Vitamins are vital nutrients that promote optimal health and aid to prevent many diseases within the human body. Human bodies store different vitamins which are different from one another. Every human must consume vitamins periodically with different schedules to avoid the deficiency.
There are 13 vitamins, which are classified into either water-soluble vitamins or fat-soluble vitamins, depending on whether they dissolve in water or fats respectively.
They are:
1. Vitamin A
2. Vitamin B1
3. Vitamin B2
4. Vitamin B3
5. Vitamin B5
6. Vitamin B6
7. Vitamin B7
8. Vitamin B9
9. Vitamin B12
10. Vitamin C
11. Vitamin D
12. Vitamin E and
13. Vitamin K
Of these vitamins four vitamins, namely A, D, E and K are fat-soluble and the remaining nine vitamins: 8 B Vitamins and vitamin C are water-soluble.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins: Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed by the body from intestinal tract and are stored in liver and fatty tissues. They are eliminated much slowly than water-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored for longer period and so there is no need to consume them every day. And the risk for toxicity is also more compared to water-soluble vitamins when consumed in excess.
Water-Soluble Vitamins: Nine of the water-soluble vitamins are known as B-Complex group. These vitamins are easily absorbed by the body and have to be absorbed by taking food daily. We need to supply these vitamins continuously to the body as they cannot be stored and are easily destroyed and eliminated in urine. These can be destroyed by over cooking as well. These vitamins do not cause any side effect as they get removed from the body in the form of urine.
Each vitamin has its own significance and almost all varieties of diseases can be produced by the deficiency of vitamins.
