Which group of vitamins requires dietary fat for effective absorption and risks toxicity when consumed excessively?
Answer
Fat-Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, and K)
The fat-soluble vitamins, specifically Vitamins A, D, E, and K, possess a characteristic that makes excess intake potentially hazardous. Unlike their water-soluble counterparts, these vitamins require the presence of dietary fat to be properly absorbed by the body. Once absorbed, they are actively sequestered and stored within the body’s fat tissues and in the liver. This accumulation means that consistent, high-dose supplementation can lead to a buildup over time, resulting in a toxic state where the concentration reaches levels that cause harmful side effects, a risk generally not associated with water-soluble vitamins.
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