Final Flashcards
What are the different types of macronutrients in the diet?
Carbohydrates - Seen in sugar, flour, fruits, vegetables, dairy products, cellulose, etc. This is a big energy source for humans.
Lipids - Triacylglycerol makes up more than 90% of dietary fat. These provide satiety, add flavor, and aroma to the diet. This is an efficient energy source.
Proteins - Meat
What are the processes of macronutrient digestion and absorption?
Carbohydrates - α-amylase in the saliva and pancreatic juice hydrolyzes starch and glycogen into maltose and maltotriose. There are enzymes in the small intestine as well (Maltase converts maltose/maltotriose -> glucose; Sucrase converts sucrose -> Glucose and fructose; Lactase converts lactose -> glucose and galactose). We need these enzymes because only monosaccharides are absorbed in the body.
- Indigestible carbs may be broken down by bacterial enzymes which result in short-chain fatty acids, resulting in diarrhea, gas, etc.
Lipids - Fats need to be solubilized in order to be digested. This is done by bile acids. Gastric and pancreatic lipases hydrolyze triacylglycerol to fatty acids and monoacylglycerol. Esterases are also used to hydrolyze monoacylglycerol and cholesterol ester.
Proteins - The low pH of gastric juice denatures proteins. Pepsins are also used for the digestion in the stomach. Peptidases on the surface on the intestine digest proteins to produce free amino acids and di- and tripeptides. Intracellular peptidases inside the intestine transport amino acids and hydrolyze the di and tripeptidases. Only free amino acids are released into the blood.
What is the utilization of macronutrients after absorption?
Carbs - Used as a major energy source and is used to generate many metabolic intermediates.
Lipids - Chylomicrons deliver lipid to peripheral tissues. Muscle uses fat as an energy source, then excess fat is stored in adipose tissues.
Proteins - Used as an essential structural component. Also, they make up enzymes, hormones, plasma proteins, antibodies, and more. We are protein based.
How are excess macronutrients converted and stored?
Carbs - Excess carbs are converted to glycogen and triacylglyerol
Lipids - Excess fat is stored in adipose tissues.
Proteins - Excess protein is used as a source of energy. Glucogenic amino acids are converted to glucose and ketogenic amino acids are converted to keto acids and fatty acids. Eventually, it’s converted to triacylglycerol to be stored in adipose tissue.
How can you calculate the calorie contents of food?
Carbohydrates - 4 kcal/g
Lipids - 9kcal/g
Proteins - 4kcal/g
What are the essential macronutrients?
Essential fatty acids: Used to synthesize eicosanoids.
- Omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids: α-Linolenic acid (18:3) in vegetable oils, Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in fish oids.
- Omega-6 (ω-6) fatty acids: Linoleic acid in corn oil, Arachidonic acid in meat and fish.
Essential amino acids:
- Arginine, Histidine, Isoleucine, Leucine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Valine.
- Conditionally essential: Cysteine, Glutamine, Glycine, Proline, Tyrosine
What are the health consequences of having insufficient essential macronutrients?
Not enough essential amino acids: If we don’t get these from the diet, new proteins can’t be made without breaking down other body proteins.
No enough lipids: These are important in regulating BP, blood clotting, and immune functions, so we need these to keep out body processes balanced.
What are human energy reserves?
- We have excess energy stored mostly as fat in adipose tissue.
- Glycogen in the liver is used to maintain blood glucose levels.
- Glycogen in the muscle is used for exercise
What is the regulation of metabolism under well-fed, early fasting, and fasting states?
Well-fed: Insulin is released and is chemoregulating everything. Glycolysis is happening to break down glucose, glycogen is being made from the glucose. Amino acids are being broken down to make other products, fatty acids are being made. No glucose is being made!!
Early fasting: Glucagon is released (not insulin). Glycogen is being broken down to supply the body with glucose. Gluconeogenesis is happening due to the Cori and Alanine cycle. No amino acids are being broken down.
Fasting: Glucagon is released. The liver is working really hard to make glucose. Protein is used as a major carbon and nitrogen source (use Alanine and Glutamine). Lipolysis is happening in adipose tissue so that we are using fat as energy. Ketogenesis is happening because the amount of glucose in the body is not sufficient to supply the brain. We also see hypothyroidism.
What is caloric homeostasis in a human?
