Are you excited to know the surprising facts about vitamins in the body and how they affect our lives with a balanced amount? Vitamins are organic molecules essential for our body and regulate metabolic functions. 13 vitamins are yet to be discovered. Most of the vitamins consist of single molecules although some vitamins are made up of smaller subunits called vitamers. In this article, we will learn about how misconceptions are interconnected with vitamins and how they are helpful for our body’s daily requirements. They are essential micronutrients that our body needs in small quantities. Our body can also synthesize vitamins but that’s not enough, we can maintain the required quantity of vitamins through food.
Essential Functions of Vitamins
As we discussed earlier vitamins are essential nutrients for our body and perform functions in the body properly. They play a crucial role in maintaining the immune system, cell growth, and energy production.
Vitamin A (Retinol)
Vitamin A is fat-soluble and important for our body because it helps in vision, maintains the immune system, supports growth and reproduction, and keeps our skin nourished. Sources of vitamin A are fruits ( mangoes, apricots, pumpkins), vegetables (carrot, capsicum, spinach, broccoli, peas), eggs, animal liver, and fortified milk. The deficiency of vitamin A leads to night blindness, infections, and excessive keratin protein in the skin.
Vitamin B (Thiamine)
It is water soluble and can not be stored in our bodies. They must be consumed through a diet that contains vitamin B. Vitamin B helps our body use the energy-yielding nutrients for fuel and also helps in cell multiplications. Vitamin B plays a vital role in our skin health most of the cosmetic industries use niacin B3 in their beauty products. The sources of vitamin B are fish, meat, fruits, vegetables, pulses, and legumes.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Vitamin C is also water-soluble and cannot be synthesized in our body we need to take the vitamin C from a healthy diet. Vitamin C plays an important role in metabolic processes including collagen formation, maintaining the immune system, and brain functions. It is also a powerful anti-oxidant as it can destroy free radicals which damage the cell membrane. The sources of Vitamin C include fruit (oranges, lemons, limes, kiwifruits, rock melon, grapefruits, blackcurrants, mangoes, tomatoes, and strawberries), and vegetables (cabbage, capsicum, spinach, cauliflower, potatoes, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, and broccoli).
A deficiency of vitamin C leads to scurvy disease.
Vitamin D (Calciferol)
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble and important vitamin for bone health. It plays a crucial role in overall health. The main source of vitamin D is the sun which produces vitamin D in the skin by breaking the B ring of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) in the skin epidermis through sunlight and converting pre-vitamin D into vitamin D. Other sources include milk, egg, and fatty fish. Vitamin D deficiency leads to an increasing risk of osteoporosis, rickets, and bone fractures.
Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
It is also a fat-soluble antioxidant that protects our skin from free radicals such as cigarette smoke and radiation. It is also important for healthy skin, the immune system, and vision. The sources of vitamin E include eggs, vegetables (spinach, broccoli), meats, fish liver, nuts, seeds, and oils. The lack of vitamin E in our bodies may increase the risk of Erythrocyte hemolysis.
Vitamin K (Phylloquinone)
Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and wound healing because it can cause coagulation. It is also important for bone health. The sources of vitamin D include leafy vegetables, Fruit ( kiwi and avocado) meat, vegetable oil such as soybean oil, and the bacteria present in the gastrointestinal tract. The deficiency of vitamin K leads to bleeding, poor bone development, and increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
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Surprising Facts about Vitamins
Vitamins are not only important to improve health but also provide surprising benefits to our body. Then perform essential functions in our body. The excess amount of vitamins can cause disease. A balanced amount of nutrients has a key role in our lives. Surprising facts about vitamins you never knew are listed below.
Vitamin Causes Happiness
Serotonin is a hormone (neurotransmitter) in our body and is regulated by tryptophan which is produced in our brain and vitamin B6 is essential for the production of tryptophan. The right amount of vitamin B6 keeps you happy and also helps to maintain a positive state of mind. It also regulars the sleep cycle as well. So the people who eat food rich with vitamin B6 are happy.
Sweating can cause a loss of Vitamins.
As we know sweating is good for our health. It can eliminate lots of toxic elements from our body but it can also remove the water-soluble vitamins B and C from our body. So we have to replenish this vitamin regularly.
Vitamins can cure diseases.
It is a common myth that vitamins can cure diseases people think that vitamin C can cure colds but it’s not true it can only shorten the duration of a cold. The vitamins can only maintain the nutrient requirements in our body.
Vitamin D is naturally produced.
Vitamin D is naturally produced in our body through the ultraviolet rays of sunlight which can break the the B ring of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) in the skin epidermis through sunlight and converts pre-vitamin D into vitamin D. It is also responsible for proper absorption of minerals such as phosphorus and calcium.
Vitamin E and Anti-aging
Vitamin E has an anti-oxidant activity that can destroy free radicals, shield the cells from inflammation, and can’t damage collagen and elasticity. It can prevent UV rays of sunlight that cause fine lines and wrinkles. It can also regulate blood circulation which improves the structure of the skin.
Despite their importance, many people are unaware of the surprising facts about vitamins, such as their potential to improve happiness, regulate sleep, and even combat the effects of aging. Our body can produce certain vitamins, but it’s still important to maintain a healthy lifestyle to support optimal health. Understanding the true significance of vitamins helps debunk myths and emphasizes the need for proper nutrition to achieve a balanced, healthy life.
