© utahpediatriccardiothoracicsurgery.org 2009 This is an archived capture with links to new page.   Go to University of Utah School of Medicine for current page.   Humans require vitamins for normal growth and development.  Skin, bone, and muscle development require vitamins.  If there is serious deficiency in one or more of these nutrients, a child may develop a deficiency disease.   Even minor deficiencies- in both children and adults- may cause permanent damage. Vitamins are obtained from natural foods but fast food diets common for many Americans are high in fat and low in some important vitamins.  A few vitamins come from sources other than food.  Microorganisms in the intestine —  "gut flora" — produce vitamin K and biotin.  Vitamin D is produced in the human skin when exposed to sunlight.  Humans can produce some vitamins from precursors they consume. Examples include vitamin A, produced from beta carotene, and niacin, from the amino acid tryptophan. Many people know that vitamins are important for growth and development in children, but forget that vitamins remain essential nutrients for the healthy maintenance of the cells, tissues, and organs in adult bodies.  Human also need vitamins to make energy from food. B Vitamins   Biotin   Brewer's Yeast   Choline   Folic Acid   Inositol   Vitamin B Complexes   Vitamin B-1 Thiamin   Vitamin B-12   Vitamin B-15 DMG   Vitamin B-2 Riboflavin   Vitamin B-3 Niacin   Vitamin B-5 Pantothenic Acid   Vitamin B-6 Pyridoxine Vitamin A   Beta Carotene Vitamin C   Ascorbyl Palmitate (C Ester)   Bioflavonoids   Buffered Vitamin C   Children's Vitamin C Formulas   Ester-C   Mineral Ascorbates   Vitamin C Combination Formulas   Vitamin C Creams and Lotions   Vitamin C Stress Formulas   Vitamin C with Rose Hips   Zinc and Vitamin C Lozenges Vitamin D Vitamin E   Dry Vitamin E   Full Spectrum Vitamin E   Mixed Tocopherols   Tocotrienols   Vitamin E and Selenium   Vitamin E Combination  Formulas   Vitamin E Creams and Lotions Vitamin K