Background Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin that is commonly found in a variety of foods, such as fish, shellfish, meat, eggs, and dairy products. Vitamin B12 is frequently used in combination with other B vitamins in a vitamin B complex formulation. Vitamin B12 is important in DNA synthesis.…
Background Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that comes from two sources: preformed retinoids and provitamin carotenoids. Retinoids, such as retinal and retinoic acid, are found in animal sources such as liver, kidney, eggs, and dairy products. Carotenoids, such as beta-carotene (which has the highest vitamin A activity), are found…
Background Thiamine (also spelled "thiamin") is a vitamin, formerly known as vitamin B1. Thiamine was one of the first compounds recognized as a vitamin. Thiamine is involved in many body functions, including nervous system and muscle function, the flow of electrolytes in and out of nerve and muscle cells, digestion,…
Background Zinc is a trace mineral that is needed for many important functions in the body. The human body contains approximately 2-3 grams of zinc, mostly in the skeletal muscles and bones. Zinc is also found in the kidney, pancreas, retina, teeth, hair, skin, liver, blood cells, prostate, and testes.…
Background The name "vitamin K" refers to a group of chemically similar fat-soluble compounds called naphthoquinones. Vitamin K1 (phytonadione) is the natural form of vitamin K, which is found in plants and provides the primary source of vitamin K to humans through dietary consumption. Vitamin K2 compounds (menaquinones) are made…
