General Health

What Exactly Are Vitamins and Why Are They Important?

Depending on one’s age, medical conditions, and daily eating behavior, a certain amount of vitamin intake is prescribed.

Medically Inspected by: Loreta D. Dayco, MD, Edilberto B. Garcia, Jr., MD, and Maria Christina H. Ventura, MD

Vitamins are essential nutrients our body needs to remain healthy. They contribute to various essential functions that keep our body running. In the Philippines, vitamin deficiency has been a constant health struggle. The Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Institute (DOST-FNRI) 2018 Expanded National Nutrition Survey showed that the prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency is 10 percent among Filipino children aged 6 to 12 years old. Another study found that vitamin D deficiency is also prevalent among Filipino adults. Additionally, 16.9 percent of children from rural areas and 13.6 percent from urban areas were found to be vitamin A deficient, according to the 2018 study from DOST.

To understand their importance, here is a deeper look at vitamins, why your body needs them, and where you can get them from.

What are the different types of vitamins and their effects on the body?

There are 13 types of vitamins and each has a different function. The different vitamins are vitamin A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins, namely Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Biotin, Pyridoxine, Folate, and Cobalamin.

Vitamins are divided into two categories—water-soluble and fat-soluble. Water-soluble vitamins are ones that cannot be stored in the body and need to be expelled. For this reason, people need a more constant stream of water-soluble vitamins compared to fat-soluble ones. Vitamins C and the B vitamins are considered water-soluble.

Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, can be stored by the body for days up to months, particularly in the liver or fatty tissues. This includes vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Water-soluble vitamins

Vitamin	Functions and effects on the body	Common Sources
Vitamin C	Plays an essential part in collagen synthesis, known for its anti-aging effects	Citrus fruits (orange, kiwi, lemon), strawberries, tomatoes, bell pepper
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)	Contributes to production of ATP, a molecule for energy transport among cells	Meat, fish, soy milk, whole grains
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)	Assists in cell growth and functions, contributes to production of RBC	Dairy milk, yogurt, eggs, almonds, salmon, chicken breast
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)	Plays a role conversion of nutrients into energy, DNA repair, and acts as an antioxidant	Red meat (beef, beef liver, pork), poultry, fish, brown rice, nuts, bananas
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)	Necessary in production of blood cells and breakdown of fats	Cereals, mushrooms, avocado, oats, yogurt, dairy milk
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	Plays a role in hemoglobin production, neurotransmitter creation, and immune system function	Tuna, salmon, poultry, beef liver, bananas, papayas, oranges
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)	Necessary in metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and amino acids, important for skin and hair health	Eggs, salmon, avocado, nuts, seeds, pork, beef liver
Vitamin B9 (Folate)	Plays an important role in cell growth, DNA formation, and protein metabolism	Beans, peanuts, whole grains, seafood, eggs, spinach, broccoli, asparagus
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)	Important for nerve tissue health, brain function and development, and RBC production	Red meat, fish, milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs

Fat-soluble vitamins

Vitamin	Functions and effects on the body	Common Sources
Vitamin A	Contributes to cell growth, immune system function, vision and eye health	Carrots, pumpkins, kale, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, beef liver, milk, eggs
Vitamin D	Plays a role in regulation of calcium and phosphorus absorption, immune system function, and protection from diseases	Egg yolk, beef liver, sardines, tuna, salmon, fortified cereals
Vitamin E	Acts as an antioxidant, Plays a role in blood health, immune function	Almonds, peanuts, peanut butter, pumpkin, mangoes, avocado
Vitamin K	Important for blood clotting and bone and heart health	Kale, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, fermented soybeans

Why are vitamins important and how else can we make sure we get the necessary nutrients our body needs?

While there are several food sources for vitamins, our daily diets cannot always contain tuna, spinach, or peanuts, and all the other food sources to ensure the right amount of nutrients our bodies need. And even if our diets do contain some of these vitamin-rich foods, the quantity we consume every day may still not be enough to reach the recommended amount of daily food intake.

Not only must we eat the correct types of food, but we also need to consume a sufficient amount of it to reach the prescribed quantity of nutrients needed to stay healthy—which oftentimes is not realistically met. In 2020, one study found that the mean daily energy consumption of Filipino working adults aged 19 to 59 years old is only 74 percent of the estimated energy requirements for that age group. Consumption of fruits and vegetables were only 30 and 40 percent of the suggested amount, respectively. Salt intake, on the other hand, was 52 percent higher than the acceptable quantity. Additionally, nutrient insufficiency was consistently high in many nutrients like Iron, Folate, Riboflavin, Calcium, Vitamin C, and Thiamine.

Depending on one’s age, medical conditions, and daily eating behavior, a certain amount of vitamin intake is prescribed. If this is not met, vitamin deficiency occurs along with its corresponding effects on our health. For instance, a biotin deficiency may lead to brittle nails and hair while low amounts of Vitamin A may affect your eye health. If you wish to learn more about the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamins, you may check this article.

To help sustain our supply of essential vitamins, intake of vitamin supplements may help. Supplements may either contain only a certain kind of vitamins that target specific concerns, while others contain multivitamins for a more holistic source of nutrients. There are also supplements specifically formulated for children in terms of dosage, ingredients, and taste.

If your daily eating habits are not enough to meet the recommended amount of intake, consult with your physician and ask for vitamin supplements you can take to avoid the risk of deficiency and its unwanted effects on the body.

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