| Essentials of Essential Vitamins | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Fat-Soluble Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin | Source | Function | Deficiency symptoms |
| Vitamin A (carotene) | All vegetables, especially carrots, citrate fruits, milk, butter, fish, liver oil, eggs, cheese. | Body growth and weight, health of skin, eyes and membranes, Glycoprotein synthesis. | Retardation of growth, Night blindness, susceptibility to infections, skin rough and dry, Xerophthelmia, hyperkeratosis. |
| Vitamin D (Calciferol) | Cod, shark and halibut liver oil, eggs, milk, butter and ghee. | Metabolism of calcium and phosphorous, Growth, health of teeth and bones. | Rickets, osteomalacia and decay of teeth. |
| Vitamin E (Tocopherol) | leafy vegetables, germ oil, wheat, milk. | Aids reproduction in animals and maintain pregnancy strengthens the vascular and nervous system. | Possibly cause degeneration of heart, muscles and nervous etc. |
| Vitamin K | Autosynthesis in Intestine, vegetables, tomato, Soyabean, alpha-alpha liver etc. | Normal coagulation of blood | tendency to bleed. Erythroblastosis-foetalis in newborns. Thrombocytopenia. |
| B. Water-Soluble Vitamins | |||
| Vitamin | Source | Function | Deficiency symptoms |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | The pericarp of the grains like rice and wheat, yeast, til, 'neero', hand powdered pulses, groundnuts, garminated cereals. | Growth, efficient working of the heart, nerves and muscles, metabolism of carbohydrates | (Beri-beri and polyneuritis) Retardation if growth, Decrease in appetite and Weight, neuritis, easy fatigue and disturbed digestion. |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | Milk and Milk preparations, yeast, eggs, meat, liver and green vegetables | Growth, metabolism of carbohydrates, health of eyes and skin | Retardation of growth, cheilitis, sensitivity to light, Red tongue. |
| Nicotinic acid (Niacin) | Pericarp of grains, nuts and pulses, leafy vegetables, wheat, germ oil. | Metabolism of carbohydrates, efficient working of nervous system and G.I. tract. | Mental and digesive disturbances, skin scaly and pigmented (pellagra). |
| Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamine) | Liver, milk, meat | formation of RBCs, DNA etc. haemopoesis, neuropoesis. | Pernicious anaemia, Neuropathies. |
| Folic Acid (Pteroyl glutamic acid) | Liver, green vegetables, curd, and pulses. | formation of RBCs. | Macrocytic Anaemia. |
| Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) | liver, meat, green vegetables. | Growth, efficient working of nerves and muscles. | Fits and convulsions in children, vomiting during pregnancy, Neuropathies. |
| Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid) | Citrus fruits, 'amla', lemon and other green vegetables, tomato and potato. | Growth and repair, health of gums and blood vessels. | Bleeding from gums, haemorrhage, retarded healing, (scurvy) |
Essentials Of Essential Vitamins
a chart of essential vitamins including their sources, functions, and deficiency diseases. categorized with water-soluble and fat-soluble.
updated: 23 May 2022