The 13 Essential Vitamins for Optimal Health

The National Institutes of Health notes that “some ingredients found in dietary supplements are added to a growing number of foods, including breakfast cereals and beverages. As a result, you may be consuming more of these ingredients than you think and more may not be better. Excess vitamin A can cause liver damage and birth defects. Excess iron can cause vomiting.

In addition, they point out that “supplements cannot replace the variety of foods that are important for a healthy diet.

Vitamins

are biological nutrients that are required for a number of cellular and tissue-specific processes in the body. Vitamins are mainly obtained from dietary intake, with different vitamins originating from different types of food sources. Almost all nutrients that are classified as vitamins are obtained through dietary means, which is indicative of the term essential, because the body cannot synthesize these compounds.

According to the National Library of Medicine, there are at least 13 essential vitamins. This list includes vitamins A, C, D, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, pantothenic acid, biotin and folic acid. These essential vitamins are divided into water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins.

Water-soluble vitamins

are generally used immediately after ingestion or are eliminated as waste through the urine, with the only exception being vitamin B12, which is stored in the liver.

Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in fat stores in specialized cells called adipocytes. Almost all vitamins are considered essential. However, some vitamins such as vitamin D and biotin can be synthesized by the body, so they are not technically considered essential. For example, vitamin D, which is important for calcium absorption and bone tissue maintenance, is synthesized by skin cells after exposure to ultraviolet B radiation from sunlight. Biotin is a unique vitamin because it is actually synthesized by the gastrointestinal bacteria that make up the intestinal flora.

Although biotin is readily available in your diet, your gut flora generally produces enough of it that is called non-essential. Since most vitamins are necessary for normal biological processes, any sustained absence of any particular vitamin will result in a detrimental health condition. Vitamin A, also called retinol, is important for maintaining vision and tissues, and deficiencies can lead to skin rashes and night vision. Deficiencies in vitamin D, which is important for calcium absorption and bone metabolism, can increase the risk of osteoporosis, hypertension and cancer. Vitamin K is an important factor in blood clotting and nutritional deficiencies cause decreased blood clotting, increasing the risk of death from bleeding. Vitamins are found naturally in food and are needed in very small amounts for various bodily functions such as energy production and red blood cell production.

There are 13 vitamins that our body needs; 8 of which make up the B vitamins (or complex B). B vitamins don't provide the body with fuel for energy even though supplement ads often claim they do. However it is true that without B vitamins the body lacks energy. This is because B vitamins are needed to help the body use energy-producing nutrients (such as carbohydrates fats and proteins) as fuel. Other B vitamins are needed to help cells multiply by creating new DNA. Vitamins play an essential role in keeping us healthy and functioning optimally.

Without them our bodies would not be able to perform basic functions such as metabolizing food or producing energy. The 13 essential vitamins include A C D E K B1 B2 B3 B6 B12 pantothenic acid biotin and folic acid. Vitamin A helps maintain vision healthy skin bones teeth and mucous membranes while Vitamin C helps form collagen which helps heal wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin D helps regulate calcium levels while Vitamin E helps protect cells from damage caused by free radicals. Vitamin K helps with blood clotting while B Vitamins help convert food into energy. Pantothenic acid helps produce hormones while biotin helps metabolize fats proteins and carbohydrates.

Finally folic acid helps form red blood cells. It's important to get enough of these essential vitamins through diet or supplementation to ensure optimal health. Eating a balanced diet rich in fruits vegetables whole grains lean proteins nuts seeds legumes dairy products and healthy fats will help ensure you get enough of these essential nutrients.

Ben Liebhardt
Ben Liebhardt

Amateur travel fanatic. General web buff. Certified travel junkie. Twitter nerd. Infuriatingly humble web practitioner. Certified beer nerd.

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