Things you need to know about vitamins

Have you ever wondered what the story behind the word ' vitamin ' is that we hear all the time? Maybe your doctor has prescribed a vitamin for you. Or maybe you've seen the vitamins in the beautiful bottles at the pharmacy. What exactly are these vitamins? Why are they so important to our bodies? Today, let's talk about it in a very simple way. Like two friends talking.

Back in the day, around the 1970s, many people thought that vitamins were just weird things. But gradually, as science advanced and research increased, everyone realized that vitamins are essential for our healthy lives. Now, let's look at how some of the main vitamins help our bodies.

Vitamin C: The superhero of our immunity

There's no way you haven't heard of vitamin C. This is why you should eat some oranges and drink some orange juice, especially when you have a cold. The story of vitamin C begins more than a hundred years ago.

Imagine, in the past, sailors who traveled for months on end on ships developed a strange disease. It was called scurvy . When this disease developed, the gums would bleed, the body would lose its strength, and sometimes even die. It was later discovered that the cause of this was the lack of fresh fruits and vegetables . So when they started eating things like lemons, this disease completely disappeared. The reason for this was the vitamin C in lemons.

Current research shows that vitamin C may help protect against diseases such as cancer, heart disease , and cataracts. Vitamin C also helps strengthen our immune system and reduce the risk of getting sick frequently.

Vitamin B family: indispensable for our energy and mind

When you say vitamin B, it's not one, it's like a family. There are many types of vitamin B. During World War II, soldiers were given a vitamin packet with their food packets to keep them strong and mentally calm.

Have you ever seen the words 'Enriched with B Vitamins' on the bread flour packets or cereal boxes you buy at the store? This is why. In the past, people developed a disease called Pellagra due to a deficiency in Niacin, a type of vitamin B. This can cause not only stomach problems but also mental illness . To prevent this, governments stepped in and introduced laws to add vitamin B to things like flour.

Let's look at some of the main members of the vitamin B family and how they help our bodies in this table.

Folic Acid: Especially important for you as a mother

Folic acid is one of the most important members of the B vitamin family. This is a must-have, especially if you are expecting a baby, or are married and thinking about having a baby.

Research has found that babies born to mothers who take folic acid before pregnancy have a much lower risk of developing serious birth defects like spina bifida , a serious condition that affects the baby's spine and nervous system.

Vitamin E: protector of the heart and skin

Do you remember a cartoon you watched as a child about a guy who got stronger by eating spinach? That spinach is rich in vitamin E. In the past, vitamin E had a strange story. It was believed that it increased sexual power.

But now, modern research has found that vitamin E, like vitamin C, is a very powerful antioxidant . That means it reduces damage to our cells. In particular, some research has found that vitamin E can reduce the risk of heart disease by about 40% . We also know that vitamin E helps maintain healthy skin and brighten the skin.

But the problem is, it's a bit difficult to get the optimal amount of vitamin E we need from food alone. So sometimes we have to take it as a supplement on medical advice.

The future of vitamins: What else does research tell us?

The story about vitamins doesn't end here. Scientists are still discovering new things. Look at your salad plate. The tomatoes, carrots, greens in it... Research is now underway on the chemical compounds that give them their color and make them so beneficial. These are called phytochemicals . For example, lycopene in tomatoes is a powerful antioxidant.

In the future, research will also help us understand why the same vitamin affects different people differently. This means that in the future, we will be able to provide vitamin therapy tailored to your genes.