Discuss the solubility of vitamins

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

There are two types of vitamins: the hydrophilic, water-soluble ones (the B vitamins and vitamin C) and the hydrophobic, fat-soluble ones (vitamins A, D, E, and K).
Solubility is apparent in the food sources of the different vitamins, and it affects their absorption, transport, storage, and excretion by the body. The water-soluble vitamins are found in the watery compartments of foods; the fat-soluble vitamins usually occur together in the fats and oils of foods. On being absorbed, the water-soluble vitamins move directly into the blood. Like fats, the fat-soluble vitamins must first enter the lymph, then the blood. Once in the blood, many of the water-soluble vitamins travel freely, whereas many of the fat-soluble vitamins require transport proteins. On reaching the cells, water-soluble vitamins freely circulate in the water-filled compartments whereas fat-soluble vitamins are held in fatty tissues and the liver until needed. The kidneys, monitoring the blood that flows through them, detect and remove small excesses of water-soluble vitamins; large excesses, however, may overwhelm the system, creating adverse effects. Fat-soluble vitamins tend to remain in fat-storage sites in the body rather than being excreted, and so are more likely to reach toxic levels when consumed in excess.