This blog post will walk you through: what do vitamins do for our body.
Are You Getting What You Need?
There is a fine line between getting enough of these nutrients (which is healthy) and getting too much (which can end up harming you). Eating a healthy diet remains the best way to get sufficient amounts of the vitamins and minerals you need.
What Are Vitamins?
Having too little of any particular vitamin may increase the risk of developing certain health issues.
It is also an essential nutrient that the body may need to get from food. There are currently 13 recognized vitamins.
Fat-Soluble And Water-Soluble Vitamins
Vitamins are either soluble, or dissolvable, in fat or water.
We describe both types below: Fat-soluble vitamins Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble. 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. Dietary fats help the body absorb fat-soluble vitamins through the intestinal tract.
Water-soluble vitamins Water-soluble vitamins do not stay in the body for long and cannot be stored. A balanced, varied diet that contains plenty of fruits and vegetables should be the primary source of vitamins. The Department of Health and Human Services provide up-to-date guidelines detailing the best ways to get enough nutrients from the diet.
Anyone taking supplements should be careful not to exceed the maximum dose, as research shows that taking too much of any vitamin can lead to health problems. Also, some medications can interact with vitamin supplements. Various supplements are available for purchase online.
Function
Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. 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.
The exception to this is vitamin B12, which can be stored in the liver for many years.