Vitamin A and carotenoids Flashcards
What are the forms of preformed vitamin A (retinoids)
retinol (alcohol)
oxidized to
retinal (aldehyde)
oxidized to
retinoic acid (carboxylic acid)
retinyl esters (retinol attached to fatty acid, most often palmitate)
What is the basic structure of retinoids
- a beta-ionone ring
- a polyunsaturated side chain (made of isoprenoid units)
- a polar functional group
What is the role of retinyl esters
- the body stores vitamin A in this form
2. it is the form of preformed vitamin A most commonly found in food.
What is the role of 11-cis-retinal?
It is the form required to form rhodopsin in rod cells for night vision
What forms of vitamin A are utilized in gene expression?
all-trans-retinoic acid
9-cis-retinoic acid
What synthetic analogues of vitamin A are available?
all trans retinyl palmitate
all trans retinyl acetate
(these can also be natural forms)
Name the carotenoids with physiological significance in the body?
Beta-carotene Alpha-carotene beta-cryptoxanthin lycopene lutein canthaxanthin zeaxanthin
Which carotenoids can be converted to vitamin A?
Beta-caortene
alpha-carotene
beta-cryptoxanthin
These carotenoids have provitamin A activity. Beta-carotene has the greatest provitamin A activity of these.
Which carotenoids have physiological significance but can not be converted to vitamin A?
lycopene
lutein
zeaxanthin
canthaxanthin
These carotenoids do not have provitamin A activity.
How many total carotenoids are there?
How many have vitamin A activity?
Over 600 carotenoids have been identified.
Only about 10% exhibit vitamin A activity.
What measures are used for vitamin A and what are the conversion rates?
Retinol Activity Units (RAE)
1 RAE = 1 mcg retinol = 3.33 IU
International Units (IU) 1 IU = 0.3 mcg retinol = 0.3 mcg RAE
What are the RAE equivalencies for retinol, beta-carotene, and alpha-carotene?
1 RAE = 1 mcg retinol
1 RAE = 12 mcg beta-carotene
1 RAE = 24 mcg alpha-carotene or beta-cryptoxanthin
What are the IU equivalencies for retinol, beta-carotene, and alpha-carotene?
1 IU = 0.3 mcg retinol
1 IU = 3.6 mcg beta-carotene
1 IU = 7.2 mcg other provitamin A carotenoids
What is the RDA for vitamin A for
Adult men
Adult women
Pregnant women
Lactating women
Adult men 900 RAE (3,000 IU)
Adult women 700 RAE (2,330 IU)
Pregnant women 770 RAE (2,570 IU)
Lactating women 1,300 RAE (4,330 IU)
What is the UL for vitamin A?
3,000 RAE preformed vitamin A (10,000 IU retinol)