Vitamins are one of a group of organic compounds that are essential for normal growth and nutrition and are needed in the diet in small amounts because the body cannot synthesize them.
Most vitamins are not single molecules, but associated molecular groups called vitamer.
The term vitamin does not include the other three essential nutrient groups:
1. Minerals,
2. Fatty acids
3. Amino acids.
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| Vitamins |
The thirteen vitamins required by human metabolism are:
1. Vitamin A (retinols and carotenoids)
2. Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
3. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
4. Vitamin B3 (niacin)
5. Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
6. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
7. Vitamin B7 (biotin)
8. Vitamin B9 (folic acid or folate)
9. Vitamin B12 (cobalamins)
10. Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
11. Vitamin D (calciferols)
12. Vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols)