Vitamins are an essential part of our diet and should be taken in abundance. Although we briefly know about the benefits of taking them, not everyone knows how eating them differently could produce positive results, Water soluble and fat soluble kinds of this are usually the ones popularly known.
But did you know there are over 13 different types of Vitamins that have specified functions and lack of even one among them could lead to numerous problems?
Our topic of discussion will be the varieties of Vitamin and how it affects every single function in our body making it seamlessly work.
What are the 13 types of Vitamins?
There is a reason why Vitamins are one of the most consumed nutrients. It has zero calories and can add no weight or fat to your body but still give all the goodness expected from a nutrient.
This is also why people on a diet want to consume plenty of vitamins. Primarily they are divided into two categories depending on their solubility in water.
Both water-soluble and fatty-soluble are kinds of vitamins. However, we will be discussing the 13 variations of Vitamins and they are the following,
Water-soluble Vitamins
1. Vitamin C(Ascorbic Acid)
Found in citrus fruits including strawberries, kiwi, bell peppers, and broccoli, it can be helpful to enhance the immune system by leading the production of White blood cells and strengthening your barriers. Additionally, it can also help in healing a wound, collagen synthesis, and help in absorbing iron.
2. Vitamin B1(Thiamine)
If you need this, you should be ready to eat cereals, nuts, seeds, and pork. Not only does it help in metabolizing energy but also helps in improving nerve function and metabolizing carbs.
3. Vitamin B2(Riboflavin)
It is essential to improve our vision and hearing along with our metabolic rate. To consume it you must include dairy products, lean meat cuts eggs, and vegetables.
4. Vitamin B3(Niacin)
Vitamin B3 is a rich source of antioxidants that also have the potential to enhance one’s vision and nerve function. Primarily found in fishes, whole grains, nuts, and legumes, it is also known to help in improving the DNA if needed.
5. Vitamin B5(Pantothenic Acid)
If you love your skin and how it glows, you should be eating a lot of meat, poultry, fish, and eggs.
6. Vitamin B6(Pyridoxine)
Your body needs meat, fish, and poultry, potatoes for amino acid metabolism, red cell production, and even DNA synthesis.
7. Vitamin B7(Biotin)
This is needed to enhance the beauty of skin, hair, and nails. Eat egg yolks, sweet potatoes, and spinach to get this into your body.
8. Vitamin B9 ( Folate)
A vitamin usually eaten by pregnant women to help the baby grow healthy as it can help in the division of DNA and its synthesis.
9. Vitamin B12(Cobalamin)
The functions of Vitamin B12 are quite similar to the rest. It also helps with the production of RBC and energy metabolism.
Fat-soluble Vitamins
10. Vitamin A
To enhance vision, you should eat green leafy vegetables, liver, fish, and dairy products.
11. Vitamin D
Apart from sunlight, it can also be found in fatty fish and egg yolks. Bone health, dental health, and cell growth all come under its umbrella.
12. Vitamin E
Trust this Vitamin to help protect the cell membrane and improve the free radicals in blood as being an anti-oxidant. You should include nuts, seeds, and vegetables to help build it stronger.
13. Vitamin K
We don’t need any introduction to know the uses of Vitamin K which is essential to help blood coagulate and even retain its fluidity. Leafy vegetables with fish are a rich source of Vitamin K.
What are the consequences of Vitamin deficiency?
The deficiency of each Vitamin could give rise to a new condition. Some of them are,
Scurvy
It is caused by the deficiency of Vitamin C, which affects the gum and tooth. It is a rather painful condition and can even lead to bleeding of the jaws. As the person stops eating due to pain, it could cause problems in the future. If it is left untreated the patient could contract anemia and jaundice.
Beriberi
This is caused by the deficiency of vitamin B1 and can lead to muscle weakness, memory problems, and cardiovascular ailments. Though these seem like easy ones, these could aggravate even in fully healthy adults.
Pellagra
The deficiency of Vitamin B3 can lead to a variety of symptoms including diarrhea, dementia, and death if left untreated. Patients who don’t seek medical help will suffer from lifelong gastrointestinal problems.
Vitamin B6 deficiency
This could lead to multiple problems like Anemia, depression, confusion, and a weakened immune system. The neurological damage could be severe if not treated immediately. Therefore people with mental health disorders are asked to eat to alleviate the symptoms.
Vitamin B9 deficiency
Like its counterpart, this could also cause multiple problems including anemia, weakness, and problems in cognitive functioning. People often lose their coordination if they are deprived of Vitamin B9. Furthermore, its deficiency exceeds if it is untreated for longer intervals.
Vitamin B12 deficiency
Are you suffering from loss of appetite, constipation, and other adjacent symptoms? If you are, chances are you have B12 deficiency and may want to get treated for the same. If not it could lead to severe neurological damage and anemia making you weak.
Conclusion
Vitamins are an integral part of our nutrition system. Not just one all the 13 types hold equal importance for us and should be consumed regularly. However, the quantities at which it should be eaten could be different since some sources might be rich in macronutrients as well.
Making a schedule to eat each during particular days or times could come in handy here. Moreover, if you already have a deficiency, you might want to get it checked up before exposing yourself to other Vitamins. Consulting a doctor and checking your vitamin levels at least 2 times a year is considered ideal.
References:
- Pedroza-Tobias A., Hernandez-Barrera L., Lopez-Olmedo N., Garcia-Guerra A., Rodriguez-Ramirez S., Ramirez-Silva I., Villalpando S., Carriquiry A., Rivera J.A. Usual Vitamin Intakes by Mexican Populations. J. Nutr. 2016;146:1866S–1873S. doi: 10.3945/jn.115.219162. –
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27511936/ - National Institutes of Health website. Nutrient Recommendations: Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI).
https://ods.od.nih.gov/HealthInformation/nutrientrecommendations.aspx
