Vitamins: Essential for Growth and Development

Vitamins: Essential for Growth and Development

A vitamin is an organic compound needed by organisms in tiny amounts as a required nutrient. This must be obtained from the diet as organisms cannot be produced this in sufficient quantities. The term does not include other vital nutrients such as essential fatty acids, dietary minerals or essential amino acids (which are generally needed in larger amounts than vitamins). Vitamins are categorized based on their chemical and biological activities and not on their structure. This means that every type of vitamin refers to a certain number of vitamer compounds that shows the biological activity that is associated with a particular vitamin. Vitamers are convertible to the active form of vitamin in the body and are also usually inter-convertible to one another.

Vitamins have different biochemical functions and this includes hormone-like functions as mineral metabolism regulators (vitamin D) and regulators of cell and tissue differentiation and growth (vitamin A). Some vitamins function as antioxidants like vitamin E and vitamin C in most cases. The B complex vitamins, which are the largest number of vitamins, function as precursors for enzyme cofactors, which gives aid to enzymes in their work as metabolism’s catalysts. Such roles makes vitamins tightly bound to enzymes as part of prosthetic groups. For instance, biotin is part of enzymes that are involved in the production of fatty acids. Vitamins can also be less tightly bound to enzyme catalysts as coenzymes, molecules that are detachable and functions as carrier of electrons or chemical groups between molecules. For example, various forms of carbon group –such as formyl, methylene and methyl—are carried by folic acid in the cell. ...

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...ealthy heart. This is because niacin dilates the blood vessels and causes a flush. Niacin is found in Niacin amide, Nicotinic acid and Inositol Hexaniacinate.

Vitamin B5 is also known as Panthotenic acid and is good for the Krebs cycle and for adrenal function. It can be mostly found in liver, grains, yeast, salmon, eggs and dairy. Vitamin B6 is vital in more than 100 different enzymatic reactions and is helpful in nervous system functions, lipid metabolism and neurotransmitter syntheses. This can be mostly found in seeds, garbanzo beans, soy beans, potatoes, and chicken breasts. Cyanocobalamin and methylcobalamin are the other terms for vitamin B12. This vitamin is vital as lack of vitamin B12 can cause fatigue, weight loss, weakness and psychological disorders. Vitamin B12 is also essential in the DNA synthesis and in the production of red blood cells.