Posts Tagged ‘Vitamin supplements’
What Are Vitamins?
Vitamins are organic compounds that organisms require for nutrients. When an organism is not receiving the required amount of a certain compound, it may need necessary to supplement with vitamins.
Vitamins don’t include other nutrients such as dietary minerals or acids. One vitamin may be made up of several different compounds. A vitamin can come in a pill or liquid form, and there are 13 types of vitamins that humans need.
History
1. Vitamins started with the ancient Egyptians. The Egyptians discovered that night blindness could be cured by eating liver. Liver contains a high amount of Vitamin A, so some people with a Vitamin A deficiency suffered from night blindness.
During the Renaissance, many shipmates fell ill due to a vitamin deficiency from not having enough fruits and vegetables to last through the voyage.
Nutrition
2. In order to experience a normal and healthy development, an organism must ingest an appropriate amount of vitamins. In humans, from the moment a fetus starts to grow it will need vitamins and nutrients.
These nutrients cause chemical reactions that create bone, muscle and skin. Vitamins are available through different types of foods and in supplements. A nutritious diet will help to ensure that a person receives a healthy amount of vitamins.
Deficiencies
3. There are two types of vitamin deficiencies. Primary deficiencies happen if an organism does not get enough vitamins through food. Secondary deficiencies occur in underlying disorders that prevent absorption of certain vitamins. Secondary deficiencies usually happen due to alcohol consumption, smoking, the use of certain medications or eating restricted diets. Read the rest of this entry »