& Healing Centre
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Vitamins and Multivitamins.
A vitamin is an
organic compound required as a nutrient in tiny amounts by an organism. A
compound is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient
quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. Thus, the term is
conditional both on the circumstances and the particular organism. For example,
ascorbic acid functions as vitamin C for some animals but not others, and
vitamins D and K are required in the human diet only in certain circumstances.
The term vitamin does not include other essential nutrients such as dietary
minerals, essential fatty acids, or essential amino acids, nor does it encompass
the large number of other nutrients that promote health but are otherwise
required less often.
A multivitamin is a preparation intended to supplement a human diet with
vitamins, dietary minerals and other nutritional elements. Such preparations are
available in the form of tablets, capsules, pastilles, powders, liquids and
injectable formulations. Other than injectable formulations, which are only
available and administered under medical supervision, multivitamins are
recognized by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (the United Nations' authority
on food standards) as a category of food. Multivitamin supplements are
commonly provided in combination with minerals. A multivitamin/mineral
supplement is defined in the United States as a supplement containing 3 or more
vitamins and minerals but does not include herbs, hormones, or drugs, with each
nutrient at a dose below the tolerable upper level determined by the Food and
Drug Board and the maximum daily intake to not cause a risk for adverse health
effects.
