Posted on September 5, 2009 in Latest News
The vitamins which are soluble in fat are known as fat soluble vitamins. There are 4 fat soluble vitamins; they are A, D, K, and E. These are absorbed by the small intestine along with the dietary fats. The diseases like cystic fibrosis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease are caused due to the Malabsortion of these vitamins only.
The fat soluble vitamins are stored in adipose tissues and liver. The fat soluble vitamins are absorbed slowly as compared to the water soluble vitamins. The vitamins of A and D have the tendency of getting accumulated and causing toxic effects to the body.
4 Fat Soluble Vitamins:
The four fat soluble vitamins are A, D, K and E. Points related to these vitamins are:
- Vitamins A: This was first fat soluble vitamin which was identified far back in 1913. This vitamin comprises of the preformed Retinoids, and provitamins A or Carotenoid. The active forms of vitamin A have three basic functions of vision, growth and immunity.
- Vitamin D: This vitamin was discovered in the seventeenth centaury. The synthesis of this vitamin takes place in the sunlight. The function of this vitamin is to regulate the absorption of calcium in the body which is essential for maintaining the skeletal health. The main source of vitamin D is sunlight. Standing in sunlight for few minutes each day or walking in sunlight few minutes each day serves the purpose.
- Vitamin K: This vitamin was identified in 1929. The main function of this vitamin is in the clotting of blood. Vitamin K helps in the activation of seven proteins which are responsible for clotting. These proteins participate in series of reactions which forms a clot which eventually results in stopping of the blood.
- Vitamin E: This vitamin was identified in 1922. It is an antioxidant which prevents the body from the damage caused by free radicals. It is found that vitamin E interrupts the chain reaction of the free radicals by oxidizing itself and hence protects the membranes of the cells from free – radical attack.
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