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Vitamins are a group of organic food substances or nutrients found only in living things, plants and animals. Vitamins were discovered by Dutch physician, Christiaan Eijkmann, who won the 1929 Nobel prize in physiology and medicine. The word vitamin was derived from the term vitamine. The term "vitamine" was first used in 1912 by Dr. Casimir Funk, a Polish biochemist, in reference to substances that were vital to life and contained an amine.

Vitamins are divided into two classes based on their solubility. The the fat-soluble vitamins include vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin A, and vitamin K. The water-soluble vitamins are folate (folic acid), vitamin B12, biotin, vitamin B6, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, and vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Fat-soluble vitamins contain only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen while water-soluble vitamins contain these three elements plus nitrogen and some-times sulfur. Fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in appreciable amounts in the body and the water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body.

Vitamins are necessary in small amounts for normal metabolism and good health. Vitamins and minerals have no calories and are not an energy source, but assist in metabolizing nutrients in food and are invaluable in keeping your body running smoothly. Vitamins make it possible for other nutrients to be digested, absorbed and metabolized by the body. Vitamins are sometimes referred to as the "spark plugs" of our human machine. They are required to do many things and their excess or depletion can lead to acute and chronic disease.

Functions of vitamins in human body

Vitamins promote normal growth, provide proper metabolism, ensure good health and protect against certain diseases. Vitamin is required by the body in small amounts for metabolism, to protect health,

and for proper growth in children. Vitamins assist in the formation of hormones, blood cells, nervous-system chemicals, and genetic material. Vitamins mainly serve as catalysts for certain reactions in the body. They combine with proteins to create metabolically active enzymes that in turn produce hundreds of important chemical reactions throughout the body. The fundamentals of cells depend greatly upon vitamins. Vitamins are responsible for keeping cells strong, binding tissues, fighting infections, etc. Without vitamins our cells would not function properly and thus our organs would suffer and eventually we would no longer be able to survive. Vitamins help regulate metabolism, help convert fat and carbohydrates into energy, and assist in forming bone and tissue.

Vitamin A plays an important role in vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell division and differentiation. Vitamin B complex improves the body's resistance to stress. Aids in digestion, promotes good muscle tone, healthy skin. Vitamin B complex reduces muscle spasms, leg cramps, hand numbness and helps regulate blood pressure. Vitamin C is responsible for helping to build and maintain our tissues and strengthening our immune system. Adequate amounts of vitamin D is necessary for preventing bone loss. Vitamin E is the most effective, fat-soluble antioxidant known to occur in the human body. The main function of vitamin E is to maintain the integrity of the body's intracellular membrane by protecting its physical stability and providing a defense line against tissue damage caused by oxidation. Alpha-lipoic acid helps to neutralize the effects of free radicals on the body. Vitamin K plays an important role in blood clotting and bone metabolism (carboxylation of osteocalcin). Bioflavonoids have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiallergenic, antiviral, and anti-carcinogenic properties.

Fat soluble vitamins

Vitamin A - Vitamin A is the collective name for a group of fat-soluble vitamins. The most useable form of the vitamin is retinol. Vitamin A palmitate (retinyl palmitate) and vitamin A acetate (retinyl acetate) are the principal forms used as nutritional supplements. The precursors of vitamin A (retinol) are the carotenoids (most commonly beta-carotene). Vitamin A is one of the most versatile vitamins, with roles in such diverse functions as vision, immune defenses, maintenance of body linings and skin, bone and body growth, normal cell development, and reproduction.

Vitamin D - Vitamin D actually refers to a group of steroid molecules. Vitamin D is called the sunlight vitamin because the body produces it when the sun's ultraviolet B (UVB) rays strike the skin. Vitamin D is important for the proper absorption of calcium from food. It is vital for the control of the levels of calcium in the blood and also controls the rate at which the body excretes calcium in the urine. Low levels of vitamin D and insufficient sunlight exposure are associated with osteoporosis. Maintaining sufficient vitamin D levels may help decrease the risk of several autoimmune diseases.

Vitamin E - Vitamin E is actually an umbrella term for a group of compounds called tocopherols and tocotrienols. Alpha-tocopherol is the name of the most active form of vitamin E in humans. Vitamin E is one of the many nutrients that have protective properties. The main function of vitamin E is to maintain the integrity of the body's intracellular membrane by protecting its physical stability and providing a defense line against tissue damage caused by oxidation. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that prevents free radical damage in biological membranes.

