Vitamins are essential organic chemicals that are required by humans (and animals) to prevent specific named diseases. For example, thiamine prevents the development of beriberi and niacin prevents the development of pellagra. However, most vitamins actually exist in multiple forms and these forms are called vitamers. For example, the deficiency disease caused by a deficiency of vitamin E is lipid peroxidation. However, vitamin E is actually a group of 8 different chemicals that all share the same activity. These are alpha, beta, gamma and delta tocopherol and alpha, beta, delta and gamma tocotrienol. Niacin too is made up of a number of forms including nicotinic acid and niacinamide, both of which can prevent pellagra. The various vitaminer may have slightly different effects and their relative potencies can vary. For example the fungal form of vitamin D, named ergocalciferol, is not as potent in humans as the animal form of vitamin D, named cholecalciferol. However both forms prevent the development of the deficiency diseases rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Folate activity is shared by as many as 10 naturally occurring variants of the vitamin, and this exemplifies the large number of vitamers that are present naturally in foods.
Eat Well, Stay Healthy, Protect Yourself
RdB
