What Exactly Are Vitamins?
 They are vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the B
A vitamin is defined as an organic compound and a
vital nutrient that an organism requires in limited
amounts. An organic chemical compound (or related
set of compounds) is called a vitamin when the
organism cannot synthesize the compound in
sufficient quantities, and must be obtained through
the diet; thus, the term "vitamin" is conditional upon
the circumstances and the particular organism. For
example, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a vitamin for
humans, but not for most other animal organisms.
Supplementation is important for the treatment of
certain health problems, but there is little evidence
of nutritional benefit when used by otherwise
healthy people.
All natural vitamins are organic food substances
found only in living things, that is, plants and
animals. With few exceptions, the body cannot
manufacture or synthesize vitamins. They must be
supplied by the diet or in dietary supplements.
Vitamins are essential to the normal functioning of
our bodies. They are necessary for growth, vitality,
health, general well being, and for the prevention
and cure of many health problems and diseases.
Vitamins are classified by their biological and
chemical activity, not their structure:
Thus, each "vitamin" may refer to several vitamer
compounds that all show the biological activity
associated with a particular vitamin. Such a set of
chemicals are grouped under an alphabetized
vitamin "generic descriptor" title, such as "vitamin
A," which includes the compounds retinal, retinol,
and many carotenoids. Vitamers are often inter-
converted in the body. The term vitamin does not
include other essential nutrients such as dietary
minerals, essential fatty acids, or essential amino
acids, nor does it encompass the large number of
other nutrients that promote health but are
otherwise required less often.
There are 13 Vitamins Your Body Needs
vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin,
pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin B-6,
vitamin B-12 and folate).
 You can usually get all your vitamins from
the foods you eat.
 Your body can also make vitamins D and K.
 People who eat a vegetarian diet may need
to take a vitamin B12 supplement.
Vitamins are Classified as Water-soluble or Fat
Soluble
About This Image: Picture of assorted sliced citrus
fruits on a brown wooden chopping board - Photo by
Edgar Castrejon on Unsplash.In humans there are 13
vitamins: 4 fat-soluble (A, D, E and K) and 9 water-
soluble (8 B vitamins and vitamin C).
 Water-soluble
Water-soluble vitamins dissolve easily in water, and
in general, are readily excreted from the body, to the
degree that urinary output is a strong predictor of
vitamin consumption. Because they are not readily
stored, consistent daily intake is important. Many
types of water-soluble vitamins are synthesized by
bacteria.
 Fat-soluble
Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed through the
intestinal tract with the help of lipids (fats). Because
they are more likely to accumulate in the body, they
are more likely to lead to hypervitaminosis than are
water-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamin
regulation is of particular significance in cystic
fibrosis.
Vitamin A
Important for vision, reproductive function, and
normal cell reproduction. Beta-carotene, a precursor
to Vitamin A, helps to fight disease-causing free
radicals. Vitamin A is found in milk products, organ
meats, and fish oils. Beta-carotene is found in
colorful vegetables, such as carrots, broccoli,
spinach, and sweet potatoes.
What It Does: Vitamin A promotes healthy vision and
skin, and it also supports bone and tooth growth. In
addition, vitamin A helps your immune system and is
important in the reproductive process. Finally,
vitamin A enables your heart, kidneys, lungs, and
other organs to work properly.
Why You Need It: Although vitamin A deficiency is
rare in North America, it is still important to have
enough of it in your diet. There are certain groups of
people that are at risk of having low vitamin A levels,
including premature infants and people with cystic
fibrosis. Vitamin A deficiency can lead to an eye
condition called xerophthalmia, which can lead to
blindness.
Vitamin A helps maintain good eyesight and support
normal growth of cells. It plays a vital role in the
development of the fetus and embryo. By
maintaining adequate intakes of vitamin A, you can
keep your teeth, bones, skin and mucus membranes
in good health. This fat-soluble vitamin plays an
important role in wound healing, immune system
function, reproduction, and bone formation and
growth. Excellent sources of vitamin A include
orange fruits and vegetables, dark green leafy
vegetables, liver and milk fortified with vitamin A.
Vitamin A Sources:
 Egg yolk
 Dark-colored fruit
 Dark leafy vegetables
 Liver, beef, and fish
 Fortified milk and dairy products (cheese,
yogurt, butter, and cream)
Vitamin B Complex
Vitamin B complex is comprised of eight vitamins,
which include B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-12 and
folate, or B-9. These vitamins help your body
produce the energy it needs to function better. The
B vitamins assist your body in the formation of red
blood cells, which supply oxygen to body tissues.
Foods that contain relevant amounts of B vitamins
include beans, peas, eggs, dairy products, meat,
poultry and fish.
Vitamin B-1
Vitamin B-1 (Thiamin) processes carbohydrates into
energy and is necessary for nerve cell function.
Breads and cereals are often fortified with thiamin,
though it is also found in whole grains, fish, lean
meats, and dried beans.
Thiamine (vitamin B1) Sources:
 Egg
 Peas
 Dried milk
 Lean meats
 Organ meats
 Whole grains
 Nuts and seeds
 Legumes (dried beans)
 Enriched bread and flour
Vitamin B-2
Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin) - Helps the production of
red blood cells and is important for growth.
Vitamin B-3 (niacin) - Helps control cholesterol,
processes alcohol, maintains healthy skin, and
converts carbohydrates to energy.
Niacin (vitamin B3) Sources: Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine) is important in the
production of hormones such as serotonin,
 Nuts dopamine, and melatonin, as well as for processing
amino acids.
 Eggs
Pyroxidine (vitamin B6) Sources:
 Potato
 Nuts
 Poultry
 Meat
 Avocado
 Poultry
 Legumes
 Banana
 Lean meats
 Avocado
 Fish (tuna and salt-water fish)
 Legumes (dried beans)
 Enriched breads and fortified cereals
 Whole grains (milling and processing
Vitamin B-5
removes a lot of this vitamin)
Vitamin B-5 (pantothenic acid) serves several bodily
Vitamin B-12
functions, such as converting fats to energy and
synthesizing cholesterol. A crucial component of DNA replication and nerve
cell regulation. It is found in milk products, poultry,
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) Sources:
meat, and shellfish.
 Milk
What It Does: Vitamin B12 promotes healthy nerve
 Eggs function and also helps your body make new cells. It
can also help you lower your risk of heart disease
 Poultry because it breaks down fatty and amino acids.

