Vitamins are found in foods as well as sold in supplement forms. There are two types of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins, such as vitamins A and D, stay stored in your body while water-soluble vitamins, like the B vitamins, travel through the bloodstream. In most cases, doctors recommend that you get the nutrients that your body needs from food sources.
Deficiency Prevention
One of the main reasons that you need vitamins in your diet is to prevent a nutritional deficiency. Vitamin deficiencies can cause numerous health problems. For instance, the World Health Organization states that vitamin A deficiency may cause blindness and increased risk of infection. Individuals deficient in vitamin D are at risk of developing muscle weakness or skeletal malformations.
Metabolic Reactions
The B vitamins are responsible for performing metabolic functions in the human body. Vitamin B makes energy and then releases it when you need it. They also help form red blood cells, which aids in carrying oxygen to the body's organs. The B vitamins include B1, B2, B6, B12, biotin, folic acid, niacin and panthotenic acid.
Tissue Health
When you get vitamin E in your diet, you ensure that the tissues that make up your eyes, skin, liver and lungs stay protected, according to Kids Health through the Nemours Foundation. Meanwhile, vitamin C protects muscle and gum tissue. Vitamin C also prevents illnesses from affecting the tissues of the body. This is due to the boost that it gives the immune system.
Absorption
Some vitamins help your body better absorb other nutrients required for optimal health. For instance, vitamin D is required to absorb calcium. If you don't have enough calcium in the body, it can weaken and soften the bones. Vitamin D is also responsible for regulating the immune system.
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