definition of vitamins
Vitamins are the nutrients our bodies need in order to maintain functions such as immunity and metabolism. There is very little in our bodies that can be done without a vitamin being needed and it is important to know the types, fat soluble and water soluble, before learning about each one.
types of vitamins
fat soluble and water solublefat soluble
Fat soluble vitamin is the classification of vitamins that are stored in fat cells when excess is present. They have toxicity levels associated with them as they are not gotten rid of by the body. They also need fat in order to be absorbed.water soluble
Water soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. The body takes what it needs from food and then excretes what is not needed as waste. They also are easily destroyed by cooking and care should be taken when cooking vegetables.
listing the vitamins by type:
Water Soluble Vitamins
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Niacin
B6
B12
Biotin
Folic Acid
Pantothenic acid
Vitamin C
Fat Soluble Vitamins
a
d
k
e
Understanding RDI’s and Units
When talking about how much of a certain vitamin or mineral you should get in a day you are talking about Reference Daily Intake, or RDI, that is based off of what 97-98% of the healthy population needs in order to stay healthy. This should not be confused with Recommended Daily Allowance which was replaced by RDI when the understanding of vitamins and minerals role in the body was advanced through scientific research.
Sometimes you might see Upper Limit, or UL, when a vitamin’s requirements are mentioned. This is the total amount of a vitamin or mineral that can be taken in a day before toxicity is reached and adverse reactions take place
sources of vitamins A
Liver, orange, ripe yellow fruits, leafy vegetables, carrots, pumpkin, squash, spinach, fish, soya milk, milk
vitamins b12
Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk
vitamins c
| Many fruits and vegetables, liver |
vitamins d
Fish, eggs, liver, mushrooms
vitamin E
Many fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds
Vitamin K
Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, egg yolks, liver
Health effects
Vitamins are essential for the normal growth and development of a multicellular organism. Using the genetic blueprint inherited from its parents, a fetus begins to develop from the nutrients it absorbs. It requires certain vitamins and minerals to be present at certain times. These nutrients facilitate the chemical reactions that produce among other things, skin, bone, and muscle. If there is serious deficiency in one or more of these nutrients, a child may develop a deficiency disease. Even minor deficiencies may cause permanent damage.
Side-effects
In large doses, some vitamins have documented side-effects that tend to be more severe with a larger dosage. The likelihood of consuming too much of any vitamin from food is remote, but overdosing. from vitamin supplementation does occur. At high enough dosages, some vitamins cause side-effects such as nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.] When side-effects emerge, recovery is often accomplished by reducing the dosage. The doses of vitamins differ because individual tolerances can vary widely and appear to be related to age and state of health.
Anti-vitamins
are chemical compounds that inhibit the absorption or actions of vitamins. For example, avidin is a protein in egg whites that inhibits the absorption of biotin. Pyrithiamine is similar to thiamine, vitamin B1, and inhibits the enzymes that use thiamine
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