Vitamins and Minerals

Vitamins and minerals are fundamental nutrients that our body needs to regulate function and development. The body needs modest quantities of these to stay healthy. Vitamins are natural substances. But except Vitamin D, other vitamins have to be taken from diet as they are not synthesized by our body and these are designated “essential” nutrients. The minerals are inorganic components. Since there are various types of minerals, just certain ones are needed for wellbeing.

Vitamins are generally categorized as fat-soluble and water-soluble in terms of solubility. Examples of fat-soluble vitamins include vitamin A, E, D, K.  Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in fat tissues and liver. Vitamin B (B-1, B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6, B-7, B-9, and B-12) and vitamin C are water-soluble vitamins and have little storage.

A few minerals, similar to Iodine and Fluoride, are just required in minuscule amounts. Others, for example, calcium, magnesium, and potassium, are needed in more significant sums. The body requires small quantities of these nutrients, yet failing to acquire even those tiny amounts guarantees diseases. For example, people with intestinal defects have poor fat absorption, which results in the reduction of fat-soluble vitamin absorption. Since some vitamins and minerals which we usually get from sources like animal products, and strict vegetarians are deficient. Inadequate dilatory intake, liver disease, renal disease, smoking, and alcoholism are other reasons for the deficiencies. Some medicines like anticonvulsants, methotrexate, and metformin decrease the synthesis of vitamins leading to deficiencies when considering medication.

On the other hand, vitamins also play a major role in hindering the effect of drugs. For example, vitamin E antagonizes antiplatelet drugs and anticoagulants because it inhibits platelet aggregation and antagonizes vitamin K dependent clotting factors. And being antioxidant might reduce the effectiveness of cancer chemotherapy

The substantial harm to your body due to vitamin (Vitamin A) and mineral deficiency includes Night Blindness, Impaired Immune Function, Cancers, and Congenital Disabilities. Weak bones can result due to vitamin D deficiency because vitamin D is an essential component for maintaining the dynamic relation between bone and the serum. Vitamin E deficiency results in poor balance, muscle problems, vision problems, and hemolysis. Vitamin C deficiencies can cause skin infections, gum bleeding, retarded wound healing.  The Vitamin B deficiencies result in beriberi, Wernicke-korsakoff syndrome, anemia, seizures, skin infections, megaloblastic anemia, etc. The mineral deficiencies can cause loss of appetite, muscle cramp, rickets, scurvy, beriberi as examples.

People nowadays tend to get vitamin and mineral supplements, but it is usually better to get the nutrients you need from food rather than through supplements, pills and other artificial means. The food rich in minerals includes nuts, beans, fish, seeds, mushrooms, whole grains, low-fat dairy, avocados, tofu, dark chocolate, cheese, and dried fruits. The best food to get vitamins through your meal is vegetable oils, dairy foods, animal sources (eggs, fish, meat), fruit and vegetables, grains, milk, and dairy foods. You will be able to get all the nutrients you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. The supplement pills for the vitamins should be preparations of their active form.  At the same time, if you think of getting vitamin or mineral supplement pills, don’t forget to seek advice from the professionals and experts to make sure you are in safe grounds

Pabasarani Gamlath
Undergraduate: BSc Pharmacy (Hons ),
Faculty of Science,
University of Colombo,
Sri Lanka.
LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/pabasarani-gamlath-b1a548152/

References

1. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamins/
2. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/listing_of_vitamins