gen-explain-vitamins-and-their-functions-as-you-would-to-a-capab-619b

Explain vitamins and their functions as you would to a capable student, in 3-4 sentences.

Vitamins are essential organic compounds that your body needs in small amounts to function properly, but cannot produce on its own (or not in sufficient quantities), so you must obtain them through diet. They act as catalysts and regulators in countless bodily processes—for example, vitamin C helps build collagen and supports immune function, B vitamins assist in converting food to energy, vitamin D promotes calcium absorption for bone health, and vitamin K enables blood clotting. Vitamins are classified as either fat-soluble (A, D, E, K), which can be stored in your body's fatty tissues, or water-soluble (B-complex and C), which need regular replenishment since excess amounts are excreted. Deficiencies in specific vitamins can lead to serious health conditions like scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) or rickets (vitamin D deficiency).