Vitamin B Flashcards
What are vitamins?
Vitamins are essential, individual, organic molecules
Do not provide energy
Symptoms of deficiency may appear if vitamins are absent or low in diet
Required in small amounts - micronutrient
Water soluble vitamins: B and C, consume every 1-3 day
Fat soluble: A, D, E and K, consume in weeks or months
What are the functions of B-vitamins?
B vitamins are co-enzymes that are important for energy metabolism, assist with the breakdown of our macronutrients
If you have a lack of b-vitamin and their role is energy metabolism this suggests that it could have an effect on many different things within the body (liver, brain, stomach etc.)
Where in the diet can we source B-vitamins?
Quite a lot of b-vitamins are distributed in various foods in small amounts, some foods are particularly good sources of particular vitamins, in the NZ diet we are adequate in all b-vitamins
What is thiamin and what is thiamin deficiency?
Thiamine is a B-vitamin used in energy metabolism and nerve processes
Deficiency of thiamin causes less glucose to be absorbed. When body can’t use glucose properly get an increase of pyruvtae and Acetyl CoA which vasodilates blood vessels causing blood pooling
What is riboflavin and what is riboflavin deficiency?
Riboflavin is a B-vitamin used in energy metabolism
Deficiency causes generalised symptoms: inflamed eyelids, sore throat, cracks and redness at corners of mouth, painful tongue
What is niacin and what is niacin deficiency?
Niacin is a B-vitamin used in energy metabolism and nerve processes
Niacin deficiency is known as pellagra - causes diarrhoea, dermatitis, dementia and death
What is panthothenic acid?
B-vitamin used for energy metabolism (integral part of coenzyme A), needed in RBC synthesis, neuron activity and antibody production
Deficiency and toxicity rare
What is biotin and what is biotin deficiency?
Part of a coenzyme, assists in glycogen synthesis, fat synthesis and amino-acid metabolism
Deficiency and toxicity rare
