/Video/How Vitamins Work in the Human Body

How Vitamins Work in the Human Body

A, C, E, D, B, K – These are not just random letters of the alphabet. They are vitamins, just like letters that form words, they are essential nutrients that help our bodies “run smoothly.”

Vitamins are organic compounds that we need to consume in small amounts each day for our bodies to function properly. They are the builders, protectors, and maintenance workers of the body, helping us form muscles and bones, utilize nutrients, store and use energy, and heal wounds.

If you need proof of the value of vitamins, consider the case of sailors in the past who lacked access to vitamin-rich food sources. They often suffered from scurvy, while vitamin C, abundant in fruits and vegetables, was the simplest remedy for this disease.

While bacteria, fungi, and plants can produce their own vitamins, our bodies cannot, so we must obtain vitamins from external sources. But how does the body absorb vitamins from the environment?

It depends on the state of these compounds.

States of Vitamins in the Body

Vitamins are classified into two types: fat-soluble and water-soluble. This difference determines how the body transports, stores, and eliminates excess vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and the B vitamin compounds, which consist of eight different types with specific functions. These substances dissolve in the water content of fruits, vegetables, and grains, making their absorption into the body quite straightforward. Once ingested, these foods are digested, and the vitamins are absorbed directly into the bloodstream.

Since plasma is primarily a water environment, vitamins C and B are easily transported and can move freely throughout the body.

For fat-soluble vitamins found in dairy products, butter, and oils, the pathway to the bloodstream is a bit more adventurous. They enter the stomach and intestines, where bile—a substance produced in the liver—acts as an acid to emulsify fats and helps absorb them through the intestinal wall.

Because fat-soluble vitamins cannot move through the watery environment of the blood, they require something to help them move. This is where proteins attach to the vitamins, serving as “carriers” that transport fat-soluble vitamins into the bloodstream and around the body.

This difference between the two types of vitamins determines how they enter the bloodstream, as well as how they are stored and eliminated from the body.

Because the body can transport water-soluble vitamins through the bloodstream easily, most of these vitamins will be excreted through the kidneys. For this reason, most water-soluble vitamins need to be absorbed daily through food.

In contrast, fat-soluble vitamins remain in the body longer because they are stored in the liver and fatty tissues. The body uses these locations as warehouses, storing vitamins and releasing them when needed. Therefore, we should not consume excessive amounts of these vitamins, as the body already retains a significant quantity.

Functions of Different Vitamins in the Human Body

Now that we understand how vitamins are transported and stored, let’s explore the specific functions they perform. For example:

  • B vitamin compounds help form coenzymes that assist enzymes in releasing energy from food. Other B vitamins aid the body in utilizing this energy.
  • Vitamin C helps fight infections and produces collagen, a type of tissue that forms bones, teeth, and aids in wound healing.
  • Vitamin A supports the production of white blood cells, which are key to the immune system, aids in bone formation, and improves vision by helping eye cells function properly.
  • Vitamin D helps absorb calcium and phosphorus, which are crucial for bone formation.
  • Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant, eliminating harmful components from cells.
  • Vitamin K helps with blood clotting by assisting proteins in performing this function.

Without vitamins, humans would suffer from various deficiencies, leading to issues such as weakness, nerve damage, cardiovascular diseases, or conditions like rickets or scurvy.

However, excessive vitamin intake can also be toxic to the body, so don’t think that consuming more vitamins is always better. In fact, maintaining a balance and providing just the right amount of vitamins is essential.

This information was summarized from the videoHow do Vitamins work?” on the TED-Ed channel.

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