Vitamins, Minerals and Trace Elements Flashcards
What are the basics of a healthy diet?
Carbohydrate (simple and complex) Fat Protein Dairy Vitamins Minerals and trace elements
What role do vitamins and minerals play in the body?
They play a key role as co-factors or co-enzymes in most metabolic reactions
They also have an antioxidant effect in their role as free radical scavengers
How much vitamins and minerals are required?
Only required in small quantities
What are vitamins?
‘Vital amines’, complex organic substances
Why do we need vitamins in our diets?
The body does not make sufficient quantities and so we must obtain them from food or supplements
How is vitamin D made?
By exposure to sunlight (synthesised in the skin via cholesterol by sunlight), problematic for those who may be housebound
Where do we get vitamin B12 from?
Animal products, problematic for vegans
Which are the water soluble vitamins?
Vitamin C, B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12
Which are the fat soluble (stored) vitamins?
Vit A, D, E, K
What are water soluble vitamins like (in terms of structure)?
Tend to have polar structures with alcohols and esters
What are fat soluble vitamins like (in terms of structure)?
Tend to be lipophilic with long fatty acid chains
Where are most water soluble vitamins absorbed?
Small intestine (duodenum)
Where are most fat soluble vitamins absorbed?
By bile in the large intestine
What can reduce levels of fat soluble vitamins?
Levels of fat soluble vitamins are reduced if fat absorption is reduced e.g. by lack of pancreatic enzymes/low fat diet
How is vitamin B12 absorbed?
By intrinsic factor (IL) in the ileum
What produces vitamin K in the body?
GI flora from original plant sources
Why are vitamin K levels important to consider?
Interaction with warfarin/INR, antibiotics
Where do we get vitamin D from?
Dietary but also synthesised (sunlight)
Which vitamins are stored in the body?
Fat soluble
Which units are used to describe vitamins?
Milligrams or micrograms
Vitamin A, D and E are also quoted in International Units (IU)
Are vitamins sources of energy?
No, they simply take part in the body’s metabolic processes and act as antioxidants
Which external factors affect vitamins?
Heat Light Oxygen Enzymes Minerals
How are vitamins lost from foods?
Poor storage and preparation methods