We often hear people say eat this and eat that, it has lots of vitamins…! What are vitamins exactly? Let’s explore interesting knowledge about vitamins and some MCQ on Vitamins in this article.

An organic molecule that is an essential micronutrient for an organism and is needed in small quantities for the appropriate functioning of its metabolism is called a Vitamin. It is obtained through the diet in proper quantities as it cannot be generally synthesized in the organism. Some species can synthesize Vitamin C but not by all. 13 different types of vitamins are known that include: Vitamin A (Retinol), vitamin B2 (Riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (known as pyridoxine), vitamin B7 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folate or folic acid), vitamin B12 (cobalamins, vitamin C (known as ascorbic acid), vitamin D (calciferol), vitamin E (tocotrienols and tocopherols) and vitamin K (quinones).

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Classification of Vitamins

Vitamins can be classified into two types:

1. Water-soluble vitamins:

These vitamins can easily dissolve in water and are easily excreted from the body and therefore, more intake is required.

Vitamin	Function	Sources	Deficiency Disorder
Thiamine (vitamin B1)	Important for nerve activity; part of an enzyme required for energy metabolism.	Pork, whole grain foods or enriched bread and cereals, legumes, nuts, and seeds are all high in this nutrient.	Beri-beri
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)	Important for optimal vision and skin health; part of an enzyme required for energy metabolism.	Whole-grain foods, enriched bread, and cereals; milk and milk products; leafy green veggies	Retarded growth, bad skin
Niacin (vitamin B3)	Important for the neurological system, digestive system, and skin health; part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism	Meat, chicken, fish, whole grain meals, fortified bread and cereals, vegetables (particularly mushrooms, asparagus, and leafy green vegetables), and peanut butter are all good sources of protein.	Pellagra
Pantothenic acid	A component of an enzyme is involved in energy metabolism.	Widespread in foods	Huntington's Disease
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)	Antioxidant; component of a protein-metabolizing enzyme; essential for immune system health; improves iron absorption	Citrus fruits, cabbage vegetables, cantaloupe, strawberries, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, papayas, mangoes, and kiwifruit are the only fruits and vegetables that contain this compound.	Scurvy
Biotin	A component of an enzyme is involved in energy metabolism.	Widespread in foods; microorganisms also make it in the intestine.	Scaly erythematous dermatitis and alopecia Paresthesias, myalgias, and moderate sadness are all symptoms of biotin insufficiency.

2. Fat-soluble vitamins:

These are absorbed through the intestinal tract and lipids or fats will help for this process. In humans, 9 water-soluble vitamins are known.

Vitamins	Function	Sources	Deficiency Disorder
Vitamin A (and its precursor, beta-carotene)	Vision, good skin and mucous membranes, bone and tooth formation, and immune system health are all dependent on it.	Animal sources of vitamin A (retinol) include fortified milk, cheese, cream, butter, fortified margarine, eggs, and liver. Beta-carotene (derived from plants): Dark orange fruits (apricots, cantaloupe) and vegetables; leafy, dark green vegetables (carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin)	Night blindness
Vitamin D	Calcium absorption is aided by this mineral, which is stored in the bones.	Egg yolks, liver, fatty fish, fortified milk, and fortified margarine are all good sources of iron. The skin may produce vitamin D when exposed to sunlight.	Rickets
Vitamin E	Antioxidant; protects cell walls	Leafy green vegetables; wheat germ; whole-grain products; liver; egg yolks; nuts and seeds; polyunsaturated plant oils (soybean, corn, cottonseed, safflower); leafy green vegetables; wheat germ; whole-grain products; liver; egg yolks; nuts and seeds	poor transmission of nerve impulses and muscle weakness. Abetalipoproteinemia
Vitamin K	This is required for optimal blood clotting.	Bacteria also generate leafy green vegetables like kale, collard greens, and spinach, as well as green veggies like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and asparagus, in the intestinal tract.	Excessive bleeding due to injury

What are Anti-vitamins?

Compounds that inhibit the absorption/actions of vitamins. One of the examples includes avidin present in raw egg whites as protein and it inhibits the biotin absorption.

