Vitamins
 
Vitamins are essential to allow your body to function correctly, and they help with metabolism and growth. They’re derived from plants, although you can synthesise some of the B vitamins and vitamin K yourself. You can also assemble vitamin A using beta carotene found in yellow and dark green vegetables. There are two types of vitamins:

Water soluble vitamins. As these are absorbed via your digestive tract, they can’t remain in your body in large quantities and you need to include them regularly in your diet. There are nine vitamins in this group:

Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) helps to convert carbohydrate into energy.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) converts fat and protein into energy and helps to maintain healthy mucous membranes, nervous system, and skin.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) helps to convert food into energy and is necessary for growth and hormone production.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) is a protein converter (it breaks down into amino acids). It also helps regulate the menstrual cycle and metabolism, and helps to maintain your growth, nervous, and immune systems.
Vitamin B12 is needed to synthesise your red and white blood cells and metabolise your food.
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is required for your immune system and healthy connective tissue, bones, cartilage and teeth.
Biotin and Pantothenic acid are needed to metabolise carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Folic acid (folate) is necessary for blood cell production and a healthy immune system.

Fat soluble vitamins. These need fat to be of any use. They’re important at a cellular level. There are four vitamins in this group:

Vitamin A (Retinol) is necessary for healthy skin, eyes, night vision, urinary tract linings, digestive tract lining, nose linings as well as being an antioxidant.
Vitamin D is needed for calcium and phosphorous metabolism for healthy bones and teeth.
Vitamin E is needed for skin as well as being an antioxidant.
Vitamin K is needed for blood clotting.

Antioxidants are nutrients or enzymes that form the first line of defence against free radicals. Free radicals (unstable atoms or molecules) are fine in normal amounts as they help your immune system to destroy unwanted viruses and bacteria. Problems occur when their number becomes excessive as they can start to damage your body. Free radical activity includes chemical stress (especially as we are now bombarded with a far greater number of toxins and pollutions), physical stress (the more you exercise, the more free radicals you create) and stress. Antioxidants are a defence mechanism against free radicals, mopping them up to render them harmless.

You need a good diet rich in vitamins and minerals to deactivate the effects of free radical damage. Make sure that when you exercise, you eat well so that you recover. Don’t eat burnt food or heat food at a very high temperature for a short period.