Vitamins, Deficiency Diseases, Classification, Scientific Names and MCQs

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This article is about vitamins, their deficiency diseases, classification, scientific names. At the end, we have also given you some important MCQs on the topic to make your concepts stronger.

Also Check: MCQs on general science

What are vitamins?

The organic compounds that are required in small amounts in the diet to maintain normal metabolic functions are known as ‘Vitamins’.

Most of the vitamins cannot be synthesized in our body but plants can synthesize almost all of them, so they are considered as essential food factors.

However, the bacteria of the gut can produce some of the vitamins required by us.

The earlier name of vitamin was vitamine, which itself was coined in 1912 as a combination of the words “vital” and “amine” by Polish biochemist Casimir Funk. The term vitamine was changed to vitamin when it was found that all vitamins are not amines. Casimir Funk is credited to have discovered the vitamins.

Many vitamins act as (or) are converted into coenzymes; they neither provide energy nor are incorporated into tissues. Coenzymes are organic nonprotein molecules that bind with the protein molecule (apoenzyme) to form the active enzyme (holoenzyme).

These also regulate the Bio-chemical processes in the body.

Classification of Vitamins

We generally divide vitamins into two categories based upon their solubility. The two categories are:

  1. Fat soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). These are found in abundance in liver cells and in adipose tissues.
  2. Water soluble vitamins (C, B-complex). These are present in much smaller amounts in cells. Water soluble vitamins must be supplied regularly in diet because they are readily excreted in urine and cannot be stored (except vitamin B12) in our body

Vitamin Deficiency Diseases

VitaminScientific NameDefeciency
Vitamin ARetinolNight blindness
Vitamin B1ThiamineBeri-beri
Vitamin B2RiboflavinRetarded growth, bad skin
Vitamin B3Niacinpellagra. Pellagra includes the triad of dermatitis, dementia, and diarrhea 
Vitamin B5Pantothenic Acidfatigue, insomnia, depression, irritability, vomiting, stomach pains
Vitamin B6Pyridoxineperipheral neuropathy, seborrheic dermatitis, glossitis, and cheilosis, and, in adults, depression, confusion, and seizures.
Vitamin B7Biotinalopecia and scaly erythematous dermatitis
Vitamin B9Folic Acidfolate-deficiency anemia, Birth defects innew born baby if mother has defeciency
Vitamin B12CobalaminAnaemia
Vitamin CAscorbic acidScurvy
Vitamin DCalciferolRickets/Osteomalacia
Vitamin EtocopherolNerve and Muscle damages
Vitamin KPhylloquinoneExcessive bleeding due to injury

MCQs on Vitamins For Competitive Exams JKSSB, NEET

Which of the following is a function of Vitamins?

  1. They provide energy to the body.
  2. They act as the store house of energy.
  3. They protect and insulate our body organs.
  4. They help in maintaing good bones and in boosting immunity.

They help in maintaing good bones and in boosting immunity.

Eating the liver of a polar bear can cause:

  1. Vitamin A poisoning
  2. Vitamin B poisoning
  3. Vitamin K poisoning
  4. Vitamin E poisoning

Vitamin A Poisoning

Which of the following is not a fat soluble vitamin?

  1. Vitamin A
  2. Vitamin B
  3. Vitamin D
  4. Vitamin K

Vitamin B. Vitamins A, D, E, K are fat souluble and you can remember them as FADEK.

Deficiency of Vitamin B leads to;

  1. Beri Beri
  2. Scurvy
  3. Osteomalacia
  4. Excessive bleeding.

Beri Beri

Which of the following vitamins is necessary for formation of clots?

  1. Ascorbic acid
  2. phylloquinone
  3. Tocopherol
  4. Retinol

Phylloquinone

What is the scientific name of Vitamin B1?

  1. Thiamine
  2. Biotin
  3. Folic acid
  4. Cobalamin

Thiamine

Vitamins often act as:

  1. Co enzymes
  2. Halo enzymes
  3. Apo enzymes
  4. Co factors

Co enzymes

Which of the following is not true about Vitamin D.

  1. It is also known as Sunshine Vitamin
  2. It is necessary for Calcium absorption.
  3. It is known as Calciferol.
  4. It a water soluble vitamin.
  5. Its defeciency can lead to rickets.

“It is a water soluble vitamin” is a wrong statement about Vitamin D.

Which of the following vitamins exists in diverse forms?

  1. Vitamin A
  2. Vitamin B
  3. Vitamin C
  4. Vitamin D

Vitamin B

The vitamin given to pregnant women to prevent birth defects in the baby is:

  1. Vitamin B1
  2. Vitamin B3
  3. Vitamin B9
  4. Vitamin B7

Vitamin B9. Vitamin B9 is also known as Folic Acid and it is given to all the pregnant women in their earlier months of pregnancy to prevent the birth defects in a baby.

Which vitamin is also known as Biotin?

  1. Vitamin B1
  2. Vitamin B3
  3. Vitamin B9
  4. Vitamin B7

Vitamin B7

Which of the following is not true about Vitamin E?

  1. It is also known as Pyridoxine.
  2. It is also known as “beauty” vitamin.
  3. It is a fat soluble vitamin.
  4. Its defeciency leads to muscle and nerve damages.

“It is also known as Pyridoxine” is a wrong statement about Vitamin E

Which vitamins are produced by gut bacteria?

  1. Vitamins A and K
  2. Vitamins B and K
  3. Vitamins E and K
  4. Vitamins A and B

Vitamins B and K

Who has the most chances of developing Vitamin C deficiency/scurvy?

  1. Pregnant Women
  2. Malnourished children
  3. Covid patients
  4. heavy drinkers and smokers

Heavy drinkers and smokers

Who discovered vitamins?

  1. Casimir Funk
  2. William Harvey
  3. Ronald Fischer
  4. Carl Linnaeus

Casimir Funk

Which vitamin is also a hormone?

  1. Vitamin A
  2. Vitamin D
  3. Vitamin E
  4. Vitamin K

Vitamin D

Which vitamin is also known as ‘Wound healing vitamin”?

  1. Vitamin B1
  2. Vitamin C
  3. Vitamin B9
  4. Vitamin A

Vitamin C.Vitamin C helps in formation of Collagen protein, which in turn helps in healing of wounds

Pernicious Anemia is caused by the deficiency of:

  1. Vitamin B5
  2. Vitamin B12
  3. Vitamin B6
  4. Vitamin C

Vitamin B12

The vitamin present in “Golden Rice” is:

  1. Vitamin A
  2. Vitamin B12
  3. Vitamin B6
  4. Vitamin C

Vitamin A. Golden rice is a variety of rice developed through genetic enginerring

Which of the following is not a vitamin?

  1. Niacin
  2. Thyroxine
  3. Riboflavin
  4. Pyridoxine

Thyroxine is not a vitamin. Niacin =vitamin B5, Riboflavin = Vitamin B2, Pyridoxine = Vitamin B6

Which vitamin is helpful for boosting immunity? It was in great demand during Corvid.

  1. Vitamin A
  2. Vitamin B
  3. Vitamin D
  4. Vitamin C

Vitamin C

These were details about vitamins, vitamin deficiency diseases, their classification and scientific Names. We hope that you will share them with your friends.

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