Antivitamins are compounds that inactivate or destroy vitamins or impede the activity of a vitamin in a metabolic reaction, hence increasing a person's vitamin requirement. Ascorbic acid oxidase, for example, is an enzyme present in fruits and vegetables that may oxidize ascorbic acid. Vitamin B6 antagonists can be found in mushrooms.

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ on Vitamins)

1. Short-term or Acute vitamin poisoning is caused due to

(a) Eating the liver of a Polar bear

(b) Eating the liver of Buffalo

(d) Eating the liver of Mule deer

Ans: (a)

Polar bears are apex carnivores that bioaccumulate vitamin A produced by lower-level marine algae in the food web. Because vitamin A is not water-soluble, it is unable to be flushed from the body and is instead retained in the liver. The RDA for vitamin A in humans is 0.9mg, which can be obtained by consuming one-tenth of grams of the well-fed polar bear liver. The vitamin A content of the entire liver is sufficient to kill 52 persons!

2. Which is the most essential nutrient required for a woman during her initial stages of pregnancy for the prevention of birth defects?

(a) Thiamin

(b) Vitamin C

(d) Vitamin E

Ans: (c)

Folic acid is a vitamin that can be found in a variety of foods as well as multivitamin supplements. Folic acid is especially important for women who are planning a pregnancy since it can help prevent birth abnormalities.

3. The highest levels of vitamin C are present in which of the following?

(a) Parsley

(b) Broccoli

(d) Black currants

Ans: (d)

Ribes nigrum is the botanical name for blackcurrant. Blackcurrants are particularly high in vitamin C, containing more than three times the amount of an orange.

4. Which of the following vitamins aids in blood clotting?

(a) Vitamin K

(b) Vitamin C

(d) Vitamin A

Ans: (a)

Vitamin K is involved in the alteration of several blood clotting components once they have been translated. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that is required for proper blood coagulation protein synthesis.

5. Which among the following is the leading reason for blindness in children worldwide?

(a) Glaucoma

(b) Vitamin A deficiency

(d) Cataracts

Ans: (b)

In children, vitamin A insufficiency is the main cause of avoidable blindness. Vitamin A is required by human eyes for a variety of functions, including the nourishment and protection of the cornea, which is the clear covering on the front of the eye. The cornea is vulnerable to injury and scarring, which can result in blindness.

6. Beriberi is caused due by the deficiency of-

(a) Vitamin B12

(b) Vitamin B2

(d) Vitamin B1

Ans: (d)

Beri-Beri is caused by thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency. It's usually found in places where polished rice is a staple of the diet.

7. Who is susceptible to developing scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency)?

(a) A pregnant woman

(b) A malnourished child

(d) A long-time alcoholic person

Ans: (d)

Scurvy is a condition that affects people who eat grains but not fruit, as well as socially isolated people, inmates, and alcoholics who eat a poor diet, and people who have inflammatory bowel disease. Scurvy can occur in newborns of vitamin C-deficient mothers since breast milk contains vitamin C.

8. Which of the following vitamins function as both a visual pigment as well as a hormone?

(a) Thiamine

(b) Folic acid

(d) Retinal

Ans: (d)

Vitamin A, commonly known as retinol, is isoprenoid alcohol that is required for vision, development, reproduction, and epithelial tissue maintenance.

9. Which of the following nutrient deficiencies cause megaloblastic anemia?

(a) Pyridoxine

(b) Niacin

(d) Cobalamin

Ans: (c)

Megaloblastic anemia is caused by a lack of folic acid, which causes a decrease in purine and thymidine synthesis, making cells unable to synthesize DNA and proliferate.

10. Which is a fat-soluble vitamin?

(a) Vitamin B

(b) Vitamin K

(d) Vitamin C

Ans: (b)

Vitamins that are fat-soluble are absorbed along with fats in the meal and stored in the body's fatty tissue and liver.

11. Deficiency of niacin is caused due to the deficiency of -------------?

(a) Scurvy

(b) Rickets

(d) Pellagra

Ans: (d)

Pellagra is a skin and central nervous system disorder caused by a niacin deficiency. Dementia, Dermatitis, and Diarrhea were among the symptoms.

