Difference between revisions of "Vitamin"

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A vitamin is a chemical substance required, in very small amounts, to maintain an organism's health.They act as a catalyst in the body's chemical reaction. It cannot be produced by the organism, and so must be obtained from dietary or other sources. In order for a substance to be classified as a vitamin, its deficiency must produce a specific disease. For example, ascorbic acid is a vitamin (Vitamin C) in humans because its absence produces scurvy, and thiamine is a vitamin (Vitamin B1) because its absence produces beriberi. There are exactly thirteen known human vitamins.  
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A '''vitamin''' is a [[chemical]] substance acting as a catalyst in the body's chemical reaction, commonly as part of [[metabolism]]. It must be obtained from dietary or other sources.  
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Consuming vitamins can prevent disease:<ref>[http://www.livescience.com/health/090918-bad-health-tips-1.html]</ref>
  
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Some substances are vitamins in certain organisms, but not in others (for example, ascorbic acid can be produced by all mammals except guinea pigs and humans, and so is a vitamin only in those two instances.
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{| border="3"
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! Substance !! Disease it prevents
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|-
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| thiamine (B1) || beriberi
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|-
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| [[vitamin D]] || [[rickets]]
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|-
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| [[vitamin C]] || [[scurvy]]
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|-
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| [[niacin]] (B3) || [[pellagra]]
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|-
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| [[iodine]] || goiter
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|-
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|}
  
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Other substances needed to sustain life are not vitamins because they are macronutrients (for example, the essential amino acids).
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== General list of vitamins ==
  
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<ref>Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 16th Edition by Dennis L. Kasper, Eugene Braunwald, Anthony Fauci, and Stephen Hauser, 2004</ref>
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{| border="3"
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! Vitamin and Mineral !! Benefit
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|-
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| [[Vitamin A]] ||
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|-
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| [[niacin]] (B3) ||
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|-
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| [[Vitamin B5]] || pantothenic acid, contained in nearly all foods.
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|-
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| [[Vitamin B6]] || helps convert food into energy.
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|-
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| [[vitamin C]] ||
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|-
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| [[vitamin D]] ||
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|-
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| [[vitamin E]] || a fat-soluble antioxidant that is protective against oxidative damage.
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|-
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| [[iodine]] ||
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|-
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| [[magnesium]] ||
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|-
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| [[potassium]] ||
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|}
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==Background==
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In order for a substance to be classified as a vitamin, its deficiency must produce a specific [[disease]]. For example, [[ascorbic acid]] is a vitamin ([[Vitamin C]]) in humans because its absence produces [[scurvy]], a lack of Vitamin D will result in [[rickets]], and thiamin is a vitamin (Vitamin B1) because its absence produces beriberi. There are exactly thirteen essential vitamins for humans.
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Other substances needed to sustain life are not vitamins because they are macronutrients (for example, the essential amino acids).<ref>Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 16th Edition by Dennis L. Kasper, Eugene Braunwald, Anthony Fauci, and Stephen Hauser, 2004</ref>
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
<references/>
 
<references/>
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==Links==
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*[http://www.answers.com/topic/vitamin Vitamins and what they do for the body]
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[[Category:Health]]
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[[Category:Vitamins]]

Latest revision as of 22:32, July 29, 2023

A vitamin is a chemical substance acting as a catalyst in the body's chemical reaction, commonly as part of metabolism. It must be obtained from dietary or other sources. Consuming vitamins can prevent disease:[1]

Substance Disease it prevents
thiamine (B1) beriberi
vitamin D rickets
vitamin C scurvy
niacin (B3) pellagra
iodine goiter

General list of vitamins

Vitamin and Mineral Benefit
Vitamin A
niacin (B3)
Vitamin B5 pantothenic acid, contained in nearly all foods.
Vitamin B6 helps convert food into energy.
vitamin C
vitamin D
vitamin E a fat-soluble antioxidant that is protective against oxidative damage.
iodine
magnesium
potassium

Background

In order for a substance to be classified as a vitamin, its deficiency must produce a specific disease. For example, ascorbic acid is a vitamin (Vitamin C) in humans because its absence produces scurvy, a lack of Vitamin D will result in rickets, and thiamin is a vitamin (Vitamin B1) because its absence produces beriberi. There are exactly thirteen essential vitamins for humans.

Other substances needed to sustain life are not vitamins because they are macronutrients (for example, the essential amino acids).[2]

References

  1. ↑ [1]
  2. ↑ Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine 16th Edition by Dennis L. Kasper, Eugene Braunwald, Anthony Fauci, and Stephen Hauser, 2004

Links

Retrieved from "https://conservapedia.com/index.php?title=Vitamin&oldid=1966797"