Caloric homeostasis is when we have constant availability of fuels in the blood so that our body has whatever resources it needs.
Glucose is heavily regulated. If it falls below 1.5mM, coma and death will happen. If we have too much, it can cause dehydration, hyperglycemic coma, and other complications.
What are examples of malnutrition?
Marasmus - Inadequate intake of both protein and energy, causing a thin wasted appearance. The child will be small for his/her age.
Kwashiorkor - Inadequate intake of protein with adequate energy intake. This happens mainly in children 1-3 years old. They can’t synthesize proteins (inc. digestive enzymes), so they aren’t able to break down carbs. They will have lots of swelling, which makes them deceptively plump.
What do these mean: EAR, RDA, AI, and UL
EAR - Estimated average requirement. This represents the amount of nutrient that satisfies 50% of the population.
RDA - Recommended dietary allowance. This is 2 standard deviations away from the EAR (so it satisfies 98% of the population).
AI - Adequate intake. This is used when scientific evidence isn’t enough to set an EAR, so approximations of average nutrient intake are from a healthy population.
UL - Tolerable upper intake levels. If you pass this amount, there will be toxicity.
What are the fat-soluble vitamins and what are the water-soluble vitamins?
Fat soluble - Vitamin A, D, E, K
Water soluble - Vitamin Bs, C
What are the biochemical roles of the 7 B vitamins + Vitamin C?
- Thiamin (B1): Thiamin pyrophosphate functions as a cofactor in enzymatic catalysis. Thiamin triphosphate functions within the nerve impulse in peripheral nerve membranes.
- Riboflavin (B2): Precursor of cofactors that are used in redox reactions (FAD, FMN).
- Niacin (B3): These are converted to the cofactors NAD and NADP.
- Pyridoxine (B6): Converted to cofactor pyridoxal phosphate that functions in transamination reactions of AA metabolism, synthesis of neurotransmitters, and synthesis of sphingolipids.
- Biotin (B7): Is a cofactor in activation of CO2 in carboxylase enzymes.
- Folic acid (B9): converted to a one-carbon carrier in enzyme reactions. Used in the synthesis of amino acids and nucleotides and is essential for DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation.
- Cobalamin (B12): Required for two reaction in humans.
- Vitamin C: Ascorbic acid. Cofactor for several oxidases and is a reducing agent.
What diseases can result from deficiency of a vitamin?
Vitamin A: Deficiency can result in night blindness.
Vitamin D: Rickets in young children, osteomalacia in adults.
Thiamin (B1): Severe deficiency is called beriberi.
Niacin (B3): Severe deficiency is called pellagra.
Pyridoxine (B6) has mid and severe deficiency symptoms.
Folic acid (B9): Deficiency can result in increased risk of birth defects.
Cobalamin (B12): Causes accumulation of homocysteine and methylmalonic acid, which causes anemia and neurological damage.
Vitamin C: Capillary fragility can result from a mild deficiency. Scurvy may result from a severe deficiency.
Calcium: Osteoporosis
Iron: Anemia
Iodine: Goiter (enlargement of thyroid gland), cretinism (severely stunted physical and mental growth).
Zinc: Poor growth and impairment of sexual development. Also may cause poor wound healing, dermatitis, and impaired immune function.
Copper: Anemia, bone demineralization, blood vessel fragility.
What are the symptoms of vitamin or mineral deficiencies?
Thiamin (B1) deficiency, Beriberi, is characterized by muscular atrophy and weakness.
Riboflavin (B2) deficiency has symptoms including angular cheilitis, glossitis, and scaly dermatitis.
Niacin (B3) deficiency, Pellagra, has characteristics of dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia
Mild Pyridoxine (B6) deficiency has symptoms of irritability, nervousness, and depression. Severe pyridoxine deficiency is seen with peripheral neuropathy and convulsions.
Folic acid deficiency can be seems in patients who are anemic. They can also cause birth defects (neural tube defect).
Capillary fragility (from mild Vit C deficiency) has symptoms of easy bruising and decreased immunocompetence. Scurvy (severe Vit C deficiency) has symptoms of decreased wound healing, osteoporosis, hemorrhaging, and anemia.
Ca2+ deficiency may cause osteoporosis or muscle cramps.
What are common food sources for vitamins and minerals?
Vitamin A: Dark green and yellow vegetables, liver, egg yolk, butter, whole milk.
