The Importance and Functions of Vitamins


Submitted by R. Turk
May 27, 2012 - 51 weeks 5 days ago

Taking vitamins every night before you go to sleep, in the morning right after you wake up, or during a favorite meal is an essential part of life. Vitamins keep the body healthy and strong by providing the body trace amounts of nutrients that support different functions. Some vitamins are everyday nutrients that people can take in by eating food, such as vitamin C, or should only be taken in certain circumstances, such as vitamin D. However, it is hard to figure out what each vitamin is meant to help boost, hence why I have written this article and provided the table below.

 

Types of Vitamins and Their Functions
Vitamin Alternate Name Function Types of Food It Can Be Found In
A Retinol improving vision fish oil
B1 Thiamine overall health, brain functions, and cellular health rice, bran
B2 Riboflavin energy and metabolism, overall health meat, eggs
B3

Niacin

meat, eggs, and grains
B5 Pantothenic Acid metabolize proteins, carbs, and fats meat, whole grains
B6 Pyridoxine balancing of sodium and potassium; red blood cell production; immune health meat, dairy
B7 Biotin synthesis of fats and sugars meat, dairy, eggs
B9 Folic Acid improving bodily functions; red blood cell production vegetables (greens)
B12 Cobalamins overall nervous system support; metabolism, red blood cell production liver, eggs
C Ascorbic Acid antioxidant, overall wellness, immune health citrus and other fruits
D Calciferol regulate calcium and nutrients in the blood stream fish oil; the sun
E Tocopherol antioxidant wheat germ oil, unrefined vegetable oils
K1 Phylloquinone bone protein formation vegetables (greens)

I hope this chart was a good tool for you to figure out which vitamins you may or may not need more of. Every night, I take a multi-vitamin, but also take a B6 and B12 to help add to my metabolism. Vitamins are essential to life. Without them, you could develop diseases and be more succeptible to illness. Vitamins keep the body healthy and it is good to know what foods help to add our well-being.


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