Vitamin K - Vitamin K is a group of 2-methilo-naphthoquinone derivatives. Vitamin K is involved in the carboxylation of certain glutamate residues in proteins to form gamma-carboxyglutamate residues. Vitamin K plays an important role in blood clotting and bone metabolism (carboxylation of osteocalcin). Vitamin K supplements may improve bone mass in postmenopausal women. itamin K is used to reduce risk of bleeding in liver disease, jaundice, malabsorption, or in association with long-term use of aspirin or antibiotics.

Vitamins can help prevent disease in two main ways: By preventing the deficiency syndromes characteristic of the respective vitamin, and through the health benefits conferred by that specific vitamin. For example, Vitamin A is important for our vision. It also plays a major role in bone growth, reproduction, cell division and cell differentiation. It helps maintain the surface linings of the eyes and the respiratory, urinary, and intestinal tracts. When those linings break down, bacteria can enter the body and cause infection.

Vitamin A also helps maintain the integrity of skin and mucous membranes that function as a barrier to bacteria and viruses. Vitamin A helps in part to regulate the immune system. The immune system helps prevent or fight off infections by making white blood cells that destroy harmful bacteria and viruses. Vitamin A appears to help lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that fights infections, function more effectively.

Your body needs calcium to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. You must absorb calcium every day from your dietary intake because your body does not and cannot make calcium. You lose calcium through shed skin, nails, hair, sweat, urine and feces. When you do not have enough calcium, your body breaks down bone to obtain this mineral. A good liquid multivitamin will provide you with the amount of calcium you need, as well as many other essential vitamins and minerals.

Bones are constantly going through a process known as remodeling in which small amounts of old bone are removed and new bone is formed in its place. Generally, after age 35, more bone is lost than gained. Bone loss accelerates after menopause and this can lead to osteoporosis.

Women (but men are certainly not immune) are especially vulnerable to osteoporosis, or a thinning of the bones, which develops slowly over many years. Researchers believe that decreasing hormone levels, too little calcium in the diet early in life, and lack of exercise all play a role in osteoporosis. One of the advances that changed the way we look at vitamins is the discovery that too little folic acid, one of the eight B vitamins, is linked to birth defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. Fifty years ago, no one knew what caused these birth defects, which occur when the early development of tissues that eventually become the spinal cord and the tissues that surround it go awry.

Twenty five years ago, British researchers found that mothers of children with spina bifida had low vitamin levels. Eventually, two large trials in which women were randomly assigned to take folic acid or a placebo showed that getting too little folic acid increased a woman's chances of having a baby with spina bifida or anencephaly and that getting enough folic acid could prevent these birth defects.

Enough folic acid, at least 400 micrograms a day, isn't always easy to get from food. That's why women of childbearing age are urged to take extra folic acid. It's also why the US Food and Drug Administration now requires that folic acid be added to most enriched breads, flour, cornmeal, pastas, rice, and other grain products, along with the iron and other micronutrients that have been added for years. However, this often is not enough to ensure adequate intake of folic acid as people have a wide vareity of eating habits.

The other exciting discovery about folic acid and two other B vitamins is that they may help fight against some types of cancer. It's too early to tell if there's merely an association between increased intake of folic acid and other B vitamins and heart disease or cancer, or if high intakes prevent these chronic diseases. In 1968, a Boston pathologist investigating the deaths of two children from massive strokes wondered if the high levels of a protein breakdown product called homocysteine in their systems could have been the reason their arteries were as clogged with cholesterol as those of a 55-year-old fast food addict. Bottom line is that high levels of homocysteine are to be avoided at all costs, and folic acid is a very good way to help to minimize your homocysteine levels.

Since then, many studies have linked high levels of this breakdown product, called homocysteine, with increased risks of heart disease and stroke. Folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 play key roles in recycling homocysteine into methionine, one of the 20 or so building blocks from which the body builds new proteins. Without enough folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12, this recycling process becomes inefficient and homocysteine levels increase, increasing your risk of heart disease dramatically.

Several observational studies show that high levels of homocysteine are associated with increased risks of heart disease and stroke. Increasing intake of folic acid in particular, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 decreases homocysteine levels. And some observational studies show lower risks of cardiovascular disease among people with higher intakes of folic acid, those who use multivitamin supplements, or those with higher levels of serum folate (the form of folic acid found in the body).

Ongoing randomized trials, such as the Women's Antioxidant Cardiovascular Study and the Vitamin Intervention in Stroke Prevention Study should yield more definitive answers regarding homocysteine, B vitamins, and cardiovascular risk.

In addition to recycling homocysteine, folate plays a key role in building DNA, the complex compound that forms our genetic blueprint. Observational studies show that people who get higher than average amounts of folic acid from their diets or supplements have lower risks of colon cancer and breast cancer.

