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Nat Nutrition 1 - Lectures > 05 Vitamins > Flashcards

05 Vitamins Flashcards

1
Q

What is the meaning of the word Vitamin?

What is the name given to the different forms of a vitamin?

A

Vita-life
Amine-contains nitrogen (although it was later discovered that not all vitamins contain nitrogen.
Vitamers

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2
Q 
What are the names given to the following vitamins?
A
B1
B2
B3
B5
B6
B7
B9
B12
C
D
E
K1
A 
A - Retinol
B1 - Thiamine
B2 - Riboflavin
B3 - Niacin
B5 - Pantothenic Acid
B6 - Pyridoxine
B7 - Biotin
B9 - Folate (Folic Acid)
B12 - Cobalamins
C - Ascorbic Acid
D - Calciferol
E - Tocopherol
K1 - Phylloquinone
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3
Q

What are vitamins?
Can they be made by the body?
Can they be converted into energy?

A

Organic compounds required by the body in small amounts for normal metabolic function.
Cannot be made by the body.
Cannot be converted into energy, but some are essential to the processing of energy.

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4
Q

Which B vitamin is crucial in Krebs Cycle?

A

Vit B5 - needed for synthesis of CoA.

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5
Q

Which water soluble and which fat soluble vitamins are essential for the body?

A

Water: B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12 and C
Fat: A, D, E, K

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6
Q

What are 3 initial stages of vitamin insufficiency?

What are 2 end stage manifestations of vitamin insufficiency?

A

Reduction of nutrient stores - no symptoms.
Reduction in enzyme activity - low vitamin coenzymes.
Physiological impairment - behavioural defects.

Deficiency Syndromes
Terminal Tissue Pathology

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7
Q

What are the 3 types of animal preformed vitamin A?
What types of pro/pre vitamin A found in plants and what can they be metabolised into?
What are the most important vitamin A sources?

A

Retinol, retinal (retinaldehyde), retinoic acid.
Carotenes (carotenoids). Can be be metabolised into the above animal source versions.
Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Carotenes, Cryptoxanthin.

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8
Q

What bodily functions are retinol, retinal and retinoic acid for?

A

Retinol - health of the retina
Retinal - vision and reproduction
Retinoic acid - growth and differentiation of epithelial cells

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9
Q

What does R.E.D.I.S mean when remembering the functions of vitamin A?

A 
R - Reproduction
E - Eyes
D - Differentiation of Cells
I - Immune Dysfunction in the Gut
S - Systemic Immune Disorder
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10
Q

What are carotenoids, what actions do they have and what needs to be present for them to be metabolised?

A

Precursors to vitamin A and have antioxidant properties.

3-5g of fat needs to be present for metabolism - do not need higher amounts of fat than this.

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11
Q

Vit A functions?

A

Eye health
Reproduction
Growth

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12
Q

Vit A sources?

A

Liver
Orange veg/fruit (carrots, squash, mango)
Green leafy veg

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13
Q

What can result in taking high doses of vitamin A?

How can vitamin A and Warfarin interact?

A

High doses can cause hepatotoxicity and liver disease.

Taking them together esp high dose vit A can increase bleeding and haemorrhage.

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14
Q

Vit A Spec’ Thera’?

A

High carotenoids – lower cancer
Night blindness
Skin disorders (ACNE)

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15
Q

Vit A insuff/def?
Vit A Drug reactions?
Vit A Toxicity cause?

A

Eye/vision problems
Infertility
Inflammation

Warfarin
Hepatotoxic drugs
Antibiotics

Liver damage
Bone damage
Birth defects

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16
Q

What are the 2 types of vit D?

How is vit D synthesised from the sun in the skin?

A

D2 - ergocalciferol
D3 - cholecalciderol
Humans have provitamin D (7-dehydrocholesterol) in the epidermis. Uv exposure starts a chain of events resulting in creation of vitamin D3.

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17
Q

Vit D functions?

Vit D Sources?

A

Calcium homeostasis
Regulate inflammation
Regulates immune system

Sunlight
Oily fish

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18
Q

What does adequate vit D intake prevent?

With regard to gut health, what is vit D good for?

A

Rickets and osteomalacia.
Reduces risks of falls.
VDR (Vit D Receptors) help control mucosal inflammation. D has a role in commensal gut bacteria colonisation.
VDR inhibits colitis by protecting mucosal barrier, stabilises tight junctions.

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19
Q

How can D help with menopausal women and breast fed infants?

A

Some research shows taking D with calcium may decrease post meno’ bones loss and D supps increase bone mineral density in breast fed infants.

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20
Q

What do epidemiological studies show about D and cancer and MS?

A

People who have higher blood D levels from foods, supps and sun exposure have reduced risk of cancer.
D decreases MS risk in women by up to 40% and higher blood D levels show significant reduction of developing MS.

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21
Q

What are D deficiency SS?

A 
Mouth burning
Osteoporosis
Rickets/Osteomalacia
Bone/teeth softening
Cardiovascular disease
Gut inflammation
Type 2 diabetes
22
Q

What are the 8 forms of vit E and which one is only used by the body?

A

Alpha, beta, delta, gamma of both tocopherol and tocotrienol.
Alpha tocopherol is only one recognised by body.

23
Q

Name some E functions.

A

Antioxident
Cell Signalling
Inhibits blood clotting

24
Q

What 4 therapeutics has E been shown to help prevent and relieve?

A

Male infertility
Dysmenorrhea/PMS
Dementia

25
Q

What has dietary (not supplemental) E been found to reduce the risk of?

A

Asthma.
Prostate Cancer.
Cardiovascular Disease.
Metastatic Gastric Cancer.

26
Q

What are some drug interactions with E?

