Each Ty;es a different role in maintaining health Types of vitamins bodily function. Use limited data to select advertising. Fat-soluble vitamin deficiency due to malabsorption is of particular significance in cystic fibrosis.

Types of vitamins -

Other minerals like chromium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc are called trace minerals because you need only very small amounts of them. Vitamins and minerals boost the immune system , support normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs.

For example, you've probably heard that carrots are good for your eyes. It's true! Carrots are full of substances called carotenoids pronounced: kuh-RAH-teh-noydz that your body converts into vitamin A, which helps prevent eye problems.

Vitamin K helps blood to clot, so cuts and scrapes stop bleeding quickly. You'll find vitamin K in green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and soybeans. And to have strong bones, you need to eat foods such as milk, yogurt, and green leafy vegetables, which are rich in the mineral calcium.

Eating well now is especially important because the body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to grow and stay healthy. Eating a mix of foods is the best way to get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day.

Fruits and vegetables , whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, and poultry are the best choices for getting the nutrients your body needs. When deciding what to eat, check food labels and pick items that are high in vitamins and minerals. For example, when choosing drinks, you'll find that a glass of milk is a good source of vitamin D, calcium, phosphorous, and potassium.

A glass of soda, on the other hand, doesn't have any vitamins or minerals. You can also satisfy your taste buds without sacrificing nutrition while dining out : vegetable pizzas or fajitas, sandwiches with lean cuts of meat, fresh salads, and baked potatoes are just a few delicious, nutritious choices.

If you're a vegetarian , you'll need to plan carefully for a diet that includes the vitamins and minerals you need. The best sources for the minerals zinc and iron are meats, fish, and poultry. But you can get these from dried beans, seeds, nuts, and leafy green vegetables like kale.

Vitamin B12 is important for making red blood cells and keeping nerves working well. It is found only in animal products. If you don't eat meat, you can get vitamin B12 from eggs, milk and other dairy foods, and fortified breakfast cereals. Vegans vegetarians who eat no animal products at all, including dairy products may need to take vitamin B12 supplements.

Lots of people wonder if they should take vitamin or mineral supplements. If your diet includes a wide variety of foods — including whole-grain products, fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, nuts, seeds, eggs, and meats — you probably get the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

There are many supplements on the market, and of course their makers want you to buy them. Beware of unproven claims about the benefits of taking more than recommended amounts of any vitamin or mineral. You should be able to get all the pantothenic acid you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.

Taking mg or less a day of pantothenic acid in supplements is unlikely to cause any harm. You should be able to get all the vitamin B6 you need from your daily diet. The bacteria that live naturally in your bowel are also able to make vitamin B6.

Taking mg or more a day of vitamin B6 [LK2] can lead to a loss of feeling in the arms and legs known as peripheral neuropathy. But in a few cases when people have taken large amounts of vitamin B6, particularly for more than a few months, the effect can be permanent. The effect of taking vitamin B6 at doses between 10 and mg is unclear.

So there's not enough evidence to say how long these doses could be taken for safely. You should be able to get the vitamin B6 you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you take vitamin B6 supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful.

Do not take more than 10mg of vitamin B6 a day in supplements unless advised to by a doctor. The bacteria that live naturally in your bowel are able to make biotin, so it's not clear if you need any additional biotin from the diet.

Biotin is also found in a wide range of foods, but only at very low levels. There's not enough evidence to know what the effects might be of taking high daily doses of biotin supplements. You should be able to get all the biotin you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.

If you take biotin supplements, do not take too much as this might be harmful. Taking 0. Folate is a B vitamin found in many foods. The manmade form of folate is called folic acid.

A lack of folate could lead to folate deficiency anaemia. Adults need micrograms of folate a day. A microgram is 1, times smaller than a milligram mg. The word microgram is sometimes written with the Greek symbol μ followed by the letter g μg. There are no long-term stores in the body, so you need to eat folate-containing foods frequently.

Most people should be able to get the amount of folate they need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you're pregnant, trying for a baby, or could get pregnant, it's recommended that you take a microgram folic acid supplement daily until you're 12 weeks pregnant.

Folic acid supplements need to be taken before you get pregnant, so start taking them before you stop using contraception or if there's a chance you might get pregnant. This is to help prevent neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, in your baby. Some women have an increased risk of having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect and are advised to take a higher dose of 5mg of folic acid each day until they're 12 weeks pregnant.

This is important and unlikely to cause harm, as it's taken on a short-term basis, but speak to your doctor first. Get more advice about vitamins and minerals during pregnancy , including who should take a higher dose of folic acid.

Taking doses of folic acid higher than 1mg can mask the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency , which can eventually damage the nervous system if it's not spotted and treated.

This is particularly a concern for older people because it becomes more difficult to absorb vitamin B12 as you get older. The Department of Health and Social Care recommends that folic acid supplements are taken by all women who are pregnant or could get pregnant.

Women who cannot get pregnant and men should be able to get all the folate they need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you're taking folic acid supplements, it's important not to take too much as this could be harmful.

Taking 1mg or less a day of folic acid supplements is unlikely to cause any harm. A lack of vitamin B12 could lead to vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia.

If you eat meat, fish or dairy foods, you should be able to get enough vitamin B12 from your diet. But as vitamin B12 is not found naturally in foods such as fruit, vegetables and grains, vegans may not get enough of it.

Read about the vegan diet for nutrition information and advice. There's not enough evidence to show what the effects may be of taking high doses of vitamin B12 supplements each day.

You should be able to get all the vitamin B12 you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you take vitamin B12 supplements, do not take too much as this could be harmful.

Taking 2mg or less a day of vitamin B12 in supplements is unlikely to cause any harm. Page last reviewed: 03 August Next review due: 03 August Home Health A to Z Vitamins and minerals Back to Vitamins and minerals.

B vitamins and folic acid - Vitamins and minerals Contents Overview Vitamin A B vitamins and folic acid Vitamin C Vitamin D Vitamin E Vitamin K Calcium Iodine Iron Others. There are many different types of vitamin B.

This section has information on: thiamin vitamin B1 riboflavin vitamin B2 niacin vitamin B3 pantothenic acid vitamin B6 biotin vitamin B7 folate and folic acid vitamin B12 Thiamin vitamin B1 Thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, helps: the body break down and release energy from food keep the nervous system healthy Good sources of thiamin Thiamin is found in many types of food.

Good sources include: peas some fresh fruits such as bananas and oranges nuts wholegrain breads some fortified breakfast cereals liver How much thiamin do I need? The amount of thiamin adults aged 19 to 64 need is: 1mg a day for men 0. What happens if I take too much thiamin?

What does the Department of Health and Social Care advise? If you take supplements, do not take too much as this might be harmful. Riboflavin vitamin B2 Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, helps: keep skin, eyes and the nervous system healthy the body release energy from food Good sources of riboflavin Good sources of riboflavin include: milk eggs fortified breakfast cereals mushrooms plain yoghurt UV light can destroy riboflavin, so ideally these foods should be kept out of direct sunlight.

Federal government Herbal Mens Health often end in. gov vtamins. The site is secure. Vitamins Types of vitamins your vitamina grow and vitzmins the way it should. There are 13 essential vitamins — vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, biotin, B 6B 12and folate. Vitamins have different jobs to help keep the body working properly.