What are vitamins and why are they important?

Answer 1

The word "vitamin" is a shortening of "vital amine", because when they were first discovered it was believed that all of them were amines (a particular type of chemical) and they were "vital" to health.

There are many different vitamins, and they each have a different function in the body. Folic acid, for example, is important in cell reproduction. Vitamin A is important in the synthesis of a chemical your body needs to produce light receptors in your eyes. So there are as many different answers as there are different vitamins.

A healthy diet provides all the vitamins you need naturally. However, most people don't eat a healthy diet, and even some diets that are otherwise very good for you may be lacking in certain vitamins. That's the main purpose of supplemental vitamin pills: to make up for any dietary deficiencies.

Answer 2

Vitamin tablets do nothing to help your body. Infact they may cause health problems if taken for prologned durations. Best idea is to take a variety of dfferent foods, if organic the better. For more information visit www.naturalremediesguide.net which is the best source of information about natural remedies from different herbal healing systems. *They help release energy stored in other nutrients.

Answer 3

Vitamins, being a class of bio-molecules, are always listed together with another very similar class of bio-molecules - the Co-enzymes.

So when we put the 'Vitamins and Co-enzymes' together, it appears that vitamins are a specific sub-set of coenzymes - each with its own unique bio-function in performing the [unique] Enzyme-regulated catalysis of its unique biochemical reaction.

Answer 4

There are many water-soluble vitamins which the body needs. The B group and Vitamin C are water-soluble, and are not stored in the body, so a daily supply is needed.

The B-Vitamins are all chemically different from each other, adn so have slightly different uses and sources, but they mostly act as co-enzymes in chemical reactions in the body.

Vitamin C is necessary for the formation of collagen (a main protein in connective tissue which seperates, protects adn supports the various organs). Vitamins C also aids the healing of wounds, the absorption of iron and also has anti-oxidant properties.

I hope this was what you were looking for.

Answer 5

All vitamins are needed for the human body to function properly, however the body requires only small amounts of these vitamins.

Vitamin B1: Coenzyme used in removing CO2 from organic compounds.

Vitamin B2: Component of coenzymes FAD and FMN

Vitamin B12: Coenzyme in nucleic acid metabolism, maturation of red blood cells.

Vitamin B6: Coenzyme used in amino acid metabolism

Niacin (B3): Component of coenzymes NAD+ and NADP+

Biotin: Coenzyme in synthesis of fat, glycogen, and amino acids.

Pantothenic acid (B5): Component of coenzyme A (important in cellular respiration)

Folic acid (B9): Coenzyme in nucleic acid and amino acid metabolism

Vitamin C: Used in collagen synthesis, antioxidant, aids in detoxification and improves iron absorption

Vitamin A: Component of visual pigments, maintenance of epithelial tissues, antioxidant, helps prevent damage to cell membranes

Vitamin D: Aids in absorption and use of calcium and phosphorus, promotes bone growth.

Vitamin E: Antioxidant, helps prevent damage to cell membranes.

Vitamin K: Important in blood clotting