Vitamins and Minerals

Question 1

What is the function of Sodium (Na) as a macromineral?
Is it more concentrated in or out of the cell?

Answer 1

Sodium (Na) functions in the rising phase of action potential of nerve and skeletal muscle.
Its concentration is higher in the extracellular fluid.

Question 2

What is the function of Potassium (K) as a macromineral?
Is it more concentrated in or out of the cell?

Answer 2

Potassium (K) functions in the falling phase of action potential of nerve and skeletal muscle.
Its concentration is higher in the intracellular fluid.

Question 3

What is the function of Calcium (Ca) as a macromineral?
Is it more concentrated in or out of the cell?

Answer 3

Calcium (Ca) is necessary for muscle contraction, is a constituent of bone, and allows release of neurotransmitters at the presynaptic terminal.
Its concentration is higher in the extracellular fluid.

Question 4

What is the function of Magnesium (Mg) as a macromineral?
Is it more concentrated in or out of the cell?

Answer 4

Magnesium (Mg) is located in the NMDA and AMPA receptor to modulate the entry of calcium and sodium into the post synaptic neuron. It’s also a cofactor for Kinases.
Its concentration is higher in the intracellular fluid.

Question 5

What doses are needed for macrominerals?

Answer 5

Gram doses

Question 6

What is the the function of Chromium (Cr) as a micromineral?

Answer 6

Chromium (Cr) is a Glucose Tolerance Factor that helps insulin bind to the cell.

Question 7

What enzymes is Copper (Cu) a cofactor for?
Where are these enzymes found?

Answer 7

Copper (Cu) is a cofactor for Copper-Zinc Super Oxide Dismutase found in the cytoplasm, and for cytochrome c oxidase found in Complex IV in ETC.

Question 8

What is the function of Fluoride (F) as a micromineral?
What else should you know about Fluoride (F)?

Answer 8

Fluoride (F) increases hardness of enamel of teeth.
You should know that high levels of Fluoride (F) are toxic.

Question 9

What is Iodine (I) a cofactor for?
Describe what these chemicals are made of.

Answer 9

Iodine (I) is a part of Thyroxine T4, 2 tyrosine + 4 iodine, and part of Triiodothyronine, 2 tyrosine + 3 iodine.

Question 10

Where is Iron (Fe) found?
What does Iron (Fe) deficiency lead to?

Answer 10

Iron (Fe) is found in cytochromes, hemoglobin, and myoglobin.
Iron (Fe) deficiency leads to microcytic anemia.

Question 11

What enzymes is Manganese (Mn) a cofactor for?
Where are these enzymes found?

Answer 11

Manganese (Mn) is a cofactor for Mn Super Oxide Dismutase and Decarboxylase.
Both enzymes are found in the mitochondria.

Question 12

What enzyme is Molybdenum (Mo) a cofactor for?
What does this enzyme do?

Answer 12

Molybdenum (Mo) is a cofactor for Xanthine Oxidase.
Xanthine Oxidase breaks down purines.

Question 13

What enzyme is Selenium (Se) a cofactor for?
What else should you know about Selenium (Se)?

Answer 13

Selenium is a cofactor for Glutathione Peroxidase.
You should know that Selenium (Se) is deficient in soil today.

Question 14

What enzymes is Zinc (Zn) a cofactor for?
What does Zinc (Zn) deficiency cause?

Answer 14

Zinc (Zn) is a cofactor for Cu-Zn SOD (located in the cytoplasm) and Carbonic Anhydrase (located in red blood cells).
Zinc (Zn) deficiency causes white lines on nails and poor wound healing.

Question 15

What doses are needed for microminerals?

Answer 15

All microminerals are needed at microgram amounts. They are toxic at higher levels.

Question 16

What is Vitamin B1 also known as?
What is its active form?

Answer 16

Vitamin B1 is also known as thiamine.
Its active form is Thiamine Pyrophosphate (TPP).

Question 17

What class of enzyme is Vitamin B1 a coenzyme for?
Other notes?

Answer 17

Vitamin B1 is a coenzyme for Decarboxylase.
B1 contains sulfur and is part of the Kreb’s cycle.

Question 18

What is Vitamin B2 also known as?
What is its active form?

Answer 18

Vitamin B2 is also known as riboflavin.
Its active form is FAD, FAD2, and FMN.