This could be especially important for those who drink alcohol, since alcohol blocks the absorption of folic acid and inactivates circulating folate. An interesting observation from the Nurses' Health Study is that high intake of folic acid blunts the increased risk of breast cancer seen among women who have more than one alcoholic drink a day. Our cells must constantly contend with nasty substances called free radicals. These free radicals can damage DNA, the inside or artery walls, proteins in the eye - just about any substance or tissue imaginable. Some are made inside the body, inevitable byproducts of turning food into energy. Others come from the air we breathe and the food we eat. Still others come from contamination from toxins.

We aren't defenseless against free radicals. We extract free radical fighters, called antioxidants, from food. Fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based foods deliver dozens, if not hundreds, of antioxidants. The most common are vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene and related carotenoids. Food also supplies minerals such as selenium and manganese, which are needed by enzymes that destroy free radicals. During the 1990s, the term antioxidants became a huge nutritional buzz word. They were promoted as wonder agents that could prevent heart disease, cancer, cataracts, memory loss, and a host of other conditions.

It's true that the package of antioxidants, minerals, fiber, and other substances found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains help prevent a variety of chronic diseases. Recent research evidence suggest high doses of vitamins C, E, and other antioxidants can accomplish a similar feat in people who either do not get the required levels of antioxidants in their diet (most don't) or have poor absorption of vitamins in the first place.

As the baby boomers continue to age, people of all ages are increasingly keen on taking responsibility for their own health and are showing more and more interest in watching their diet and taking vitamin supplements to maintain their health and well-being. In particular, there is a growing awareness of the benefits of health supplements for both young and old.

To scientists, and health conscious people, the fact that we can benefit from health supplements has never been in doubt. Yet, many of us are not quite clear what exactly the benefits of taking a daily multivitamin are. Not only do most of us fail to eat a varied and well-balanced diet on a regular basis, at certain times in their lives, many people may require more of certain nutrients than their diets can provide - for example, young children, teenagers, pregnant women, those on vegetarian or poorly designed slimming diets, and chronically ill or elderly people. Furthermore, there are also some nutrients that may be difficult to get in food in adequate amounts and therefore may need to be taken as a health supplement by certain people, for example, folic acid for women during pre-conception and in the first three months of pregnancy.

In general, a good daily multivitamin/mineral supplement improves your overall bodily functioning and boosts both your physical and mental health and well-being. Sometimes supplementation with specific nutrients may be more appropriate in order to address any individual specific needs. For example, CoQ10 is especially helpful for those at risk for heart disease, and Vitamins C and E, taken in combination to help ward off Alzheimer's disease. A multivitamin supplement usually contains the recommended daily dose of a variety of vitamins and other nutrients. Sometimes, multivitamin supplements are formulated for specific age groups, or individual conditions such as pregnancy. Multivitamins also are at their most efficient when they are in liquid form, as the body has been proven to absorb them five times more efficiently than multivitamins in pill form.

Many people report a feeling of general well being when they are taking their daily multivitamins regularly. The individual vitamins and nutrients in a quality daily multivitamin dose delivers to you their specific benefits of each individual vitamin, plus you get the combined (synergistic) benefits of all of the ingredients working together. Vitamin E, for example, a fat-soluble antioxidant vitamin helps to neutralize potentially damaging free radicals in the body and it is particularly important for the protection of cell membranes as well as maintaining healthy skin, heart and circulation, nerves, muscles and red blood cells. Vitamin C on the other hand is water soluble, but like Vitamin E, it is an antioxidant. It helps white blood cells combat infection, is essential for wound healing, for the formation of collagen, for healthy skin, and for the formation of other important structural materials in bones, teeth and capillaries. It also helps with the absorption of iron from plant sources. Vitamins D, K, A, and other nutrients in a multivitamin supplement all have specific beneficial effects on our bodies ranging from minimizing the risks of heart problems to helping to ward off Alzeheimer’s disease.

It is important to take your daily multivitamin in a liquid form regularly to enjoy these benefits to their fullest extent. Vigorous training, for example, increases the production of free radicals in the body. When involved in an exercise program, we should, therefore, increase the intake of antioxidants such as beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin E, and ensure you take adequate amounts of the proper vitamins and minerals required to maintain strong, healthy bones and joints such as calcium and iron. Also, older people over 55 years, convalescents, those who consume large amounts of alcohol, those with active, busy lives, people with colds, smokers, those exposed to excessive pollution, athletes and routine aspirin users need to take more daily and regular multivitamins.

