What are Vitamins?
Vitamins are chemical compounds that are essential for life, if there is a deficiency it can lead to illness and poor health. They are only needed in very small amounts to be effective and are easily obtained by a healthy diet. Vitamins are organic because they contain Carbon atoms.
They are usually divided in two groups, those that dissolve in water (water-soluble) such as B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, folic acid, B12, biotin, choline, inosital, para-aminobenzoic acid (paba), B13, B15, B17, vitamin C, P, T and U. Those that dissolve in fat (fat/oil-soluble) include vitamin A, D, E, F and K.
In general, fat soluble vitamins can be stored for extended periods of time by the body while water soluble are not, so as a general rule, fat soluble vitamins should not be consumed in large quantities.
Most vitamins where discovered between 1900-1948 followed by discoveries in trace elements such as Iron and Zinc.
Vitamins that are derived from food sources such as corn, soy, alfalfa and are generally in low doses are called natural vitamin supplements.
Vitamins that are produced in a laboratory by exact chemical formulas, they are generally available in higher doses (relative to natural sources) are called synthetic vitamin supplements.
What are Minerals?
Minerals are also essential for body maintenance but unlike vitamins, cannot be produced by our body. They are required in relatively small amounts and can be easily broken down by our digestive system as the need arises from daily food intake. Although they are inorganic (made up of chemical elements), they make up about 5% of the bodies composition.
Minerals are broken down into two groups, microminerals (or trace elements) which are needed only in a few milligrams per day and macrominerals, which required at least 100 mg a day. Macrominerals include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium and chloride. Microminerals include iron, copper, zinc, manganese, iodine, sulfur, boron, cobalt, selenium, mylobdenum, silicon and chromium.
Minerals that have been prepared to be more readily absorbed by the body are called Chelated minerals.