A

Anticoagulants or anti-platelet agents - risk of bleeding as E inhibits platelet aggregation.
Chemotherapy - can reduce effectiveness, but other theories state it could help. Read most up to date info.

27
Q

What are the 3 types of K?

What are K2 designated as, which are most researched and where how are they synthesised?

A

K1 - Phylloquinone from foods.
K2 - Menaquinone from bacteria in fermented foods.
K3 - Synthetic form metabolised to K1.

K2 designated as MK-4 to MK-13

MK-4, 7 and 9 are most researched and a re synthesised by gut bacteria.

28
Q

What is K’s main role

A

CLOTTING.
Formation of clotting factors II, VII, IX, X.
Coenzyme needed for protein synthesis involved in haemostasis,
haemorrhagic disorders like easy bruising, GIT bleeding, haemoatomas, haematuria, nose bleeds,
plus bone metabolism and abnormalities, joint hypermobility,
Cognitive impairment.

29
Q

Why are babies given a shot of K?

A

Babies are born naturally with low levels of K and higher risk of bleeding diseases - especially babies who are not given colostrum.

30
Q

Within the methylation cycle, which B vits are needed in the following phases?
Folate Cycle, Methionine Cycle, Transsulfration Pathway, Neurotransmitter Pathway.
Which are used in the Histamine degradation?

A 
FC - Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine.
MC - Cobalamine.
TP - Pyridoxine.
NP - Riboflavin
HD - Riboflavin, Niacin, Pyridoxine.
31
Q

What B vits and antioxidants are mostly involved in detoxification?

A

Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic Acid, Pyridoxine plus Vits A and E.

32
Q

Functions of B1?

A

Growth
Energy metabolism
Acetyl CoA creation

33
Q

B1 deficiency syndromes?

A 
Beriberi
Peripheral Neuritis (nerve inflammation)
34
Q

Symptoms of Thiamin deficiency.

A

Beriberi
Cataracts
Alzheimer’s
Depression

35
Q

B2 functions?

What 2 major co-enzymes is it a co-factor of (Flavin)?

A

Energy production
Cellular function, growth, development
Metabolism of fat, drugs and steroids.

Flavin Mononucleotide (FMN)
Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD).
36
Q

What amino acid is converted into Niacin B3 and what is needed to do this?
Normal levels of what amino acid is facilitated by B2?

A

Tryptophan… FAD is needed.

Homocysteine.

37
Q

What impairs absorption of B2?

What substances could bind B2?

A

Alcohol, psyllium gum, antacids.

Copper, zinc, caffeine, saccharin, B3 and C.

38
Q

B2 has been used to reduce migraine frequency, what is the supplemental dose?

A

400mg pd.

39
Q

B2 insufficiency symptoms?

A

Lesions on mouth corners.
Painful, red, dry atrophic tongue.
Scaly dermatitis esp round mouth, nose, eyes, ears.
Conjunctivitis.

40
Q

What are the two forms of niacin B3 and which is converted to which in the small intestine??
What coenzymes is niacin the precursor to and what is their function in ATP production?

A

Nicotinic acid and nicotinamide. Nicotinic acid is converted into nicotinamide for absorption.
Coenzymes Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD) and NAD Phosphate (NADP) which are electron carriers in ATP production.

41
Q

How much tryptophan makes 1mg of niacin?

A

60mg.

42
Q

What reactions is B3 involved in and what does it facilitate the transfer of in these processes?
Coenzymes NAD and NADP are used in how many reactions?

A

Redox reactions - facilitate transfer of electrons.

400 reactions.

43
Q

What is B3 niacin useful in the reduction of and reduces levels of what?

A

Reduction of free fatty acids and reduces triglyceride levels.
Essential cofactor for methylation and detoxification.
Function and repair or skin, nervous system, Gut and cellular function.

44
Q

What can B3 be synthesised/made from?

A

Synthesised from tryptophan with B6.

45
Q

What can niacin B3 deficiency/insufficiency cause?

What is it helpful in lowering?

A

Pellagra - diarrhoea, dermatitis and dementia then death.

Lowers hyperlipidaemia lowering LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and raising HDL.

Cataracts reduced risk.

46
Q

What is a B3 flush?

A

Taking too much causes vasodilation of the capillaries in the skin.

47
Q

Functions of B5 pantothenic acid?

A

Acetylcholine synthesis
Haem synthesis
Krebs Cycle
Amino Acid Synth

48
Q

Therapeutics of B5 pantothenic acid?

A

Rheumatoid arthritis
Adrenal dysfunction (fatigue)
Elevated triglycerides

49
Q

How many vitamer compounds make up B6 and what are they?

A 
6
Pyridoxine - an alcohol
Pyridoxal - an aldehyde
Pyridoxamine - amino acid
Pyridoxal 5' phosphate (PLP) - sold as P5P in supps
Pyridoxamine 5' phosphate (PMP)
4-Pyridoxic acid
50
Q

Functions of B6?
What can B6 not be utilised without?
What mineral is dependent on B6 as a cofactor?

A

Hundreds of enzyme functions.
Metabolism of fats and carbs.
Interleukin-2, lymphocyte and haemoglobin production.

Cannot be utilised without B2, therefore best to use B-complex supps rather than single B supps.

51
Q

Deficiency/insufficiency of B6?

A

Dermitis.
Glossitis.
Confusion.
Depression.

52
Q

Who does B6 help and who is low in B6?

A 
Expectant mothers - helps with morning sickness.
PMS symptoms (with calcium).

Alcoholics tend to be low.
Crohn’s, Ulc Col, Coeliac due to malabsorption.

Nat Nutrition 1 - Lectures (10 decks)

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