Anyone who takes vitamin supplements and looks at its
bottles or boxes is familiar with the vitamins that are
contained in each tablet.
But what do those vitamins really do? Do you really need to
take them? Below is a list of the most common vitamins
found in supplements as well as a description of what they
do.
Vitamin A
– commonly found in leafy vegetables and in other products
like carrots, broccoli, papaya, eggs and liver, this
vitamin helps keep the eyes healthy. A deficiency of this
vitamin can cause permanent loss of eyesight.
Vitamin B1
– thiamine is the other name for this vitamin. It keeps the
heart and the digestive and nervous systems functioning
normally. Aside from that, thiamine is also important in a
person’s physical growth and development. Good sources of
this vitamin includes beef, pork, nuts and legumes, among
other foods.
Vitamin B2
– otherwise known as riboflavin, this vitamin is important
in metabolizing energy as well as fats, carbohydrates and
proteins. Common sources of this vitamin include milk,
cheese and leafy vegetables. A deficiency of this vitamin
is signaled by cracked lips, mouth ulcers and sore throat,
among other symptoms.
Vitamin C
– also known as ascorbic acid, this vitamin has a lot of
benefits attributed to it. Some of them include boosting
the immune system and minimizing the symptoms of illnesses.
It is also a well-known antioxidant. Lack of this vitamin
can cause scurvy that leads to loss of teeth and
eventually, death.