Vitamins and minerals do not supply calories: What happens by the deficiency of vitamins and minerals?Vitamins and minerals are equally important in our diet just like our macro nutrients which are carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Carbohydrates, proteins and fats supply energy or calories to the body whereas vitamins and minerals do not supply calories. Vitamins and minerals are essential for carrying out various chemical reactions of the body. Carbohydrates, proteins and fats are the bricks that form the human body. Vitamins and minerals act as cement that can hold the bricks or structure of the body together.
Deficiencies of vitamins and minerals can make us lethargic and sluggish. We can achieve vitamins and minerals through consumption of healthy and nutritious foods. However our faulty eating habits, malabsorption, infection, poor hygiene, lack of vitamin and mineral supplementation, poverty can lead to deficiencies of vitamins and minerals.
Vitamins are composed of fat soluble and water soluble vitamins.
Fat soluble vitamins are Vitamin A, D, E and K and water soluble vitamins are Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C. Several vitamins like Vitamin A, K and C, thiamin, niacin, Vitamin B6, B12 and folate act as enzyme cofactors. Some vitamins like Vitamin C and E act as biologic antioxidants. Vitamins A and D are recognized as functioning as hormones and Vitamin A serves as a photoreceptive cofactor in vision.
Minerals are a class of micronutrients that are divided into macro minerals and micro minerals. The macro minerals are calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulphur, sodium, chloride and potassium.Microminerals or trace elements are iron, zinc, iodine selenium, chromium, copper, Manganese and molybdenum. Mineral ions in body fluids regulate the activities of many enzymes; maintain acid base balance and osmotic pressure. These ions can maintain nerve and muscular irritability and are structural constituents of extra cellular tissues like bones and teeth. Several minerals like zinc and iron are also essential in the growth processes.
People of different age groups can suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Deficiencies can add burden us as well as the society. Some of the mineral deficiencies are heart attacks and heart diseases due to the deficiency of selenium and copper. Arthritis and bone diseases occur due to the deficiency of calcium and phosphorus, problems in the blood and hemoglobin due to the deficiency of iron, hypoglycemia and fatigue due to vanadium and chromium, changes in the acid base balance due to the deficiency of sodium. Similarly vitamin deficiencies can lead to various disorders in our body.
Night blindness and heart problems occur due to deficiencies of Vitamin A, rickets and osteomalacia due to the deficiency of Vitamin D. We may suffer from heart problems due to the deficiency of Vitamin E, changes in blood coagulation due to the deficiency of Vitamin K, Scurvy is attributed to the deficiency of Vitamin C and neurological problems and pernicious anemia occur due to the deficiency of Vitamin B12.
Thus our whole body is affected due to the deficiencies of vitamins and minerals. It is necessary to provide ample supply of Vitamins and minerals to the body everyday. This is achieved when we consume balanced diet with ample quantities of fruits and vegetables as well as yeast. |
