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Vitamins Vitamins are organic compounds that help with our growth and maintenance. Unlike fats, proteins, and carbs, vitamins do not provide a source of calories or energy. Vitamins Vitamins fall into two categories Fat Soluble Water Soluble Vitamin A All “B” Vitamins Vitamin D Vitamin C Vitamin E Vitamin K Fat soluble vitamins are easier to overdose than water soluble vitamins. This is because fat soluble vitamins can be easily stored in your liver and fat tissue, while excess water soluble vitamins are excreted out of your body. Vitamin A Stored in the liver, vitamin A is needed to form the molecule retinal in the body. Retinal is the molecule needed to capture light photons, which allows animals to see. Vitamin A Retinal Vitamin A Vitamin A is commonly found in yellow, orange, and dark green vegetables. Excessive vitamin A consumption can lead to carotenosis. Some parts of animals, like polar bear livers, are unsafe to eat because of the high concentration of vitamin A stored there! Vitamin D Vitamin D helps bones absorb calcium and comes in several forms, the most common being D3, also known as cholecalciferol. Vitamin D Naturally, vitamin D is often found in fish oils and eggs. The food industry also adds vitamin D to foods such as milk. Furthermore, your skin can synthesize vitamin D3 from cholesterol. UVB Radiation 7-dehydroxycholesterol Vitamin D3 Vitamin D Overdoses of vitamin D can disrupt your body’s ability to maintain calcium homeostasis, which can lead to kidney damage and kidney stones. Vitamin E Vitamin E defends your body against free radicals and protects your cell membranes. In other words, vitamin E is an anti-oxidant. Vitamin E In terms of food sources, vitamin E is found in many oils (such as sunflower and palm oils) as well as many leafy greens. Chronic overdoses of vitamin E can lead to internal bleeding, or hemorrhaging. Vitamin K Vitamin K (one form shown below) helps form blood clotting factors. Deficiencies of this vitamin affect your body’s ability to self-clot wounds. Vitamin K In foods, vitamin D can be found in leafy greens (notice a trend with this?). In addition, bacteria in your gut, namely E-coli, also produce vitamin K for your body to absorb as they process the remaining chyme in your digestive tract. Produces The B Vitamins Used to be thought that there was only a single vitamin B molecule. Now “vitamin B” is considered to be the name of a family of water-soluble molecules with important use in cell metabolism. Grains, nuts, and meats are common natural sources of B vitamins Vitamin B Type Common Name B1 Thiamin B2 Riboflavin B3 Niacin B5 Panthothenic Acid B6 Pyridoxine B7 Biotin B9 Folic Acid B12 Cobalamin The B Vitamins In general, the B vitamins assist in carbohydrate and fatty acid metabolism (remember these?) Glycolysis Pyruvate + NADH Glucose Creates ATP B3 Undergo BetaOxidation Converted to Acetyl-CoA Enters the Electron Transport Chain B5 Broken Down into Free Fatty Acids Triglycerides Enters the Krebs Cycle Releases Carbon Dioxide B2 NADH and FADH Vitamin C Known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is also an antioxidant. Vitamin C also promotes connective tissue formation, steroid synthesis, and iron absorption. The most common sources of vitamin C are in citrus fruits. Keep in mind that one citrus fruit likely contains more than 100% of your daily requirement for vitamin C. Vitamin C There is also a misconception that excess amounts of vitamin C can prevent/treat colds. This is not supported by scientific data. Remember, vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin. Meaning if you take in excess of what you need, your body simply gets rid of the excess!