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General Vitamin Information
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How many vitamins are there?
In the USA the following are officially listed as vitamins: vitamin A; vitamin C; vitamin D; vitamin E; vitamin K; and the B vitamin complex containing: vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), folic acid, vitamin B12 (cobalamin), biotin and pantothenic acid.
There are other substances whose vitamin status has not been established. Some researchers consider these to be vitamins but this is not generally accepted. Such substances include choline, inositol, para-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) and coenzyme Q10.
Vitamins are usually divided into two categories: fat soluble and water soluble. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble. They require and adequate supply of minerals and fats to be absorbed in the digestive system and are stored in the liver. The remaining vitamins are water soluble with any excess being excreted in the urine. These need to be replenished frequently.
Nicola Reavley, with a foreword by Stephen Holt, M.D.
The New Encyclopedia of Vitamins, Minerals Supplements, & Herbs.
New York: M. Evans and Company Inc., 1998. |
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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