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Author:
Monica Liza

Vitamins

A Vitamin is an organic molecule required by a living organism in minute amounts for proper health. An organism deprived of all sources of a particular vitamin will eventually suffer from disease symptoms specific to that vitamin.

Vitamins can be classified as either water soluble, which means they dissolve easily in water, or fat soluble, which means they are absorbed through the intestinal tract with the help of lipids. In general, an organism must obtain vitamins or their metabolic precursors from outside the body, most often from the organism's diet. Examples of vitamins that the human body can derive from precursors include vitamin A, which can be produced from beta carotene; niacin from the amino acid tryptophan; and vitamin D through exposure of skin to ultraviolet light.

The word vitamin was coined by the Polish biochemist Casimir Funk in 1912. Vita in Latin is life and the -amin suffix is short for amine; at the time it was thought that all vitamins were amines. Though this is now known to be incorrect, the name has stuck. Human vitamins

In humans, there are thirteen vitamins, divided into two groups, the four fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and the nine water soluble vitamins (eight B vitamins and vitamin C).

Some of the vitamins are known by other names in older literature. Vitamin B2 is also referred to as Vitamin G. Vitamin B7, or biotin is also referred to as "Vitamin H." Vitamin B9, or folic acid and other folates such "Vitamin M -Pteryl-tri-glutamic acid" are refered to as Folicin. Vitamin B3 is also referred to as "Vitamin PP", a name derived from the obsolete term "pellagra-preventing factor". Many other essential dietary substances were originally called vitamins and are now classified differently.

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| Article Keywords: Nutrients

A Quick Note From The Publisher... If you like the article above, you may be interested in the following article which is also related to Nutrients... Vitamin Supplements for Preventive Health Taking a megadose of vitamins for preventive health is still being researched. There are hopes that certain vitamins will be proven to prevent certain diseases and disorders from developing. Yet, there are many in the medical community who believe that vitamin supplementation will never take the place of modern medicine, and "miracle"statements will never be made about vitamins. However, what cannot be disputed are the medicinal properties found in vitamins, and more specifically in antioxidants. Antioxidant vitamins include vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta-carotene--which is a compound of vitamin A. Mineral antioxidants include manganese, zinc and selenium. These antioxidants work together to protect the body from free radical damage. While it is virtually impossible to rid the body of all oxidative stressors, antioxidants work as a team to greatly defend the human body and boost the immune system. Vitamin C protects proteins in the body, while vitamin E protects the fat in cell membranes. Beta-carotene protects our bodies from free radicals which are formed by ultraviolet light. Selenium enzymes station themselves close to the energy producing part of our cells, while zinc stands guard and stops free radicals which may have slipped by unnoticed by the other antioxidants. Why are these combination of antioxidant vitamins important? There is an array of diseases which are thought to be connected to free radicals. These diseases can include heart disease, arthritis, cataracts, cancer, and even early onset aging. It is thought if individuals have a high intake of these vitamins that it can greatly lower their chances of acquiring one of these diseases or disorders, or slow down the degenerative process. The problem with...