Vitamins

Question 1

What vitamins can be made by the body?

Answer 1

Vitamin D - made in skin; Vitamin K & Biotin - made in intestine by bacteria; beta carotene can be converted into Vitamin A; many species can also make Vitamin C

Question 2

Which species cannot make Vitamin C so are prone to scurvy?

Answer 2

Guinea pigs!

Question 3

Vitamin B1

Answer 3

Thiamine - Water soluble
Function: metabolism of CHO
Deficiency: Affects CNS most because of dependency of glucose

Question 4

Vitamin B2

Answer 4

Riboflavin - Water soluble
Function: many, including metabolism & synthesis of all three energy sources
Deficiency? Unlikely

Question 5

Vitamin B3

Answer 5

Niacin or Nicotinamide - Water soluble
Function: Variety, similar to riboflavin
Deficiency: Pellagra (Black tongue) - dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, death

Question 6

What species cannot convert tryptophan (amino acid) to Niacin? What diet causes deficiencies and what is seen?

Answer 6

Cats
High cereal diets cause this - less common now with new commercial diets
Leads to Pellagra

Question 7

Vitamin B5

Answer 7

Pantothenic acid - Water soluble
Functions: Metabolism of all energy sources. Source of Coenzyme A part of acetyl CoA
Deficiency unlikely

Question 8

Vitamin B6

Answer 8

Pyridoxine - Water soluble
Function: Amino Acid metabolism as well as fatty acid and glucose metabolism
Deficiency: Rare

Question 9

Vitamin B9

Answer 9

Folacin or folic acid - H2O soluble
Function: amino acid & DNA synthesis
Deficiency rare

Question 10

Biotin

Answer 10

Kind of Vitamin B - H2O Soluble
Function: synthesis of carbon chains, including fatty acids, amino acids, and purine
Deficiency: poor growth, dermatitis, lethargy, neurological disorders

Question 11

Vitamin B12

Answer 11

Cyanocobalamin - H2O Soluble
Function: Myelin synthesis, plus CHO and fat metabolism
Deficiency rare but seen in veggie diets

Question 12

Choline

Answer 12

Can be synthesized by body but acts like vitamin
Function: integral part of the structure of cell membranes as lecithin (essential fat to body cells)
Deficiency - unseed

Question 13

Vitamin C

Answer 13

Ascorbic Acid - H2O Soluble
Function: antioxidant and free radical scavenger
Deficiency: seen in guinea pigs, scurvy

Question 14

Fat-Soluble Vitamins?

Answer 14

Vitamin A, D, K, E

Question 15

How are fat-soluble vitamins transported?

Answer 15

Through intestinal walls by micelles, then transported thru body with chylomicrons. Can build up in tissues and lead to toxicity.

Question 16

Vitamin A

Answer 16

Retinol
Beta Carotene is the plant precursor
Functions: epithelial maintenance, vision, growth, reproduction, tooth development
Deficiencies: lesions on skin & mm, increased skin infections, abnormal spermatogenesis & estrous, night blindness
Toxicity: skeletal malformation, internal hemorrhage

Question 17

Vitamin D

Answer 17

Antirachitic factor or Calciferol
Functions: Increase the absorption of Ca and P from intestines, mobilize Ca from the bones, retain P in the kidneys
Deficiency: rickets in young animals, enlarge costochondral junctions, osteomalacia, osteoporosis
Toxicity: Hypercalcemia, soft tissue calcification

Question 18

Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3, plant or animal origin?

After metabolism, where stored?

Answer 18

V D2 (Ergocalciferol) is plant origin
V D3 (Cholecalciferol) is animal origin
Both stored in the liver, fat, and muscle

Question 19

Vitamin E

Answer 19

Antisterility factor or Tocopherols
Functions: Antioxidant
Deficiency: Dogs - degenerative skeletal muscle disease, testicular degeneration; Cats - steatitis
Toxicity - lease toxic fat soluble vitamin

Question 20

Vitamin K

Answer 20

Function: Essential to synthesis of several clotting factors in the liver
Deficiency: usually from warfarin poisoning, too much abo therapy, due to malabsorption - CAUSES coagulopathy
Toxicity: Rare

Question 21

L-Carnitine

Answer 21

Vitamin-like substance; vital to catabolism of fatty acids