Vitamins are essential to healthy living, and they perform best when there are adequate amounts of each and every one. There are many different types of vitamins, each having its own specific benefit to various parts and functions of the human body. Take gasoline and oil in an automobile for instance (one can pretend they are vitamins). A car (the human body) needs gasoline to drive. Now, gasoline by itself doesn't keep the car driving without oil in the engine. In that same sense, the perfect amount of oil in the engine is useless without gasoline to power it. The two vital substances are both required at the same time, and need to be replenished very frequently to keep the car running smoothly in the same way all people constantly need vitamins to continue living healthy. If just one of the many things needed to run a car (oil in the engine, air in the tires, gas in the tank, and headlights at night) are missing, the entire car is inoperable, totally useless. While the human body still may be able to perform without the appropriate levels of just a few vitamins for a short period of time, hundred of years of research point towards disease and sickness as a result.

Each vitamin has a complex of symptoms and signs that characterize its deficiency. Currently, the most important benefit attributed to vitamins in general are their anti-oxidant properties. Vitamins A, C, E, and many of the carotenoids and phytochemicals are scavengers for particles known as oxygen-free radicals (or oxidants). These chemically active particles are by-products of many of the body's normal chemical processes. Their numbers are increased by environmental assaults, such as smoking, chemicals, toxins, and stress. The simple act of living also produces them, as we breathe in oxygen constantly.

At moderate to high levels, oxidants and free radicals can be very harmful. They can damage cell membranes and interact with genetic material, possibly contributing to the development of a number of disorders including cancer, heart disease, cataracts, and even the aging process itself. Oxygen-free radicals can also enhance the dangerous properties of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, a major player in the development of atherosclerosis. Antioxidant Vitamins A, C, E, carotenoids, and many phytochemicals can neutralize free radicals, and may reduce or even prevent some of their damage.

For instance, deficiencies of Vitamins A, C, E, and beta carotene have been linked to heart disease. All of these nutrients have antioxidant effects and other properties that may benefit the heart. Vitamin E may prevent blood clots and the formation of fatty plaques and cell proliferation on the walls of the arteries. Of interest are studies suggesting that 1200 IU of the natural (d) alpha tocopherol form of Vitamin E (4000% US Recommended Daily Value) reduces inflammation and damage to blood vessels. Type 2 Diabetics, as suggested by many health professionals, may in particular benefit from this as well. Vitamin E deficiency should therefore never be allowed to occur if you have this type of Diabetes.

Other Vitamin E compounds, including gamma tocopherol or tocotrienol may also have specific benefits. Studies are fairly consistent in indicating that eating foods rich in natural Vitamin E may be protective. Vitamin C appears to maintain blood vessel flexibility and improve circulation in the arteries of smokers. In one English 2001 study, people whose diets were rich in foods that elevated levels of Vitamin C in their blood were at lower risk for heart disease, overall poor health, and even death. Vitamins E and C in combination have even been shown to reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease!

Several important studies have demonstrated a link between deficiencies in the B Vitamins (folate, B6, and B12) and elevated blood levels of homocysteine, an amino acid believed to be a risk factor for atherosclerosis and heart disease. Both Vitamins B12 and folate reduce homocysteine levels, although it is not yet clear if this effect is actually protective against heart disease. (Homocysteine may simply be a marker, not a cause, of heart disease.) Major studies are under way and early results are promising. Another 2001 study for example, reported lower rates of heart disease in populations that had high levels of folate and B12, regardless of any other risk factor.

A supplemental dosage of 0.8 mg/ day (200% US Recommended Daily Value) of folate (also known as folic acid) appears to be necessary for reducing homocysteine levels. Folate also improves blood flow through the arteries, which may be of equal or greater importance for the heart than its effect on homocysteine. Niacin (Vitamin B3) is used for lowering unhealthy cholesterol levels. Although Vitamin B3 is available over the counter, a physician should prescribe niacin in order to ensure its safety and effectiveness.

Studies have reported that a high intake of fruits and vegetables containing beta carotene, lycopene, and other carotenoids may reduce the risk of heart attack. For example, lycopene-poor diets (particularly lycopene in tomatoes) were associated with a significantly higher risk of heart disease and stroke. In another study involving animals, lutein protected against early hardening of the arteries.

It should be stressed, however, that studies are continuing to indicate that high doses of supplements of any of these antioxidants have pro-oxidant effects that can harm the arteries and incur other damage, so avoid very high doses.

The protection that vitamins offer us against a variety of other diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s diseases, respiratory diseases and infectious diseases by boosting our immunity and eyes and skin function among others will be lost if these and other vitamins are deficient. The human body is at high risk of suffering from the symptoms and signs of the lack of each respective vitamin. Maintaining proper vitamin intake is quite simple, with the help of a healthy diet and a high-quality liquid multivitamin taken daily. Don't take a chance with your health - take preventative measures and combat these problems at hand with a quality multivitamin, today.