vitmin

Vitmin is not a recognized term in nutrition science. It is typically a misspelling of vitamin, a class of organic micronutrients essential for normal growth, metabolism, and health. This article uses the standard term vitamin and notes that vitmin may appear as a typographical error.

Vitamins are required in small amounts because they often act as coenzymes, cofactors, or antioxidants that enable biochemical reactions necessary for energy production, tissue maintenance, and immune function. They do not provide calories themselves, but without them many metabolic processes cannot proceed efficiently.

Vitamins are classified by solubility into two broad groups: water-soluble vitamins (the B-complex vitamins and vitamin C) and fat-soluble vitamins (vitamins A, D, E, and K). Water-soluble vitamins are typically excreted in urine and need regular replenishment, while fat-soluble vitamins can be stored in body tissues and may accumulate if consumed in excess.

Dietary sources vary by vitamin. Vitamin C is abundant in citrus fruits and many vegetables; folate is found in leafy greens and legumes; vitamin K is present in leafy vegetables; vitamin D can be obtained from fortified foods, fatty fish, and sun exposure; vitamin A activity comes from colorful fruits and vegetables containing provitamin A carotenoids, as well as animal sources rich in retinol; several B vitamins are found in grains, meat, dairy, and legumes.

Deficiency can lead to specific diseases, such as scurvy (vitamin C), rickets or osteomalacia (vitamin D), and vitamin B deficiencies causing anemia or neuropathy. Excess intake, especially of fat-soluble vitamins, can cause toxicity. A balanced diet typically maintains adequate vitamin status, with supplementation considered for certain populations or conditions.

See also: Vitamin; Nutrition; Micronutrient.