It is impossible to overestimate the importance of B vitamins for our body. One of their most important functions is participation in the process of releasing energy from carbohydrates, proteins and fats, that is, these valuable vitamins provide us with energy from food. But we can’t live without energy!

Vitamin B6, also called pyridoxine, like other B vitamins, is soluble in water. Thus, if you consume a lot of it, then the excess is excreted through urine (urine). Vitamin B6 plays an important role in the human body for protein metabolism, blood formation and as a fuel for the system.

For beautiful hair and skin, you need a sufficient amount of B vitamins in the body, and for strong nails there are only two ways: B vitamins plus strengthening nails with biogel and other opportunities to have beautiful nails have not yet been found.

What you should know about vitamin B6:

Vitamin B6 deficiency very unlikely, but still occurs in rare cases. The consequences here can be expressed in anemia, dysfunction of the nervous system, irritability and depression. Pregnant and nursing mothers need to be careful, as they require a higher daily intake of vitamin B6.

Overdose pyridoxine is also very unlikely. The consequences of constant high intake of vitamin B6 could lead to damage to the nervous system and disturbances in the body's temperature sensitivity. Thanks to a balanced and healthy diet, excess or deficiency of vitamin B6 is extremely unlikely.

Important to remember:

The recommended daily amount of vitamin B6 will depend on age and gender. For children aged 1-3 years, a daily dose of vitamin B6 of 0.4 mg is recommended. Children aged 4-8 years should take 0.7 mg per day, those aged 9-13 years should take 0.9 mg per day. During pregnancy, a higher daily dose of 1.9 mg per day is recommended.

Important Sources of Vitamin B6 these are: bananas, avocados, salmon, liver, meat, fish, eggs, cereals (porridge), potatoes, nuts and legumes. Leafy green vegetables, cheese and milk also contain vitamin B6, but in small quantities.

Since the vitamin is water soluble, it is very important to use only a small amount of water, or better yet, steam cooking. This allows you to preserve valuable vitamins in products, including vitamin B6.

It is important to always remember that the functions of various vitamins are closely related. Most often, a general deficiency of various vitamins in the human body is recorded, and not just vitamin B6.

If the law is unjust, then breaking it is good

Can you find anyone who doesn't know that vitamin C is good for the body? But this, perhaps, is where all our knowledge about him ends. Meanwhile, there are a lot interesting facts about vitamin C.

The importance of vitamins for the body

Vitamins are natural organic substances that every person needs. Moreover, they are vital. It is not for nothing that their name comes from the Latin – vita – “life”.

A lack of vitamins can cause hypovitaminosis (vitamin deficiency). A complete absence can lead to vitamin deficiency - a serious disease.

1. Scurvy and vitamin C

One of the terrible diseases caused by vitamin C deficiency is scurvy. This deadly disease in the Middle Ages decimated the inhabitants of Europe no worse than the plague and cholera.

Sailors, who were forced to sit for long months on meager and monotonous food rations, especially suffered from this disease.

And it was the sailors, not yet knowing anything about vitamin C, who were the first to notice that scurvy was less rampant where citrus fruits were eaten.

Lemons and oranges were introduced into the diet of sailors. At the beginning of the 18th century, this tradition was continued by Peter the Great.

2. Discovery of Vitamin C

The right of primacy in the discovery of vitamin C was disputed by many scientists around the world, including Russian researchers.

But the discoverer of vitamin C is considered to be the Hungarian biochemist Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, who in 1928 first isolated this substance from cabbage, red peppers and oranges.

3. Vitamin C – ascorbic acid

In 1933, Swiss scientists were able to obtain an analogue of natural vitamin C synthetically. It was named ascorbic acid for its ability to fight scurvy, which in the old days was called "skorbut."

In other words, ascorbic acid is an antiscorbutic (anti-scorbutic) vitamin. The scientific name for vitamin C is L-ascorbic acid.

4. Characteristics of vitamin C

Vitamin C in its pure form is a white crystalline substance with a lemon flavor and odorless.

5. Sources of Vitamin C

The body of most animals is capable of producing its own L-ascorbic acid from glucose, which protects them from many diseases.

However, in the process of evolution, humans have lost the gene responsible for the synthesis of ascorbic acid. That's why it's so important for him to get vitamin C from foods or vitamin complexes.

6. Vitamin C Absorption

The absorption of vitamin C in the body occurs very quickly. Immediately after administration, it immediately enters the bloodstream and penetrates the cells, optimizing all processes of the body and arming it against many diseases.

