VITAMINS

 VITAMINS

Vitamins are the compounds essential for the metabolic activities of our body, but in very small quantities.  These do not provide energy, but control energy yielding reactions of our body.  The term ‘vitamin’ was coined by Casimir Funk.

Fat soluble Vitamins

Fat  in diet is essential otherwise these vitamins will not be absorbed.

Vitamin A (Retinol)

• Steenbock (1919) discovered vitamin-A and Karrear (1931) determined the structure of vitamin-A.

• It is also called an antiinfective vitamin.

• It is necessary for healthy eyesight (normal vision).

• It is destroyed by strong light.

• The main sources are yellow or green leafy vegetables (spinach) , carrot, papaya, ripe mango, maize, milk, ghee, cod liver oil, etc.

• Deficiency causes night blindness (patient cannot see the object in dim light)  and xerophthalmia or keratomalacia (dryness and wrinkling of outer layer of eyeball).