Essential vitamins for the body that you should know
17.07.23
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Vitamins are important organic substances that the body needs to survive, grow, and stay healthy. However, there are many types of vitamins and each offers different benefits to the body, if you have a varied diet you will probably get enough of most of these vitamins. Therefore, in the article below, Solife will provide you with useful information about the essential vitamins for the body, thereby helping you balance a healthy diet.
1. The concept of vitamins necessary for the body
Vitamins are a group of nutrients necessary for the bodyalthough they only account for a relatively small amount, but vitamins have a great effect on the development of the body. The lack of vitamins will affect the growth of the body and lead to a number of dangerous diseases.
Vitamins are divided into two groups which are fat soluble vitamins and water soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat and tend to accumulate in the body. As for water-soluble vitamins, they need to be dissolved in water before they can be absorbed by the body, water-soluble vitamins that cannot be used up by the body will be lost through the urine, that is also the reason why they cannot be stored in the body.
Therefore, the body easily appears difficult to absorb and lacks vitamins even though they have eaten foods containing that vitamin. Understanding the vitamins needed by the body will help us ensure a scientific diet with a full range of substances and build a healthy diet.
2. The type of vitamin necessary for the body
Vitamins come in many different varieties and the six vitamins listed below each have their own distinct functions and are vital to life.
2.1. Vitamin A
Benefit
Vitamin A plays an important role in the process of maintaining the function of the epithelium, supporting the replacement of skin cells, supporting vision, maintaining a good immune system, and supporting growth and reproduction.
Vitamin A deficiency can cause dry skin, dry eyes and night blindness. Understanding excess of Vitamin A can also cause large amounts of Vitamin A to accumulate in the liver and cause side effects such as bone swelling, mouth ulcers, vision changes and confusion.
Natural sources
Vitamin A can be added to the body through the following foods:
- Vitamin A from fruits and vegetables: Dark green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, mango, papaya…
- Vitamin A from animals: Liver, eggs, milk…
- Vitamin A from oils: Red palm oil.
2.2. Vitamin B
Vitamin B is divided into many different types such as vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B12… Each type of vitamin B has different effects on the body.
Benefit
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine): is an important vitamin in carbohydrate metabolism, increases muscle activity, increases nourishment of the nervous system and heart.. Lack of vitamin B1 can cause fatigue, depression, and lack of focus. cause beriberi edema….
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): vitamin B2 helps increase red blood cell production, supports cells in their energy-generating function, participates in the treatment of prolonged diarrhea, infections, constant fever, intestinal diseases or serious injuries…
- Vitamin B3 (niacin or nicotinic acid): Vitamin B3 has a major role in the metabolism of sugars and fats to generate energy for the body to function, produce energy in the cells, keep the skin youthful and strengthen the nervous system and the digestive system. Lack of vitamin B3 will cause inflammation of the skin, inflammation of the tongue, or neurological manifestations such as headaches, memory loss …
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): vitamin B5 has the effect of making hair shiny, healthy skin, in cosmetology, it is widely used in the treatment of acne skin by resolving excess oil on the skin. Vitamin B5 also supports the health of the cardiovascular system, enhances hemoglobin levels, reduces stress … Vitamin B5 deficiency causes fatigue, irritability, nausea, insomnia..
- Vitamin B6: This vitamin is involved in protein and fat metabolism, supports the functioning of the immune system, maintains the health of red blood cells, and nourishes the nervous system.
- Vitamin B7 (biotin) also known as vitamin H: vitamin B7 contributes to the production of hormones and the digestion of proteins and carbohydrates, necessary for the formation of fatty acids and glucose. In addition, biotin is used to promote vitality, health, and shine to hair and nails.
- Vitamin B9 (acid folic): this is one of the important vitamins in the production of red blood cells, helps cells make and maintain DNA, and especially plays an important role in the division and development stage. cells in infants and pregnant women. Vitamin B9 deficiency causes megaloblastic anemia.