Question 19

What class of enzyme is Vitamin B2 a coenzyme for?
Other notes?

Answer 19

Vitamin B2 is a coenzyme for succinate dehydrogenase.
B2 is a part of the Kreb’s cycle.

Question 20

What is Vitamin B3 also known as?

Answer 20

Vitamin B3 is also known as Niacin (Niacinamide and Nicotinic acid).

Question 21

What are the active forms of Vitamin B3?
What class of enzymes are these active forms coenzymes for?
Other notes?

Answer 21

One active form of Vitamin B3 is NAD+–>NAD+H+ which is a coenzyme for dehydrogenase. This form of B3 is involved in the dehydrogenase in the Kreb’s cycle.
Another active form of B3 is NADPH+H+–>NADP+ which is a coenzyme for reductase. This form of B3 is involved in fat metabolism.

Question 22

What is Vitamin B5 also known as?
What is its active form?

Answer 22

Vitamin B5 is also known as Pantothenic acid.
Its active form is CoASH (Coenzyme A).

Question 23

What class of enzyme is Vitamin B5 a coenzyme for?
Other notes?

Answer 23

Vitamin B5 is a coenzyme for complexes that add CoASH.
B5 is involved in the Kreb’s cycle and other pathways.

Question 24

What is Vitamin B6 also known as?
What is its active form?

Answer 24

Vitamin B6 is also known as pyridoxine.
Its active form is pyridoxal 5 phosphate.

Question 25

What class of enzyme is Vitamin B6 a coenzyme for?

Answer 25

Vitamin B6 is a coenzyme for transaminases and amino acid metabolism.

Question 26

What macromineral and micromineral deficiencies are caused by birth control pills?

Answer 26

Birth control pills can cause deficiencies of the macromineral Magnesium and the micromineral Vitamin B6.

Question 27

What is Vitamin B9 also known as? What is its active form?

Answer 27

Vitamin B9 is also known as folic acid. Its active form is tetrahydrofolate (THF) (H4Folate).

Question 28

What class of enzyme is Vitamin B9 a coenzyme for? Other notes?

Answer 28

Vitamin B9 is a coenzyme for methyl transfer reactions. Note that B9 is involved in the methylation cycle.

Question 29

What is Vitamin B12 also known as? What is its active form?

Answer 29

Vitamin B12 is also known as cobalamin. Its active form is methyl cobalamin.

Question 30

What class of enzyme is Vitamin B12 a coenzyme for? Other notes?

Answer 30

Vitamin B12 is a coenzyme for methyl transfer reactions. Note that B12 is involved in the methylation cycle.

Question 31

What is Vitamin B7 also known as? What is its active form?

Answer 31

Vitamin B7 is also known as biotin. Its active form is carboxybiotin.

Question 32

What class of enzyme is Vitamin B7 a coenzyme for? Other notes?

Answer 32

Vitamin B7 is a coenzyme for carboxylase. B7 is made by good bacteria in the colon. Raw eggs contain a protein, avidin, which binds biotin and makes it unavailable.

Question 33

What is Vitamin C also known as? What is its active form?

Answer 33

Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid. Its active form is its reduced state.

Question 34

What class of enzyme is Vitamin C a coenzyme for? What are some functions of Vitamin C?

Answer 34

Vitamin C is a coenzyme for hydroxylase. Some functions of Vitamin C include carnitine synthesis, keeping iron and divalent cations in the +2 form for absorption, and recycling Vitamin E.

Question 35

How do you keep ascorbic acid in the reduced state?

Answer 35

Keep ascorbic acid in the reduced state with bioflavanoids like Quercitin, Rutin, and Rose Hips.

Question 36

What mammals cannot make Vitamin C from sugar?

Answer 36

Guinea pigs and primates are the only mammals that cannot make Vitamin C from sugar.

Question 37

Define microcytic anemia.

Answer 37

Red blood cells are smaller than normal.

Question 38

Define macrocytic anemia.

Answer 38

Red blood cells are larger than normal.

Question 39

What happens in the absence of folic acid (B9) and/or vitamin B12? Other notes?

Answer 39

In the absence of folic acid and Vitamin B12, red blood cells are too large, but too few due to lack of mitosis. This results in macrocytic anemia. Always give Vitamin B12 with folic acid.