If you think about it, apart from a few dread diseases and the common cold, there’s a pill to cure everything ailment out there. Plus, as the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure, and there are even pills for that as well. Those pills are known as vitamins, which are also found in various foods and even in liquid forms.

The Vitamin Basics

For a healthy body and mind, vitamins are important to any persons diet - Image courtesy of Miguel á Padriñán via Pexels

There are a plethora of vitamins, from vitamins vitamin B, C, D as well as Calcium and Magnesium. Then there are vitamins A, E, and K, among a host of others that are often treated as the less popular ones, although they do have their purpose. But what do they do, and are they as safe as doctors say they are?

So What Are Vitamins?

You can get your vitamins from food, or via supplements like tablets - Image courtesy of Pixabay via Pexels

We accept when a doctor prescribes a multivitamin for our health of vitamin B-12 to boost our energy levels. But what are they and how do they work? Well, they are essential nutrients the body needs to function optimally. However, because the body doesn’t produce them at all or in enough supply, humans need to get them via their diet, or, in vitamin D’s case, time in the sun.

They’re important, like Vitamin C, which can be found in various citrus fruits and in tablet form. This has been used to treat Scurvy and is commonly prescribed to help prevent colds and flu. It’s also important for tissue repair, and the formation of collagen. Ever seen a dog with a cold? Probably not, because their bodies produce their own, sufficient supply of vitamin C. But why doesn’t the human body just hold onto these nutrients?

Water-Soluble Vitamins - The Ones Who Leave When They’re Done

Water soluble and liquid form, Orange juice is another way to get your daily vitamin C - Image courtesy of Pixabay via Pexels

It’s one thing for our bodies not to produce vitamins, but if it’s good for you, why doesn’t your body just keep it? That’s because these important vitamins are water-soluble. This means they get dissolved in the water in your body, and in turn, get passed out via urination. This is why people need a constant supply of these vitamins. The most common of these? Vitamin B, and C. This also means there are ones who stick around a little longer.

Fat-Soluble Vitamins - The Ones Who Overstay Their Welcomes

There are vitamins that stay in the body long after they’ve been ingested. These are known as Fat-soluble vitamins and the most common of these are vitamins A, D, E, and K. The benefit of them being fat-soluble is that they eventually has a cumulative effect, having an effect even when you don’t take them. But they can build up to toxic levels if over-consumed.