Role of Vitamins in Our Health and Fitness

Posted by adairsawyer on August 23rd, 2012

Majority of the population is today health conscious and is making efforts to stay healthy and fit by paying attention to the diet and also by doing exercises. Good health is today equated with one’s physical fitness and activity levels although saying in good body shape is also a good indicator of good health. Nutrition plays an important role in our fitness and health, and the more balanced our diet is; the healthier is our body. Vitamins are organic substances that are micronutrients produced by animals and plants and needed by our body on a daily basis to stay fit and healthy. 

There are many different kinds of vitamins such as A, B, C, D, E, and K, and our bodies need small quantities of each on a daily basis. Most of these vitamins are found in different food items such as green vegetables and fresh fruits.  However, our over reliance on junk food and colas has led us to a situation where it is not possible for most of us to have a balanced and nutritious diet full of all the vitamins needed for our fitness and health. This means that we need to take food supplements full of these vitamins daily to fulfill the requirements of our bodies.

What are Vitamins and What They Do

Long ago, scientists discovered that lack or low levels of these organic substances in the bodies of individuals led to many kinds of ailments. However, it was only as late as 1912 that these organic substances were given generic name vitamins reflecting the importance of these substances for human body. Vitamin was a word formed from amines and their vitality for our body. Talking of roles of different vitamins, vitamin B is very important for the health of our skin but also plays a vital role in maintaining our nervous system. Vitamin K helps in regulation of proteins and blood cells. Vitamin D is important for the strength of our bones while vitamin A is important for our eyesight. Having knowledge of the role of these organic substances in various bodily functions makes us realize their importance for our fitness and health.

Vitamins are soluble in ether fat or water. Vitamins such as A, K, D, and E get stored in the fat of the body from where they are later absorbed by our intestine. B and C are vitamins that are water soluble and readily available for use by the body. They are also easily excreted by the body through urine. One vitamin called B12 is an important vitamin that our bodies keep stored inside the liver for future use and it remains there for years.

Sources of Vitamins

Fresh fruits are a great source of vitamin C while milk is a great source of vitamin D. Green vegetables have an abundance of vitamin B, E, and K. Grains that we use for breads provide us vitamins B6 and B2. For our fitness and health, it is necessary to include different food items and fruits n our diet to fulfill our daily requirements. 

Having vitamins is important for fitness and health.