Vitamins, and their types along with vitamin supplements risk factors
What is vitamin?
Vitamins are micro-nutrients (small amounts of nutrients) group of organic compounds that are necessary for the body to function properly, to support various bodily functions. Vitamins also plays an important role in growth metabolism and overall health.
Vitamins come from your diet, mainly from a variety of food rich in nutrients, such as fruits, vegetables, grains. Vitamins can also be added to fortified foods or taken as supplements to help fill in certain gaps.
Classification of vitamin based on their solubility:
There are two main categories of vitamins, which are also further classified.
Fat soluble Vitamins:
A group of vitamins that dissolve along with the fat and are stored in the body's fat tissues are termed as fat soluble vitamin. These type of vitamins are essential for variety of physiological functions in human body. As fat soluble vitamins are stored in the body in the same way as water, so you may not experience deficiency symptoms immediately until you have any disease or disorder or containing low amount of fat soluble vitamin, However, containing too much fat soluble vitamin can lead to toxicity, over a long period of time. So, in order to prevent yourself from toxicity its important not to consume too much vitamin or vitamin supplements, or according to the physicians advice.
Retinol-Vitamin A:
Source: Found in plants source in the form of pro-vitamin A carotenoids and as an beta carotenoid in sweet potatoes, carrots. Also from animals in the form of dairy products and eggs.
Function: Important for skin health, vision and immune health.
Calciferol-Vitamin D:
Source: Found in fish, like salmon, mackerel, in fortified foods or in egg yolks, when we expose to sunlight, vitamin D is synthesized with the following mechanism:
Functions: Essential for bone health and in absorption of calcium and phosphorus and in immune health as well.
Tocopherol-Vitamin E:
Sources: Found in Seeds, nuts, vegetable oils, and in green leafy vegetables.
Functions: Protecting cell from oxidative damage and immune system strong as it act as an antioxidants, make skin healthier.
Phylloquinon, Menaquinone-Vitamin K
Sources: Broccoli, sprouts, vegetables oil, kale, spinach and other green leafy vegetables.
Functions: Necessary for metabolism of bones and clotting of blood.
Water soluble vitamin:
Water soluble vitamin are the vitamins that are soluble in water and are not stored in the body. water soluble vitamins are easily excreted from the urinary tract and needs to be consumed on the daily basis to meet the daily requirements. Minimize the consuprion of heat processed food as cooking and processing of processed food leads to loss of water soluble vitamins, and try to increased the intake of fresh food.
Thiamine-Vitamin B1:
Sources: Found in nuts, cereals, seeds, whole grains are rich in water soluble vitamins.
Functions: Essential for metabolism of energy, function of nerves, and breakdown of carbohydrates.
Riboflavin-Vitamin B2:
Sources: cereals, lean meat, dairy products and a leafy vegetables.
Functions: Essential for metabolism of fats, steroids and drugs, and production of energy. Also important for the maintenance of healthy skin and eyes.
Niacin-Vitamin B3:
Sources: found in grains, nuts, fish, poultry, and meat.
Functions: Help in repairing DNA, and cell signaling, involved in the metabolism of energy.
Pantothenic Acid- Vitamin B5:
Sources: Found in legumes, vegetables, whole grains, and meat.
Functions: Used as an essential for the synthesis of amino acids, fatty acids and other compounds.
Pyridoxine-Vitamin B6:
Sources: Found in bananas, fortified cereals, poultry, fish and meat.
Functions: Essential for the metabolism of amino acids, synthesis of neurotransmitter, and formation of red blood cells.
Biotin-Vitamin B7:
Sources: Found in some vegetables, seeds, nuts, eggs.
Functions: Provide supports in metabolism in the synthesis of amino acids and fatty acids.
Folic Acid-Vitamin B9:
Functions: For the synthesis of DNA, cell division, formation of red blood cells.
Cobalamin-Vitamin B12:
Sources: Found in meat, dairy products, fish, fortified plant based foods for vegetarians.
Functions: DNA synthesis, red blood cells formation, helpin neurological functions.
Ascorbic acid-Vitamin C:
Sources: Found in strawberries, bell peppers, vegetables, mostly in citrus fruits,
Functions: improve immune system functioning by acting as an anti-oxidants, in the synthesis of collagen, and also increases absorption of iron.
Vitamins Supplements:
When and why they are necessary?
1. In Nutrient Deficiency: If an individual is not taken enough diet they become nutrient deficient. to overcome this deficiencies and prevent health related issues Vitamin supplements are taken.
2. During pregnancy or lactation period or other restrictions that effect your diet, and for ensuring of certain vitamins that might be challenging to obtain from food alone supplements are necessary to consume.
3. When body needs or demand for vitamins such as during a period of growth, physical activity or exercise, illness or in certain disorder.
4. In gastrointestinal disorders when absorption of nutrients are affecting, at that time vitamins are needed to prevent body from deficiencies and compensate for bad absorption.
5. Elder people have low potential for the absorption of nutrients, so they need vitamin supplements to potentiate their nutritional needs.
Risk related to vitamin supplements:
1. Massive consumption of vitamins can lead to toxicity of vitamins.
2. Drug-drug interaction: some supplements may react with other medications and reducing their efficacy.
3. One of the biggest mistakes people make is taking individual vitamins without taking into account their overall nutrient balance.
4. Supplements can hide the signs of an underlying medical condition by only treating the deficiency.
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