Vitamins are organic compounds required by the body for it to function. They help our bodies build new muscle, skin, and bone cells, keep our hearts beating and lungs breathing, and allow nerves to send signals to the brain and the immune system to fight invaders. They exist in tiny amounts in natural foodstuffs, which we must consume as the body either doesn’t produce them or produces very little.
Vitamin deficiency can cause serious diseases, such as the scurvy that plagued the sailors of old and still exists in parts of the world with less access to fresh fruits and vegetables. Vitamin needs differ depending on the organism. For instance, while humans need to acquire vitamin C through their diets, dogs can produce enough of it within their bodies. There is also a variety of vitamins, each playing different roles in the body, and humans need a different amount of each to stay healthy.
Vitamins are either soluble in fat or water. The four fat-soluble vitamins, A, D, E, and K, are present in animal and dairy products and are crucial for several bodily functions, including vision, bone health, immunity, and blood clotting. These vitamins can stay in our body for days, even months, within the liver, fatty tissue, and muscles.
Water soluble vitamins include vitamins C and B complex. They are dissolved in water and readily absorbed into the tissue for immediate use. Any excess gets quickly expelled through urine, and because the body does not store these vitamins, we need to consume them more regularly than fat-soluble vitamins in our diet.
Though our body needs vitamins, research shows that the vitamins within food are superior to those in pill form. Moreover, vitamins are not a miracle cure and cannot heal diseases in and of themselves. Ingesting too many vitamins can be harmful, so it is best to consult a healthcare professional before taking vitamin supplements.