Vitamins & mineralsSelenium
Is part of proteins involved in thyroid hormone metabolism and antioxidant defense.
Botanicals & foodsShiitake
An edible mushroom also sold in concentrated preparations.
Vitamins & mineralsStrontium
An element with chemical similarities to calcium; supplemental strontium is not a substitute for calcium.
Other compounds & fatsSulforaphane
A compound formed from precursors in cruciferous vegetables, including broccoli.
Other compounds & fatsSuperoxide Dismutase (SOD)
A family of enzymes made by the body that convert superoxide into hydrogen peroxide.
Amino acidsTaurine
An amino-acid-related compound involved in normal body chemistry.
Botanicals & foodsTurmeric
A spice from a plant rhizome; curcumin is one of its constituents.
Vitamins & mineralsVanadium
A trace element without an established essential dietary role in humans.
Vitamins & mineralsVitamin A
Supports vision, immune function and tissue development.
Vitamins & mineralsVitamin B1 (Thiamine)
Helps convert food into usable energy and supports nerve function.
Vitamins & mineralsVitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
Needed for nerve function, DNA production and healthy red blood cells.
Vitamins & mineralsVitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Forms enzyme helpers used in energy metabolism.
Vitamins & mineralsVitamin B3 (Niacin)
Provides building blocks for NAD and NADP, which participate in cellular energy reactions.
Vitamins & mineralsVitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Supports amino-acid metabolism, neurotransmitter production and hemoglobin synthesis.
Vitamins & mineralsVitamin B9 (Folate)
Supports DNA synthesis and one-carbon metabolism, including the pathway that processes homocysteine.
Vitamins & mineralsVitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Supports collagen formation, antioxidant activity and absorption of nonheme iron.
Vitamins & mineralsVitamin D
Helps calcium absorption and bone mineralization.
Vitamins & mineralsVitamin K1 (Phylloquinone)
Supports proteins involved in blood clotting and bone metabolism.
Botanicals & foodsWild Cherry Bark
A botanical used in traditional preparations; it is not a dietary nutrient.
Other compounds & fatsZeaxanthin
A carotenoid found in foods and in the retina.
Vitamins & mineralsZinc
Supports enzymes, immune function, wound healing and taste.
