The ABCD of Vitamins...
A,B,C,D,E,K These are not random alphabets,these are vitamins and just like letters makes words,these are the building block of our body.
The value of eating a certain food was discovered much before vitamins were identified.The ancient Egyptians knew that feeding liver can help with night blindness but they donot know about the vitamins inside it.
The term 'vitamin' was derived from "vitamine",a compound word coined by Casimir Funk in 1912.
So what really vitamins are?? and Why we consume them??
A vitamin is an organic compound and essential micro-nutrient that our body needs for proper functioning.They are body's builders,defenders and maintenance workers,helping it to build muscle and bones,make use of nutrients ,use energy and heal wounds.
There are 13 types of vitamins known today.
While other organisms like fungi,bacteria and plants can produce their own vitamins but our body cant so we need to get them from other sources.
Vitamins comes in two categories :
- Fat-soluble:Fat soluble vitamins are absorbed with the help of fat and can remain inside the body for longer period of time.
- Water soluble:Water soluble vitamins dissolve easily in water and are excreted from the body through urine.As they are not stored readily,they are needed to take on regular basis.
One question is why vitamins are directly skipped from E to K ?? Or why there are no vitamins like F,G,H etc?? This is because vitamins from F-J were reclassifieds ,discarded or renamed because of their relation with vitamin B.
Does consuming more amount of vitamins harmful ?? Definitely yes,consuming overdose of vitamins is equally dangerous as lack of vitamins.That is why sometimes supplements are considered harmful.
VITAMIN
|
Year of discovery
|
Chemical name
|
Solubility
|
Deficiency disease
|
Vitamin A
|
1913
|
Retinol
|
Fat
|
Night-blindness
|
Vitmin B1
|
1910
|
Thiamine
|
Water
|
Beriberi
|
Vitamin B2
|
1920
|
Riboflavin
|
Water
|
Glossitis
|
Vitamin B3
|
1936
|
Niacin
|
Water
|
Pellagra
|
Vitamin B5
|
1931
|
Pantothenic acid
|
Water
|
Paresthesia
|
Vitamin B6
|
1934
|
Pyridoxine
|
Water
|
Anemia
|
Vitamin B7
|
1931
|
Biotin
|
Water
|
Dermatitis
|
Vitamin B9
|
1941
|
Folates
|
Water
|
Megaloblastic anemia
|
Vitamin B12
|
1948
|
Cyanocobalamin
|
Water
|
Pernicious anemia
|
Vitamin C
|
1920
|
Ascorbic acid
|
Water
|
Scurvy
|
Vitamin D
|
1920
|
Cholecalciferol
|
Fat
|
Rickets
|
Vitamin E
|
1922
|
Tocopherols
|
Fat
|
Infertility
|
Vitamin K
|
1929
|
Phylloquinone
|
Fat
|
Bleeding diathesis
|
For the persons who are not able to consume vitamins from their regular diet supplements are recommended.But as mentioned above taking overdose is harmful.
So its better to maintain balance and live life happily...
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