Vitamins & Minerals
Biology · विटामिन और खनिज
📋Quick Overview
Vitamins are organic compounds needed in small amounts for body functions. Two types: Water-soluble (B complex, C — not stored, need daily) and Fat-soluble (A, D, E, K — stored in liver/fat). Each vitamin has specific sources, functions, and deficiency diseases. Key minerals: Iron (haemoglobin, deficiency=anaemia), Calcium (bones, deficiency=osteoporosis), Iodine (thyroid, deficiency=goitre), Zinc (immunity). This is the MOST ASKED biology topic in exams.
📝Key Facts
- •Vitamin A (Retinol): Carrot, milk, fish oil → Vision, skin → Night blindness
- •Vitamin B1 (Thiamine): Cereals, pulses → Nerves → Beriberi
- •Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin): Milk, eggs → Growth → Cheilosis (cracked lips)
- •Vitamin B3 (Niacin): Meat, fish → Metabolism → Pellagra (4Ds: Dermatitis, Diarrhoea, Dementia, Death)
- •Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin): Meat, fish, dairy → RBC formation → Pernicious anaemia
- •Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid): Citrus fruits, amla → Immunity, wound healing → Scurvy (bleeding gums)
- •Vitamin D (Calciferol): Sunlight, fish oil → Calcium absorption, bones → Rickets (children), Osteomalacia (adults)
- •Vitamin E (Tocopherol): Nuts, oils → Antioxidant, fertility → Sterility
- •Vitamin K (Phylloquinone): Green vegetables, liver → Blood clotting → Bleeding disorders
- •Iron deficiency = Anaemia; Iodine deficiency = Goitre; Calcium deficiency = Osteoporosis