What Are Vitamins?
Vitamins are complex "organic"
(ones that contain carbon molecules) substances that the body cannot
make on its own but that it requires in small amounts for a number of
important bodily functions.
Scientists have identified thirteen vitamins:
- Vitamin C
-
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
-
Niacin
-
Riboflavin
- Vitamin B6
- Folic Acid (Folacin)
- Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
- Vitamin A
-
Vitamin D
-
Vitamin E
-
Vitamin K
-
Biotin
-
Pantothenic Acid
Fat-soluble and water-soluble
Vitamins are divided into two groups: fat-soluble and water-soluble:
Fat-soluble vitamins
Water soluble vitamins
-
Include vitamin C, vitamin B1 (thiamin), niacin, riboflavin, B6, B12, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid
- Not stored in body; must be replaced each day
-
Excess eliminated in the urine
- Can be toxic at high doses. Consuming excess amounts of water-soluble vitamins can cause dangerous side effects:
-
Large
amounts of niacin can cause severe flushing, skin disorders, liver
damage, ulcers, and blood sugar disorders, interfere with fat
metabolism and speed up glycogen depletion
- Large doses of vitamin C have been associated with diarrhea, kidney stone formation, and impaired copper absorption
-
Excess
vitamin B6 can cause neurological symptoms similar to multiple
sclerosis, including numbness and tingling of the hands, difficulty in
walking, and electric shocks shooting down the spine.
- Vitamins, however, do not:
- Prevent or cure any disease (including the common cold), except those related to specific vitamin deficiencies
Provide energy
- Help a child or adolescent mature faster or become stronger, or
- Enhance athletic performance.
For a table listing the function and sources of most vitamins, click
here .
Getting Enough
Here's what you can do to make sure your child gets all the vitamins a he or she needs:
-
Make sure he or she is eating a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes the foods and servings recommended in the USDA's new MyPlate food guidance system. For a list of the vitamins and minerals in commonly eaten foods, click here .
- If you want "nutritional insurance," make sure your child eats more nutrient-dense foods
(especially grain products, fruits vegetables, and legumes) and fewer
empty calories in high-sugar and/or high fat snacks. For some ideas for
helping your child eat more fruits and vegetables, click here.
-
For
athletes who limit their calorie intake because they compete in sports
that emphasize leanness for enhanced performance (distance runners,
lightweight crew, wrestlers) or for appearance (gymnasts, dancers,
figure skaters, divers) are at risk for nutritional deficiencies and
may benefit from a vitamin/mineral supplement supplying 100% of the RDA or AI.
-
If
your child is consistently unable to incorporate certain foods into the
diet, is chronically on a very-low calorie diet, is a vegetarian, or
has malabsorption problems, a one-a-day multivitamin and multi-mineral
(100% of the RDA) is prudent to ensure adequate intake of micronutrients.
- If
your child does not fall into one of these categories and is consuming
a healthy, well-balanced diet, most experts agree that there is no harm
in taking a simple vitamin/mineral supplement, provided it does not
exceed 100% of the RDA or AI for nutrients (although there is no evidence that such supplementation is beneficial, either).
If you do decide to have your child take a vitamin supplement, look for:
- Products with USP
(United States Pharmacopeia) on the label, which means that the
manufacturer is legally responsible to the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) for meeting USP dissolution standards for how well the supplement
dissolves and that the supplement has undergone a battery of other
tests as well - for disintegration, strength (potency), and purity
-
Nationally known food and drug manufacturers who are more likely to make their products under tight manufacturing controls.
Revised June 20, 2011
Teaser title:
Vitamins Important Part of Child's Healthy Diet
Teaser text:
Vitamins are complex "organic" (ones that contain carbon molecules) substances that the body cannot make on its own but that it requires in small amounts for a number of important bodily functions. Here's a rundown on the thirteen fat-soluble and water soluble vitamins, their functions, and advice on how to ensure that your child gets all the vitamins she needs for sports.