What is Vitamin A?
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is important in maintaining human health. It is found in various foods, including animal and plant foods. Vitamin A has many forms, including retinol, retinyl esters, and β-carotene.
What is Vitamin B?
Vitamin B is a general term for a group of water-soluble vitamins, including various vitamins, each with a unique chemical structure and physiological function. Members of the vitamin B family include vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin, niacinamide), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folic acid) and vitamin B12 (hydrocobalamin). These vitamins play various critical physiological roles in the human body.
Source
Vitamin A:
Animal foods:
Liver: Animal liver is a good source of vitamin A, especially beef liver and chicken liver. The liver is rich in retinol and retinyl esters.
Egg yolk: Egg yolk also contains a certain amount of vitamin A, mainly in the form of retinol esters.
Cod liver oil: Cod liver oil is a good source of vitamin A and vitamin D, especially cod liver oil from sharks, whales, and deep-sea fish.
Plant foods:
Carrots: Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a plant-derived provitamin A. In the body, beta-carotene can be converted into active retinol.
Spinach: Spinach is a green leafy vegetable rich in beta-carotene and other carotenoids and is one of the good sources of vitamin A.
Pumpkin: Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene and a nutritious vitamin A source.
Sweet peppers: Red, yellow, and orange bell peppers contain high amounts of beta-carotene and are a good source of plant-based vitamin A.
Vitamin B:
Vitamin B1 (thiamine):
Brown rice, whole-wheat bread and cereals
Lean meats, poultry, and fish
Peanuts and beans
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin):
Milk and dairy products
Meat, eggs and fish
Green leafy vegetables, beans and nuts
Vitamin B3 (niacin and niacinamide):
Meat, poultry, and fish
Brown rice, whole-wheat products, and cereals
Beans, nuts, and seeds
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid):
Meat, poultry, and fish
Whole-wheat products and cereals
Peanuts, beans, and nuts
Vitamin B 6 (Pyridoxine):
Meat, poultry, and fish
Avocados, bananas and leafy greens
Peanuts, beans, and tree nuts
Vitamin B7 (Biotin):
Egg yolks, meat and fish
Soybeans, beef liver and peanuts
Brown rice, whole-wheat products, and cereals
Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid):
Dark green leafy vegetables (such as spinach, kale and collard greens)
Citrus fruits (such as oranges and lemons)
Liver, beans, and eggs
Vitamin B12 (Hydrocobalamin):
Meat, fish, and poultry
Milk and dairy products
Eggs and shellfish
Effect
Vitamin A:
Maintain visual health: Vitamin A is one of the components of the visual pigment in the retina and is essential for maintaining visual health and normal visual function. It helps keep the typical structure of the retina and is involved in the activity of photoreceptors during visual conduction.
Promote growth and development: Vitamin A plays a vital role in cell differentiation, growth, and development. Vitamin A is necessary for maintaining average growth and development during infancy and childhood. Vitamin A deficiency may lead to problems such as growth retardation and skeletal deformities.
Maintain skin and mucous membrane health: Vitamin A helps maintain the typical structure and function of the skin and mucous membranes. It promotes the renewal and repair of epidermal cells, helping to prevent problems such as dry skin, roughness, ulcers, and infections.
Support the immune system: Vitamin A is also very important for the normal functioning of the immune system. It helps to enhance the body’s resistance to infection, promotes the proliferation and activity of immune cells, and helps reduce infections and diseases.
Maintain reproductive health: Vitamin A is also essential for the health of the reproductive system in men and women. It is involved in regulating the development and function of germ cells, helping to maintain normal reproductive hormone levels and the normal function of the reproductive system.
Vitamin B:
Vitamin B1 (thiamine):
It participates in carbohydrate metabolism and helps convert carbohydrates into energy.
Maintains normal function of the nervous system and helps nerve conduction.
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin):
Participates in redox reactions in cell respiration and promotes energy metabolism.
Maintains the health of skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.
Vitamin B3 (niacin and niacinamide):
It participates in energy metabolism and helps cells produce energy.
It lowers cholesterol levels and improves cardiovascular health.
Promotes DNA repair and maintains cell health.
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid):
It is one of the components of coenzyme A, participates in energy metabolism, and helps convert carbohydrates, fats, and proteins into energy.
Promotes cell growth and repair.
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine):
Participates in amino acid metabolism and protein synthesis and helps produce new proteins.
It helps synthesize neurotransmitters and maintains the normal function of the nervous system.
Vitamin B7 (biotin):
It participates in glucose and fat metabolism and helps convert them into energy.
Promotes the health of skin, hair, and nails.
Vitamin B9 (folic acid):
Participates in DNA synthesis and cell division and helps develop the fetal nervous system.
Prevents the occurrence of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and hydrocephalus.
Vitamin B12 (hydroxocobalamin):
Participates in DNA synthesis and red blood cell formation and helps maintain the health of the blood and nervous system.
Promotes cell energy metabolism and protects nerve cells.
Target Audience
Vitamin A:
Children and adolescents: Children and adolescents are in the growth and development stage, and their demand for vitamin A is relatively high. Vitamin A is essential for vision, the immune system, and skin health, but it also plays a vital role in the normal development of bones and organs.
Pregnant and lactating women: Pregnant and lactating women need more vitamin A to support the growth and development of the fetus and the synthesis of breast milk. Vitamin A is particularly important for the organ development of the fetus during pregnancy, while lactating women need to ensure enough vitamin A in breast milk.
Older adults: As they age, the nutritional needs of the elderly may change, including the need for vitamin A. Vitamin A helps maintain the visual health, immune function, and skin health of the elderly and also plays a specific role in preventing age-related diseases.
People with vitamin A deficiency: For people with vitamin A deficiency, such as vitamin A deficiency caused by an unbalanced diet or digestion and absorption problems, special attention should be paid to the intake of vitamin A, and appropriate supplementation should be taken under the guidance of a doctor.
People with particular health conditions: Certain chronic diseases, digestive system problems, or liver diseases may affect the absorption and utilization of vitamin A so that these people may need additional vitamin A supplements.
Vitamin B:
Pregnant and lactating women: Pregnant and lactating women need additional B vitamins, especially folic acid (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12. These vitamins are essential for developing the fetus’s nervous system and the quality of breast milk.
Older adults: As they age, the gastrointestinal absorption capacity of older people may decline, which may affect the intake of vitamin B. In addition, the elderly may have more chronic diseases or are taking more medications, which may also affect the demand and absorption of vitamin B.
Vegetarians and vegans: Vitamin B12 is mainly found in animal foods, so vegetarians and vegans (vegans) may need additional vitamin B12 supplements. In addition, they also need to pay special attention to other sources of vitamin B to ensure adequate intake.
People who have undergone gastrointestinal surgery or have digestive system diseases: Vitamin B absorption mainly occurs in the intestines, so people who have undergone gastrointestinal surgery or diseases (such as Crohn’s disease, celiac disease, etc.) may affect the absorption of vitamin B and lead to vitamin B deficiency.
High-intensity athletes and people with certain chronic diseases: High-intensity exercise may increase the body’s demand for vitamin B. At the same time, certain chronic diseases (such as diabetes and kidney disease) may affect the metabolism and utilization of vitamin B.
