Classification and characteristics of vitamins

Vitamins are a group of organic compounds that are essential for the maintenance of good health. They are neither raw materials for the body's tissues nor sources of energy, but are a group of regulatory substances that play an important role in the metabolism of substances. These substances cannot be synthesised in the body or are not synthesised in sufficient quantities, so although they are needed in small quantities, they must be regularly supplied by food.

Vitamins, also known as vitamins, are commonly known as life-sustaining substances, a group of organic substances that are essential for maintaining the body's vital activities and are also important active substances for keeping the body healthy. Vitamins are found in very small amounts in the body, but are essential. Although the chemical structure and properties of the various vitamins are different, they have the following in common.

(i) Vitamins are all present in food in the form of vitamin primes.

(ii) Vitamins are not constituents of the body's tissues and cells, and they do not produce energy; their role is mainly to participate in the regulation of the body's metabolism.

(iii) Most vitamins, which the organism cannot synthesise or does not synthesise in sufficient quantities to meet the needs of the organism, must often be obtained through food.

(iv) The body's need for vitamins is small, with daily requirements often measured in milligrams or micrograms, but when deficient they can cause corresponding vitamin deficiencies that can be detrimental to human health.

Unlike the 3 major substances, carbohydrates, fats and proteins, vitamins make up only a very small proportion of natural foods, but are essential to the human body. Some vitamins such as B6 and K can be synthesised by bacteria in the animal's gut in amounts that meet the animal's needs. Animal cells can convert tryptophan into niacin (a B vitamin), but the amount produced does not meet needs; vitamin C can be synthesised by all animals except primates and guinea pigs. Plants and most micro-organisms can synthesise their own vitamins and do not need to be supplied from outside the body. Many vitamins are components of cofactors or coenzymes.

Vitamins are certain small amounts of organic compounds that are essential for the nutrition and growth of humans and animals and are extremely important for the body's metabolism, growth, development and health. If a vitamin is deficient for a long time, it can cause physiological disorders and certain diseases. They are generally obtained from food. There are dozens of them found at this stage, such as vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, etc.

Vitamins are organic compounds that are essential to human metabolism. The human body is like an extremely complex chemical factory, constantly undergoing various biochemical reactions. The reactions are closely related to the catalytic action of enzymes. For enzymes to be active, coenzymes must be present. Many vitamins are known to be coenzymes or component molecules of coenzymes. Vitamins are therefore essential for maintaining and regulating the normal metabolism of the body. It can be assumed that the best vitamins are found in human tissues in the form of "bioactive substances".