Skip to main content

How do vitamins work? - Ginnie Trinh Nguyen

6,461,206 Views

35,042 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Vitamins are the building blocks that keep our bodies running; they help build muscle and bone, capture energy, heal wounds and more. But if our body doesn’t create vitamins, how do they get into our system? Ginnie Trinh Nguyen describes what vitamins are, how they get into our bodies -- and why they are so crucial.

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Ginnie Trinh Nguyen
  • Animator Nadav Arbel
  • Artist Assaf Benharroch
  • Script Editor Emma Bryce
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
Avatar for TED Ed
Lesson creator

by TED-Ed

Are vitamin supplements the same as the vitamins we get from ingesting plants and animals? What are the benefits of ingesting all the essential vitamins in the food instead of supplements? What may be the cost associated with this concept?

Comments are closed on this discussion.

Avatar for L F
Lesson in progress

Vitamin supplements are basically the same as natural vitamins, but they are ingested in different ways. It is normally better to ingest all the vitamins through food because the ingredients are healthier, then the man made supplements.


Avatar for Wyatt Loffer
Lesson in progress

The best way to get vitamins would be to eat a balanced diet every day with the food you need to be eating


Avatar for James Sanfilippo
Lesson completed

Best way to get enough vitamins is to eat a well balanced diet every day,


Avatar for John Sauter
Lesson completed

I think the best way to get the vitamins and minerals we need is make sure we have a well balanced diet. That diet should include lots of fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds, and nuts. We should also try to get some sun for vitamin D. If we are careful with our diet there is no need to supliment with pills that may, in the end, be harmful than good.


Avatar for Zefanya Diego F  / XI MIPA 4 / 34
Lesson completed

suplemen vitamin tidak sama dengan vitamin yang kita dapatkan dari menelan tumbuhan dan hewan karena Barang alami selalu memiliki efek yang baik untuk tubuh kita dan terbebas dari pengawet. itu termasuk vitamin alami yang kita dapatkan dari tumbuhan dan hewan. bukan karena vitamin dalam suplemen itu buruk. seseorang memilih suplemen daripada yang kita dapatkan dari menelan tumbuhan dan hewan karena mereka tidak memiliki waktu luang untuk benar-benar membeli sayuran ,buah,dll untuk memenuhi nutrisi vitamin yang dibutuhkan tubuh. Kesimpulannya, apakah itu vitamin itu berasal dari hewani, tumbuh-tumbuhan, atau suplemen, vitamin itu baik untuk tubuh kita. hanya saja kita harus memenuhi vitamin dengan jumlah yang cukup dan tidak terlalu berlebihan


Avatar for Fahreza Muhammad Desnata
Lesson completed

I think, Vitamins from animals and plants are almost similar to vitamin supplements, vitamins from animals and plants are more and guaranteed than supplements and the way of consumption is different. It is better to ingest all vitamins through food because the body sometimes disagrees with supplements and the body has more detrimental side effects than if taken through food. for the cost of various supplements, some are cheap and some are even very expensive, but it is better if you eat the original vegetables and fruits.


Avatar for Audrey Wibowo
Lesson completed

Vitamins from animals and plants are the same as vitamin supplements, only we can take them in different ways. It is better to ingest all vitamins through food because the body may sometimes disagree with supplements and the body has more adverse side effects than they would have if they were received through food. The expense may be that a person chooses a supplement rather than taking the time to actually buy vegetables, etc. that actually supply the nutrients the body needs.


Avatar for FINNA FADILA
Lesson completed

I think that taking vitamins from food rather than supplements is much better because the ingredients in them are not completely guaranteed. On the plus side as we may currently have trouble finding fruits and vegetables or they rot before we can use them, so having a supplement could be an alternative. for the cost of various supplements, some are cheap and some are even very expensive, but it is better if you eat the original vegetables and fruits.


Avatar for Kartika Nurhayati
Lesson completed

No. Those vitamins that we get from ingesting plants and animals are different from the supplements. The supplements are mostly synthetic while the natural vitamins are animal or plants based. But I personally think that both of them bring us to a better health.


Avatar for shallom caesary xi mipa 4 (29)
Lesson completed

natural goods is always have a good effect for our body. that includes natural vitamins we get from the plants and animals. it is not that vitamins in the supplements are bad. but so far, nature has a big role in our healthy life. so i personally think that vitamins from food is better because they're natural. but supplement can be needed by some people that have a condition. in conclution, whether it came from animal, plants, or supplement, vitamins are good. it's just how we ingest vitamins into our body, we need the enough amount. not less, but not to many.

Loading...

More from Getting Under Our Skin