- Vitamin B12: helps reduce the risk of cervical cancer, reduces homocysteine levels in the body, plays an important role in the growth and development of the body and helps the body to use vitamin B9 more optimally. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause depression, anemia, fatigue and, if prolonged, can cause permanent damage to the brain and central nervous system.
Natural sources
- Foods rich in vitamin B9: beans, asparagus, spinach, cauliflower, avocado, eggs, pork liver…
- Foods containing a lot of vitamin B12 such as clams, oysters, mussels, animal liver, fish such as mackerel, tuna, seafood, beef…
- Foods rich in vitamin B2: dark green vegetables, meat, bananas, apples, pears, or whole grains …
- Foods rich in vitamin B3: potatoes, mushrooms, brown rice, green beans, peanuts, beef, anchovies, tuna, chicken breast, liver…
- Foods rich in vitamin B5: salmon, cereals, dairy products, legumes, avocados, broccoli …
- Foods rich in vitamin B6: meats, fish, vegetables such as raspberries, red bell peppers, peas, broccoli, bananas, or nuts …
- Foods rich in Vitamin B7: liver, cauliflower, salmon, carrots, soybean meal, wheat germ, cereals or eggs…
2.3. Vitamin C
Benefit
Vitamin C is one of the vitamins necessary for you to have a healthy body by helping to strengthen the immune system, help assimilate iron, fight viruses and bacteria that cause inflammatory diseases… Vitamin C is also an Excellent antioxidant, it suppresses the production of free radicals and protects our cells from premature aging.
Read more: What does vitamin C do? The notes you should be aware of and how to use
Natural sources
Vitamin C is abundant in citrus fruits, in addition to many other easy-to-find foods that also help you supplement vitamin C for your body such as guava, yellow bell pepper, parsley, broccoli, etc. kiwi, mango, strawberry…
See more: What are the top 12 foods containing Vitamin C?
2.4. Vitamin D
Benefit
Vitamin D plays an important role in the formation of calcium in bones and teeth, enhancing calcium density in the body. Many studies have shown that vitamin D deficiency can lead to cognitive decline, directly affect the body’s immune system, and increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Natural sources
Most foods that contain vitamin D come from eggs, but you can still get vitamin D from red meat, fatty fish, and dairy. In addition, vitamin D is also formed when the body is exposed to direct sunlight.
2.5. Vitamin E
Benefit
Vitamin E helps smooth, youthful skin, limiting wrinkles. Dry, wrinkled, lifeless skin, dry and brittle hair are often caused by vitamin E deficiency. Pregnant women taking vitamin E will help the development of the fetus. Vitamin E helps the uterus of girls to develop and limits testicular atrophy in boys. In addition, vitamin E also contributes to reducing the rate of premature birth or miscarriage, ensuring safety for both the pregnant mother and fetus.
Natural sources
Vitamin E is found in many vegetable oils such as: wheat germ, sunflower oil, soybean, rice germ, bean sprouts, green vegetables, meat, fish, eggs, milk, fruits…
2.6. Vitamin K
Benefit
Vitamin K participates in blood clotting, helping to reduce bleeding in special cases such as liver disease, malabsorption or long-term antibiotic use. If the body is severely deficient in vitamin K, the blood cannot clot when it should, which can lead to death from excessive blood loss. In addition, vitamin K deficiency can also cause osteoporosis.
Natural sources
The human body can absorb vitamin K easily through foods such as spinach, kale, cabbage, mustard, cucumber, celery, eggs, olive oil, cloves…
3. Daily dose of each vitamin for the body
Vitamin A: Depending on the age and stage, the amount of Vitamin A needed to load into the body is different. The average amount of vitamin A you need to consume per day is 1 mg. Pregnant women need 800 mcg/day, while lactating women need 850 mcg/day.
Vitamin B1: The human body needs a low amount of vitamin B1 but must ensure a daily supply for the body, on average the body needs to provide from 1.1 to 1.2 mg of vitamin B1 per day.
