lecture 26 - vitamins & minerals Flashcards
Are vitamins organic or inorganic substances?
Organic substances - made by plants and animals
Are minerals organic or inorganic substances?
Inorganic elements that come from soil and water
Are vitamins chemically related?
No
Are vitamins essential or non-essential nutrients?
Essential
What are the 2 classes of vitamin?
Water-soluble and fat-soluble
Where are water-soluble vitamins absorbed into?
Portal blood in the Gi tract that goes to the liver
How are excess water soluble vitamins dealt with?
Excreted in the urine when plasma levels exceed renal thresholds - thus not stored in large quantities in body tissues
How are excess fat soluble vitamins dealt with?
Stored in greater quantities in body tissues - mainly liver, adipose and cell membranes
What proportion of body weight is made up of minerals?
4%
What are the 2 classes of mineral?
Major and minor/trace minerals
What are key examples of major/macro minerals?
Calcium, sodium, chlorine, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium
What are key examples of trace/minor minerals?
Iron, copper, zinc, iodine, manganese
What is the threshold of daily intake that differentiates major and minor minerals?
Major = >100mg/day, Minor = <100mg/day
What are many coenzymes derived from?
Vitamins
What mineral is used in DNA polymerase for stabilisation?
DNA Pol uses positive charge of Mg2+ ion as a co-factor to stabilise the negative charge.
