SHORT NOTES ON VITAMINS

Vitamins: It enhances the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Vitamins are required for growth in children, formation of hormones, blood cells, tissues and bones. Vitamins cannot be synthesised/produced by the human body, thus, our diet must contain vitamins.

TYPES OF VITAMINS:

Vitamin	Chemical Name	Food Sources	Deficiency Diseases
A	Retinol	Milk, eggs, fish, butter, cheese and liver.	Night blindness, Skin dryness.
B1	Thiamine	Legumes, whole grain, nuts.	Beri-beri.
B2	Riboflavin	Egg, milk, cheese, nuts, bread products.	Inflammation of tongue, sores in the corners of the mouth.
B3	Niacin or Nicotinic acid	Meat, fish, pea nuts, whole grain.	skin disease, diarrhoea, depression, dementia.
B5	Pantothenic acid	Eggs, liver, dairy products.	Fatigue, muscle cramp. Pellagra
B6	Pyridoxine	Organ meats, cereals, corn.	Anaemia, kidney stones, nausea, depression.
B12	Cyanocobalamin	Meat, fish.	pale skin, constipation, fatigue.
C	Ascorbic acid	Oranges, tomatoes, sweet and white potatoes.	Scurvy, anaemia, ability to fight infections decreases.
D	Calciferol	Direct sunlight, fish oils, eggs.	Rickets, osteomalacia.
E	Tocopherol	Vegetable oils, olives, tomatoes, almonds, meat, eggs.	Neurological problems, problems of reproductive system.
K	Phylloquinone or Naphthoquinone	Soyabeans, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, meat.	Failure to clot blood.

Vitamins are further divided into two groups-

(1) Fat soluble vitamins, and

(2) Water soluble vitamins.

Fat soluble vitamins - A, D, E and K.

Water soluble vitamins - Vitamin-B complex (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12), C and Folic acid.