Are these substances actually vitamins A, C, and D and what roles do they play in the human body?
Isabella Taylor
2026-03-15
6 min. read
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Vitamins are essential substances for the proper functioning of the body, controlling many processes that occur within our body. The term "vitamin" itself contains the word "vita", which means "life", indicating their crucial role.
The role of retinol and its derivatives in the human body
It was one of the first vitamins discovered by humans. The effects of its deficiency were known in antiquity, which imprinted its importance in human consciousness. Biological activity is exhibited by retinol and its derivatives, β-carotene, and some other compounds of the carotenoid group. The main source of active forms of vitamin A is the intake of provitamin A with food, mainly β-carotene. In animal products, vitamin A occurs in the form of retinol and its derivatives. Rich sources of it are offal, fish, eggs, and cheeses made from milk. Retinol is responsible for the vision process, the perception of light stimuli in the retina, the integrity of cell membranes, the control of the course of differentiation and growth processes of body cells, as well as the support of regenerative abilities. It not only maintains the condition of the skin, hair, and nails but also protectively affects the skin epithelium and mucous membranes. It is actively involved in the synthesis of many proteins and the conversion of lipids and, due to its antioxidant properties, protects against damage caused by free radicals.
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