Vitamins are a type of nutrient that the body needs in small quantities, but they are essential for the body. They have antioxidant properties. If the body is deficient in vitamins at any time, it can result in illness or undesirable symptoms without being noticed.
Understanding Vitamins
“Vitamins are one of the five food groups, which are a type of organic compound found in living things, be they plants or animals. The human body uses vitamins to facilitate bodily reactions, ensuring the normal operation of various systems in the body, or simply put, vitamins are like the oil that a car needs to operate. They are antioxidants but do not provide energy to the car. This means vitamins cannot directly provide energy to the body, but the body needs to consume vitamins to transform food into energy. Humans require vitamins in small amounts but cannot do without them. Another important point is that most types of vitamins cannot be synthesized by the human body and must be obtained externally, which is done through diet.”
Groups of Vitamins
Vitamins are divided into 2 groups:
1) Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K, which dissolve in fats or oils only to be absorbed into the body. They cannot be excreted through urine. If consumed in excess, they are stored in the body.
2) Water-soluble vitamins include vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, and vitamin C. They stay in the body for 2 – 4 hours. The remainder from their use is excreted through the kidneys with urine, so the chance of them accumulating in the body is low and rarely causes side effects.
The 13 types of vitamins have different roles. For example, vitamin A, which is fat-soluble, helps with vision problems, improving night vision, bone and teeth development in children. It is found in meats, egg yolks, liver, milk, butter, and green and orange fruits and vegetables such as amaranth, kale, choy sum, spinach, ripe mangoes, ripe papayas, tomatoes. The intake should not exceed 3,000 micrograms per day.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin D
Vitamin D can be partly produced by the body when exposed to sunlight in the morning, and can also be obtained from foods such as fish liver oils, milk, egg yolks, mackerel, and salmon. It helps store calcium in the bones, preventing osteomalacia and osteoporosis. The intake should not exceed 50 micrograms per day.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E helps with skin nourishment and is an essential antioxidant. It is found in plant oils such as sunflower oil, olive oil, cornflower seed oil, almonds. The intake should not exceed 1,000 micrograms per day.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K is found in green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, cauliflower, egg yolks, nut oils, liver, pork and helps with blood clotting. In children with low levels of vitamin K, bleeding disorders can be often observed. A deficiency can lead to easy bleeding and slow clotting.
Water-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) helps with the operation of the nervous system and muscles, preventing beriberi. A deficiency can lead to muscle weakness. It is found in pork, sunflower seeds, brown rice, which have more vitamin B1 in their husk and germ. Polished rice has ten times less vitamin B1 than brown rice.
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) is associated with the formation of hair, nails, and skin and is an antioxidant. It helps prevent angular cheilitis and is found in rice, grains, meat, eggs, milk, organ meats, liver, green leafy vegetables, yogurt, oats. Vitamin B3 (Niacin or Niacinamide) helps with dry skin exposed to sunlight. A severe deficiency can lead to diarrhea, brain fog, and memory problems. It is found in the liver, meats, oats, legumes, rice bran, yeast, green leafy vegetables. The intake should not exceed 35 milligrams per day.
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) is widely found in chicken, beef, liver, potatoes, sunflower seeds. A deficiency can cause altered sensation and numbness at the fingertips.
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine or Pyridoxamine) is involved in the nervous system. A deficiency in vitamin B6 can lead to anemia. It is found in meats, fish, chicken, liver, potatoes, bananas, watermelon, milk, egg yolk, brown rice, rice bran, wheat germ, and different types of beans and seeds. The intake should not exceed 100 milligrams per day.
Vitamin B7
Vitamin B7 (Biotin) is associated with skin health. A deficiency can lead to dermatitis, enteritis. It is mostly found in cauliflower, legumes, bananas, salmon, eggs, liver, seeds. Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) is related to blood cell formation. A deficiency can lead to anemia. It is found in legumes, spinach, broccoli, kale, choy sum, mustard greens. The intake should not exceed 1,000 micrograms per day.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) is important for the nervous system. A deficiency can lead to anemia with larger than normal red blood cells. It is found in meats, milk, butter, egg yolks, yogurt.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is involved in collagen synthesis, strengthening blood vessels, reducing scars. It is found in oranges, cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, cantaloupe, tomatoes, papayas, potatoes, guava, pineapple. A deficiency can cause bleeding gums, paleness, and slow healing wounds. The intake should not exceed 2,000 milligrams.
Factors Leading to Vitamin Deficiency
Factors that can lead to vitamin deficiency include:
- The food consumed: The meals eaten daily may contain too few vitamins, especially burnt or overcooked food, which can reduce the vitamins in the food and the antioxidants. Also, food exposed to heat for too long or excessively processed to become edible may also have reduced vitamin content.
- The body requires more vitamins: For example, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and people who need more energy like athletes or those who exercise more than usual. People with illnesses are also a factor that can lead to vitamin deficiency; for example, people with diarrhea can absorb fewer vitamins, or people with inflammatory bowel diseases or liver diseases might not synthesize vitamins effectively and lack antioxidants.
- People consuming certain foods that interfere with vitamin absorption or destroy vitamins more: For instance, vitamin B1 is destroyed by some types of food like fresh freshwater fish, fermented fish, certain shellfish, and also by tea, coffee, and alcohol, which can lead to an increased excretion of vitamin B1 from the body. Regularly consuming these foods can destroy the vitamin B1 absorbed by the intestines, leading to a higher risk of developing beriberi.
Vitamins are found in the food we eat, whether it’s meat, milk, eggs, vegetables, and fruits. Therefore, eating a complete and varied diet of all five food groups is important and necessary for the body. However, some people who choose to eat only certain food groups, such as vegetarians, need to have more nutritional knowledge about what their diet may lack and choose appropriate vitamin supplements. But generally, choosing to eat freshly cooked, clean, and varied foods will ensure adequate vitamin intake, resulting in a healthier body functioning normally.
