Ch. 85- Vitamins Flashcards
What are vitamins?
Organic compounds required in minute amounts for growth and maintenance of health
Do vitamins serve as a source of energy?
No
What is the role of vitamins in the body?
Essential for energy transformation and regulation of metabolic processes
What must happen to several vitamins before they become active compounds?
They must be converted to active compounds in the body
What are Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs)?
Average daily dietary intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all healthy individuals in a particular life-stage or gender group
What does the tolerable upper intake limit (UL) for a vitamin indicate?
The highest average daily intake that can be consumed without significant risk for adverse effects
What is the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)?
The level of intake that will meet nutrition requirements for 50% of healthy individuals in any life-stage or gender group
List the fat-soluble vitamins.
- Vitamins A
- D
- E
- K
List the water-soluble vitamins.
- Vitamin B complex (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, cyanocobalamin)
- Vitamin C
What are the functions of Vitamin A?
Multiple functions in the eyes
What are the potential toxicities associated with Vitamin A?
- Birth defects
- Liver injury
- Bone-related disorders
What deficiency causes night blindness?
Vitamin A deficiency
What condition can result from Vitamin D deficiency?
Rickets or osteomalacia
What are the therapeutic uses of Vitamin E?
Antioxidant properties
What dietary sources are rich in Vitamin E?
- Fresh greens
- Seeds
- Oils
What is a serious risk of high-dose Vitamin E?
Increased risk for heart failure, cancer progression, & death
What is the primary action of Vitamin K?
Synthesis of prothrombin and other clotting factors
What is a deficiency in Vitamin C known to cause?
Scurvy
What is the role of Niacin (Vitamin B3)?
Involved in numerous enzymatic reactions and used to treat niacin deficiency
What deficiency is characterized by dermatitis, GI disturbances, and CNS symptoms?
Niacin deficiency (Pellagra)
What are the adverse effects of high doses of Niacin?
- Vasodilation with flushing
- Dizziness
- Nausea
What is the primary function of Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)?
Involved in numerous enzymatic reactions
What deficiency does Thiamin (Vitamin B1) cause?
Beriberi
What are the symptoms of Wet Beriberi?
- Fluid accumulation in the legs
- Cardiovascular complications
What serious CNS disorder is caused by Thiamin deficiency due to alcoholism?
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
What is Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6) primarily involved in?
Metabolism of amino acids and proteins
What can cause Pyridoxine deficiency?
Poor diet, isoniazid use, inborn errors of metabolism
What is the difference between food folate and synthetic folate?
Synthetic form is more stable
What is the consequence of Folic Acid deficiency during pregnancy?
Impairment of CNS development and potential neural tube defects
What are the essential factors in the synthesis of DNA?
- Cyanocobalamin (Vitamin B12)
- Folic acid
What can result from deficiency of Cyanocobalamin?
Megaloblastic ‘pernicious’ anemia and neurologic damage
