Micronutrients Flashcards
Requirements of normal erythopoiesis
Iron
Folate
B12
Low B12 symptoms
Tingling in extremities
Concentrations problems
Macrocytosis
Reasons for low B12
Diet
Malabsorption
Abnormal acid, IF, pancreatic secretions and ileal absorptive function
Pernicious anaemia
Autoimmune disorder where individual develops antibodies against intrinsic factor and/or parietal cells causing decreased IF. Not enough to bind B12 so it can’t be absorbed in the terminal ileum.
B12 malabsorption due to small intestinal issues
B12 binds IF normally but abnormal terminal ileum i.e. through surgical removal or Crohns inflammation means it is not absorbed in the small intestine
Pernicious anaemia diagnosis
Antibodies to parietal cells of IF detected in blood test
Gastric biopsies can provide evidence of autoimmune gastritis, low acid output or other autoimmune diseases
Pernicious anaemia treatment
High doses of B12 required every week for 4-6 months then every 3 months
Response to treatment must be monitored to ensure B12 levels are high, haemoglobin and reticulocytes are responding and neurological symptoms have abated
Loss of specialised receptors on terminal ileum leads to:
Failure to absorb B12
Failure to reabsorb bile salts
Bile salts lost through colon causing irritation and secretory diarrhoea. Decreased bile salts means less fat emulsification and impaired fat absorption.
Mechanism by which partial gastrectomy can lead to low B12
No antrum = no G cells = no gastrin
No gastrin = less gastric acid, less B12 released from food
No pylorus = bile reflux = stomach atrophy
Atrophy = decreased parietal cells = decreased IF therefore less B12 absoprtion
Low B12 in celiac disease
Loss of small intestine villi therefore loss of endocrine cells that secrete secretin and CCK involved in pancreatic stimulation
Schilling test
Radioisotope test used to determine if patient has lack of IF
Rarely used now - time consuming, involves radioisotopes and results can be difficult to interpret
B12 is also known as:
Cobalamin
Steps of vitamin B12 absorption
1) B12 in food released during peptic digestion
2) Parietal cells secrete haptocorrin
3) Parietal cells secrete IF which binds released B12
4) B12-IF uptaken by brush border receptors in small intestine
5) B12-IF cleaved. IF taken back into enterocyte. 80% B12 binds haptocorrin, 20% B12 binds holotranscobalamin
6) B12-haptocorrin goes to liver, B12-holotranscobalamin taken up by all cells for DNA synthesis
7) Pancreatic proteases degrade B12-haptocorrin (currently stored in liver)
Megaloblastic anaemia
Slightly larger and irregularly shaped blood cells than normal
Water soluble vitamins
Vitamin C
All the Bs
Folic acid
Biotin
Fat soluble vitamins
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Absorption of water soluble vitamins
Partly digested by mucosal hydrolyses
Absorbed into mucosal cell and transported to hepatic portal vein
Stored in liver
Absorption of fat soluble vitamins
Form minor components of micelles
Uptake into mucosal cells
Export into lymphatics and then plasma as chylomicrons
Stored in body lipids
Factors affecting bioavaliability
Efficiency of digestion Nutrient intake Foods consumed simultaneously Food preparation method Synthetic or natural nutrient
Vitamin B1
Thiamin
Metabolism of energy yielding
Vitamin B2
Riboflavin
Intermediates via redox reactions