7. Vitamin C – water soluble

All vitamins are divided into 2 groups: water-soluble and fat-soluble. Vitamin C belongs to the first group.

It does not accumulate in the body, and, being washed out through the genitourinary system, disinfects it, preventing the development of inflammatory processes.

8. Vitamin C content

In nature, ascorbic acid is found in many vegetables, fruits, berries, herbs and non-food plants.

9. Vitamin C Destruction

Ascorbic acid is an extremely unstable substance. It is easily destroyed under the influence of water, light, temperature, oxygen, as well as during grinding and long-term storage of products.

When vegetables and fruits are soaked, vitamin C passes into the water.

In air, ascorbic acid oxidizes, releasing harmful substances. So, a brown coating on a bitten apple is nothing more than copper, which in large quantities affects the central nervous system.

When drying, freezing, salting, fermenting, pickling and long-term storage of vegetables and fruits, they lose part of the vitamin C they contain.

“Ascorbic acid”, which is found in fresh and sauerkraut, has the greatest resistance.

10. Vitamin C when heated

Heat cooking of foods containing vitamin C leads to the loss of most of it. When boiling, frying and hot marinating - up to 90%.

11. How to preserve vitamin C?

• If possible, eat vegetables and fruits fresh and whole, and not in the form of salads.
• Subject them to minimal cooking, in a sealed container or in a slow cooker with minimal addition of water.
• Immerse vegetables in boiling water.
• It is better to prepare fruit drinks from berries and fruits than compotes and jams.

Interesting facts about vitamin C- this is a reason to read a series of articles about ascorbic acid.

Vitamins are special compounds that enter the human body along with food. They are extremely beneficial for vital functions, metabolism and organ performance. Each vitamin has a special property. Not a single product has been found that simultaneously contains all the substances required for life. Let's look at the most interesting facts about vitamins.

First vitamin

Vitamin C was the first to be found and studied. For quite a long period it served as a cure for scurvy for sailors on long swims. People learned about it thanks to fresh products: fruits and vegetables. In 1911, K. Funk developed a small amount of crystal-type powder. Just a few grams of this substance were enough to defeat Beri-Beri disease (an illness caused by eating husked rice) in a short period of time.

Some time later, Funk was awarded the Nobel Prize for his discovery. He called his new element “vitamin.” From Latin this term is translated as “life”. It was from then on that all substances necessary for humans began to be called vitamins, and for easy classification they were assigned letters of the alphabet.

How many groups are there?

Currently, 13 species have been discovered, each of which is vital for the proper functioning of body systems. These include vitamins:

• group B,
• fat-soluble A, D, E, K.

The difference between elements soluble in different media (Water and Fat). Fat-soluble ones are characterized by being deposited in tissues, while water-soluble ones, except for B12, practically do not have this feature. Their lack causes a deficiency of substances much faster than a deficiency of fatty acids; a person needs to receive them without interruption.

What is the importance of vitamins for a healthy body. They play a crucial role in many important processes in the body, as a result of which absorbed food is converted into energy. They help maintain certain functions of the system. Your life is unacceptable without useful elements. This is especially noticeable when there is a shortage of them. The deficiency responds to the integrity of all organs and tissues, as well as processes. Deficiency over a long period of time leads to poor performance, poor body condition, and then death.

Can the body independently reproduce vitamins? The human body is not able to produce them on its own, but in limited cases synthesizes them in a small volume.

Why are there so many names under B? As a result of the discovery of vitamin A, B came next. But then it became clear that not just one substance had been identified, but a whole group of various vitamins. Names followed - B1, B2 and others. Today group B contains 8 titles. Some substances that were previously mistakenly classified as B were excluded from the group, it was found that the designations of these elements were incorrect, and the products themselves could be harmful to the body. Vitamins that were discovered later received new names.

Can vitamins be dangerous?

As a rule, people do not receive all the elements necessary for life in sufficient quantities. For example, in a tropical region, residents suffer from deficiency of D and B. In the northern part of the world, there is a deficiency of A and C. It has been proven that excessive absorption of vitamins A, B and D is dangerous for humans. But B2, C, E, nicotinic acid and K can be obtained immensely. To simplify, this means that eating vegetables, fruits and their juices, even in large quantities, is safe for health.

Also, if we talk about norms, situations are different. Sometimes more of a certain substance is needed, other times less. Each body has individual needs.

