1. Discovered in early 1900s. Vital to life Vital - amine Molecule of the week

2. The Water-Soluble Vitamins: B and C (there are 8 B Vitamins) The Fat-Soluble Vitamins: A, D, E, and K

3. The Water-Soluble Vitamins: B and C Directly absorbed into the blood Travel freely inside body Excess excreted in urine Need to be replenished frequently, Every 1 to 3 days.

4. The Fat-Soluble Vitamins: A, D, E and K First into the lymph, then the blood Many require protein carriers Stored in cells associated with fat Less readily excreted Need to be refilled only periodically Weeks or months

5. Water-Soluble Vitamins Are Polar

6. Fat Soluble Vitamins Are Non-Polar

7. What do Vitamins actually do? - they are co-factors or co-enzymes - they help proteins perform various functions within the body. e.g. - enzymes in energy metabolism e.g. - enzymes in energy metabolism - vision (Vit. A) - vision (Vit. A)

8. We need vitamins to be healthy – but too much can be harmful. This matters more for some vitamins than others. It’s very difficult to consume “too much” of a water- soluble vitamin. It is the fat-soluble vitamins we need to be careful about. A balanced diet is better than all pills. Vitamins, Fat and Water