Vitamins: what they are and why you need them

Vitamins are small organic compounds you only notice you’re missing when something has already gone wrong — fatigue won’t lift, your nails keep breaking or you can’t shake a runny nose in winter. Your diet should contain about 20 different vitamins, each in a specific amount. In this article, we look at what vitamins actually do in your body, where to get them and when to be concerned.

Why your body needs vitamins

Vitamins help regulate metabolism and endocrine gland activity, maintain vision, prevent fatigue and improve health and your capacity for work. They don’t provide energy themselves the way carbohydrates or fats do; instead, they act like cogs in a machine — without them, the system won’t run.

Vitamins fall into two groups:

• Soluble in fats and oils — vitamins A, D, E and K. Your body can store these to a certain extent, for example in the liver.
• Soluble in water — vitamins C, B1, B2, B6, B12 and PP (niacin). These don’t stay in your body for long, so you need to replenish them through food every day.

The best-known fat-soluble vitamins

Vitamin A

In its pure form, vitamin A is a viscous, almost colorless oil. It breaks down easily when exposed to oxygen in the air and ultraviolet radiation, but remains almost entirely intact during cooking — so a boiled carrot isn’t a wasted carrot. Animal foods contain preformed vitamin A, while plant foods contain carotene, a so-called provitamin that the liver converts to vitamin A as needed.

In growing children, vitamin A deficiency slows growth — hence its popular nickname, the growth vitamin. A deficiency also causes night blindness and other eye diseases and reduces the body’s overall resistance to illness. Natural sources include fish liver oil, liver, milk, butter and egg yolks. Your body can store vitamin A in the liver and kidneys, so you don’t need to seek it out every day.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D influences calcium and phosphorus metabolism. It keeps the concentrations of these ions in the blood at normal levels and promotes the deposition of calcium and phosphorus in bones and teeth. An interesting fact: your body also makes vitamin D in the skin — ultraviolet rays convert the 7-dehydrocholesterol found there into the active vitamin. Unfortunately, the winter sun in Estonia doesn’t trigger this process, and vitamin D deficiency here in autumn and winter is more the rule than the exception.

A deficiency prevents bones and teeth from developing normally, disrupts growth, can cause rickets in children and weakens resistance to disease. Dietary sources of vitamin D include fish liver oil (especially cod liver oil), fish, egg yolks, butter, milk and full-fat cheese.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E promotes normal function of the reproductive glands, helps prevent disruptions to liver and nervous system function, and regulates muscle activity. It also helps carotene convert to vitamin A and accumulate in the internal organs. The exact daily requirement for vitamin E has not been definitively established, but a typical mixed diet usually provides enough.

The best-known water-soluble vitamins

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is needed for tissue metabolism. It activates certain enzymes and hormones, promotes the healing of wounds and bone fractures, and plays an important role in preventing scurvy. Sources include potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, berries and fruit. Vitamin C is easily destroyed by poor cooking methods and improper food storage — so if you boil vegetables for an hour, you might as well just drink water. Your body stores only small amounts of this vitamin, so it’s worth putting something fresh on the table every day.

B vitamins

Vitamin B1 is essential for carbohydrate metabolism. A deficiency causes headaches, fatigue, insomnia, nerve inflammation, digestive problems and impaired nutrient absorption. The more carbohydrates your diet contains, the more vitamin B you need. It becomes less stable when heated in neutral or alkaline conditions.

Both animal and plant foods contain B vitamins. A lack of these vitamins causes loss of appetite, weakness, and problems with the heart and nervous system, and slows growth and development. Vitamin B6 has a beneficial effect on various nervous system disorders. Vitamin B12 is needed for blood cell formation and has a beneficial effect in the treatment of anemia, especially when used with hydrochloric acid. Vitamin B12 also helps with headaches.

Vitamin PP

Vitamin PP is needed for normal function of the skin, digestive tract and nervous system. Unlike some of its relatives, vitamin PP withstands both heating and acidification — boiling and a sauerkraut tonic won’t faze it.

Frequently asked questions about vitamins

Can you get all your vitamins from a varied diet?

Most of them, yes — if your diet includes vegetables, fruit, whole grains, meat, fish and dairy products. During winter in Estonia, vitamin D is the exception: you simply cannot get it from sunlight.

Can you overdose on vitamins?

Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) can build up in your body, and taking them in large doses is not a good idea. Excess water-soluble vitamins are excreted in urine, but taking ten times the daily dose is not sensible either.

Are vitamins destroyed during cooking?

Some are. Vitamin C is the most sensitive — prolonged boiling, draining away the cooking water and exposure to air all lead to losses. Vitamin A and vitamin PP (niacin) are fairly resistant to heat.

Find your vitamin supplements here: https://turg.fitness.ee/en?view=browse&q=vitamiin

Author: Ero Viik

Source: Health Board – food supplements.

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