 Avocado Why You Need It: Those that are deficient in vitamin
B12 can suffer from fatigue, anemia, loss of appetite,
 Mushroom and constipation. Not having enough B12 in your
system can also lead to neurological consequences,
 Organ meats
such as dementia and depression.
 Legumes and lentils

 Whole-grain cereals Vitamin B12 Sources:

 White and sweet potatoes  Meat
 Broccoli, kale, and other vegetables in the  Eggs
cabbage family
 Poultry
Vitamin B-6
 Shellfish
  Milk and milk products
 Fortified foods such as soymilk
 Organ meats (liver and kidney)
Animal sources of vitamin B12 are absorbed much
better by the body than plant sources
Vitamin C
Important in wound healing and acts as
an antioxidant. It also helps the body absorb iron. It's
found in citrus fruits, potatoes, and greens.
What It Does: Vitamin C is important for preventing
infections and promoting a healthy immune system.
It also helps the body absorb iron, which is a critical
component in the process of carrying oxygen
through your blood cells.
Why You Need It: Vitamin C is an antioxidant and
helps protect your cells from free radicals in the
body. It is also needed to create collagen, which
allows your wounds to heal. People who get little to
no vitamin C may develop scurvy, which can also
bring about depression and anemia, although it is
rare.
As an antioxidant, vitamin C protects your body
against the effects of free radicals, unstable
molecules that damage your DNA and may enhance
the aging process and the development of health
issues such as arthritis, cancer and heart disease.
Vitamin C is responsible for the growth and repair of
body tissues. Your body needs vitamin C for
repairing and maintaining bones and teeth and for
healing wounds. The vitamin helps make collagen, an
important protein which is the key structural
component of tendons, cartilage, blood vessels, skin
and ligaments. Foods such as cantaloupe,
strawberries, tomatoes, cabbage, cauliflower, green
peppers, watermelon, papaya and Brussels sprouts
contain respectable amounts of this important
vitamin.
Vitamin C Sources:
 Broccoli
 Spinach
 Cabbage
 Potatoes
 Tomatoes
 Cauliflower
 Citrus fruits
 Strawberries
 Tomato juice
 Brussels sprouts
Vitamin D
Helps the body absorb calcium, which creates
healthy bones and teeth. The body can synthesize
Vitamin D after exposure to sunshine, but it can also
be found in fortified milk products and cereals, as
well as in fish.
What It Does: Vitamin D promotes the absorption of
calcium in the body, which is important for bone
health and development as you grow. It also helps
reduce inflammation and benefits your immune
system.
Why You Need It: Vitamin D can be absorbed
naturally through sunlight. However, many people
work long hours indoors and lack proper vitamin D
levels. Deficiency can lead to brittle bones and
osteoporosis.
Evidence suggests that getting enough vitamin D
may reduce your risk of certain cancers, particularly
of the pancreas, breast, prostate, colon and skin,
notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Vitamin D and calcium work together to build and
maintain strong bones. It provides protection from
osteomalacia, the softening of bones in adults, and
rickets. Good sources of vitamin D include fatty fish Vitamin E Sources:
such as tuna, mackerel and salmon, fish liver oil and
fortified foods. You can get a fairly respectable  Avocado
amount of vitamin D from exposure to sunlight.
 Seeds and nuts

