Vitamins are essential nutrients for growth, energy and nerve function. Our bodies get the vitamin from food, supplements, or the production of intestinal flora.
Two Groups of Vitamin
There are two groups of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble.
Vitamins A, D, E, K are fat soluble so it requires fat to be absorbed by the body. Excess vitamins are stored in the liver and fat your body, then used when needed. Consuming excess fat-soluble vitamins can make you toxic, causing side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and liver and heart problems.
Vitamin B complex and C is water soluble. Your body uses the vitamins it needs, then remove the excess through urine. Because these vitamins are not stored in the body, the risk of poisoning is very small compared with the fat-soluble vitamins, but a higher risk of deficiency.
Types of Vitamins
1. Vitamin A (retinol)
Vitamin A found in foods, yellow-orange, dark green leafy and in the form of retinol in foods of animal origin. Carrots, mangoes, pumpkin, papaya, spinach, broccoli, watercress, egg yolks, milk and liver are the foods rich in vitamin A.
Vitamin A plays a role in the growth and maintenance of bone and epithelial tissues, improve immunity, and fight free radicals (antioxidant). Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of blindness in children in many developing countries.
2. Vitamin D (calciferol)
Fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, tuna, eggs, fortified foods such as margarine and cereals are good sources of vitamin D. This vitamin is essential for bone growth and maintenance for controlling the absorption of calcium and phosphorus are important for bone metabolism. Vitamin D deficiency in children will cause the disease rickets, and in adults causes osteomalacia, a condition in which bones become weak and soft. Vitamin D can be produced by the body when the skin receives sun's ultraviolet rays. Vitamin D deficiency can occur in those who had low dietary vitamin D or rarely exposed to sunlight. Large doses of vitamins can lead to excess calcium, especially in children, which interfere with bone formation. However, it is extremely rare. There are no recommendations on dietary vitamin D for adults who live normal and adequate exposure to sunlight.
3. Vitamin E (tocopherol)
Vitamin E present in sesame oil, soy beans, rice, corn and sunflower seeds, egg yolks, nuts and vegetables. This vitamin is an important antioxidant that prevents premature aging of cells, stimulates the immune system, reduces the risk of cataracts, protects against heart disease, prevent cancer and maintain skin health. Vitamin E deficiency in humans is rare, except in premature infants and those with digestive problems.
4. Vitamin K
Lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, kale, milk, and dark green leafy vegetables are the best sources of this vitamin. Vitamin K is involved in blood clotting and its shortcomings can cause excessive bleeding and difficulty in healing. Vitamin deficiency is rare, except in newborns and those with absorption or metabolism of vitamin problems, such as patients with chronic liver disease.
5. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Vitamin C is primarily found in citrus fruits, kiwi, melons, oranges, guava, soursop, mango, strawberry, papaya, tomatoes, cabbage and peppers. This vitamin is essential for growth and development, helping the healing process, improve the immune system (helps prevent the flu), stimulates the synthesis of collagen, maintaining skin elasticity, and maintain healthy bones, teeth, muscles and tendons. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant and helps iron absorption in the intestine. Lack of vitamin C can cause canker sores, bleeding, anemia, and joint pain. However, lack of vitamin C deficiency is less common than some types of vitamin B. Patients with cancer and digestive problems or those who get infusions more prone to deficiency of vitamin C.
Because easily damaged by heat and light, vitamin C foods should be stored in a cool and shady. Consumption of too much vitamin C may be harmful because it causes diarrhea and kidney stones. Because vitamin C helps iron absorption, very high doses can lead to iron overload.
6. Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Vitamin B1 is present in grains, organ meats, peas, peanuts, egg yolks, brown rice, all kinds of meat, potatoes, cabbage, green beans, bananas, and papayas. This vitamin protects the nervous system, stimulates appetite and plays a role in muscle function and heart. Thiamin also helps processing of carbohydrates, fats and alcohol. Vitamin B1 deficiency causes a disease called beriberi, in which patients are unable to process carbohydrates and fats properly and develop a variety of symptoms including heart problems, nerve, joint pain inflammation and lack of appetite.
7. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Vitamin B2 is present in lettuce, milk, cheese, peas, eggs, rice, carrots, sweet potatoes, cassava, tomatoes, beans, avocado, pineapple, papaya, guava, and mango. These vitamins help digestion of protein, carbohydrate and fat and protects the skin and eyes. Lack of vitamin B2 can cause skin disease, difficulty digesting food and red eyes.
8. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Bananas, avocados, oranges, tomatoes, apples, chicken, fish, meat, eggs, organ meats, peanuts and soybeans are good sources of vitamin B6 are essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates and non-essential amino acids. Digestion of these bacteria produce vitamins and some is absorbed through the intestinal wall. This vitamin deficiency causes skin problems such as seborrheic dermatitis around the eyes, nose and mouth.
9. Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)
Vitamin B12 is present in foods of animal origin (milk, liver, kidney, muscle and fish). This vitamin plays a role in cell function, especially in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system, and in the production of red blood cells. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes anemia, glossitis and gastrointestinal disorders.
