Vitamin D, which largely eradicated rickets years ago, is another old nutrient that's gaining new respect. The active form of vitamin D is a hormone. Like adrenaline and estrogen, it's closely regulated by systems in the body. Though it's found in some foods (mainly fish oils and fortified milk), our bodies manufacture it when exposed to sunlight and use it to ferry cal­cium from food into the blood and bones. The deficiencies may contribute to osteoporosis, the bone decay that disables millions of elderly people.

Epidemiologists from the University of California, San Diego are leading a growing group of scientists who suspect that a lack of vitamin D also fosters breast, colon and prostate cancer. Virtually unknown at the equator, all three cancers become more and more prevalent at higher latitudes. It's clear from lab studies that vitamin D can retard the growth of cancer cells in test tubes and animals.

Vitamins are seen by many scientists as a panacea against numerous ailments but there are others who warn against the multibillion-dollar dietary supplement industry. Some people take megadoses of vitamins and minerals for years, assuming that if a little is good for you, a lot must be better. There is no evidence to support their convictions.

Word List

recommended daily allowance (RDA)

dietary supplements nutrients

syn. nutritious substances,

nutrition

ailments

• рекомендуемая суточная норма потребления

• пищевые добавки, БАД

• питательные вещества

- болезни, недомогания, недуги

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lag behind all the more so shift зд.

bone loss зд.

combat syn. control

tap vitamins' full potential rickets

eradicate diseases

folic acid

daily intake spinal cord

HPV= human Papillo virus cervical cancer retard the growth

• отставать

• особенно, тем более

• изменение, сдвиг

• уменьшение костной мае сы, хрупкость костей

• контролировать, справиться с...

• наиболее полно исполь­зовать возможности ви­таминов

• рахит

• ликвидировать заболева­ния

• фолиевая кислота

• ежедневный прием

• спинной мозг

• паппиловирус человека

• рак шейки матки

• замедлить рост

Read and translate the following into Russian:

1. A free radical, unlike a stable molecule in which every atom is ringed by pairs of electrons, carries an unmatched electron with a strong impulse to mate. By snatching an electron from a neighbor, it can set off a chain reaction that wreaks widespread havoc on cells, eating away at their membranes and damaging their genetic material. The body has elaborate strategies for con­trolling this corrosive process, known as oxidation, but the safe­guards aren't foolproof. Countless stresses, from smoking to ag­ing, can accelerate oxidative damage. That's where the antioxi­dant vitamins come in.

2. Among the fastest-selling of all vitamin lines are the an­tioxidants - vitamins С and E and beta carotene, a form of vita-

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min A. They may limit the spread of degenerative illnesses like cancer and premature aging and may ward off heart disease by preventing the build-up of cholesterol in arterial walls. Antioxi­dants also protect cells by binding electrically unbalanced free radicals. Citrus fruits are tops for vitamin C, and vegetable oils are loaded with vitamin E. Selenium, a mineral, also has antioxi­dant qualities.

3. Animal foods or fermented foods are the only natural sources of В12. Beef, liver and canned clams in particular are loaded with В12.

4. There are not only benefits but certain risks in vitamins: Vitamin A keeps eyes sharp and supplements the body's

natural barriers to infection but its massive doses over long peri­ods can be toxic, causing nausea and joint discomfort.

В6 helps the immune system and may limit pain in conditions like PMS and carpal tunnel syndrome, but can be toxic if taken for several months.

5. Minerals are equally important as vitamins. Calcium is essential for strong bones and teeth. Supplements can help aging women avoid osteoporosis. Care should be taken to prescribe more than several grams per day for it can cause urinary stones and nausea.

Iron strengthens chemical links in the brain; iron- deficient children have trouble learning. Regulated doses help the immune system though some studies have linked high iron levels to heart disease in adults.

6. CoQ10 deficiency has been noted in individuals with AIDS, muscular dystrophy, mitochondrial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, periodontitis, liver cirrhosis and hyperthyroidism.

The significant role that Coenzyme Q probably at the mitochondrial level has on immune function has been repeatedly documented. The most exciting immune-related research on CoQ10 has been in the area of AIDS.

7. Pellagra is a syndrome resulting from nicotinic acid de­ficiency, characterized by dermatitis of surfaces exposed to the

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sun, glossitis and stomatitis, diarrhea and in severe cases by CNS disorders.

Notes:

premature aging

build-up of cholesterol

PMS = Polymyalgia Syndrome

CoQ10 = Coenzyme Q10

CNS = Central Nervous System

• преждевременное старение

• накопление, отложение холестерина

• синдром диффузных мышечных болей, полимиалгия

• коэнзим Q10

• ЦНС = центральная нервная система

Translate the following sentences into English:

1. Витамины - это профилактика старения и абсолют­но всех заболеваний. Недостаток витаминов неблагоприятно сказывается на здоровье и трудоспособности, психическом и физическом состоянии человека, снижает внимание и уро­вень интеллекта.

2. Избыток (excess) витаминов также вреден, как и их недостаток. Витамины - это биологически активные вещества, и злоупотребление высокими дозировками может привести к гипервитаминозу.

3. При гипервитаминозе у человека появляются симптомы, аналогичные таким, как при отравлении. Слишком высокие дозы витамина А вызывают головную боль, тошноту, рвоту, хрупкость костей. Передозировка витамина Д приводит к общей слабости, поносу, рвоте, увеличивает содержание кальция в крови и тканях. Обычно при передозировке какого-либо витамина проявляются аллергические реакции.

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