Vitamin D: Vit D milk, saltwater fish, liver, egg yolk
Vitamin E: Vegetable oils rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids
Vitamin K: Green vegetables, Vit K2 is synthesized by intestinal bacteria.
Riboflavin (B2): Milk, meat, eggs, cereal products.
Niacin (B3): Meats, peanuts, enriched cereals.
Pyridoxine (B6): Meat, vegetables, whole-grain cereals
Biotin (B7): Found in lots of food sources.
Folic acid (B9): Rich in lots of food sources.
Calcium: Dairy products, nuts, beans, seeds, seaweeds.
Iodine: Added to salt. Good natural source is seafood.
What populations are at risk of vitamin deficiency?
- Populations that rely exclusively on polished rice for food or alcoholics are at risk to get beriberi (Thiamin deficiency)
- Chronic alcoholics also are at risk of Riboflavin deficiency.
- Alcoholics, pts with severe malabsorption, and the elderly are on very restricted diets.
- If raw egg white is consumed regularly or is a woman is pregnant the person may be at risk of biotin deficiency.
- Alcoholics are at risk of folic acid deficiencies.
- Patients with severe malabsorption diseases and long term vegetarians are at risk of cobalamin deficiencies.
- Smokers may be at risk of a vit C deficiency.
- Low-income children and adult females are at risk of a calcium deficiency.
- Menstruating females are at risk of an iron deficiency.
What is the pharmacological mechanism of warfarin?
Warfarin inhibits the Vit K epoxide reductase that activates vitamin K. Without the active Vitamin K Hydroquinone, The carboxyglutamate is not made, which is needed for blood clotting.
What are the biochemical roles of the 4 trace minerals?
Iodine: Synthesis of thyroid hormones.
Zinc: Needed for metalloenzymes and zinc finger proteins.
Copper: Needed for many enzymes.
Selenium: Used during translation.
What are the biochemical roles of the 4 fat soluble vitamins?
- Vit A: Retinol, retinal, retinoic acid. Retinol can act as a light sensor. Retinoic acid can function as a steroid hormone that regulates cell growth and differentiation. Carotenoids are effective antioxidants.
- Vit D: Function as steroid hormones that maintain calcium homeostasis. It is produced in the skin from sun exposure.
- Vit E: Tocopherols and tocotrienols. These are antioxidants that protect unsaturated fatty acids. They reduce the risk of CVD by preventing the oxidation of LDLs.
- Vit K: Needed for post-translational modification of glutamic acid residues to carboxyglutamic acid residues, which allow proteins to bind to Ca2+. They are essential for blood clotting and bone mineralization.
What are the biochemical roles of calcium and iron?
- Calcium: Makes bones, is a second messenger, required for enzymes, essential for blood coagulation and muscle contraction.
- Iron: Required for O2 transport, energy metabolism, cell proliferation, immune defense.
What are some important parts of GI anatomy and what is the physiological control of acid secretion in the stomach?
Anatomy:
- Stomach (the acid sterilizes the contents we eat): The lower esophageal sphincter is important. If it’s too lose, the acid will go up into the esophagus. The stomach has a multi layer lining of muscle that facilitates digestion.
- Duodenum: This is where digestion begins. Digestive enzymes start to break down food.
- Jejunum
- Anal canal
Physiological control of GI secretions: First, G-cells produce gastrin. This gastrin travels through the blood stream and bind to ECL cells in the fundus of the stomach. In the ECL cell, histamine is released and it binds to receptors on the intestinal parietal cells (along with some gastrin and ACh). This binding pulls K+ out of the stomach and exchanges it for H+. This is the proton pump that contributes to the acidity of the luminal acid secretion. When the acid reaches a certain point, somatostatin is produced and shuts down gastrin production.
What salts are used as antacids (4), what is their acid neutralizing capacity, and what side effects are associated with them?
Antacids - Ingest a weak base to reduce the acid content of the stomach.
NaHCO3 - High neutralizing capacity, side effects include systemic alkalosis and fluid retention
CaCO3 - Moderate neutralizing capacity, side effects include hypercalcemia, kidney stones, and milk-alkali syndrome; Ex. Tums
Al(OH)3 - High neutralizing capacity, side effects include constipation and hypophosphatemia
Mg(OH)2 - Diarrhea