vitamins Flashcards
what are vitamins?
essential organic molecules so made made in the body
13 of them
don’t contain energy themselves
which vitamins are water soluble?
what does this mean?
what does this mean for consumption levels?
what are they destroyed by?
B and C
can therefore excrete through urine
need to consume daily as can’t store them
vitamins degraded by high heats and bright light exposure to food before eaten
which vitamins are fat soluble?
ADEK
stored in adipose tissue so can reach toxic levels
which vitamins can be antioxidants?
how do they work to remove free radicals?
A C and E
exercise leads to free radical production and
can cause tissue damage if in excess
antioxidants removes these free radicals to prevent oxidative damage & offer protection from cacner
which vitamins are important for bones and teeth?
A D and C
why is it important to not have large dose of a single antioxidant?
work together as a team in balance
role of water soluble B vitamins?
12
B1-7 but not 4 are needed for energy release e.g cellular metabolism
B5-6,9,12 needed for red blood cell production (haemopoietic)
can act as coenzymes
when would you be B1 deficient?
eating too many refined foods e.g takeaways
alcoholic
what is meant by B vitamins acting by coenzymes?
coenzyme binds to enzyme to make it active
enables compound to bind to enzyme and chemical reaction to take place
without it, reaction can’t take place as compound can’t bind to enzyme
do athletes need more energy metabolism related B vitamins?
why may they?
due to increased need for e.g tissue repair, mitochondira etc.
but balanced out by higher intake of macronutrients and food in general by athletes so increased energy intake
do athletes need more haemopoietic B vitamins?
why may they?
exceptions?
due to exercise increasing need for e.g tissue repair, turnover and changing amount of RBCs in body and altered half life of RBCs etc.
higher dietary intake so unlikely that they need increased vitamins
with exception of vegetarians, low energy intake diet
what happens when you are B1 deficient and what is it’s name?
B1=thiamine
deficiency=’beriberi’ lose muscle strength and enlarged, faster heart
what happens when you are B2 deficient and what is it’s name?
deficiency= ariboflavinosis=swelling of tongue and mucus membranes
B2=riboflavin
which vitamin deficiencies leads to megaloblastic anemia?
what are the names of these vitamins?
B9 (folate) and B12 (cobalamin)
means red blood cells larger and not as effective
what happened when deficient in thiamin (B1), riboflavin (B2) and B6 after exercising for 11 weeks?
decrease in power, VO2 max and oxygen consumption
impacting all of exercise performance pathways
what does OBLA stand for?
onset of blood lactate accumulation
characteristics of vitamin C?
another name for it?
4 roles?
ascorbc acid
- antioxidant
- involved in multiple syntheses and catabolism (brakdown) of tyrosine
- aids normal ion absorption
- regulates cytochrome enzyme function
what is vitamin C found in?
can we synthesise it?
citrus fruits
broccoli, tomato and potato
only mammal that cannot synthesise vitamin C
suggested intake of vitamin C?
10-1000mg a day
what is caused by vitamin C deficiency?
symptoms of this?
scurvy
- fatigue
- bleeding in gums
- anemia
- high fever
what is the result of too much vitamin C?
why is this hard to achieve?
water soluble so should be excreted through urine and can’t be stored
kidney stone formation
gastrointestinal distress
what are the proper names of the 4 fat soluble vitamins?
A - retinol
D - calciferol
E - tocopherol
K - medanione
describe vitamin A deficiency?
very rare
3rd most common deficiency
- loss of vision
descrbe vitamin D?
how made?
what activated by?
what needed for?
made from the sun in the skin from cholesterol (can be made in body)
activated in kidney and liver
need for bones (regulates Ca balance), kidneys and intestine
describe vitamin D?
how made?
what activated by?
what needed for?
made from the sun in the skin from cholesterol (can be made in body)
activated in kidney and liver
need for bones (regulates Ca balance), kidneys and intestine
is vitamin D a non-essential nurtient?
yes
but limited by amount of sunlight and cholesterol so have to intake some from diet
so at risk of deficiency in winter in northern hemisphere
what is the result of too much/little vitamin D?
explanation for this?
too little: rickets or osteoporosis (easily breakable, porous bones due to alck of calcium)
too much: similar symptoms as too little e.g bone demineralisation (holes due to calcium drawn out of boned)
describe vitamin K?
used for koagulation or clotting (for blood)
synthesised by gut bacteria but also need to intake in diet
effect of antibiotics on vitamin K?
antibiotics kill gut bacteria
so at risk of not being able to absorb and synthesise as much vitamin K as needed
so at risk of bleeding as blood not clotting
result of too much/too little vitamin K?
too little: bloody vomit, bleeding gums as no clotting occuring
too much (toxicity): jaundice or anaemia due to formula feeding
describe vitamin E?
most potent antioxidant
role in selenium metabolism
found in nuts (almonds), salad dressing etc.
result of vitamin E deficiency or toxicity?
too little: feel a bit ill
too much: intereferes with absorption of vitamins A and K
long term effects unclear
what is the name and deficiency of B3?
B3=niacin
deficiency=pellagra
`difference between dealing with water and soluble vitamins in excess?
can excrete excess water soluble vitamins in urine and some in sweat - very hard to overdose
fat soluble vitamins accumulate in body and are toxic - can overdose
when do you not need to take supplements?
when consuming a balanced diet that meets requirement for energy
supplements won’timprove our performance in any way
when may athletes need vitamin supplements?
low energy diet athletes
weight category sports
vegetarians as vitamins from red meat not replaced
limited access to fruit and veg
