Vitamins Flashcards
organic compounds produced by
bacteria, plants and animals, which are essential
to human health
Vitamins
Can be classified as water- or fat-
soluble, depending on their ability to dissolve in
water or fat, respectively. This in turn affects the
way they’re absorbed, transported and stored in
the body.
Vitamins
Organic compounds other than fats, carbohydrates and proteins.
Natural constituents of food, usually present in very small amounts.
Not synthesized by the body in sufficient quantities to meet normal physiological needs.
Needed in very small amounts for normal functioning (maintenance, growth, development and reproduction).
Absence or insufficiency produces a specific deficiency syndrome
Criteria to be a vitamin
Núm of essential vitamins
13
Types of vitamins
Water-soluble v
Fat-soluble v
four fat-soluble vitamins are
A, D, E, and K.
Fat-soluble vitamins from vegetable sources are usually better absorbed when
paired together or cooked with fat-rich foods.
Where do fat-s vit can store
liver, fatty tissue, and muscles.
The nine water-soluble vitamins are
9
vitamin C and all the B vitamins.
They have a key role in helping our bodies convert foods into energy, they are involved in the proper functioning of our nervous system and they help our cells multiply while protecting our genetic material (DNA) in the process.
Water-soluble vitamins
Where do water-s vit can store
They cannot be stored in the body. Any leftover or excess amounts of these leave through the urine
The exception to this is vitamin B12, which can be stored in the liver for many years.
carotenoids
vA
va found in plants
carotenoids
VA mainly found in animal products.
pre-formed vitamin A (or retinol)
Carotenoids are pigments responsible for plant’s
Plant’s red, yellow and orange colors,
abundant carotenoids is
beta-carotene.
Our bodies absorb vitamin A from _____ products better than vitamin A from plant-based foods
animal
supporting our vision, in
keeping our immune system
Important for reproduction, as it helps the
normal growth and development of the embryo.
v A
Foods rich in retinol include:
meat (particularly organ meats)
butter
margarine enriched with retinol
dairy
egg
Foods rich in carotenes include many vegetables and fruits such as:
sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, dark green leafy vegetables, sweet red
peppers, mangoes and melons
Deficiencies of vitamin A can be caused by:
Inadequate intakes of foods containing this micronutrient
Hypoabsorption due to insufficient dietary fat intake, biliary or pancreatic insufficiency, liver disease, or malnutrition.
Signs of Vitamin a deficiency
ADVANCED
Impaired embryonic development
Impaired spermatogenesis
Miscarriage
Anemia
Impaired immunocompetence and reduced number of osteoclasts in bone
Keratinization of the mucous membranes lining the respiratory tract, urinary tract, mouth, skin and epithelium of the eye.
Xerophthalmia: Atrophy of the periocular glands, hyperkeratosis of the conjunctiva, softening of the cornea and blindness.
signs of Vitamin a deficiency
Early signs
Deterioration of vision
due to loss of visual pigments which causes nocturnal blindness.
Effects of Vitamin A deficiency on oral structures
Salivary gland atrophy,
Enamel hypoplasia
Decreased epithelial tissue development.
Vitamin A has been shown to provide a protective effect against cleft palate
Thiamin
vitamin B1
Our bodies also use thiamin to convert nutrients into energy and to keep the healthy function of our brain and nervous system.
VF
V
We can find thiamin in almost every food, but some of its richest sources include:
wholegrains
pulses
meat (particularly liver)
fish
thiamin deficiency
anorexia, cardiac signs, indigestion,
constipation, neurological changes.
Beriberi. Disease that causes mental confusion, muscle wasting, edema, peripheral neuropathy, cardiomegaly, and tachycardia. There are two forms of the disease: wet and dry
Effect of thiamin deficiency on oral structures
angular cheilitis
riboflavin
Vitamin b2
This vitamin is important to help our cells grow and function and to help our bodies convert nutrients into energy.
Vitamin b2
what foods contain riboflavin?
milk and dairy products
eggs
meat (particularly organ meats)
fortified foods
signs of riboflavin deficiency
Early signs
Photophobia, lacrimation, burning and itching of the eyes, loss of visual acuity and pain and burning of the lips, mouth and tongue.
signs of riboflavin deficiency
advanced signs
Pharyngitis, hyperemia and edema of the pharyngeal and oral mucous membranes, oral lesions, generalized seborrheic dermatitis, skin anomalies of the vulva and scrotum.
Effects of riboflavin deficiency on oral structures
Edema of oral mucous membranes
Oral lesions:
Angular cheilitis
Glossitis
Ulcerative gingivitis
Niacin
Vitamin b3
Our bodies can produce on their own by converting the essential amino acid tryptophan into niacin.
V B3