Vitamins & Vitamin Supplements

About Vitamins & Vitamin Supplements

Vitamins are organic essential micronutrients that must be obtained from diet or supplementation in order to prevent deficiencies. Vitamins assist us with a range of biochemical processes that help to keep us healthy and functioning optimally. 

There are two categories of vitamins: fat-soluble and water-soluble. The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K. Vitamin A (retinol) is typically found in animal products such as milk, eggs and liver, though can be derived from plant-based foods in the form of beta-carotene (two molecules of retinol linked together). Vitamin D is the well-known sunshine vitamin. The sun sends us specific wavelengths of (helpful) radiation in the 290-315 nanometer range, which stimulate production of Vitamin D in our skin. The basic starter molecule or building block that we need for Vitamin D synthesis is cholesterol. Some of the best food sources of Vitamin D are cod liver oil, with a little found in fatty fish.

Vitamin E can be found in whole grains, one of the best natural sources of which is wheat germ oil. There are eight different types of Vitamin E, which are alpha, beta, gamm and delta tocopherols, along with alpha, beta, gamma and delta tocotrienols. It is best to obtain all eight forms for the best protection.

Vitamin K is found in green leafy vegetables and is the well-known clotting nutrient. However, it peforms several other essential roles, such as supporting bone strength and preventing soft-tissue calcifications. Vitamin K is found as Vitamin K1 (phyloquinone) and Vitamin K2 (Menaquinine [MK-4 to MK-10]).

The water-soluble vitamins are B Complex and Vitamin C, which perform countless functions in the human body. Some of the roles of B Vitamins are assisting with krebs cycle activity, which is involved in energy production, and serving as cofactors for the synthesis of neurotransmitters in the brain. This makes B vitamins important for supporting mood and managing psychological stress. Vitamin C is a well known vitamin commonly used during winter to ward off colds and flues.

However, some lesser known roles for Vitamin C—amongst many others—are for the synthesis of hydroxylysine and hydroxyproline, important for connective tissues such as tendons and cartilage. Vitamin C is also needed to support adrenal gland health. Other important vitamins for immune function are Vitamins A, D and E. 

Lately, activated versions of B vitamins have made their way to the Australian market. Some vitamins, like Vitamin B12, need to be "activated" within our body before they are of any use to us. One example is cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12). This nutrient needs to be converted to either methylcobalamin or adenosylcobalamin in order to be "active". However, depending on genetics and what we call polymorphisms, we may or may not possess adequate amounts of the enzymes necessary to support this activation process.

Therefore, taking Vitamin B12 supplements as methylcobalamin may be advantageous. Other examples are pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) and pyridoxal-5-phosphate (activated form), riboflavin and riboflavin-5-phosphate (activated) and folate and 5-methylenetetrahydrofolate (activated). However, there may be some benefit from taking Vitamin B6 in both forms.