Vitamins Flashcards
What is vitamin A
What are the three active forms that occur in the body
Where is it stored and in what form is it stored?
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin which is a very essential
nutrient for humans. It is a group of organic compounds that
includes retinol, retinal (also known as retinaldehyde),
retinoic acid, and several provitamin A carotenoids.
Three active forms occur in the body •Retinol •Retinal •Retinoic acid Collectively called RETINOIDS
It is stored in the liver in the form retinopalmitate
Name five sources of vitamin A
Name some functions and deficiencies of vitamin A
Meat Cheese Eggs Carrot Sweet potato Fish Broccoli
Functions of in the body
- Vision (night, day, colour): Retinal is a necessary structural component of rhodopsin, the light sensitive pigment within rod and cone cells of the retina.If inadequate quantities of vitamin A are present, vision is impaired.
- Epithelial cell integrity against infections
- Immune response: Deficiency leads to decreased resistance to infections
- Haematopoiesis
- Skeletal growth
- Fertility (male and female)
- Embryogenesis: Important for embryo development, gene expression
- Growth and Differentiation of Cells: Retinoic acid is necessary for cellular differentiation
Vitamin a Deficiency
•Night blindness
•Blindness (Xerophthalmia)
•keratomalacia: Deficiency can lead to keratinization of epidermis
•Epithelial cells cannot secrete mucus and unable to function properly, promoting infection.
•Bone Defects
•Birth deffects
What is vitamin D
What is the animal version of vitamin D called and what’s the plant version of vitamin D called
State some sources of vitamin D
Vitamin D is also known as calciferol •It is a fat soluble vitamin •It is not an essential nutrient •It is formed by the body from cholesterol precursors and the sunlight •vitamin D is actually a hormone
The animal version is vitamin D3 or cholecalciferol
whilst the plant version is vitamin D2 or
ergocalciferol
Sunlight ; Dark-skinned people require longer sunlight exposure than light-skinned people •Animal livers •infant formula •Margarine •Butter •Juices •Cereals •chocolate mixes; •egg yolks •UV activated mashroom Raw milk Sardine Eggs Salmon Mackerel
State the functions and deficiencies of vitamin D
Functions in the body
•Act as a hormone which stimulate the production of minerals for bone development
•vitamin D may protect against tuberculosis, gum inflammation, multiple sclerosis, and some cancers.
•Helps in fontanelles closure in infants
•Increases the levels of calcium and phosphate in the blood through increased git absorption and kidney reabsorption
Vitamin D deficiency
•Rickets occurs in children
•Osteomalacia in adults
•Osteoporosis
•Increases risk of developing respiratory diseases such as covid/autoimmune diseases.
•Increases risk of developing depressions
Bowed legs,rickets
What is vitamin C
State the sources
also known as “Ascorbic acid”
• is a water soluble vitamin that is an essential nutrient, an antioxidant and a cofactor in many reactions.
•Deficiency in Vitamin C and an excess of Vitamin C causes many problems for the body.
• The adrenal gland contains more Vitamin C than any other organ in the body and is responsible for the release of Vitamin C together with hormones into the blood.
Sources: Citrus fruits such as orange Guava Papaya Strawberry
What are the functions and deficiencies in vitamin C
Serves as a cofactor in collagen formation. This promote wound
healing
•Act as an Antioxidant. Research supports that vitamin C
promotes a better skin aging and reduces wrinkles and keeps the
skin dry .
•It helps prevent common cold ; vitamin C is not a cure, but
some studies show that it may help prevent more serious
complications.
•It helps in synthesis of some hormones
•vitamin C has been found to improve the immune system
function
VITAMIN C DEFICIENCY
•Deficiency of Vitamin C makes the skin look unhealthy and wounds fail to heal
- Deficiency of Vitamin C causes scurvy or bleeding gum.
- Poor wound healing
What is vitamin K
Vitamin K included two natural vitamins name them
What synthesizes vitamin K for the body to absorb it?
When is vitamin K given in newborns
Why?
State four sources of vitamin K
Vitamin K refers to structurally similar, fat-soluble vitamins found in foods and marketed as dietary supplements.
