Vitamins are essential micro nutrients that are needed in appropriate quantities for the proper functioning of our body. Most vitamins can be obtained from our regular food and deficiency of vitamins in your body can lead to various health problems.
Our body requires more than 30 vitamins and minerals for proper functioning, which cannot be produced within the body in the apt quantity. Therefore you need to include them as part of your diet. Sometimes, it becomes very difficult for us to incorporate these vitamins in our diet in the form of food and this is where vitamin supplements come handy. The vitamin tablets or capsules are the easiest option of incorporating vitamins in your daily diet.
The 13 essential vitamins:
There are a number of vitamins but the 13 essential vitamins are Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Pantothenic acid ,Biotin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and Folate.
The Two Categories of Vitamins are:
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Fat-soluble vitamins: This type of vitamins are stored in our body's fatty tissue. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are the four fat-soluble vitamins. In the presence of dietary fat these vitamins are absorbed more easily by our body.
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Water-soluble vitamins:There are nine types of water-soluble vitamins namely Vitamin C, Vitamin B1 / B2 / B3 / B6 / B12, Pantothenic Acid and Folic Acid. These vitamins are not stored in the body. The leftover water-soluble vitamins that our body is unable to absorb leaves our body through the urine. These vitamins are to be consumed on a daily basis in the form of food or tablets to prevent shortage in the body.
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Vitamin A: Dietary sources that are rich in vitamin A help form and maintain healthy bones, soft tissue, teeth, mucous membranes, and skin.
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Vitamin B: Vitamin B are of various types such as B12, B6, et. and each has different functions. B6 helps in the formation of red blood cells and also maintains brain function. B12 aids in proper metabolism. It also helps in maintaining the central nervous system.
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Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a type of antioxidant that aids in healthy teeth and gums. It helps our body to absorb iron, maintain healthy tissue and quick healing of wounds.
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Vitamin D: Popularly known as "sunshine vitamin", vitamin D is formed within the body. 10 to 15 minutes of exposure in the sunshine thrice a week is enough for our body to produce the required amount of vitamin D. It helps our body to absorb calcium, which is necessary for the normal development and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones.
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Vitamin K: This is one of the most important vitamins that is needed in our body because without it our blood would not stick together or in short blood won't coagulate.
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Biotin: This is another essential vitamin that is necessary for proper metabolism of proteins and carbohydrates. You can have biotin tablets or capsules if you are unable to have these vitamins from your food. These supplements aid in healthy skin, hair, nails and also in the production of some hormones.
These are some of the vitamins along with their benefits; try to incorporate these vitamins in the form of food source or tablets. However, make sure to consult a doctor before consuming any of these dietary supplements.
