Vitamins are not used for energy fuels. What are they used for?
Vitamins are not used for energy fuels. What are they used for?
Vitamins are a group of organic compounds that act as catalysts in various chemical reactions. The vitamins trigger these reactions and speed them up. A compound becomes classified as a vitamin when a lack of it causes disease.
Contrary to popular belief, vitamins do not directly provide energy. As catalysts, vitamins are required for the release of energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates. They are essential for normal growth and development and particularly important for the healthy functioning of red blood cells, hormones, genetic materials and the nervous system.
The liver stores vitamin A, D, E, K and B12. The first four of these are all fat soluble. This means that the bile secreted during digestion is essential for absorbing them so that the body can use them. If bile production is compromised by liver damage, the proper absorption of these vitamins may be affected.
When taking multivitamins it is important to make sure the recommended doses of fat soluble vitamins are not exceeded. If this occurs, it might result in liver damage.
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