Vitamin Sources and Diseases caused by the deficiency
Vitamins– vitamins was invented by Sir F.G. Hopkins. The term vitamin was coined by Funk.
Vitamins are organic compound required in minute quantities. No calorie is obtained from it, but it is very important in regulating chemical reactions in metabolism of the body.
On the basis of solubility, vitamins are of two types:
- Vitamin soluble in water– vitamin-B and vitamin –C
- Vitamin soluble in fat – Vitamin-A, Vitamin-D, Vitamin-E and Vitamin-K
Here list of the diseases caused by the deficiency of vitamins and their sources:
| Vitamin | Chemical Name | Deficiency Disease | Sources |
| Vitamin A | Retinol, Carotenoids, Beta carotene. | Night Blindness, Xerosis Conjunctiva, Xerosis Cornea, Bitot’s Spots |
Milk, Egg, Cheese, Green Vegetable, Fish Liver Oil etc. |
| Vitamin B1 | Thymine | Beriberi | Green Vegetables, Ground Nut, Seed, Liver, Pulses, Egg etc. |
| Vitamin B2 | Riboflavin | Cracking of Skin, Red-dish Eye, |
Green Vegetables, Milk, Meat etc. |
| Vitamin B3 | Niacin | Whitening of Hair | Sugarcane, Milk, Meat, Nut, Tomato etc. |
| Vitamin B5 | Pantothenic Acid | Pellegra | Ground Nut, Potato, Tomato, Leafy Vegetables, Meat etc. |
| Vitamin B6 | Pyridoxine | Anemia
Skin Disease |
Grains, Liver, Meat etc |
| Vitamin B7 | Biotin | Paralysis,
Hair Falling |
Milk, Egg, Liver, Meat etc. |
| Vitamin B9 | Folic Acid (Folate) | Anemia | Vegetables, Pulses, Liver, Egg etc. |
| Vitamin B12 | Cynocobalamin | Anemia, Jaundice | Milk, Meat etc. |
| Vitamin C | Ascorbic Acid | Scurvy | Orange, Lemon, Tomato, Chilly ect. |
| Vitamin D | Calciferol | Rickets (in Children)
Osteomalacia (in Adults) |
Fish Liver Oil, Milk, Egg |
| Vitamin E | Tocopherol | Less Fertility | Leafy Vegetables, Milk, Butter, Vegetable Oil, Sprouted Wheat etc. |
| Vitamin K | Phylloquinone | Non-clotting of Blood | Green Vegetable, Tomato, Soybean Oil etc. |
- Cobalt is found in Vitamin-B
- Synthesis of Vitamins cannot be done by the cells and it s fulfilled by the Vitamin foods.
- However, synthesis of Vitamin –D and K takes place in our body.
- Synthesis of Vitamin-D takes place by the ultra violet rays present in the sunlight through cholesterol (Ergosterol) of skin.
- Vitamin –K is synthesized in our colon by bacteria and from there it is absorbed.
