Vitamins, Amino Acids and Coenzymes

Vitamins are a kind of organic compounds necessary to maintain good health, which play an important role in the growth, metabolism and development of the human body. although the content in the body is too small, it is indispensable. It is neither the raw material that makes up the body tissue, nor does it provide energy for the human body, but a kind of regulator that plays an important role in material metabolism. 

Amino acids are not only one of the many bioactive macromolecules in the construction of biological organisms, but also the basic materials for constructing cells and repairing tissues.

Coenzyme is the general name of organic cofactor, which is a kind of small organic molecules that can transfer chemical groups from one enzyme to another, which is loosely combined with enzymes, which is necessary for the activity of specific enzymes. It is a necessary factor for enzyme-catalyzed redox reaction, group transfer and isomerization reaction, and undertakes the function of transferring electrons or groups in enzyme-catalyzed reactions. 

Vitamins, Amino Acids and Coenzymes Categories

Vitamins can be roughly divided into two categories: fat-soluble and water-soluble, including vitamin A, vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, vitamin H, vitamin P, vitamin PP, vitamin M, vitamin T, vitamin U and water-soluble vitamins.

Amino acids can be divided into essential amino acids, semi-essential amino acids and non-essential amino acids. Essential amino acids mean that the human body cannot make them by itself and need to be provided by food. There are eight kinds of amino acids: lysine, threonine, leucine, valine, methionine, tryptophan and phenylalanine. Non-essential amino acids refer to what the human body can make on its own. 

Among the categories of coenzymes, the most prominent and widely recognized category is Coenzymes Derived from Vitamins. These coenzymes are derived from specific vitamins and are essential for a wide range of enzymatic reactions involved in various metabolic pathways. They include coenzymes like NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide), FAD (Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide), Coenzyme A (CoA), Thiamine Pyrophosphate (TPP), and others.

Function of Vitamins, Amino Acids and Coenzymes

Vitamins exist in food in the form of provitamins, but because vitamins cannot be synthesized in the body or do not synthesize enough, they must be obtained in food. 

Amino acid is one of the most basic substances that make up the human body, and it is the material basis of life metabolism. The digestion and absorption of protein need to be completed through amino acids, and can also maintain nitrogen balance. Into sugar or fat, participate in the composition of enzymes, hormones and some vitamins.

These vitamin-derives coenzymes are involved in crucial processes such as redox reactions, energy metabolism, DNA synthesis, fatty acid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism. They act as co-factors for enzymes, helping them catalyze reactions efficiently.

Because these coenzymes are derived from essential vitamins in the diet, their deficiency can lead to various health problems and diseases. Therefore, maintaining an adequate intake of the vitamins that serve as precursors to these coenzymes is vital for overall health and proper cellular function.