Vitamins

We explain what vitamins are and the types of vitamins there are. In addition, its functions in the body and foods with vitamins.

What are vitamins?

The vitamins are substances that help the body function properly of living beings but that, in general, are not synthesized by their body, that is, they must be obtained from the outside through food.

These are essential nutrients for the body, whose prolonged absence (avitaminosis) leads to diseases and weakens the body, but whose excess (hypervitaminosis) can also be harmful.

However, the body's need for vitamins is relatively small, since are usually stored in the body and are gradually consumed. Vitamin needs can be met through a more or less balanced diet, especially including raw foods such as fruits or vegetables, since some vitamins break down easily in cooking water.

Since ancient times, humanity has known that eating certain foods benefits certain aspects of health. Vitamins were not talked about until the 18th and 19th centuries when the health of European sailors was studied, whose diet was monotonous during the months they spent at sea, and they fell ill. This eventually led to the discovery that there were substances in food that were particularly necessary for life.

Finally, in 1929, Frederick Hopkins and Christiaan Eijkman, winners of the Nobel Prize in Medicine, discovered the existence of several vitamins and confirmed long-held suspicions.

See also: Obesity

Types of vitamins

Vitamins are classified into two types, depending on their ability to dissolve in water (water-soluble) or in oils (fat-soluble), which says a lot about their chemical structure. The 13 vitamins necessary for the human body are classified as:

• Water soluble Almost all B vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B8, B9, B12) and vitamin C. Excess of these vitamins are excreted in the urine (except B12).
• Fat-soluble Only vitamins A, D, E and K. They can be stored in the body's fats and, thus, do not require continued intake.

Function of vitamins

Although there are different types of vitamins, with a different chemical constitution and functions in the body, almost all operate as precursors of coenzymes that is, substances that regulate or catalyze different body reactions.

Examples of functions of some vitamins are:

• Vitamin A It is responsible for keeping teeth and bone tissues in good condition. It also contributes to maintaining good vision, added to healthy skin and mucous membranes.
• Vitamin B2 It is a micronutrient necessary for many cellular processes. It is very important for energy and lipid, carbohydrate and protein metabolism.
• Vitamin B3 It is very important for DNA repair.
• Vitamin B5 It is essential for the synthesis of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
• Vitamin B6 It is part of the processes that regulate mood and sleep. It also intervenes in the synthesis of adrenaline and dopamine. Increases muscle performance and energy generation in the body. The body needs it to produce red blood cells and antibodies. Furthermore, it can be used to relieve nausea. It is very important for nerve cells to function and is also part of the DNA and RNA synthesis process.
• Vitamin B7. It is very important for the degradation mechanisms of fats and some amino acids, although it is also involved in the synthesis of these compounds.
• Vitamin B9 It intervenes in the maturation process of structural proteins and hemoglobin.
• Vitamin B12 It is essential for the brain to function properly. It also intervenes in the functioning of the nervous system, in the production of blood and some proteins.
• Vitamin D It is essential in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, so it is very important in the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth.
• Vitamin E It has a fundamental antioxidant role in the human and animal organism.
• Vitamin K It plays a fundamental role in blood clotting.

Foods with vitamins

Many foods are rich in a specific type of vitamin or several, and knowing them will allow us to direct our diet towards greater (or lesser) consumption of these substances. Some examples are:

• Vitamin A Cod liver oil and vegetables with beta-carotene.
• Vitamin C. Citrus fruits and most fresh green foods.
• Vitamin B1 Very present in rice bran.
• Vitamin D Oils: cod liver, olive and sunflower.
• Vitamin B2. Present in red meat, dairy products and eggs.
• Vitamin E. It is found in wheat germ, unrefined vegetable oils and green vegetables.
• Vitamin B12. Typical of fatty animal foods: red meat, eggs, milk.
• Vitamin K. In legumes and some tubers.
• Vitamin B5. Present in meat and whole grains.
• Vitamin B6. Also present in meat and dairy products, mainly.
• Vitamin B3. In numerous cereals and red meats.
• Vitamin B9. In almost all legumes consumed daily.