Vitamins serve as cofactors or coenzymes that are essential for many enzymatic reactions in the body. Most B vitamins act as coenzymes by facilitating the transfer of atoms or groups between molecules during metabolism. Coenzymes work with enzymes to carry out the enzymes' activity, often by transporting chemical groups from one reactant to another. Vitamins are organic molecules that the body needs but cannot synthesize in adequate amounts, so they must be obtained through the diet.