Vitamin K includes two natural vitamins:
a) vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) b) vitamin K2 (menaquinone)
Gut bacteria synthesizes vitamin K, which the body can absorb
Vitamin k in newborns
•Immediately after birth, neonates are given vitamin k shot
REASON
This is because neonates lack gut bacteria that are
Responsible for synthesizing vitamin K
FUNCTION
•This is to prevent hemorrhage if an artery or vessel get broken during delivery in neonates
NB: this doesn’t mean vitamin K sufficiency cures
haemophilia
Cabbage Avocado Cucumber Broccoli Limes Green pear Green apples Green beans
What are the functions and deficiencies of Vitamin k
Vitamin K-2 may lower the risk of cardiovascular damage and improve overall heart health.
- Vitamin K-2 has antioxidant properties that may help protect against cancer. In addition, findings suggest that K-2 may suppress genetic processes that lead to tumours growth
- Vitamin K plays a key role in helping the blood clot, preventing excessive bleeding by promoting prothrombin formation
- Vitamin K prevents bone diseases such as osteoporosis
Deficiency:
Excessive bleeding. Keep in mind that bleeding may happen in areas other than at a cut or wound site. The bleeding may also be apparent if someone:
A) bruises easily
B) gets small blood clots underneath their nails
C) bleeds in mucous membranes that line areas inside the body
D) produces stool that looks dark black (almost like tar) and contains some blood .
•Lack of vitamin K also causes poor bone development
•Increases the risk of a person getting a heart disease
•Osteoporosis
What is Vitamin E
Which tocopherol is the only one with vitamin E activity in the body
State five sources
Vitamin E is the collective term given to a group of 8 fat-soluble compounds that include four tocopherols and four tocotrienols.
- tocopherol, which means “to bring forth offspring.”
- When chemists isolated four different tocopherol compounds, they designated them by the first four letters of the Greek alphabet: alpha, beta, gamma, and delta.
- Alpha-tocopherol is the only one with vitamin E activity in the human body.
- The other tocopherols are not readily converted to alpha tocopherol in the body, nor do they perform the same role
Peanut Sweet potato Spinach Almond Avocado Sunflower seeds Palm oil Olive oil
State the functions and deficiencies of Vitamin E
Functions in the body
•Helps maintain a joint body tissue
- Helps in the formation of clot and prevents one from bleeding by forming clots
- It also acts as an antioxidant
- It strengthens the body’s defence against infections
Vitamin E deficiency is rare in humans, occurring as a
consequence of abnormalities in dietary fat absorption or
metabolism rather than from a diet low in vitamin E.
- peripheral neuropathy; weakness, numbness, difficult in walking , loss of sense of balance, tremors
- myopathies; an absence of deep tendon reflexes, the loss of both vibratory sensations and positive Babinski reflexes.
- retinopathy; vision problems
- impairment of immune responses
- Anaemia; destruction of red cells
If untreated, vitamin E deficiency may result in blindness,
heart disease, permanent nerve damage and impaired
thinking
Despite supplement advertisements that claim otherwise, the vitamins do not provide the body with fuel for energy. It is true, though, that without B vitamins the body would lack energy.
True or false
Why is it that without vitamin B the body will lack energy?
Why do symptoms of Vitmain B deficiencies directly reflect the disturbances metabolism incurred by a lack of coenzymes.
●The energy-yielding nutrients; carbohydrate, fat, and protein, are used for fuel and the B vitamins help the body to use that fuel.
●Several of the B vitamins; thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and biotin—form part of the coenzymes that assist certain enzymes in the release of energy from carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Other B vitamins play other indispensable roles in metabolism
The vitamin portion of a coenzyme allows a chemical reaction to occur; the remaining portion of the coenzyme binds to the enzyme. Without its coenzyme, an enzyme cannot function. Thus symptoms of B vitamin deficiencies directly reflect the disturbances of metabolism incurred by a lack of coenzymes.
What is vitamin B1?
What’s the RDA for vitamin B1 for men and women and the average intake for men and women
State four plant sources and three animal sources of B1
Vitamin B1 is also known as Thiamin. It is a water soluble vitamin. Thiamin is the vitamin part of the coenzyme TPP (thiamin pyrophosphate), which assists in energy metabolism. The TPP coenzyme participates in the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl CoA . The reaction removes one carbon from the 3-carbon pyruvate to make the 2-carbon acetyl CoA and carbon dioxide (CO2). Later, TPP participates in a similar step in the TCA cycle where it helps convert a 5-carbon compound to a 4-carbon compound.
•RDA: 1.2mg/day for men and 1.1mg/day for women.
•Average intake is 2mg/day for men and 1.2mg/day for women.
PLANT SOURCES •Beans, lentils. •Soya milk •Whole grain •Fortified or enriched grain products •Green peas. •Enriched cereals, breads, noodles, rice. •Sunflower seeds.
