Vitamins are biologically active organic compounds which are essential for normal health and grow. They are needed for certain biochemical reactions in the human body, like the chemical reactions that convert food into energy.
Vitamins are indispensable to the functioning of human body. Without vitamins, humans cannot stay alive. They are needed in every single organ in the human body. As organs perform their functions, vitamins assist them and participate in a body chemical reactions. Because the human body does not produce vitamins, they must be obtained either through food or through nutritional supplements.
Classification
fat-soluble vitamins – Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K. After being absorbed, they are stored by the body, creating reserves that can be called upon when needed. However, because they are fat-soluble, these vitamins also pose a relatively high risk of toxicity if taken in large amounts.
Vitamin A – is essential for proper vision and normal bone growth and also aids the immune and reproductive systems.
Vitamin D – helps the body absorb Calcium and Phosphorus, helps the pancreas produce insulin, and plays a role in the immune system.
Vitamin E – is an anti-oxidant, it helps to neutralize free radicals that can damage the body.
Vitamin K – is best known as the clotting vitamin, because without it, the amount of blood clotting proteins decreases and bleeding time increases.
water-soluble vitamins – Vitamin C and the Vitamin B complex.
They dissolve easily in water and are only stored in the body in small quantities (surpluses of these vitamins are eliminated in the urine). While water-soluble vitamins pose less danger of toxicity than fat-soluble ones, it is easier to develop deficiencies of these vitamins.
Vitamin C – performs a multitude of functions to keep the body healthy.
Vitamin B complex – is important for its beneficial effect on the nervous system and stress reduction. It is a family of individual B vitamins with all sort of synergies between them. A good B multivitamin must include all the members of B vitamin.
Certain types of foods are rich sources for several of the B vitamins: meat (especially organ meat such as liver and kidney), poultry, fish, wheat germ, yeast, and, in some cases, legumes (soybeans and peas), spinach, and dairy products.
Vitamin B-1 (Thiamin) – good for gastrointestinal disorders, fatigue and depression.
Vitamin B-2 (Riboflavin) – good for treating light sensitivity, dizziness, insomnia.
Vtamin B-3 (Niacin) – it helps control blood cholesterol levels, it helps to convert blood sugar into energy, it is important for heart health, healthy mucous membranes, and muscles.
Vitamin B-5 (Pantothenic acid) – helps to treat insomnia, joint pains, arthritis, edema, kidney stones.
Vitamin B-6 (Pyrodixine) – it helps promote good metabolism, it helps to convert protein into energy, it reduces the rate of heart attack.
Vitamin B-7 (Biotin) – helps with the skin disorders, hair loss, brittle nails, anemia, depression, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, muscular pains, increased total cholesterol levels.
Vitamin B-9 (Folic acid) – helps the body to make healthy new cells, promotes healthy blood and prevents anemia.
Vitamin B10 – PABA (Para-Aminobenzoic Acid) – good for treating skin depigmentation.
Vitamin B-11 – Choline – antioxidant, good for heart, mood and mental disorders.
Vitamin B-12 (Cobalamin) – is important for cardiovascular health. Lack of this vitamin leads to anemia and fatigue.
Vitamin B-15 (Pangamic Acid) – good for headaches and some types of panic-anxiety disorders.
Vitamin B-17 (Amygdaline) – a potential anti cancer agent, it contains cyanide. It is concentrated in stone fruit kernels like apricot seed kernels.
The vitamins and minerals should be present in every woman’s life. At Menopause, women have special nutritional needs that may not be met by their diets. Many vitamins and minerals interact, working alongside each other in groups (for example a good balance of Vitamin D, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Zinc, Fluoride, Chloride, Manganese, Copper and Sulfur is required for healthy bones). Some of them can impair another vitamin or mineral’s absorption and functioning (for example an excessive amount of Iron can cause a deficiency in Zinc).
Warning!! Vitamins can have toxic effects, just as severe and as dangerous as drugs can, if taken in excess. It is important to know that the range of safety of the vitamins is much wider than that of most drugs.
The toxic ranges do not apply to each individual. Dosage must be prescribed individually, because some people may be able to absorb more than others. Ask your doctor before taking any vitamins or supplements.
