Diet Supplements

Vitamins – The Basics

February 3, 2010
By Jarmon Kell

A vitamin is an organic compound required by the body in very small amounts to maintain normal physiological functioning. Vitamins were first isolated in their structures established in the 1930s, but the need for vitamins was clear long before the 1900s. In the 18th century, cod liver oil was used to treat rickets, while prior to that liver was used for night blindness. The most famous story of a disease cured by a vitamin involved the British sailors. During the 1700s, many sailors at sea had difficulty fighting infection and healing wounds. It was finally realized that sailors on long trips consumed very few citrus fruits and developed a vitamin C deficiency. On future expeditions, they were given limes to combat the deficiency, and because of this British sailors became known as limeys.

Today it is known that 13 vitamins are required by humans. While all people require vitamins, the exact need varies and depends on many factors such as body size and growth rate. Also, people who have an active metabolism, such as those with a fever, disease, metabolic defect, pregnant or lactating, may require more vitamins.

Vitamins can be classified as fat-soluble or water-soluble. The water-soluble vitamins are readily absorbed by the small intestine, but the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins relies on the absorption of fat by the small intestine. Therefore, diseases, medications and food restriction that limits the absorption of fat by the small intestine also limit the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins.

Fat soluble vitamins are stored in the body, and deficiency of any one vitamin may take a long time to detect, upwards to 2 to 6 months. Because water-soluble vitamins are not stored to any great extent, a deficiency can occur much more quickly. For example, thiamin deficiency is observed after approximately 10 days without thiamin, while vitamin C deficiency occurs after about 20 to 40 days without vitamin C.

Finally, recent research has shown that excess consumption of both fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins, can be detrimental and even toxic. Since fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body, their toxicity has been known for years. Excess intake of water-soluble vitamins is now being examined as many people purposely consume large quantities of possibly toxic vitamins with the intent of ensuring good health. When examining different vitamin sources, be sure to pay attention to their functions, food sources and signs of deficiency and excess.

Jarmon Kell is a well published author in diet, fitness, weight loss, health and beauty. Some of his other writing areas include topics such as baby bottle warmers, and bottle drying racks.

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