Metabolism of Vitamins

Vitamins are a diverse set of chemical substances that are required in tiny amounts for proper development, reproduction, and stability, but which the human body is unable to synthesise in sufficient quantities. The fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) are included in this category, as are the water-soluble vitamins (B-complex and C). Vitamins are mostly used for catalysis and do not serve as structural components in the cell. They are initially taken and the metabolism of vitamins takes place for proper utilisation or we can say for activation of them.

Introduction

Vitamins are a broad set of chemical molecules that are either not formed or created in small amounts by human cells, depending on their solubility (fat-soluble or water-soluble). They’re only needed in tiny amounts in the diet and have specific biochemical roles, most often as coenzymes (cofactors). Many elements of intermediate metabolism, eyesight, bone formation and blood coagulation are dependent on vitamin-requiring reactions, and vitamin shortages are linked with a comparably varied and severe collection of disorders.

What is Metabolism?

Metabolism is a set of chemical reactions that converts food molecules of nutrients to energy components and chemical complex components of cells. Here many enzymes perform their tasks in a particular way to form products and bi-products and complex molecules. There are two kinds of pathways: Catabolic and Anabolic.

• Catabolic pathways with the help of vitamins converge to form a few particular products.
• Anabolic pathways with the help of vitamins diverge to synthesise many biomolecules. 
• Also, some pathways work in both directions and such are called amphibolic. 

Metabolism of Vitamins is the activation of dietary vitamins found from several food articles to their active forms of molecules and those are stored in the liver. Which then are used in the other metabolic activities as a cofactor or support to enzyme activities. The liver also produces bile juice which helps in the metabolism of various fat-soluble vitamins. 

When enzymes work in chemical reactions, active vitamins act as coworkers or coenzymes and help them in their reactions or provide important supplements in favour of the reaction. 

There are two broad kinds of vitamins namely fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. Vitamins A, D, E, and K, for example. Since water-soluble vitamins dissolve upon entering the human body thus they cannot be stored in a larger quantity. A few of them are Vitamin B, B6, B12, and C.

Metabolism of fat and water-soluble vitamins

As already said most fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and are synthesised using bile juice. The liver stores around 95 percent of total body vitamin A, which is enough for a year or two. Despite lower levels of vitamin A in the blood, the liver continues to release it to maintain normal blood concentrations. Absorption of other fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K is dependent on proper bile production. Vitamin K is particularly important for the production of clotting components in the prothrombin complex. 

Speaking about the metabolism of water-soluble vitamins except for vitamins B12, which are directly absorbed in the intestines are used as coenzymes for metabolism activities. Except for vitamin C, the liver also stores a large quantity of all water-soluble vitamins.

Lack of Vitamins 

Vitamin shortage can be caused by a lack of nutrients or by malabsorption, pharmaceutical side effects, aberrant vitamin metabolism, or use in the metabolic pathways. Because of steatorrhea, fat-soluble vitamins are poorly absorbed despite adequate food intake in those with biliary blockage or pancreatic dysfunction.

A majority of people suffering from vitamin deficiency are young people and pregnant or lactating women and children. Because this is the age where a person requires vitamins and the metabolism of those vitamins in proper and adequate quantities. But due to malnutrition, food crisis, poverty many people in many countries get diseases due to lack of vitamins and improper health. Such as anaemia, lack of RBCs, Jaundice, improper physical development, etc. Some death also happens because of infectious diseases and some during the birth of a child due to improper vitamins consumption

Conclusion

Metabolism of vitamins is an important phenomenon occurring in the human body that allows us to use those molecules by activating them as earlier most of the vitamins are in the form of dietary vitamins. The liver acts as an important organ in the metabolism of vitamins by storing the active vitamins. Lack of these vitamins of their metabolism can cause severe diseases even sometimes death in very severe cases.