12. Which of the following is a hormone precursor vitamin?

(a) Vitamin A

(b) Vitamin C

(d) Vitamin D

Ans: (d)

Vitamin D is a precursor of hormones. Sunlight's UV component strikes 7-dehydrocholesterol, which is converted to cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) in the skin. Vitamin D3 is absorbed into the bloodstream and delivered to the liver and kidneys, where it is converted to calcitriol with the help of an enzyme (a steroid hormone).

13. A component of the coenzyme A is-----------

(a) Retinol

(b) Pyridoxine

(d) Retinoic acid

Ans: (c)

Coenzyme A is a coenzyme that consists of pantothenic acid, adenosine 3-phosphate 5-pyrophosphate, and cysteamine, and is involved in the transfer of acyl groups, particularly in transacetylation.

14. Which is another name for cobalamin?

(a) Vitamin B12

(b) Vitamin B2

(d) Vitamin B11

Ans: (a)

Vitamin B12, also known as cobalamin, is a component of the vitamin B complex, which also includes vitamins B11 (folic acid), B6 (pyridoxine), and B2 (Riboflavin).

15. Which is NOT TRUE about ascorbic acid?

(a) It shows antioxidant activity

(b) It is a strong reducing agent

(d) An organism’s body can synthesize it

Ans: (d)

It is false since vertebrates such as birds, fishes, and humans are unable to manufacture vitamin C due to a lack of the enzyme gulono-lactone oxidase.

16. Which of the following vitamins perform a coenzyme function?

(a) Vitamin A

(b) Vitamin B

(d) All of the above

Ans: (d)

Coenzyme activity is present in all fat-soluble vitamins. They all appear to be necessary for all forms of animal life's metabolic processes to run well.

17. The Best source of vitamin A is-------------

(a) Poultry

(b) Sweet potato

(d) Dairy products

Ans: (b)

Vitamin A deficiency can be avoided by consuming sweet potatoes.

Sweet potatoes are a good source of vitamin A because they have a lot of beta-carotene in them.

18. Which of the following is a Water-soluble vitamin?

(a) Vitamin B1

(b) Vitamin B2

(d) All of the above

Ans: (d)

Water-soluble vitamins are transported to the tissues of the body but are not stored there. They can be found in a variety of plant and animal foods, as well as dietary supplements, and must be consumed on a daily basis.

19. Deficiency of which vitamin causes an increase in The Fragility of red blood cells and weakness in muscles?

(a) Deficiency of vitamin D

(b) Deficiency of vitamin E

(d) Deficiency of vitamin A

Ans: (b)

Vitamin E insufficiency induces red blood cell fragility and neuron degeneration, especially in peripheral axons and posterior column neurons. These chemicals operate as antioxidants, preventing polyunsaturated fatty acid lipid peroxidation in cellular membranes. Vegetable oils and nuts are good sources of vitamin E in the diet.

20. Scientific name of vitamin K is?

(a) Ascorbic acid

(b) Pantothenic Acid

(d) Phytonadione

Ans: (d)

Phytonadione (vitamin K) is used to reduce bleeding in persons who have blood coagulation issues or have a deficiency in vitamin K. Vitamins, such as phytonadione, are a type of medication.

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FAQs on MCQs on Vitamins

1. How are vitamins classified?

Vitamins, being an organic substance are generally classified into two categories namely fat soluble and water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins including Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin K dissolve in fat and tend to accumulate in the body. On the other hand, water soluble vitamins including Vitamin C, Vitamin B, complex vitamins such as Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, and folate. The water soluble vitamins dissolve in water before they can be dissolved in water and therefore cannot be stored.

2. What vitamins perform in the body?

Vitamins work in several reactions that regulate body processes. Following are some of the different types of vitamins:

Vitamin A: It is significant for normal vision and the immune system.

Vitamin D: It is required for bone health.

Vitamin K: It is significant for blood clotting.

Beta- carotene ( kind of Vitamin A), Vitamin C, and Vitamin E act as antioxidants. They protect cells from being damaged by oxygen.

3. How are MCQs on Vitamins helpful?

MCQs on vitamins help students to assess detailed knowledge on Vitamin and also they can easily understand the complex terms and topics. MCQs also help students to score more marks as students can quickly and accurately attempt the questions.

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