If you’re here then you’ve probably Google’d about: what are the functions of vitamins in the body.
Are You Getting What You Need?
Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients because they perform hundreds of roles in the body.
Function
are a group of substances that are needed for normal cell function, growth, and development. There are 13 essential vitamins.
This means that these vitamins are required for the body to work properly. They are:
Vitamin A
Vitamin C
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin)
Pantothenic acid (B5)
Biotin (B7)
Folate (folic acid or B9)
Vitamins are grouped into two categories:
Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body’s liver, fatty tissue, and muscles. The nine water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and all the B vitamins.
Any leftover or excess amounts of these leave the body through the urine. They have to be consumed on a regular basis to prevent shortages or deficiencies in the body. The exception to this is vitamin B12, which can be stored in the liver for many years.
What Are Vitamins?
It is also an essential nutrient that the body may need to get from food.
Fat-Soluble And Water-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamins are either soluble, or dissolvable, in fat or water. The body stores fat-soluble vitamins in fatty tissue and the liver, and reserves of these vitamins can stay in the body for days and sometimes months.
They leave the body via the urine. The Department of Health and Human Services provide up-to-date guidelines detailing the best ways to get enough nutrients from the diet. Also, some medications can interact with vitamin supplements.