Everything You Need to Know about Vitamins :: Science Biology

Everything You Need to Know about VitaminsVitamin, any of the natural compounds required by the body in small amounts for metabolism, to protect health, and for right(a) growth in children. Vitamins also assist in the formation of hormones, origination cells, nervous-system chemics, and genetic material. The various vitamins are not chemically related, and most protest in their physiological actions. They generally act as catalysts, combining with proteins to nominate metabolically active enzymes that in turn produce hundreds of important chemical reactions throughout the body. Without vitamins, umpteen of these reactions would slow down or cease. The intricate shipway in which vitamins act on the body, however, are still far from clear.The 13 well-identified vitamins are classified according to their ability to be absorbed in fat or water. The fat-soluble vitamins-A, D, E, and K-are generally consumed along with fat-containing foods, and because they outhouse be stored in the bodys fat, they do not have to be consumed every daytime. The water-soluble vitamins-the 8 B vitamins and vitamin C- open firenot be stored and must be consumed frequently, preferably every day (with the exception of some B vitamins, as noted below).The body can manufacture only vitamin D all other(a)s must be derived from the diet. omit of them causes a wide range of metabolic and other dysfunctions. In the U.S., since 1940, the regimen and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council has published recommended dietary allowances (RDA) for vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. Expressed in milligrams or international units (IU) for adults and children of normal health, these recommendations are profitable guidelines not only for professionals in nutrition but also for the evolution number of families and individuals who eat irregular meals and rely on prepared foods, many of which are now required to carry nutritional labeling.A balanced diet contains all the nece ssary vitamins, and most individuals who follow such a diet can correct any previous vitamin deficiencies. However, persons who are on special diets, who are suffering from intestinal disorders that prevent normal compactness of nutrients, or who are pregnant or lactating may hire particular vitamin supplements to bolster their metabolism. Beyond such real needs, vitamin supplements are also often popularly believed to offer cures for many diseases, from colds to cancer but in fact the body quickly eliminates most of these preparations without absorbing them. In addition, the fat-soluble vitamins can block the effect of other vitamins and even cause severe inebriation when taken in excess.