THE FUNCTION OF VITAMINS
Vitamins are essential to life. They contribute to good health by regulating the metabolism and assisting the biochemical processes that release energy from digested foods. They are considered micronutrients because the body needs them in relatively small amounts compared with other nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, and water.
Enzymes are essential chemicals that are the foundation of human bodily functions. They are catalysts (activators) in the chemical reactions that are continually taking place within the body. Vitamins work with these enzymes as coenzymes, thereby allowing all the activities that occur within the body to happen quickly and accurately.
Of the major vitamins, some are water soluble and some are oil soluble. Water-soluble vitamins must be taken into the body daily as they cannot be stored and are excreted within one to four days. These include vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins. Oil-soluble vitamins can be stored for longer periods of time in the body's fatty tissue and liver. These include vitamins A, D, E, and K. Both types of vitamins are needed by the body for proper functioning.