MICRONUTRIENTS

VITAMINS
VITAMINS
Differ from energy-yielding nutrients:
1. Structure. Vits are individual units, not linked together
2. Function. Vits do not yield energy when metabolized, assists the enzymes
that participate in the release of energy from CHO, fats and CHON
3. Dietary intakes. Amounts of vits one ingest daily from foods and the amountd
they require are measured in micrograms (ug) or miligrams (mg) rather than
grams (g)
Similar with energy-yeilding nutrients vital to life, organic, and available from
foods.
Two factors that determine the number of vitamins available from foods:
1. Bioavailability - amount of vitamins absorbed and used by the body
2. Quality provided by a food
Factors in determining the bioavaliablity of vitamins:

1. Efficiency of digestion and time of transit through the GI tract

2. Previous nutrien intake and nutrition status
3. Other foods consumed at the same time
4. The method of food preparation (raw or cooked)
5. Source of the nutrient (naturally occuring, synthetic or fortified)

Precursors - (provitamins) vitamins available from foods in inactive forms. Once

inside the body, it is converted to the active form. Thus in measuring a person’s
vitamin intake it is important to count both the amount of actual vit and the
potential amount available from its precursors

Organic nature - fresh foods naturally contain vits but cuz they are organic they
are readily destoyed during processing.
Solubility - two classes

Water-soluble vits B vits and vitamin C

Fat-soluble A, D, E, K - usually occur together in the fats and oils of foods, body absobs them in tha sameway it
absorbs lipids.interferes with fat absoprtion can precipitate a deficinecy in fa-soluble vits. Once absorbed, they are
stored in the liver and fatty tissues until needed by the body, not easily ecreted and can build up to toxic concentration
unlike water-soluble vits.

VITAMIN A - a versatile vit, first to be recognized, pre-cursor Beta-carotine), sith the following roles in gene
expression, vision, cell deffrenention (maintains body-linigs and skin), immunity, reproduction and growth.

Forms:

Retinol supports reproduction and the major trsnsport and storage form, cells convert retinol or retonoic acids

Retinal - active in vision

Retinoic acid - acts as hormone, regulating cell differentiation, growth, and embryyonic development.

Retino-binding CHON - RBP special transport CHON, picks up retinol for the liver for storage and carries it in the
blood.
 VITAMIN D - (CALCIFEROL) different in that the body can synthesize it in significant quantities with
the help of sunlight. Not an essential vit. cuz when given enough sun, nned not vit D from foods’two major
forms:

1. Vit D2 from plan foods in the diet

2. Vit D 3 animal foods in the diet and sysnthesis in the skin

VITAMIN E (TOCEPHEROL) “offspring” compound in vegetable oil necessary for reproduction in

rats. Four tocepherol compounds: alpha, beta, gamma and delta (aplha-tecepharol of the gold
standard of Vit. E activity, with additional four for potentital roles in health.

VITAMIN K - (koagulation - Danish word, which means coagulation or blood clotting)) - known for its
role in blood coagulation and paticipation in the synthesis of several bone CHON. Without Vitamin K,
the bones produce an anormal CHON that cannot effecively bind to the minerals that normally form
bones 36. An adequate supply of Vit K helps to decrease bone turnover and protect against fracture.
Vitamin Name Chief Functions Deficiency Toxicity Symptoms Significant
Symptoms Sources

VItamin A (Retinol, Vision, Infectious Chronic, reduced Retinol: milk and

retinal, retinoic maintenance of diseases, night bone mineral milk products;
acid, main cornea, epithelial blindness, density, liver eggs; liver
pre-cursor is cells, mucus blindness abnormalities, Betacarotene:
beta-kerotene membranes, skin, (xeropthalmia), birth deects, spinach and other
bone and teech keratinization Acute blurred dark, leafy
growth, vision (single dose veggies; brocolli,
reproduction or short term) deep oranges
regulation of gene nausea, vomiting, fruits (apricots,
expression, vertigo, increase cantalope); &
immunity pressure inside vegetables(carrots
skull, headache, , winter squashes,
muscle sweet potatoes,
incoordination pumpkin
D
Vitamin D ineralization of Rickets, Caclcium Synthesized in the
(calcipherol) bones and(raises osteomalacia imbalance body with the help
cholecalciferol. blood calcium and of sunshine,
dihydroxyl vit D phosphorous by fortified
precursor is increasing milk,margarine,
cholesterol) absorption from butter; and cereals;
digestipe tract, eggs;liver; fatty fish
withdrawing (salmon, sardines)
calcium from
bones, stimulating
retention by
kidneys)

Vitamin E Antioxidant Erythrocyte Hemorrhagic Polyunsaturated

(alpha-tocepherol, (stabilization of hemolysis, nerve effects plant oils
tocepherol) cell membranes, damage (margarine, salad
regulation of dressings,
oxidation shortenings) green
reactions, and leafy
protection of vegetables. wheat
polysaturated fatty germ, whole-grain
acids, (FUPA), ad productss, nuts,
WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
The B vitamins and Vitamin C are found in the watery compartment of foods,
distributed into water-filled compartments of the body. Easily absorped into the
bloodstream and are just as easily excreted if blood concentration rise too high,
Thus, water-soluble vitamins are less likely to reach toxic concentrations in the
body than the fat-soluble vitamins, Foods never deliver excessive amounts of the
water-soluble vitamins but the large doses concentratred in vitamin supplements
can reach toxic levels. The B vitamins help the body use that fuel nut do not serve
as fuel themselves.
Vitamin C - In the 1930’s the anti-scurvy factor in citrus fruits was isolated from
lemon juice and named ascorbic acid. Today, hundreds of millions of vitamin C
pills are produced in pharmaceutical laboratories.
Table for Water-Soluble vitamins