Vitamins, Their Types, Sources and Deficiency Diseases

History related to vitamins

At first in 1912 Polish biochemist Casimir Funk originally gave the term “vitamin” and the term vitamin is derived from the word vitamin. The major period of discovery started in the nineteenth century (Century of vitamins discovery)

The earliest extracted vitamin is Vitamin B₁.

There are two types of vitamins

1. Fat-soluble vitamins

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin K

2. Water-soluble vitamins

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin “B-complex”

List of vitamins with their common name, sources, deficiency diseases, symptoms, and functions

Vitamin A

Common Name – Retinol
Sources – Yellow and Green Vegetables, Fruits, Milk and Butter
Deficiency Diseases – Night Blindness (Nyctalopia), Xyropthalmia, Dermatitis
Deficiency Symptoms – Keratinisation of skin, respiratory and urinogenital tract
Functions – Prevent keratinization of epithelia

Vitamin B₁

Common Name – Thiamine
Sources – Wheat, Gram, Yeast, Peanuts, Beans
Deficiency Diseases – Beri-beri, Polyneuritis, Cardiovascular atrophy (decrease in muscle mass)
Deficiency Symptoms – Loss of appetite, Fatigue, Muscle Atrophy, Paralysis, Cardiomegaly
Functions – Formation of coenzymes in carbohydrate metabolism and helps in pentose metabolism

Vitamin B₂

Common Names – Riboflavin/ Vitamin G or Yellow enzyme
Sources – Yeast, Liver, Milk, Cheese, Leafy Vegetables, Mushrooms, and Intestinal Bacteria
Deficiency Diseases – Cheilosis, Glossitis, Keratitis
Deficiency Symptoms – Eye Inflammation and Lip sores
Functions – Part of coenzymes

Vitamin B₃

Common Names – Niacin/ Vitamin 4-D/ PP-Factor
Sources – Yeast, Mushrooms, Gram, Peanuts, Meat
Deficiency Diseases – Pellagra, Diarrhoea, Dermatitis, Dementia, Death (these are 4- D syndrome)
Deficiency Symptoms – Scaly skin, Dehydration, Loss of Memory
Functions – Part of coenzyme NAD and NADP that acts as hydrogen acceptors and donors for the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system

Vitamin B₅

Common Names – Pantothenic Acid, Yeast Factor
Sources – Yeast, Mushrooms, Peas, Liver, Maximum in Wheat and Honey
Deficiency Diseases – Burning feet syndrome
Deficiency Symptoms – Abnormal Adrenal functioning, Nerve degeneration
Functions – Part of coenzyme A in cell respiration, Required for nerve formation, Formation of acetylcholine, For normal Adrenal gland

Vitamin B₆

Common Name – Pyridoxine
Sources – Meat, Milk, Wheat, Liver, Banana
Deficiency Diseases – Nausea and Vomiting
Deficiency Symptoms – Skin lesions, CNS disorders, and Convulsions
Functions – Part of coenzyme pyridoxal phosphate require in the formation of amino acids and glycogen synthesis

Vitamin B₉

Common Names – Folic acid/ Folacin/ Vitamin M
Sources – Liver, Green Vegetables, Banana and Oranges
Deficiency Diseases – Macrocytic Anemia
Deficiency Symptoms – Impairment of antibody synthesis and stunt growth, Ulceration in mouth
Functions – Part of coenzyme in nucleic acid (Purine and Pyrimidine) synthesis and protein synthesis, Erythropoiesis, Cell division in bone marrow

Vitamin B₁₂

Common Name – Cyano Cobalamine
Sources – Liver and Eggs
Deficiency Diseases – Pernicious anemia (Megaloblastic anemia)
Deficiency Symptoms – Large and immature RBC (nucleated RBCs without hemoglobin)
Functions – Coenzymes for the nucleic acid synthesis

Vitamin C

Common Name – Ascorbic Acid
Sources – Indian gooseberry (Amla)
Deficiency Diseases – Scurvy, Anemia, Joint pain
Deficiency Symptoms – Bleeding Gums, Loose teeth, Anemia and Painful swollen joints
Functions – Play an important role in collagen formation, Functioning of the Adrenal gland, Anti-oxidant, Erythropoiesis, Absorption of Ca⁺² and Fe⁺²

Vitamin D

Common Name – Calciferol
Sources – Fish oil, Liver, Egg yolk, Milk
Deficiency Diseases – Rickets in Children and Osteomalacia in Adults
Deficiency Symptoms – Weak and Soft bones, Distorted skeleton, and Poor muscular development
Functions – Facilitates Calcium and Phosphorus

Vitamin E

Common Names – Tocopherol/ Antisterility/ Beauty Vitamin
Sources – Leafy Vegetables, Cereals, and Vegetable oils
Deficiency Diseases – Muscular Dystrophy, Macrocytic Anemia
Deficiency Symptoms – Destruction of RBC’s
Functions – Antioxidant and plays an important role in ETS (electron transport system), Selenium metabolism, Formation of DNA, RNA and RBC’s, hair growth, healthy skin, fertility

Vitamin H

Common Names – Biotin/ Vitamin B₇/ Antiavidin
Sources – Vegetables and Fresh Fruits, Liver, Milk, Eggs
Deficiency Diseases – Dermatitis
Deficiency Symptoms – Scaly skin, Muscle Pain, and Weakness
Functions – Coenzyme in fatty acid synthesis and change of pyruvate into Oxaloacetate (OAA)

Vitamin K

Common Names – Menadione/ Phylloquinone
Sources – Leafy Vegetables, Soyabean oil, and Intestinal Bacteria
Deficiency Diseases – Severe bleeding
Deficiency Symptoms – Slow or delayed blood clotting
Functions – Synthesis of prothrombin for normal blood clotting, Present in Intestinal Bacterias