What are nonessential vitamins?

What are nonessential vitamins?

• A. Byproducts of body processes, e.g., NADH and FADH2.
• B. Vitamins required from the diet.
• C. Minerals that help regulate fluid balance.
• D. Fatty acids used for energy storage.

Answer: (B)

Nonessential vitamins are those the body can make on its own, so they don’t have to come from the diet. For example, vitamin D can be produced in the skin with sun exposure, niacin can be synthesized from tryptophan, and some vitamin K and B vitamins are produced by gut bacteria. Because the body can meet needs through synthesis in many situations, dietary intake isn’t strictly required for everyone. In nutrition, vitamins are usually labeled essential (must be obtained from the diet) or conditionally essential (needed under certain conditions); the term nonessential isn’t commonly used for most vitamins. The choices given don’t capture this concept; they describe other nutrients or examples that don’t define nonessential vitamins.

Nonessential vitamins are those the body can make on its own, so they don’t have to come from the diet. For example, vitamin D can be produced in the skin with sun exposure, niacin can be synthesized from tryptophan, and some vitamin K and B vitamins are produced by gut bacteria. Because the body can meet needs through synthesis in many situations, dietary intake isn’t strictly required for everyone. In nutrition, vitamins are usually labeled essential (must be obtained from the diet) or conditionally essential (needed under certain conditions); the term nonessential isn’t commonly used for most vitamins. The choices given don’t capture this concept; they describe other nutrients or examples that don’t define nonessential vitamins.