Vitamin Supplements
by Monica
Liza
zone3
Vitamins
A Vitamin is an organic molecule required by a living organism in
minute amounts for proper health. An organism deprived of all sources of a
particular vitamin will eventually suffer from disease symptoms specific
to that vitamin.
Vitamins can be classified as either water soluble, which means they
dissolve easily in water, or fat soluble, which means they are absorbed
through the intestinal tract with the help of lipids.
In general, an organism must obtain vitamins or their metabolic
precursors from outside the body, most often from the organism's diet.
Examples of vitamins that the human body can derive from precursors
include vitamin A, which can be produced from beta carotene; niacin from
the amino acid tryptophan; and vitamin D through exposure of skin to
ultraviolet light.
The word vitamin was coined by the Polish biochemist Casimir Funk in
1912. Vita in Latin is life and the -amin suffix is short for amine; at
the time it was thought that all vitamins were amines. Though this is now
known to be incorrect, the name has stuck.
In humans, there are thirteen vitamins, divided into two groups, the
four fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E and K) and the nine water soluble
vitamins (eight B vitamins and vitamin C).
Some of the vitamins are known by other names in older literature.
Vitamin B2 is also referred to as Vitamin G. Vitamin B7, or biotin is also
referred to as "Vitamin H." Vitamin B9, or folic acid and other folates
such "Vitamin M -Pteryl-tri-glutamic acid" are refered to as Folicin.
Vitamin B3 is also referred to as "Vitamin PP", a name derived from the
obsolete term "pellagra-preventing factor". Many other essential dietary
substances were originally called vitamins and are now classified
differently.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
John B. Perry, P.T., C.S.C.S. is a fitness and biomechanics
enhancement expert. He writes a weekly newsletter, writes e-books and
articles, produces fitness videos and performs seminars and teleseminars
on Health, Wealth and Fitness. He can be found at http://www.hiptobefit.com/ and you
can contact him at info@hiptobefit.com.
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