Vitamins are essential for the normal growth and development of a multicellular organism.
Vitamins are classified as either water-soluble or fat-soluble. In humans there are basically 13 recognized vitamins: 4 fat-soluble (A, D, E, and K) and 9 water-soluble (8 B vitamins and vitamin C). Water-soluble vitamins dissolve easily in water whereas Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed through the intestinal tract with the help of lipids (fats).
Many people in the United States and other countries take multivitamins and other supplements, though these may not be necessary or helpful, according to research.
| S.No. | Vitamin | Chemical Name | Deficiency Disease | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitamin – A | Retinol | Night Blindness | Liver, orange, ripe yellow fruits, leafy vegetables, carrots, pumpkin, squash, spinach, fish, soya milk, milk |
| 2 | Vitamin – B1 | Thiamine | Beriberi | Pork, oatmeal, brown rice, vegetables, potatoes, liver, eggs |
| 3 | Vitamin – B2 | Riboflavin | Ariboflavinosis, Skin disorders | Dairy products, bananas, popcorn, green beans, asparagus |
| 4 | Vitamin – B3 | Niacin, Niacinamide | Pellagra | Meat, fish, eggs, many vegetables, mushrooms, tree nuts |
| 5 | Vitamin – B5 | Pantothenic Acid | Paresthesia | Meat, broccoli, avocados |
| 6 | Vitamin – B6 | Pyridoxine | Anemia, Skin diseases | Meat, vegetables, tree nuts, bananas |
| 7 | Vitamin – H/B7 | Biotin | Dermatitis, Hair Fall | Raw egg yolk, liver, peanuts, leafy green vegetables |
| 8 | Vitamin – B9 | Folic Acid | Megaloblastic Anemia | Leafy vegetables, pasta, bread, cereal, liver |
| 9 | Vitamin – B12 | Cyanocobalamin | Megaloblastic Anemia | Meat and other animal products |
| 10 | Vitamin – C | Ascorbic Acid | Scurvy | Many fruits and vegetables, liver |
| 11 | Vitamin – D | Cholecalciferol | Rickets and Osteomalacia | Fish, eggs, liver, mushrooms |
| 12 | Vitamin – E | Tocopherols | Decreased Fertility | Many fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds |
| 13 | Vitamin – K | Phylloquinone | Blood Clotting | Leafy green vegetables such as spinach, egg yolks |
