Fat soluble vitamins

The fat soluble are the vitamins that includes vitamin A, D, E, and K. They are soluble in organic

solvent. The vitamin with fat is absorbed and stored in the fatty tissue and in the liver through

which it is taken up by different body parts, where they are basically required.

➢ These vitamins are chemically unique in features

➢ Mostly absorbed by the small intestine

➢ Absorption take place in the presence of dietary fat and bile

➢ Circulated away from small intestine into lymph through the help of chylomicrons before

getting into blood

➢ In blood it circulates either as lipoprotein or by the transport protein.

➢ Consumption of large amount of fat vitamin can be toxic for the body

Function

They are involved in:

✓ Vision

✓ Blood coagulation

✓ Regulation of gene expression

✓ Cell maturation

✓ Stabilization of free radical

Sources

They are commonly in the liver, fatty fish, beef, yolk, and dairy products
 Vitamin A

Name Vitamin A

Another name Retinoids

Source Liver, Pumpkin, Sweet potato, Carrot, fortified

milk, Herring, fortified cereal, kale, chicken
liver, spinach.

Function • Function in growth

• Reproduction
• Regulation of vision
• Cell differentiation
• Bone health
• Regulation of immune function

Disease/ Disorder • Night blindness

• Vit A deficiency disorder
• Xerophthalmia
• Hyperkeratosis

Toxicity • Hypervitaminos A
• Blurred vision
• Birth defects
• Liver damage
• Osteoporosis

Approved intake Women 700 µg/day

Men 900 µg/day

o Vitamin A has forms like retinal, retinoic acid and retinol.

o They also belong to carotenoid
o Retinal can also be converted to retinoic acid
o Retinoic acid does not convert into any other form of retinoid.
o Carotenoids that get converted into Vitamin A are called Provitamin A carotenoid.
o Carotenoids that cannot converted into Vitamin A are called Non-Provitamin A
carotenoid.
Absorbs in small intestine along with dietary fat and bile, enter into enterocyte, incorporated into
chylomicron, further enters into lymph and readily in blood, after which they are taken up by the
cells like adipose tissues, eye tissues, muscle.
In the liver additional metabolism of the vitamin A and the carotenoid takes place. Vit A gets
attach to the transport protein called retinol-binding protein and transthyretin, which then
released into the blood.
Small intestine

Lymph

Blood

Adipose tissue Eye tissue Muscles

Vitamin D

Name Vitamin D

Another name Sunshine vitamin

Source Fish, Shiitake mushrooms, Fortified milk,

Fortified cereals, oyster, salmon, egg, beef
liver, cheddar, tuna, catfish.
Function • Calcium homeostasis
• Bone health
• Cell differentiation

Disease/ Disorder • Rickets

• Osteomalacia
• Osteoporosis

Toxicity Hypercalcemia • Calcification of soft tissues

Approved intake Women 15µg/day

Men 15 µg/day
 Vitamin E

Name Vitamin E

Source Tomatoes, Nuts, seeds, Spinach, Fortified

cereals, Pine nut, Broccoli, sweet potato, red
pepper, pumpkin, vegetable oil.
Function • Antioxidant properties important for the
protection of the membrane.
• Cell membrane stability
• Eye health
• Heart health

Disease/ Disorder • Neuromuscular problems

• Hemolytic anemia

Toxicity Hemorrhage

Approved intake Women 15mg/day

Men 15mg/day

Vitamin K
Name Vitamin K

Another name Coagulation

Source Kale, Spinach, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts,

cabbage, Rhubarb, black eyed peas, cucumber,
peas, blueberries, tuna

Function • Function as Coenzyme

• Blood clotting
• Bone health
• Tooth health

Disease/ Disorder Vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB)

Toxicity No toxicity documented

Approved intake Women 90 µg/day

Men 120 µg/day

Reference: Nutritional sciences 3rd edition, chapter 11