Vitamin amino acids. Most vitamins are not single molecules, but groups of related molecules called vitamers. For example, vitamin E consists of four tocopherols and four tocotrienols. The thirteen vitamins required by human metabolism are: vitamin A (retinols and carotenoids), vitamin B (thiamine), vitamin B (riboflavin), vitamin B (niacin), vitamin B (pantothenic acid), vitamin B (pyridoxine), vitamin B (biotin), vitamin B (folic acid or folate), vitamin B (cobalamins), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), vitamin D (calciferols), vitamin E (tocopherols and tocotrienols), and vitamin K (quinones). Vitamins have diverse biochemical functions. Some forms of vitamin A function as regulators of cell and tissue
Vitamin E is an observed inverse correlation seen with dietary vitamin E, but no confirming evidence from placebo-controlled clinical trials. A meta-analysis published in 2005 concluded that diets higher in vitamin E content lowered risk of developing Parkinson's disease. From what appears to be the only clinical trial of tocopherol supplementation in people with early Parkinson's disease, 2000 IU/day for 14 months had no effect on rate of disease progression. Antioxidant vitamins as dietary supplements have been proposed as having benefits if consumed during pregnancy. For the combination of vitamin E with vitamin C supplemented to pregnant women, a Cochrane review concluded