Vitamins are organic compounds made from plants or animals, explains the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Your body needs vitamins for every function, including digestion, neurological function and blood production. Vitamins work side-by-side with minerals, which are inorganic compounds found naturally in soil and water. Following a balanced diet and eating a variety of foods ensures you get adequate amounts of each vitamin without having to take a supplement.
Definition of Organic Compounds
Organic compounds, such as vitamins, always contain carbon. Normal human functioning relies on carbon-containing elements for everyday processes. Carbohydrates, protein and fat are additional organic compounds that your body utilizes for energy. Compounds are considered vitamins when lack of them negatively affects your health, explains the Linus Pauling Institute.
Types of Vitamins
Vitamins, while organic, can be either fat soluble or water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins, A, D, E and K, are broken down and absorbed by fat in the body. Water soluble vitamins include vitamin C and all of the B vitamins. With the exception of vitamin B-12, these types of vitamins are not stored in your body. You excrete any excess that is not absorbed in the urine.
Functions of Fat Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin A is essential for overall eye health and vision. This important fat soluble vitamin also works to keep your immune system running, produce red blood cells and influence physiological processes, explains the Linus Pauling Institute. Your body can produce some vitamin D when the skin is exposed to the sun, but you also get vitamin D from your diet. Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium, keeping your bones and teeth strong. Antioxidants such as vitamin E work by warding off free radicals that permanently damage cells. Free radicals can increase your risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease. Vitamin K is necessary for proper blood clotting. Without it, even the smallest cut would bleed excessively.
Functions of Water Soluble Vitamins
You need vitamin C for proper formation of collagen, a component of cell walls, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. Vitamin C also helps your immune system by acting like an antioxidant and aiding in wound healing. There are eight essential B vitamins you need for optimal health: thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, B-6, biotin, B-12 and folic acid. These vitamins work together to pull energy from the food you eat. Additionally, B vitamins help produce red blood cells, explains Medline Plus.
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