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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.

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15y ago

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