Vitamin A (Retinol)

Retinol was discovered in 1931, and already in 1974 its production began synthetically. It is found only in foods of animal origin. Plant foods are endowed with provitamins A, which, after entering the large intestine, are converted into A. Retinol is very useful, but easily disintegrates under the rays of the sun (ultraviolet) and is very sensitive to heat treatment.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)

Many world scientists fought for the right to discover ascorbic acid. But the “father” of vitamin C is a scientist from Hungary – Albert Szent-Gyorgi. In 1928, he isolated this element from cabbage leaves, oranges and red peppers. But another, already American scientist, Charles Glen King, went much further. Following his experiments in 1932, he confirmed that the new substance was ascorbic acid and then determined its exact structure.

By the way, if people had not changed, having lost the abilities of their ancestors, they could, like most animals, synthesize it on their own. But, alas, we have to consume this important element with food.

Vitamin E (tocopherol)

This substance is famous for containing a large number of natural antioxidants. It is sometimes also called the extract of beauty and youth. Back in 1922, scientists, having studied the diet of animals, realized which element had a beneficial effect on their reproduction. The same applies to people; “fertility potion” was assigned the fifth letter of the alphabet.

Vitamin D

The main “participants” of group D are D2 and D3. It is found in animal foods. It enters the body not only during meals, but also when taking a “sunbath”. But do not confuse natural sunlight and solarium lamps; during spa tanning, vitamin D is not absorbed. It is responsible for the exchange of calcium and phosphorus, affects the absorption of A and magnesium, helps build new bones, and normalizes cardiac activity.

Vitamin K

The element got its name from the English “coagulation” - translated as “coagulation”. Its main role in the body is to be responsible for blood clotting and maintaining the shape of blood vessels. It helps prevent cancer, tuberculosis, and in a team with A and C it also protects against colds. The bulk of this substance is produced by intestinal bacteria.

Many people's immune systems are compromised, often due to a number of factors. Therefore, for prevention, you should monitor your condition and take enough vitamins with food. If you regularly eat only healthy foods, your body will be safe for many years.

Vitamins are an important part of our diet, but you probably haven't thought about the chemical structures and chemistry of vitamins. The article provides interesting facts about vitamins and discusses the structure and chemistry of vitamins. Below is an infographic that shows the chemical structures of vitamins. The structure of vitamins can often vary slightly. The structures shown in the infographics are generally accepted. Vitamins perform a wide range of functions in the body. Let's look at the basic facts about vitamins and understand this issue.

Nomenclature vitamin

First, it's worth understanding what makes a chemical compound a vitamin. Vitamin- is any organic compound that a living organism requires, but it is not capable of producing itself, or cannot produce in the volumes required by the organism. Vitamins do not include other important nutrients found in our diet, such as amino acids, fatty acids, carbohydrates and minerals.

Currently exists 13 recognized vitamins: vitamins A-E, including a number of vitamins IN, and vitamin TO. A bit strange gap in spelling between vitamins E and K is a consequence of changes in the designations of vitamins: for example, vitamin B7– biotin, previously called vitamin N. Originally taken as vitamin compounds with F before J no longer classified as vitamins.

Classification and structure of vitamins

As a rule, we can divide all vitamins into two broad categories. Fat-soluble vitamins– vitamins A, D, And K. They can be stored by our body in the liver or fatty tissues. They are stored until needed. Water-soluble vitamins– are not stored in the body. They should be an integral part of the diet to avoid deficiency. On the other hand, water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body, which can cause an overdose, which can also have harmful effects.

The chemical structure of vitamins is different. Vitamin D, for example, occurs in nature only in the form shown in the figure. Others such as vitamin E, can be in the form of a number of structures of similar compounds, with various substituents.

Properties and uses of vitamin

Vitamins have wide range of roles in the body, a summary of which is given in the graph above. For example, a number of vitamins are important for the creation of red blood cells and for the metabolism of various compounds during digestion. Others have applications in specific parts of the body: for example, vitamin A is important for our vision, while vitamin TO plays an important role in the process of blood clotting. Besides, vitamin deficiency may have undesirable consequences: vitamin deficiency WITH can lead to scurvy (skorbut). Vitamin deficiency TO may cause bleeding problems.

So, should we still take vitamin supplements to avoid these problems? If you eat a balanced diet, then most likely you already get these vitamins in the required quantities. Vitamins are sometimes recommended for those at risk of deficiency. However, for the general population, the rationale for taking the vitamin is a bit lacking. A review of studies involving a total of 400,000 people taking vitamin supplements found that vitamins do not do enough to prevent chronic disease or death.