Topic 12 Vitamins

Vitamins are organic compounds and micronutrients: nutrients that are essential in small amounts.

Vitamins also help to regulate cell growth and repair, reproduction, and digestion, and cannot be synthesized in sufficient amounts. They are also chemical partners for the enzymes (i.e., coenzymes) involved in the body’s metabolism.

There are a total of 13 essential vitamins. The body is able to synthesize vitamins B, K, and D. Unlike fatty acids, carbohydrates, or proteins, vitamins are not sources of energy.

While vitamins do not share any common chemistries, they do share certain characteristics.