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Importance of Vitamins
Vitamins, which come in many different types all of which are quite diverse in chemical configuration and function, can be any of several organic substances that are separated into water-soluble and fat-soluble groups. Originally defined as organic compounds obtainable in a normal diet and capable of maintaining life and promoting growth, vitamins are differrent from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in function, as well as in the quantities in which organisms require them. So critical are vitamins to a body’s essential strength and health that if they are absent from the diet or not properly absorbed by an organism, a specific deficiency disease may develop.
The term "vitamin" originated from "vitamine", a word first used in the early 19th century to designate a group of compounds considered vital for life (though the term "accessory food factor" sometimes is used interchangeably to refer to these substances).
A. the symptoms of vitamin A deficiency
B. the results of hypervitaminosis A
C. the results of storing toxic materials in the liver
D. the symptoms of excessive consumption of vitamins