Vitamins, Minerals & Dietary Supplements Flashcards
Vitamin
- Essential nutrient
- Chemical substances that perform specific functions in the body
- Two Types
What are the two types of vitamins?
- Water Soluble (10)
- Fat Soluble (4)
Water Soluble Vitamins
- Usually can not be stored in the body (If not consumed person can become deficient in weeks to months)
- Only B12 can be stored in the body
- Most can not be consumed in excess except: Niacin, B6, choline, C
Fat Soluble Vitamins
- Stored in the body fat, liver or other parts of the body
- Deficiencies take longer to develop
- Excess can build up in fat
What do Vitamins do?
Many vitamins are coenzymes; Chemical substances that activate specific enzymes that increase the rate of chemical reactions in the body, such as breakdown of energy nutrients, or building body tissues
Antioxidants Vitamins
- Chemical substances that prevent or repair damage to cells caused by exposure to free radicals
- Includes: beta-carotene, vitamin E, vitamin C
- Found in fruits, vegetables, whole grains
Free Radicals
- Chemical substances (usually oxygen or hydrogen) that are missing an electron
- Absence of an electron makes the substance reactive and prone to oxidizing nearby atoms or molecules by stealing an electron from them
- Damages DNA, cell membranes, and other cell components
Getting Enough Vitamins
- Five or more servings a day of a variety of fruits and vegetables can provide adequate amounts of vitamins
- Fortified foods can increase vitamin intake substantially
In nutrition, minerals are… (Good Things to Know About Minerals)
Specific, single atoms that perform particular functions in the body
Most minerals carry a… (Good Things to Know About Minerals)
Charge and are reactive
How many minerals does the body contain? (Good Things to Know About Minerals)
The body contains 40 or more minerals
How many minerals are essential and required in the diet? (Good Things to Know About Minerals)
15 essential minerals are required in the diet
Are minerals retained? (Good Things to Know About Minerals)
- Minerals in foods can be lost in cooking water and meat drippings
- Dried foods retain minerals well
Minerals with opposite charges combine to form… (Mineral Charge)
Stable compounds in tissues (Form bones, teeth, cartilage)
Charged minerals maintain the body’s… (Mineral Charge)
Water balance, and neutralize acids and bases
Minerals are cofactors for… (Mineral Charge)
Proteins and enzymes (Individual minerals required for the activity of certain proteins)
Bones are living tissues supplied by… (Bones & Minerals)
Blood vessels and nerves (Teeth are enamel-covered bone material)
Solid bone consists of… (Bones & Minerals)
Protein fibers (“matrix”) embedded with mineral crystals (Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, carbon)
Bones constantly undergo… (Bones & Minerals)
Repair and replacement (remineralization)
Maximum mineral content in bones (bone density) is reached…
between ages 30-40
Bone density is built and maintained by… (Max bone density/Osteoporosis)
Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake
Vitamin D increases… (Max bone density/Osteoporosis)
Calcium absorption and deposition into bones
Wide availability of soft drinks contributes to… (Max bone density/Osteoporosis)
Lower milk consumption
Bone density decreases with… (Osteoporosis)
Age
- Women lose 30-40% of bone density by age 70
- Rate of loss is determined by peak bone density, diet, and lifestyle behaviors
Adequate nutrition and exercise can slow the progression of… (Osteoporosis)
Osteoporosis in many people
Dietary Supplement
Any product intended to supplement the diet, including vitamin and mineral supplements, proteins, enzymes, amino acids, hormones and hormone precursors, and herbs and other plant extracts
Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (1994)
- Minimal regulation by FDA
- Not tested or shown to be safe or effective
- Labeled with “Supplemental Facts” panel
FDA Regulation for dietary supplements
- Must be labeled as a dietary supplement
- Have supplemental facts
- Nutritional claim
- Claim how the product affects normal body structure (The FDA has developed an “Adverse Events Reporting system websites (www.cfsan.fda.gov) that records and tracks adverse effects of dietary supplement)
Vitamins
Most popular supplements
- The bio-availability of nutrients contained in some supplements remain uncertain the wider the assortment of vitamin and minerals in a supplement the lower the absorption of each
- Multivitamin and mineral supplements can/may help fill in some nutrient gap caused by poor food habits/choices they can’t make a bad diet
Herbal Supplements
- Some drugs are derived from plants
- Herbal remedies is considered valuable if it has beneficial effects on body processes and benefits are not out weighted by risk
- Many have drug-like effects: Biologically active ingredients may have positive, negative, or neutral effects (Many risks and benefits are unknown)
Prebiotics and Priobotics
- Derived from antibiotics because of probable effects on increase resistance to various disease
- Common side effects of prebiotic and probiotic are bloating, gas and constipation
Prebiotics
Fiber like non digestible carbohydrates that are broken down by bacteria in the colon –The breakdown products fosters the growth of beneficial bacteria
Probiotics
Beneficial friendly bacteria that enter food through fermentation and aging process
Sources of Prebiotics
- Chicory
- Jerusalem Artichokes
- Wheat
- Barley
- Rye
- Onions
- Garlic
- Leeks
- Prebiotic tablets and powers and nutritional beverages
Sources of Probiotics
Fermented or aged milk and milk products -Yogurt with live culture -Buttermilk -Kefir -Cottage Cheese -Dairy spreads with added insulin Other Fermented Products -Soy Sauce -Tempeh Fresh Sauerkraut -Miso Breastmilk
Prebiotics Benefits
- Prevention and treatment of diarrhea and constipation
- Prevention of colon cancer
- Increased mineral absorption
- Decreased blood triglyceride, glucose, and insulin levels
Probiotics Benefits
- Treatment for antibiotic-related diarrhea, chronic diarrhea, and IBS
- Treatment of lactose intolerance and some food allergies
- Prevention of infections in urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, and ear canals
- Decreased dermatitis in infants
- Increased bacterial production in some B vitamins
- Dcreased blood cholesterol levels
- Decreased risk of certain types of cancer
- Decreased dental caries
- Decreased high blood pressure
- Prevention of wound infections
