Life Is Science Is Life: Vitamins

VITAMINS

Vitamins are organic compounds (made of C (carbon), H (Hydrogen) and O (Oxygen))

Many vitamins are essential, the body cannot produce them by itself (or cannot produce enough) this mean we need them in the diet.

There are many type and variation of vitamins but I will only focus on Vitamins A,B,C,D.

Vitamin A:

Function:

Vitamin A is fat-soluble vitamin. It is also know as retinal because it produces pigment in the eye's retina. The eye needs a specific metabolite -retinal- a light-absorbing substance that is crucial for low-light vision.

Vitamin A contains antioxidants that work to condition and moisture the sebum in the scalp.

It will fight the free radicals such as pollution that weight down your hair and make it weaker.

As a result, you hair will fell lighter and have better body. It will also strengthen and thicken your curls so that they will grow longer faster and break much less often.
Vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy skin, teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucus membranes, and skin.

Sources:

Vitamin A can be found in animal sources like eggs, meat, milk, cheese, fish...
All of these sources are high in saturated fat and cholesterol except skim milk that has been fortified with vitamin A.

Side Effects:

If you don't get enough vitamin A, you are more likely to get infectious diseases and vision problem.

In contrast, if you get too much vitamin A, you can become sick. Larges doses of vitamin A can also cause birth defects.

So it is important to keep a normal amount of Vitamin A

RDA:

Vitamin B:

Function:

B vitamins are a group of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism. There is more than one vitamin B. Refer to the picture for some example and what they are use for.
The B vitamins are important in metabolic activity (they help make energy and set it free when your body needs it). Vitamin B is also involved in making red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout your body. Every part of your body needs oxygen to work properly, so they have a really important job.

The Vitamin B complex is one of the most important vitamins that can have a great influence on a person's health as well as on one's physical and mental performance concerning the nervous system. It is a part of the group of nutrients which are responsible for the creation of some of the most basic structures in the nervous system. Vitamin B 12, also referred to as cobalamin due to its cobalt content, has a highly significant role in both the formation of the nervous system as well as in the maintenance of its proper functions. It also helps in the formation of the nerve cells themselves, the most basic of the nervous system structures.

An other function of vitamins B is their digestive function. They are essential for producing stomach acids and maintaining muscle tone, especially the valves between the different segments, such as the ileocecal valve.

Sources:

Some good sources of Vitamins B could be dairy, meat, spinach,broccoli, bananas. Some other fruits,vegetables or whole grains,beans, cereals... can also be sources of vitamin B.

Side Effects:

Too much vitamin B can cause diarrhea, itching, blood clots and allergic reaction in some people.Not enough vitamin B can cause Anemia, indigestion, insomnia, easy agitation, frustration... For more info follow this link: http://nutritionresearchcenter.org/healthnews/vitaminbdeficiencies/

RDA (and more info):

Vitamin C:

Function:

Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that block some of the damage caused by free radicals.

Vitamin C increase the white blood cells as well as antibodies in your body. It also increases the number of interferon, an important antibody that coats the cell surfaces and prevents the entry of viruses. It offers protection to your immune system by encouraging the activity of immune system cells including neutrophils and phagocytes.

It rids your body of the foreign invaders and helps it to detect any sign of tumor in your body.

Vitamin C also help to heal the wounds.

Sources:

Some good source of Vitamin C are

Fruits:

Citrus fruit, kiwi, mango, strawberries...

Vegetable:

Broccoli, green and red pepper, tomatoes...

Side effect:

Too much Vitamin C can cause diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, heartburn, abdominal bloating and cramps, headache, insomnia, kidney stones...

Not enough can cause scurvy, fatigue, mood changes, weight loss, joint and muscle aches, bruising dental conditions, dry hair and skin, infections.

RDA:

Vitamin D:

Function:

The major biologic function of vitamin D is to maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, helping to form and maintain strong bones. It is used, alone or in combination with calcium, to increase bone mineral density and decrease fractures. Recently, research also suggest that vitamin D may provide protection from osteoporosis, hypertension (high blood pressure), cancer, and several autoimmune diseases.

Sources:

Some good sources of vitamin D are dairy, fish, fish oils, sun. The sun is a good source of vitamin D, being expose to it as little as 10 minutes daily can prevent deficiencies.

Side effect:

Too much vitamin D can make the intestine absorb too much calcium which can cause high level of calcium in the blood. High level of calcium can cause confusion and disorientation, kidney stone, nausea, vomiting, constipation, poor appetite, weakness and weight loss.

Not enough vitamin D can cause cancer (breast, prostate and cologne), diabetes ( vitamin D reduce the risk of diabetes in children), heart diseases, osteoporosis.