 Papaya and mango

Vitamin D Sources:
 Wheat germ and wheat germ oil
 Fortified cereals
 Oils (safflower, corn, and sunflower)
 Fish liver oils (cod's liver oil)
 Margarine (made from safflower, corn, and
 Fortified milk and dairy products (cheese, sunflower oil)
yogurt, butter, and cream)
 Dark green vegetables (spinach, broccoli,
 Fish (fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, asparagus, turnip greens)
herring, and orange roughy)
Vitamin K
Vitamin E
What makes the blood clot. While our bodies
Helps to combat free radicals, which can damage our produce some Vitamin K, it can also be found in
cells. It's found in nuts and seeds, green leafy vegetables like cauliflower and cabbage.
vegetables, corn, asparagus, and wheat germ.
What It Does: Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant to
What It Does: Vitamin K is important for blood
protect cells from damage and may also help in the
clotting and promotes bone health. Scientists are
fight against cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. It is
studying its effect on reducing the risk of coronary
also important to the immune system, fighting off
heart disease and osteoporosis.
bacteria and preventing infections.
Why You Need It: If you are taking a blood thinner
Why You Need It: Vitamin E does a lot to keep your
for heart health, it is critical to get the right amount
body healthy, including promoting healthy blood
of vitamin K in your system each day. Without
flow to keep it from clotting. Being deficient in
enough in your body, you may experience bruising
vitamin E can lead to nerve and muscle damage, as
and bleeding problems.
well as vision problems and overall weakness.
Your body stores vitamin K in the liver and fat tissue.
The antioxidant properties of vitamin E protect your
Vitamin K plays an important role in helping blood
body from free radical damage. Vitamin E helps
clot properly. It also helps your body use calcium to
boost your immune system, enabling it to battle
build bone. Evidence shows that this essential
bacterial and viral infections. It helps your body use
nutrient encourages the development of healthy
vitamin K, the blood-clotting vitamin. This fat-soluble
bones and decreases risk of bone fractures, states
vitamin also contributes to the formation of red
the UMMC website. Foods that provide generous
blood cells. Eating foods such as fortified breakfast
amounts of vitamin K include dark green lettuce,
cereals, seeds, vegetable oils, nuts and green leafy
cabbage, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, green tea,
vegetables can help you get the recommended
turnip greens, beef liver, green tea and kale.
amounts of vitamin E.

Vitamin K Sources:
  Cabbage Folic Acid

 Cereals
What It Does: Folic acid is responsible for making
 Cauliflower DNA and new red blood cells. It works to prevent
anemia as well.
 Fish, liver, beef, eggs
Why You Need It: Not having enough folic acid in
 Dark leafy vegetables (spinach, kale,
your diet can cause anemia, which can deprive your
collards, turnip greens)
body tissue of vital oxygen. Pregnant women with a
deficiency may see birth defects in their children.
 Dark green vegetables (broccoli, Brussels
sprouts, asparagus)

Folate Sources:
Biotin
 Beets
What It Does: Biotin is crucial to maintaining overall
 Lentils
health because it increases absorption of protein,
carbohydrates, and fat from food. It keeps your  Wheat germ
bones strong and your hair healthy and growing.
 Peanut butter
Why You Need It: Without biotin, your body is
unable to naturally process and break down the  Peanut butter
foods you eat. While biotin deficiency is very rare, it
can occur in athletes who consume raw egg whites  Brewer's yeast
over a long period of time. Deficiency can cause
 Fortified cereals
depression, nausea, loss of hair, and scaly dermatitis.
 Asparagus and broccoli
Biotin Sources:
 Oranges and orange juice
 Milk
 Dried beans (cooked pinto, navy, kidney,
 Nuts
and lima)
 Pork
 Green, leafy vegetables (spinach and
 Yeast romaine lettuce)

 Cereal Deficiencies of vitamins are classified as either

primary or secondary.
 Egg yolk
 A primary deficiency occurs when an
 Legumes organism does not get enough of the
vitamin in its food.
 Chocolate
 A secondary deficiency may be due to an
 Organ meats (liver, kidney) underlying disorder that prevents or limits
the absorption or use of the vitamin, due to
 a "lifestyle factor", such as smoking,
excessive alcohol consumption, or the use
of medications that interfere with the
absorption or use of the vitamin.

People who eat a varied diet are unlikely to develop

a severe primary vitamin deficiency.

In contrast, restrictive diets have the potential to

cause prolonged vitamin deficits, which may result in
often painful and potentially deadly diseases.

Dietary supplements, often containing vitamins, are

used to ensure that adequate amounts of nutrients
are obtained on a daily basis, if optimal amounts of
the nutrients cannot be obtained through a varied
diet. Scientific evidence supporting the benefits of
some dietary supplements is well established for
certain health conditions, but others need further
study.

The best way to get enough vitamins is to eat a

balanced diet with a variety of foods. In some cases,
you may need to take a daily multivitamin for
optimal health. However, high doses of some
vitamins can make you sick.