Fat Soluble Vitamins

A–Retinol	Liver, Carrot, Apricot,Dark green leafy vegetables, Pumpkin, Broccoli, Mango, Papaya	Night blindness Keratinization Xeropthalmia Faulty bone growth Decreased resistance to infection
D–Cholecalciferol	Fish liver oil, Cod liver oil, Sunlight –UV rays penetrate in skin & convert precursor of vitamin D present under the skin, into cholecalciferol	Rickets, Osteomalecia (de–calcification of bones) Tender & painful bones in adults
E–Tocopherol	Vegetable oils, Wheat germs, Nuts, Whole grain, Margarine	Mainly noticed in premature or S.G.A. infants
K–Menadione	Green leafy vegetables, Cauliflower, Tomato, Soybeans, Wheat bran, Egg yolk, organ meat	Disturbance in blood clotting mechanisms.

Excess of vitamins can have ill effects. E.g. Excess of vitamin C may interfere with other drugs or cause G.I Tract disturbances, kidney stones or bladder irritation, excess of vitamin A is highly toxic. It accumulates in liver causing enlargement, vomiting, skin rashes, hair loss and joint pains. Excess vitamin E may lead to headache or dizziness, blurred vision or thrombophlebitis and that of vitamin D may cause kidney damage.

Need for Vitamin Supplements
Some people are of the view that taking vitamin supplements are a waste of money and could in fact, be harmful to your health! While many of us do get the minimum recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of vitamins deemed necessary by dieticians and nutritionists, the fact remains that deaths do occur due to diet–related illnesses. Since the incidence of certain types of cancer and heart disease are considered to be closely linked to diet (and nutrient intake), clearly, something is going wrong with the diets and lifestyles of many of us.

Balanced diet
Vitamin supplements do not replace a healthy diet. You are what you eat. If you live on junk food and expect a multivitamin to protect you from diet–related diseases, then you are going to be in for a surprise. However, if you ask different people what constitutes a healthy, balanced diet, you will get different answers. Nutrition is a new science and vitamins were only discovered last century. Moreover, recommendations for maintenance of health through diet change constantly. It is no surprise to see a lot of people confused.