Vitamins-The Essential for ur Healthy Life

There are several roles for vitamins and trace minerals in diseases:
Deficiencies of vitamins and minerals may be caused by disease states such as mal absorption;
Deficiency and excess of vitamins and minerals can cause disease in and of themselves (e.g., vitamin A intoxication and liver

disease);

Vitamins and minerals in high doses may be used as drugs (e.g., niacin for hypercholesterolemia).
Vitamins are essential for the normal growth and development of a multi-cellular organism. The developing fetus requires certain

vitamins and minerals to be present at certain times. If there is serious deficiency in one or more of these nutrients, a child may

develop a deficiency disease. Deficiencies of vitamins are classified as either primary or secondary.

Primary Deficiency: A primary deficiency occurs when you do not get enough of the vitamin in the food you eat.

Secondary Deficiency: A secondary deficiency may be due to an underlying disorder that prevents or limits the absorption or use of

the vitamin.
Types of Vitamins

Vitamins, one of the most essential nutrients required by the body and can be broadly classified into two main categories i.e.,

water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body, so you need to get them from food every day. They can be destroyed by

overcooking. These are easily absorbed by the body. Human body doesn't store large amounts of water-soluble vitamins. B-complex

vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble vitamins that are not stored in the body and must be replaced each day. These vitamins are

easily destroyed or washed out during food storage and preparation. They are eliminated in urine so, body need a continuous supply

of them in diets.

Proper storage and preparation of food can minimize vitamin loss. To reduce vitamin loss, refrigerate fresh produce, keep milk and

grains away from strong light, and use the cooking water from vegetables to prepare soups. An excess of water soluble vitamins

should not result in any side effects as they will disperse in the body fluids and voided in the urine.

Nine of the water-soluble vitamins are known as the B-complex group: Thiamin (vitamin B1), Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Niacin, Vitamin

B6, Folate, Vitamin B12, Biotin, Pantothenic acid and Vitamin C. These vitamins are widely distributed in foods.
Fat-soluble vitamins
The fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E and K - since they are soluble in fat and are absorbed by the body from the

intestinal tract. The human body has to use bile acids to absorb fat-soluble vitamins. Once these vitamins are absorbed, the body

stores them in body fat. When you need them, your body takes them out of storage to be used. Eating fats or oils that are not

digested can cause shortages of fat-soluble vitamins.

Fat soluble vitamins should not be consumed in excess as they are stored in the body and an excess can result in side effects. An

excess of vitamin A may result in irritability, weight loss, dry itchy skin in children and nausea, headache, diarrhea in adults.

Characteristics of the vitamins are:

Most of the vitamins have been artificially synthesized.

Some of vitamins are soluble in water and others are fat-soluble.

Some vitamins are synthesized in the body. Some members of vitamin B complex are synthesized by microorganisms in the intestinal

tract.

Vitamins are partly destroyed and are partly excreted.

Vitamins can be stored in the body to some extent, for example the fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and subcutaneous

tissue.

Vitamins can perform their work in very small quantities. Hence, the total daily requirement is usually very small.