Vitamins
Table of Contents
Except for vitamin D, vitamins are essential nutrients,[40] necessary in the diet for good health. Vitamin D can be synthesized in the skin in the presence of UVB radiation. (Many animal species can synthesize vitamin C, but humans cannot.) Certain vitamin-like compounds that are recommended in the diet, such as carnitine, are thought useful for survival and health, but these are not “essential” dietary nutrients because the human body has some capacity to produce them from other compounds. Moreover, thousands of different phytochemicals have recently been discovered in food (particularly in fresh vegetables), which may have desirable properties including antioxidant activity (see below); experimental demonstration has been suggestive but inconclusive. Other essential nutrients not classed as vitamins include essential amino acids (see above), essential fatty acids (see above), and the minerals discussed in the preceding section.[medical citation needed]
Vitamin deficiencies may result in disease conditions: goiter, scurvy, osteoporosis, impaired immune system, disorders of cell metabolism, certain forms of cancer, symptoms of premature aging, and poor psychological health (including eating disorders), among many others.[56]
Excess levels of some vitamins are also dangerous to health. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine has established Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs) for seven vitamins.[57]
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_nutrition#Vitamins
List of Vitamins and their Sources
| Vitamin generic descriptor name | Vitamer chemical name(s) (list not complete) | Solubility | Food sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | all-trans–Retinol, Retinals, and alternative provitamin A-functioning Carotenoids including all-trans–beta-carotene | Fat | from animal origin as Vitamin A / all-trans-Retinol: Fish in general, liver and dairy products; from plant origin as provitamin A / all-trans-beta-carotene: orange, ripe yellow fruits, leafy vegetables, carrots, pumpkin, squash, spinach; |
| Vitamin B1 | Thiamine | Water | Pork, wholemeal grains, brown rice, vegetables, potatoes, liver, eggs |
| Vitamin B2 | Riboflavin | Water | Dairy products, bananas, green beans, asparagus |
| Vitamin B3 | Niacin, Niacinamide, Nicotinamide riboside | Water | Meat, fish, eggs, many vegetables, mushrooms, tree nuts |
| Vitamin B5 | Pantothenic acid | Water | Meat, broccoli, avocados |
| Vitamin B6 | Pyridoxine, Pyridoxamine, Pyridoxal | Water | Meat, vegetables, tree nuts, bananas |
| Vitamin B7 | Biotin | Water | Raw egg yolk, liver, peanuts, leafy green vegetables |
| Vitamin B9 | Folates, Folic acid | Water | Leafy vegetables, pasta, bread, cereal, liver |
| Vitamin B12 | Cyanocobalamin, Hydroxocobalamin, Methylcobalamin, Adenosylcobalamin | Water | Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk |
| Vitamin C | Ascorbic acid | Water | Many fruits and vegetables, liver |
| Vitamin D | Cholecalciferol (D3), Ergocalciferol (D2) | Fat | Lichen, eggs, liver, certain fish species such as sardines, certain mushroom species such as shiitake |
| Vitamin E | Tocopherols, Tocotrienols | Fat | Many fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, and seed oils |
| Vitamin K | Phylloquinone, Menaquinones | Fat | Leafy green vegetables such as spinach; egg yolks; liver |
Illnesses caused by underconsumption and overconsumption
