Vitamins are some of the most important substances in terms of maintaining a healthy body. Vitamins enable a number of functions in the body and are essential for healing and overall bodily performance. Vitamins are substances found in either food or supplementation that are vital for growth, development and normal cell functions. Maintaining healthy vitamin levels is critical in terms of overall health and wellbeing.

Vitamin A is an essential vitamin that helps to form and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, and mucous membranes and skin. Vitamin A also helps the eyes adjust to light changes and keeps the eyes, skin, and mucous membranes moist. Vitamin A has some important antioxidant properties that neutralize free radicals in the body that potentially lead to degenerative age-related diseases and can cause tissue and cellular damage.

Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that grows and repairs tissue such as collagen. Collagen is a vital protein to make skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. Vitamin C is essential for healing and repairing wounds and cartilage, bones and teeth. As a potent antioxidant, vitamin C guards the body’s cells against free radicals and degenerative age-related diseases.

Vitamin D is produced naturally by the body with sun exposure. Numerous people do not get enough time exposed to the sun, such as individuals that live in cloudy climates or who work in sunlight-free building all day. That is why it is important for people to supplement the substance so that proper health is maintained. Vitamin D is essential as it assists the body in absorbing calcium, which is a very important mineral that the body requires for healthy development and maintenance of teeth and bones.

Vitamin E and K are two essential vitamins that perform vital functions in forming blood cells. Vitamin E allows the body to use vitamin K, and without vitamin K the blood cannot coagulate or clot. Vitamin E is an antioxidant by neutralizing free radicals in the body that can lead to serious tissue and cellular damage. Vitamin E can also relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and certain types of breast disease. Vitamin K also encourages kidney functions and bone growth and repair and can assist in osteoporosis prevention.

The B-family of essential vitamins are very important in terms of a healthy functioning metabolism, among other important bodily functions. The metabolism is the body’s ability to convert food into energy and regulate respiration, blood circulation and body temperature.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine) is a body energizer, converting protein to energy and supporting a healthy nervous system, cardiovascular and muscular functions. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) manufactures calories from carbohydrates, protein and fat, and promotes healthy skin and good vision. Vitamin B3 (niacin) and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) convert calories from protein, fat, and carbohydrates into energy and also assist the digestive system and promote normal appetite and healthy skin and nerves.

Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) helps with brain functions and assists the body in converting protein to energy. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) produces healthy red blood cells and keeps the central nervous system functioning properly. Vitamins B2 and B12 work in unison with folic acid to decrease levels of the amino acid homocysteine. Homocysteine in high levels can potentially increase a person’s risk of heart attack. Folic acid, or folate, is a B-complex vitamin that performs a vital role in the formation of healthy cells during pregnancy and infancy when cell growth happens at an extremely rapid pace.