Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds which cannot be produced by the body and must be supplied in small amount in diet for the normal health, growth and maintenance of body.

Vitamins are essential to us for the normal and proper functioning of the body.  The absence or deficiency of a vitamin can cause specific diseases.

In 1912, Sir H G Hopkins first identified vitamins in milk. The name ‘vitamins’ was given by Casmir Funk.

Vitamins are classified into two types,

• Water soluble vitamins
• Fat soluble vitamins

Water soluble vitamins

Vitamin B complex and vitamin c are water soluble.

Fat soluble vitamins

Vitamins A, D, E and K  are fat soluble vitamins.

Sl.No.	Vitamins		Deficiency diseases
1	Vitamin B1	Thiamine (aneurin)	Beriberi
2	Vitamin B2	Riboflavin (lactoflavin)	Chillosis
3	Vitamin B3	Niacin	Pellagra
4	Vitamin B5	Pantothenic acid	Parasthesia
5	Vitamin B6	Pyridoxine	Dermites
6	Vitamin B7	Biotin	Seboria
7	Vitamin B9	Pholic acid	Megaloblastic anemia
8	Vitamin B12	Cyanocobalamin	Pernicias anemia
9	Vitamin C	Ascorbic acid	Scurvy
10	Vitamin A	Retinol	Nightblindness, xerophthalmia, xerosis
11	Vitamin D	Calciferol	Rickets
12	Vitamin E	Tocopherol	Sterility
13	Vitamin K	Phylloquinone	Bleeding