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Vitamins

Watch the video and see how much you know about Vitamins!

 

What are Vitamins?

Vitamins are another type of micronutrients. They are organ substances that either soluble in water or fat. The body requires small amount of vitamins to maintain proper functions and development. As the body cannot produce vitamin by itself, we must obtain from our diet. Different vitamins responsible for different functions in the body, and the amount needed for individuals is vary. 

What are the Types of Vitamins and their Functions?

There are currently 13 recognized vitamins, and they can be divided into two types: Fat-soluble and Water-soluble vitamins

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Fat-soluble Vitamins

The body stores fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K in fatty acids and liver. They can stay in the body for days and even months sometimes. Fats that we obtained in the diet help absorb these vitamins in the digestive tract. The following shows the functions, deficiency symptoms and sources of fat-soluble vitamins.

Vitamins
Functions
Deficiency Symptoms
Sources

  • Eye health

  • Production and activity of White Blood Cells

  • Remodeling bones

  • Reproduction 

  • Night blindness

  • Irregular patches on the white of the eyes

  • Infertility

  • susceptibility to infections

  • Leafy green vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach

  • Orange and yellow vegetables, such as carrots and pumpkins

  • Tomatoes

  • Milk

  • Eggs

  • Works with Calcium to produce strong bones

  • Controls infections

  • Reduce inflammation

  • Rickets

  • Osteomalacia

  • Diabetes

  • Heart disease and high blood pressure

  • Fish, such as salmon and tuna

  • Egg yolk

  • 10-30 mins of midday sunlight

  • Acts as antioxidants

  • Strengthens the immune system

  • Prevents the formation of clots in the heart arteries

  • Impaired vision

  • Damages to the nerves in the hands and feet

  • Loss of control of body movement

  • Weakened immune system

  • Plant-based oils, such as sunflower oils and soybean oils

  • Nuts, such as almonds

  • Seeds, such as sunflower seeds

  • Peanuts

  • Fruits

  • Vegetables

  • Helps with blood clotting

  • Formation of bones

  • Unusual bleeding

  • Osteoporosis

  • Leafy green vegetables, such as lettuces and cabbage

  • Pumpkins

  • Figs

  • Soybean and canola oil

Water-soluble Vitamins

Water-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, cannot be stored in the body. They leave the body via urine. Vitamins B and C are water-soluble. There are 8 types of vitamin B, and B12 is one of the most important for teenagers. The following shows the functions, deficiency symptoms and sources of water-soluble vitamins B12 and C. 

Vitamins
Functions
Deficiency Symptoms
Sources

  • Formation of Red blood cell and DNA

  • Maintain the function and development of brain and nerve cells

  • Megaloblastic anemia

  • Fatigue and weakness

  • Nerve damage with numbness

  • Memory loss and confusion

  • Depression

  • Seizures

  • Shellfish

  • Red meat

  • Eggs

  • Dairy products

  • Liver

  • Fish

  • Support immune system

  • Wound healing

  • Collagen production

  • Acts as antioxidant

  • Production of hormones and chemical messengers

  • Scurvy, which causes

    • Swelling or bleeding of gums, and severely loss of teeth​

    • Hair loss

    • Delayed healing of skin wounds

  • Fatigue and malaise

  • Iron-deficiency anaemia

  • Fruits, such as strawberries

  • Citrus, such as oranges, lemons and kiwis

  • Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and cabbage

Vitamins - The More The Better?

The answer is no! Even though vitamins are essential and beneficials to varies body functioning, excessive vitamins may cause opposite effects, especially for fat-soluble vitamins as they will be stored in the body for longer period.

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Toxicity

When excessive vitamins are stored in the body, they may become toxic. 

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Vitamin A - The body can bear excessive three times of recommended daily intake level, which is 3000 mcg. However, this much of vitamin A may increase the risk of bone loss, hip fracture, or some birth defects. Also, excessive intake of vitamin A may interfere with the beneficial effects of vitamin D. Symptoms of toxicity may include:

  • Vision changes, such as blurry sight

  • Bone pain

  • Nausea and vomiting 

  • Dry skin

  • Sensitivity to bright light

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Vitamin D - As the low amounts of vitamin D found in food are least likely to reach a toxic level, it is more often occurs from taking supplements. Symptoms of toxicity may include:

  • Anorexia 

  • Weight loss

  • Irregular heart beat

  • Hardening of blood vessels and tissues

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Vitamin E - Although there is no evidence and report of harmful side effects of excessive vitamin E intake, there is a risk of excess bleeding for individuals who are using a blood thinning medication. Therefore, people should also be aware of this. 

Conclusion

Vitamins are important in our health. The key method to obtain all the necessary nutrients that we need is to maintain a balanced and varied diet. Eating more colors of food may also help!

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EAT COLORFUL!

References:

1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (2022). Vitamin A.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-a/

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2. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (2022). Vitamin D. 

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/

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3. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (2022). Vitamin E. 

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-e/

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4. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (2022). Vitamins and Minerals. 

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins/

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5. Brazier. Y. (2020). What are vitamins, and how do they work? Medical News Today. 

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/195878

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6. Clagett-Dame, M., & Knutson, D. (2011). Vitamin A in reproduction and development. Nutrients, 3(4), 385–428. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu3040385

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