Topic Reviews

Improve Your Health With Vitamins

Posted July 18th, 2009 by admin

The term vitamins derives from experiments conducted early in the twentieth century, which indicated that proper nutrition was dependent upon introduction of one or several nitrogen-containing amines into the diet. Considered vital to life, these amines were dubbed “vitamines” by Polish scientist Casimir Funk, and the term was soon applied to all organic molecules that are essential to metabolism in living organisms. When it was later realized, however, that not all of these organic molecules contain amines, the letter “e” was dropped from the word, which was already in widespread use.

Vitamin serve essentially the same role in all forms of life, but higher organisms have lost the ability to synthesize the molecules (or to synthesize them in adequate amounts) and must consume them in small quantities in the diet. This necessity has come to be included as part of the presiding definition of a vitamin, and many molecules that are necessary for proper health and were once thought vitamins, are no longer classed as such since they may be synthesized in sufficient quantities by the body.

There are two major groups of vitamins: the fat-soluble Vitamins designated by the letters A, D, E, and K, and the water-soluble vitamins which include vitamin C and the group of molecules referred to as the vitamin B complex. Members of both groups are absorbed in the human body through the intestines, but the fat-soluble vitamins are transported to other areas via the lymph system while water-soluble vitamins are conveyed to tissues via the circulatory system.

Storage of the vitamins also differs, fat-soluble varieties remaining in the body for longer periods of time since the molecules may be stored in the liver, in fat, and, in some cases, organs of the reproductive system. Water-soluble vitamins, however, are only stored in the body in trace amounts, and it is, therefore, not believed to be beneficial to consume excessive amounts of the substances. Indeed, most of the surplus of a water soluble vitamin exits the body in urine, resulting in the need of eat the same vitamin on a daily basis in order to maintain sufficient quantities.

The B vitamins are eight water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism. Historically, the B vitamins were once thought to be a single vitamin, referred to as vitamin B (much as people refer to vitamin C or vitamin D). Later research showed that they are chemically distinct vitamins that often coexist in the same foods. Supplements containing all eight are generally referred to as a vitamin B complex. Individual B vitamin supplements are referred to by the specific name of each vitamin (e.g. B1, B2, B3 etc).

Vitamins are essential to good health but when we do not get the needed vitamins from poor diets we should supplement then by taking a multiple vitamin. Multiple vitamin supplements are a good way to help keep the body supplied with adequate amounts of vitamins to help the body stay healthy. Look for quality name brand vitamins at your local or internet health food store.

*Statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the FDA. Vitamins are not intended to diagnose, treat and heal or prevent disease. Always refer with your professional health care provider before changing any medicine or adding Vitamins to medications.