Vitamins and chronic diseases
Fat-soluble vitamins include A, D, K, and E whereas water-soluble vitamins are ascorbic acid, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, folacin, vitamin B12, biotin and pantothenic acid. They are referred to as fat-soluble because they can only dissolve in organic solvents and as a result, their transport within the body is similar to the fats. The water-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, dissolve in ionic solvents like water. The intake of both fat and water soluble vitamins have been said to impact the development of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart disease and even stroke. Some relationships between the vitamins and these chronic diseases are indirect like vitamin C in the sense that the measure used to determine the impact is not of the vitamin but rather of the food that contains the vitamin. Regardless, both the fat-soluble and water-soluble vitamins can cause a positive influence on the development of chronic diseases.
Fat-soluble vitamins and chronic diseases
Epidemiological studies have tried to associate some of these vitamins with cancer, and there have been some positive outcomes. In the early days, it was discovered that the foods rich in vitamin A were inversely proportional to the development of cancers. In the early days, researchers lacked the ability to distinguish between b-carotene and retinol versions of vitamin A. also, the positive influence of these foods were found to work on lung cancer where its incidence was reduced with the increase in consumption of such foods. Regardless, as the technology was advanced, more research in the same was carried out focusing on other cancers. Vitamin E levels in the body are a paramount risk factor for some cancers. The vitamin has not shown any effect on cancer but low vitamin E coupled with low selenium levels increase chances of cancers like breast and lung cancers. Vitamin K3 also impacts the human tumors of the brain, colon, kidney, ovary, and lungs.
Water-soluble vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins are not the only type of vitamins associated with improving the health outcomes concerning cancer and the other chronic diseases. The water soluble vitamins have also been suggested to influence the development of these chronic diseases. A good example is the Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid. Their levels in the food have not shown any impact on the development of cancer, but foods rich in the same have shown a rather low risk to the development of cancers like that of the stomach. Studies relating vitamin C and the levels of cholesterol in the body have suggested that vitamin C also impacts the development of atherosclerosis. Similarly, the B vitamins have shown a tremendous reduction in cancer development. Liver disease is also influenced by several of the B vitamins. They include thiamin and riboflavin.
Vitamins are an essential component of food for it ends up improving our health in the end. Researches in the past have tried to prove that there exists an association between vitamins and chronic disease. They are required in minuscule amounts in the body and very essential for the body to ensure healthy physiologic functions like reproduction and growth. Their absence in the body will cause deficiency diseases that impair the normal functioning of the body. However, research is trying to find a direct relationship between these vitamin and chronic diseases. What has however been established is that foods that are rich in some of these nutrients like vitamin C, K3, D and E reduce the rate and risk of developing chronic diseases.