Two Groups of Vitamin
There are two groups of vitamins: fat soluble and water soluble.
Vitamins A, D, E, K are fat soluble so it requires fat to be absorbed by the body. Excess vitamins are stored in the liver and fat your body, then used when needed. Consuming excess fat-soluble vitamins can make you toxic, causing side effects such as nausea, vomiting, and liver and heart problems.
Vitamin B complex and C is water soluble. Your body uses the vitamins it needs, then remove the excess through urine. Because these vitamins are not stored in the body, the risk of poisoning is very small compared with the fat-soluble vitamins, but a higher risk of deficiency.
Types of Vitamins
1. Vitamin A (retinol)
Vitamin A found in foods, yellow-orange, dark green leafy and in the form of retinol in foods of animal origin. Carrots, mangoes, pumpkin, papaya, spinach, broccoli, watercress, egg yolks, milk and liver are the foods rich in vitamin A.
Vitamin A plays a role in the growth and maintenance of bone and epithelial tissues, improve immunity, and fight free radicals (antioxidant). Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of blindness in children in many developing countries.
2. Vitamin D (calciferol)
Fatty fish such as sardines, mackerel, tuna, eggs, fortified foods such as margarine and cereals are good sources of vitamin D. This vitamin is essential for bone growth and maintenance for controlling the absorption of calcium and phosphorus are important for bone metabolism. Vitamin D deficiency in children will cause the disease rickets, and in adults causes osteomalacia, a condition in which bones become weak and soft. Vitamin D can be produced by the body when the skin receives sun's ultraviolet rays. Vitamin D deficiency can occur in those who had low dietary vitamin D or rarely exposed to sunlight. Large doses of vitamins can lead to excess calcium, especially in children, which interfere with bone formation. However, it is extremely rare. There are no recommendations on dietary vitamin D for adults who live normal and adequate exposure to sunlight.
3. Vitamin E (tocopherol)
Vitamin E present in sesame oil, soy beans, rice, corn and sunflower seeds, egg yolks, nuts and vegetables. This vitamin is an important antioxidant that prevents premature aging of cells, stimulates the immune system, reduces the risk of cataracts, protects against heart disease, prevent cancer and maintain skin health. Vitamin E deficiency in humans is rare, except in premature infants and those with digestive problems.
4. Vitamin K
Lettuce, cabbage, cauliflower, spinach, kale, milk, and dark green leafy vegetables are the best sources of this vitamin. Vitamin K is involved in blood clotting and its shortcomings can cause excessive bleeding and difficulty in healing. Vitamin deficiency is rare, except in newborns and those with absorption or metabolism of vitamin problems, such as patients with chronic liver disease.
5. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Vitamin C is primarily found in citrus fruits, kiwi, melons, oranges, guava, soursop, mango, strawberry, papaya, tomatoes, cabbage and peppers. This vitamin is essential for growth and development, helping the healing process, improve the immune system (helps prevent the flu), stimulates the synthesis of collagen, maintaining skin elasticity, and maintain healthy bones, teeth, muscles and tendons. Vitamin C also acts as an antioxidant and helps iron absorption in the intestine. Lack of vitamin C can cause canker sores, bleeding, anemia, and joint pain. However, lack of vitamin C deficiency is less common than some types of vitamin B. Patients with cancer and digestive problems or those who get infusions more prone to deficiency of vitamin C.
Because easily damaged by heat and light, vitamin C foods should be stored in a cool and shady. Consumption of too much vitamin C may be harmful because it causes diarrhea and kidney stones. Because vitamin C helps iron absorption, very high doses can lead to iron overload.
6. Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Vitamin B1 is present in grains, organ meats, peas, peanuts, egg yolks, brown rice, all kinds of meat, potatoes, cabbage, green beans, bananas, and papayas. This vitamin protects the nervous system, stimulates appetite and plays a role in muscle function and heart. Thiamin also helps processing of carbohydrates, fats and alcohol. Vitamin B1 deficiency causes a disease called beriberi, in which patients are unable to process carbohydrates and fats properly and develop a variety of symptoms including heart problems, nerve, joint pain inflammation and lack of appetite.
7. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Vitamin B2 is present in lettuce, milk, cheese, peas, eggs, rice, carrots, sweet potatoes, cassava, tomatoes, beans, avocado, pineapple, papaya, guava, and mango. These vitamins help digestion of protein, carbohydrate and fat and protects the skin and eyes. Lack of vitamin B2 can cause skin disease, difficulty digesting food and red eyes.
8. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Bananas, avocados, oranges, tomatoes, apples, chicken, fish, meat, eggs, organ meats, peanuts and soybeans are good sources of vitamin B6 are essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates and non-essential amino acids. Digestion of these bacteria produce vitamins and some is absorbed through the intestinal wall. This vitamin deficiency causes skin problems such as seborrheic dermatitis around the eyes, nose and mouth.
9. Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)
Vitamin B12 is present in foods of animal origin (milk, liver, kidney, muscle and fish). This vitamin plays a role in cell function, especially in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract and nervous system, and in the production of red blood cells. Vitamin B12 deficiency causes anemia, glossitis and gastrointestinal disorders.