Vitamins are organic substances that the body needs in small amounts, which are indispensable for the functioning of the body, since they are essential for the maintenance of a healthy immune system, a good functioning of the metabolism and for growth.
Due to its importance in the regulation of metabolic processes, when they are ingested in insufficient quantity or when the body has some vitamin deficiency, this can bring serious health risks, such as vision, muscular or neurological problems.
As the body is unable to synthesize vitamins, they must be ingested through food, it is very important to eat a balanced diet, rich in vegetables and varied sources of protein.
Classification of vitamins
Vitamins can be classified into fat-soluble and water-soluble, depending on their solubility, fat or water, respectively.
Fat-soluble vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins are more stable and resistant to the effects of oxidation, heat, light, acidity and alkalinity, compared to water-soluble ones. Their functions, food sources and consequences of their deficiency are listed in the following table:
|
Vitamin |
Functions | Sources | Consequences of disability |
|---|---|---|---|
| A (retinol) |
Maintaining a healthy vision Differentiation of epithelial cells |
Liver, egg yolk, milk, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, apricots, melons, spinach and broccoli |
Blindness or night blindness, throat irritation, sinusitis, abscesses in the ears and mouth, dry eyelids |
| D (ergocalciferol and cholecalciferol) |
Increases intestinal calcium absorption Stimulates bone cell production Decreases the excretion of calcium in the urine |
Milk, cod liver oil, herring, sardines and salmon Sunlight (responsible for the activation of vitamin D) |
Varus knee, valgus knee, cranial deformities, tetany in infants, bone fragility |
| E (tocopherol) |
Antioxidant |
Vegetable oils, whole grains, green leafy vegetables and nuts | Neurological problems and anemia in premature babies |
| K |
Contributes to the formation of coagulation factors Helps vitamin D synthesize a regulatory protein in bones |
Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and spinach | Clotting time extension |
See more vitamin-rich foods.
Water-soluble vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins have the ability to dissolve in water and are less stable than fat-soluble vitamins. The following table lists the water-soluble vitamins, their dietary sources and the consequences of deficiency in these vitamins:
| Vitamin | Functions | Sources | Consequences of disability |
|---|---|---|---|
| C (ascorbic acid) |
Collagen formation Antioxidant Iron absorption |
Fruit and fruit juices, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green and red peppers, melon, strawberry, kiwi and papaya | Bleeding from mucous membranes, inadequate wound healing, softening of the ends of bones and weakening and falling teeth |
| B1 (thiamine) | Carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism | Pork, beans, wheat germ and fortified cereals | Anorexia, weight loss, muscle weakness, peripheral neuropathy, heart failure and wernicke encephalopathy |
| B2 (riboflavin) | Protein metabolism | Milk and dairy products, eggs, meat (especially liver) and fortified cereals | Lesions on the lips and mouth, seborrheic dermatitis and normochromic normocytic anemia |
| B3 (niacin) |
Production of energy Synthesis of fatty acids and steroid hormones |
Chicken breast, liver, tuna, other meats, fish and poultry, whole grains, coffee and tea | Symmetrical bilateral dermatitis on the face, neck, hands and feet, diarrhea and dementia |
| B6 (pyridoxine) | Amino acid metabolism | Beef, salmon, chicken breast, whole grains, fortified cereals, bananas and nuts | Mouth injuries, drowsiness, fatigue, microcytic hypochromic anemia and seizures in newborns |
| B9 (folic acid) |
DNA formation Formation of blood, intestine and fetal tissue cells |
Liver, beans, lentils, wheat germ, peanuts, asparagus, lettuce, brussels sprouts, broccoli and spinach | Fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath, palpitations and megaloblastic anemia |
| B12 (cyanocobalamin) |
DNA and RNA synthesis Metabolism of amino acids and fatty acids Synthesis and maintenance of myelin |
Meat, fish, poultry, milk, cheese, eggs, nutritional yeast, soy milk and fortified tofu | Fatigue, pallor, shortness of breath, palpitations, megaloblastic anemia, loss of sensation and tingling in the extremities, anomalies in locomotion, loss of memory and dementia |
In addition to eating foods rich in vitamins, you can also take food supplements that usually contain the recommended daily doses of vitamins and minerals essential to the proper functioning of the body. Know the various types of food supplements.