Vitamin B2: The amount of vitamin B2 you should take each day varies by gender and age. For children, 300-600 mcg/day is needed. Men need 900-1300 mcg/day, while women need 900-1600 mg/day..
Vitamin B3: Depending on supplemental needs, the dosage of vitamin B3 for adults ranges from 14-18 mg/day. For children, the recommended amount of vitamin B3 per day is 2-14 mg..
Vitamin B5: The recommended daily levels of vitamin B5 by the American Institute of Medicine for each subject are as follows: Infants 0 to 6 months: 1.7 mg; Infants 7 – 12 months: 1.8 mg; Children from 1 to 3 years old: 2 mg; Children from 4 to 8 years old: 3 mg; Children from 9 to 13 years old: 4 mg; Men and women 14 years and older: 5 mg; Pregnant women: 6 mg; Lactation: 7 mg.
Vitamin B6: The required daily amount of vitamin B6 for men aged 14 to 50 is 1.3 mg; age 51 and older is 1.7 mg; for women 14 to 18 years old is 1.2 mg; 19 to 50 years old is 1.3 mg and 51 years and older is 1.5 mg. For pregnancy and lactation, vitamin B6 intake should be increased to 1.9 mg and 2.0 mg, respectively.
Vitamin B7: According to the recommended nutritional needs, the amount of vitamin B7 needed to supplement daily is adjusted for each subject. Children need 5-20 mcg/day, adults need 25-30 mcg/day, and nursing mothers need 35 mcg of vitamin B7 per day.
Vitamin B9: Most adults do not experience any side effects when used in doses less than 1 mg per day. Women of childbearing potential should get 400 mcg of vitamin B9 per day, while pregnant women should get 600 mcg.
Vitamin B12: The recommended daily dose for vitamin B12 in people from 14 years old and older is 2.4 micrograms. However, depending on a number of factors such as age, gender, lifestyle, or excess or deficiency of B12, the recommended amount may change.
Vitamin C: The recommended vitamin C requirement for adults is 70mg for women and 90mg for men.
Vitamin D: Children 9 years old and older, adults, and pregnant and breastfeeding women take less than 4,000 IU per day of vitamin D.
Vitamin E: Every day the body needs from 5-20 mg of vitamin E.
Vitamin K: The recommended daily requirement of vitamin K for the body is from 65-80 micrograms.
4. Some things you should know when supplementing with vitamins for your body
Although vitamins are necessary for the body the body only needs these substances in very small amounts, so you should not exceed the indicated dose to avoid causing unwanted effects. In particular, for vitamins of the fat-soluble group, an excess supply of these vitamins will cause excess fat storage and are harmful to health.
In addition to natural sources of supplements from foods, vitamins are also supplemented through supplements. However, only in case your body lacks a large amount of vitamins or has difficulty absorbing vitamins should you look to vitamin supplements.
Reference source:
Trần Hoàng Uyên
Trần Hoàng Uyên (Senior Manager Pharmaceutical company) là chuyên gia cấp cao với nhiều năm kinh nghiệm trong lĩnh vực dược phẩm. Tốt nghiệp cử nhân chuyên ngành Quản lý dược I tại Trường Đại học Y dược TP. Hồ Chí Minh và hiện đang công tác tại công ty dược phẩm. Với hơn 10 năm kinh nghiệm làm việc trong ngành dược, chị Hoàng Uyên là chuyên gia cộng tác tham vấn y khoa cho danh mục blog cũng như các nội dung liên quan trên Solife. (Tran Hoang Uyen (Senior Manager Pharmaceutical company) is a senior specialist with many years of experience in the Pharmaceutical field. She graduated Bachelor of Pharmacy Management I at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City and is currently working for a pharmaceutical company. With more than 10 years of experience working in the pharmaceutical industry, Ms. Hoang Uyen is a medical consultant collaborator for content on Solife's website.)