ANIMAL SOURCE
•Chicken breast
•Fish and meat
•Pork
What can destroy vitamin B 1? What cooking methods can preserve it
State five functions of vitamin B1 and four deficiencies
What is beriberi,what are the symptoms of beriberi and beriberi may be characterized as what?
Severe thiamin deficiency in alcohol abusers is called what?
Prolonged cooking can destroy thiamin. Also, like other water-soluble vitamins, thiamin leaches into water when foods are boiled or blanched. Cooking methods that require little or no water such as steaming and microwave heating conserve thiamin and other water-soluble vitamins.
Part of coenzyme TPP (thiamin pyrophosphate) used in energy metabolism
•Occupies a special site on the membranes of nerve cells
•It is essential for the brain and nervous system
•Processes in nerves and in their responding tissues, the muscles, depend heavily on thiamin.
•Plays a role in muscle contraction and conduction of nervous signals
BERIBERI
●Prolonged thiamin deficiency can result in beriberi. It is a condition that features problems with the peripheral nerves and wasting,
●Beriberi may be characterized as “wet” (referring to edema) or “dry” (with muscle wasting, but no edema
The symptoms of beriberi include damage to the nervous system as well as to the heart and other muscles.
●Symptoms include; enlarged heart, cardiac failure; muscular weakness, apathy, short-term memory loss, confusion, irritability, anorexia, weight loss
➢ Severe thiamin deficiency in alcohol abusers is called the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Symptoms include disorientation, loss of short-term memory, jerky eye movements, and staggering gait.
What is Vitamin B2
What’s the RDA and AI for both men and women
State some sources of vitamin B2
When riboflavin sources are ranked by nutrient density (per kcalorie), many dark green, leafy vegetables (such as broccoli, turnip greens, asparagus, and spinach) appear high on the list
●others who don’t use milk must rely on ample servings of dark greens and enriched grains for riboflavin. Nutritional yeast is another good source true or false
What destroys vitamin B2
Vitamin B2 is also known as Riboflavin.
•Like thiamin, riboflavin serves as a coenzyme in many reactions, most notably in the release of energy from nutrients in all body cells.
• The coenzyme forms of riboflavin are FMN (flavin mononucleotide) and FAD (flavin adenine dinucleotide)
•During energy metabolism, FAD picks up two hydrogens (with their electrons) from the TCA cycle and delivers them to the electron transport chain
•RDA: 1.3mg/day in men and 1.1mg/day in women. Average intake is 2.1mg/day in men and 1.5mg/day in women.
The greatest contributions of riboflavin come from milk and milk products (yoghurt, cheese) .
• Whole-grain or enriched bread and cereal products are also valuable sources.
•Fish, meat, and poultry, such as turkey, chicken, beef, kidneys, and liver
•Eggs
•Dairy products
NOTE : Ultraviolet light and irradiation destroy riboflavin. For these reasons, milk is sold in cardboard or opaque plastic containers, and precautions are taken when vitamin D is added to milk by irradiation. In contrast, riboflavin is stable to heat, so cooking does not destroy it.
State six functions of vitamin B2 and deficiencies
- Serves as a coenzyme which is used for energy metabolism
- It is essential for iron metabolism
- Riboflavin helps convert carbohydrates into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The human body produces ATP from food, and ATP produces energy as the body requires it. The compound ATP is vital for storing energy in muscles
- Other studies have found that in children with autism, supplements of vitamins B2, B6, and magnesium appear to reduce the levels of abnormal organic acids in the urine.
- Maintaining the mucous membranes in the digestive system
Maintaining a healthy liver
•Converting tryptophan into niacin, an amino acid
•Keeping the eyes, nerves, muscles and skin healthy
•Absorbing and activating iron, folic acid, and vitamins B1, B3 and B6
•Hormone production by the adrenal glands
•Preventing the development of cataracts
•Fetal development, especially in areas where vitamin deficiency is common
DEFICIENCIES
•Vitamin B2 deficiency is known as Ariboflavinosis
•Anemia is also seen in vitamin B2 deficiency
•Riboflavin deficiency most often accompanies other nutrient deficiencies. Lack of the vitamin causes inflammation of the membranes of the mouth, skin, eyes, and GI tract.
• Excesses of riboflavin appear to cause no harm
• Symptoms of Ariboflavinosis include Sore throat, cracks and redness at corners of mouth, a painful, smooth, purplish red tongue; inflammation characterized by skin lesions covered with greasy scales
