Vitamins are compounds that are essential for normal body functioning. In order to obtain all of the necessary vitamins, you should consume a variety of foods from each food group, as they each contain different nutrients. Adequate intake of vitamins is important for disease prevention, immune function, bone health and energy production, among other functions.
Disease Prevention
Adequate vitamin intake aids in prevention of a number of chronic diseases, while deficiency may increase disease risk. Inadequate vitamin D, for example, may increase risk of osteoporosis, heart disease and some cancers. While this vitamin may be partially obtained from sunlight, it is also found in the diet and is especially important to consume in those who do not make enough from the sun.
Immune Function
Several vitamins are involved in building the body's defenses and providing protection from foreign invaders. Vitamin C, for example, is involved in controlling infections and works as an antioxidant in the body, protecting cells from damage. No evidence exists to support the claim that vitamin C fights colds, however. Vitamin A also plays a role in immune function and promotes production of white blood cells, which are part of the body's defense system.
Bone Health
Vitamin D works hand in hand with calcium to maintain bone health and helps prevent osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children. A study in the April 2007 issue of "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism," researchers found a decreased risk of hip fractures with vitamin D and calcium supplementation. Vitamin K is also needed to build bone, and low vitamin K levels have been linked with low bone density.
Energy Production
The B vitamins, which include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin and vitamins B-6 and B-12, are involved in allowing the body to use the energy found in foods you consume. Deficiency of some of these vitamins may lead to anemia, with symptoms of weakness and fatigue. For example, insufficient vitamin B-12 in the diet may lead to tiredness, weakness, weight loss and anemia. This vitamin is found in animal source foods, along with plant-source foods that have been fortified.
References
- Harvard School of Public Health; Vitamin D and Health
- Harvard School of Public Health; Vitamin C
- Harvard School of Public Health; Vitamin A
- "Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism"; Need for Additional Calcium to Reduce the Risk of Hip Fracture with Vitamin D Supplementation: Evidence from a Comparative Metaanalysis of Randomized Controlled Trials; Boonen S, Lips P, Bouillon R, Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Vanderschueren D, Haentjens P; April 2007
- Harvard School of Public Health; Vitamin K
- National Institutes of Health Dietary Supplements Fact Sheet; Vitamin B12
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