Canadian Medical Guide > Chemicals and Drugs > Growth Substances, Pigments, and Vitamins > Vitamins Terms and Definitions

Vitamins

Medical Definition:	A general term for a number of unrelated organic substances that occur in many foods in small amounts and that are necessary in trace amounts for the normal metabolic functioning of the body. They may be water-soluble or fat-soluble. (Dorland, 28th ed)
Guide Notes:	GEN or unspecified; prefer specific vitamin; /defic = AVITAMINOSIS but avitaminosis A (etc.) = VITAMIN A DEFICIENCY (etc.); /ther use: coordinate disease term with /drug ther, not /diet ther

Vitamins Categories.

	Vitamin B Complex - A group of water-soluble substances including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin (nicotinic acid), niacinamide (nicotinamide), the vitamin B6 group (including pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine), biotin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, possibly para-aminobenzoic acid, inositol, vitamin B12, and possibly choline. (From Dorland, 28th ed)
	Vitamin D - Vitamin D. The vitamin that mediates intestinal calcium absorption, bone calcium metabolism, and probably muscle activity. It usually acts as a hormone precursor, requiring 2 stages of metabolism before reaching actual hormonal form. It is isolated from fish liver oils and used in the treatment and prevention of rickets.
	Vitamin U - A vitamin found in green vegetables. It is used in the treatment of peptic ulcers, colitis, and gastritis and has an effect on secretory, acid-forming, and enzymatic functions of the intestinal tract.

Vitamins Medical Definitions and Terms

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