With the discovery of vitamin A in the early 1900s, researchers began to learn about the roles that organic substance plays in supporting bodily functions. Through the next 40 years, doctors discovered all of the vitamins essential to life. Through these years of research they also discovered the body needs inorganic compounds, known as minerals. The food you eat provides your body with the 13 essential vitamins, macrominerals and trace minerals it needs to function each day.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, meaning that the body stores it in the fat tissues. The body converts a variety of compounds, known as carotenoids, into vitamin A. Your body needs vitamin A to support healthy eyes, keep your immune system healthy, regulate the expression of genes and create healthy red blood cells. A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to blindness, contribute to the onset of infectious diseases and cause birth defects in pregnant women. The National Institute of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board recommends adult women consume 700 mcg and men get 900 mcg per day.
B Vitamins
The second vitamin discovered by researchers was the water-soluble B vitamin. As scientists learned more, they discovered that the B vitamin included many different compounds. There are eight vitamins that make up the B complex. The B vitamins include B-1 -- thiamin, B-2 -- riboflavin, B-3 -- niacin, B-5 -- pantothenic acid, B-6, B-7 -- biotin, B-9 -- folic acid and B-12. Although initially referred to by their assigned numbers, the majority are more commonly referred to by their common names. The B vitamins help your body break down foods and use the energy more efficiently. Many of them, including vitamin B-12, also support the formation of healthy red blood cells.
Vitamin C
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin, which means the excess gets excreted from the body. Vitamin C helps to produce collagen, a protein found in skin, connective tissues and bones. Vitamin C helps your body repair tissues and heal wounds. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant -- a compound that protects the cells from damage caused by negatively charged particles in the body. The National Institutes of Medicine Food and Nutrition Board recommends adults consume 75 to 90 mg of vitamin C per day. A vitamin C deficiency causes scurvy, a condition characterized by weakness, anemia and hemorrhages in the skin.
Vitamin D
You body gets vitamin D through foods, including fortified milk and breakfast cereals, but it can also synthesize it. Exposure to the ultraviolet rays of the sun triggers the conversion of pre-vitamin D into vitamin D. Although the body stores vitamin D, classifying it as a fat-soluble vitamin, deficiency can occur. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption, regulates cell growth, supports the immune system and reduces inflammation. Because of the relationship between vitamin D and calcium, a vitamin D deficiency causes diseases characterized by weak and brittle bones.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K, another fat-soluble vitamin, plays a vital role in blood clotting. Although rare, a vitamin K deficiency can cause excessive bleeding. Vitamin K also helps the bones effectively use calcium. Because higher vitamin K levels correspond to greater bone density, a deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E -- found in nuts, seeds and vegetable oils -- acts as an antioxidant, which makes it important for immune function. A vitamin E deficiency affects the nervous system and impairs the immune system. Consuming the recommended daily intake of 15 mg can help prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease, protect against cancers, decrease the risk of developing age-related eye disorders and may play a role in reducing cognitive decline, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
Macrominerals
Of the 21 essential minerals, the body requires more than 100 mg of 7 of them, classifying those as macrominerals. The macrominerals include calcium, chlorine, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and sulfur. The body uses many of these to build strong bones, including calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. Others, such as sodium and potassium, act as electrolytes in the body, meaning they help to transmit electrical impulses between nerves. Chlorine helps the body produce digestive juices and acts as a cleanser by cleaning waste products from the blood.
Trace Minerals
The body needs only small amounts, less than 100 mg, of the remaining 14 essential minerals, classifying them as trace minerals. The trace minerals include chromium, zinc, manganese, copper, iron, fluorine, cobalt, tin, iodine, selenium, vanadium, nickel, molybdenum and boron. Trace minerals perform a variety of functions like producing proteins, transporting oxygen, stimulating the growth of cells or helping to repair damaged cells.
References
- National Institutes of Medicine: Food and Nutrition Board: Dietary Reference Intakes
- Linus Pauling Institute: Vitamin A
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin C
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin D
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Vitamin K
- National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements: Vitamin E
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