Vitamin is a kind of trace organic substance that humans and animals must obtain from food in order to maintain normal physiological functions. It plays an important role in human growth, metabolism, and development. The vitamin nervous system neither participates in the formation of human cells nor provides energy for the human body. But vitamins are a class of substances that are necessary to maintain good health. Vitamins are also known as vitamins. In general, they are substances that maintain life. They are a class of organic substances necessary to maintain human life activities, and also important active substances to maintain human health. Although the content of vitamins in the human body is small, it is indispensable. This kind of substance is neither the raw material of body tissues and organs nor the source of body energy in the body, but a kind of micro regulating substance, which plays a very important role in the body's material metabolism. In addition, because these substances cannot be synthesized in the body or the amount of synthesis is insufficient, although the amount required is small, most of them must be supplied by food to meet the needs of the body. That is to say, most of the vitamins must be obtained by eating, which puts forward great requirements for our reasonable dietary arrangement and balanced nutrition.
Although the chemical structure and properties of various vitamins are different, they have a lot in common: vitamins exist in food in the form of provitamin; It is not a component of body tissues and cells, nor does it produce energy. Its role is mainly to participate in the regulation of body metabolism; Most vitamins can not be synthesized by the body or the amount of synthesis is insufficient to meet the needs of the body and must be obtained from food frequently; The human body needs a small number of vitamins, and the daily requirement is usually calculated in mg or microgram. However, once it is deficient, it will cause corresponding vitamin deficiency, which will cause damage to human health or lead to certain diseases.
Vitamin is different from carbohydrates, fat, and protein. It only accounts for a small proportion of natural food, but it is necessary for the human body. Some vitamins, such as B6 and K, can be synthesized by bacteria in the gut of animals, and the synthetic amount can meet the needs of animals. Animal cells can convert tryptophan into nicotinic acid, but the amount of production does not meet the needs; Vitamin C can be synthesized by other animals except primates and guinea pigs. Plants and most microorganisms can synthesize vitamins by themselves and do not need to be supplied from outside the body. Many vitamins are components of cofactors or coenzymes.
Vitamins are some small amounts of organic compounds necessary for human and animal nutrition and growth, which play an important role in the metabolism, growth, development, and health of the body. If a certain vitamin is lacking for a long time, it will cause physiological dysfunction and cause certain diseases. It is usually obtained from food. At present, there are dozens of kinds, such as vitamin A, vitamin B, and vitamin C. It is an essential organic compound in human metabolism. The human body is like an extremely complex chemical plant, constantly carrying out various biochemical reactions. The reaction is closely related to the catalysis of enzymes. Coenzyme is necessary for the enzyme to produce activity. Many vitamins are known to be coenzymes of enzymes or constituent molecules of coenzymes. Therefore, the vitamin is an important substance to maintain and regulate the normal metabolism of the body.
However, in the process of growth and development, the human body will also encounter a lot of vitamin deficiencies, which will have a great impact on the human body. For example, when the food supply is seriously insufficient, the intake is insufficient; Single food, such as children's pickiness, improper storage, cooking damage, etc. Such as the loss of folic acid by heating. The absorption and utilization of vitamins decreased; For example, digestive system disease or too little fat intake may affect the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins. The demand for vitamins is relatively high; For example, pregnant and lactating women, children, special types of work, people under special circumstances, etc. The unreasonable use of antibiotics will lead to an increase in the demand for vitamins.
It can be seen from the above that the proper intake of vitamins is very important to the health of the body. Everyone should learn to supplement the vitamins required by the body reasonably, so as to achieve a balanced diet, reasonable nutrition, no pickiness, diversified food, and scientific cooking of food, so as to maintain the health of the body and avoid the occurrence of diseases.