What’s vitamin U?
Vitamin U is a time period launched within the early Nineteen Fifties to determine a compound in cabbage juice. Regardless of its title, vitamin U just isn’t a real vitamin however relatively a by-product of the amino acid methionine (1).
Examples of methionine derivatives usually known as vitamin U embrace S-methylmethionine (SMM), methylmethionine sulfonium (SMM), and 3-amino-3-carboxypropyl dimethylsulfonium.
Vitamin U is obtainable not solely as a complement but in addition discovered naturally in varied meals, notably cruciferous greens like cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and kale (1).
Plus, cosmetics firms could add it to sure lotions, serums, face masks, and different merchandise.
Advantages and makes use of
Vitamin U is most frequently marketed as a remedy for abdomen ulcers, although it’s additionally touted to enhance digestion, strengthen immune well being, defend towards meals allergy symptoms, decrease ldl cholesterol, and hasten wound therapeutic.
Nonetheless, analysis is proscribed. Solely a handful of those advantages are presently backed by science.
Could assist abdomen ulcers heal
When vitamin U was initially researched within the Nineteen Fifties, some research steered that ingesting 1 quart (945 mL) of cabbage juice each day helped intestine ulcers heal 4–5 occasions quicker than the usual anti-ulcer remedy accessible on the time (2, 3, 4).
But, researchers couldn’t verify whether or not these results have been resulting from vitamin U or a number of vitamins.
Since then, few research have examined the subject. To find out whether or not vitamin U is actually efficient towards ulcers, extra analysis is required.
Could defend your lungs, liver, and kidneys
Vitamin U could safeguard your lungs, liver, and kidneys from harm.
In an animal research, vitamin U helped reverse among the liver harm brought on by the frequent anti-seizure medicine valproic acid (5).
In one other research, rats given vitamin U skilled much less extreme kidney harm after receiving valproic acid than these given no vitamin U. This substance additionally appeared to cut back markers of irritation (6).
Animal analysis additional means that vitamin U could assist cut back lung harm ensuing from epileptic seizures (7).
Nonetheless, human research are essential.
Could decrease ldl cholesterol and triglyceride ranges
Whereas some proof helps the notion that vitamin U dietary supplements assist cut back ldl cholesterol and triglyceride ranges, proof stays weak.
As an illustration, one test-tube research means that vitamin U could stop the creation of fats cells and cut back triglyceride ranges, however few related human research exist (8).
In an 8-week research, individuals given 1.5 grams of vitamin U per day skilled no change in triglyceride ranges, increased HDL (good) ldl cholesterol, and an virtually 10% discount in whole ldl cholesterol. But, this research could be very dated and included few individuals (9).
As such, extra human analysis is required.
Could support wound therapeutic and pores and skin safety
Vitamin U could supply some safety towards the solar’s ultraviolet (UV) rays, in addition to expedite wound therapeutic.
Check-tube and animal research report that making use of vitamin U on to wounds could pace wound closure. Furthermore, vitamin U seems to guard towards burns and different harm brought on by UV rays (10, 11, 12, 13).
Primarily based on these findings, some researchers counsel that sure cosmetics must be formulated with vitamin U.
But, a scarcity of human analysis implies that additional research are essential.
Uncomfortable side effects and precautions
Vitamin U is probably going protected when eaten instantly from complete meals. Nonetheless, little is understood about its security or potential uncomfortable side effects in complement type.
Subsequently, it’s doubtless most secure to depend on vitamin-U-rich meals like cabbage, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and kale to spice up your consumption of this compound.
In response to the European Chemical substances Company, vitamin U could trigger eye, pores and skin, or lung irritation if it comes into direct contact with these organs. Thus, chances are you’ll need to use warning with skincare merchandise containing this compound (14).
Dosage and learn how to take it
Because of restricted analysis, vitamin U dosage suggestions haven’t been established.
One human research utilized 1.5 grams of vitamin U for 8 weeks (9).
Nonetheless, this research is dated and didn’t take a look at any different dosages or durations. As such, extra analysis is required.
Overdose – “u vitamins”
Up to now, there have been no reported circumstances of vitamin U overdose.
An overdose could be very unlikely if you happen to eat this compound solely from complete meals. Remember that research haven’t but examined the results of excessive vitamin U consumption from dietary supplements.
This makes it not possible to rule out the opportunity of a vitamin U overdose.
As such, extra analysis is required to grasp whether or not an overdose is feasible, the indicators and signs related to it, and the most secure strategy to deal with it.
Interactions
There isn’t sufficient scientific data accessible to find out whether or not vitamin U interacts with another dietary supplements or medicine.
Individuals taking different dietary supplements or medicines ought to talk about vitamin U with their healthcare supplier earlier than making an attempt it.
Storage and dealing with
Vitamin U producers usually advocate that vitamin U dietary supplements or merchandise be saved in a dry, cool space away from direct daylight.
Merchandise containing this substance might also be refrigerated, although this isn’t essential.