VITAMINS

HDD Alexander (RN) BSc(Hons) In Nursing.

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LLOs
End of this lesson student will be able to:
Develop and understanding regarding vitamins
Identify types of vitamins.
Identify sources of vitamins.
Identify amount of requirements each vitamins
State vitamin deficiencies related disease conditions.

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Understanding Vitamins
• Vitamins are complex organic substances.
• They are found in very small amounts foods.
• Vitamins are crucial to normal health, growth, and development.
• Vitamins are classified as water soluble or fat soluble.
• Excess or deficiency of vitamins can lead to serious health
complications.
• Body cannot produce most vitamins, so they must come from your
diet.

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Vitamins that produce in the Body
Humans are able to synthesize certain vitamins to some extent.

• Vitamin D is produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight.

• Niacin can be synthesized from the amino acid tryptophan.

• Vitamin K and biotin are synthesized by bacteria living in the gut.

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Water Soluble Vitamins
•
There are 9 water soluble vitamins:
• eight B vitamins and vitamin C.
• B vitamins include: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate (folic
acid or folacin), vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, and biotin.
• Water soluble vitamins are found in the watery parts of foods.

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Water Soluble Vitamins
• They are found in the watery parts of our bodies.
• Excess of water soluble vitamins are excreted through urine.
• Water soluble vitamins are fragile and can be destroyed during storage
or cooking.

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Thiamin Daily Intake—1.0-1.2 mg/day One of
the B 1 vitamins (B 1)

• Helps your body release energy from carbohydrates.

• Found in meat, fish, whole grains, enriched grain products.
• Deficiencies cause heart problems, confusion, and impaired growth.
• Too much causes headache, insomnia, and irritability.

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Riboflavin Daily Intake—1.0-1.3 mg/day
One of the B vitamins (B2)
• Helps body get energy from carbohydrates, fats, and protein. Helps
promote healthy skin and eyes.

• Found in milk products, dark green leafy vegetables, whole grain or

enriched grain products.

• Too little causes eye, skin, and nose problems; No reports of toxicity.

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 Niacin Daily Intake—14-16 mg/day One of the B
vitamins. (B 3)
•
Helps your body release energy from food.
• Promotes healthy skin and digestive system.
• Found in meats, poultry, whole grain and enriched grain products, nuts, beans,
and all protein foods.
• Too little causes Pellagra(inflammation of skin), weakness, and mental
confusion.
• Too much leads to low blood pressure and abdominal problems.
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Vitamin B6 Daily Intake—1.2-1.3 mg/day
• Helps antibodies form, and the body use fat and protein.
• Found in meats, beans, whole grain products, green leafy vegetables,
bananas.
• Too little causes nervous disorders.
• Too much causes fatigue, irritability, and nerve damage.

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Folate – Folic Acid - Folacin

• Daily Intake—400 μg/day (microgram)One of the B vitamins

• Helps in red blood cell formation and new cell division.
• Found in green leafy vegetables, beans, strawberries, seeds, citrus and
tropical fruits.
• Too little leads to nervous disorders.
• Too much leads to irritability and insomnia.

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Megaloblastic anemia and folic acid

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Vitamin B12 Daily Intake: 2.4 μg/day

• Helps maintain nerve cells and red blood cells.

• Found in animal products.
• Too little causes nervous disorder problems.
• No reported problems with too much.

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Pantothenic Acid and Biotin

Daily Intake: 5 mg/day (P.A.), 25 μg/day

• One of the B vitamins.
• Coenzyme in energy metabolism.
• Found in most foods.
• Problems with too little or too much are rare but may cause diarrhea,
trouble sleeping, and fatigue.

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Vitamin C Daily Intake: 65-75 mg/day

Helps wounds heal.

• Helps bones maintain strength, functions as an antioxidant, strengthens
immune system, and helps your body absorb iron.
• Found in citrus fruits, cabbage family, dark green vegetables,,
strawberries, and other fruits and vegetables.
• Too little causes scurvy (bleeding gums and tooth loss).
• Too much causes abdominal discomfort.

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Fat Soluble Vitamins
• There are 4 fat soluble vitamins:
• vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, and vitamin K.
• Fat soluble vitamins are generally found in the fats of foods.
• They are absorbed in the digestive track with the aid of fats.
• Fat soluble vitamins move around the body by proteins in the blood.
• fat soluble vitamins are stored in the liver and do not need to be
consumed every

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Vitamin A Daily intake: 700-900 μg
• Important for eye health, repairs and builds body tissues, helps bones
form.
• Found in milk products, dark green leafy vegetables, deep orange
fruits and vegetables.
• Too little causes night blindness, susceptibility to infection.
• Too much causes nose bleeds, abdominal problems, and liver disease.

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Vitamin D Daily Intake: 5 μg/day

• Aids body in absorbing and using calcium and phosphorous for strong
teeth and bones.
• Found in fortified milk, eggs, fish, and your body makes it when
exposed to sunlight.
• Too little causes rickets(bowlegged) and joint pain, muscle pain , hair
loss, circulatory problems.
• Too much causes abdominal discomfort.

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Vitamin E Daily Intake: 15 mg/day Protects
red blood cells.
• Found in vegetables oils, green leafy vegetables, wheat germ, egg
yolks and nuts.
• Too little causes muscle wasting, anemia, and hemorrhaging, ataxia….
• Too much leads to general discomfort.

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Vitamin K Daily Intake: 75 μg/day Helps blood clot

.Found in liver, green leafy vegetables, cabbage family, and made by the
digestive track.
• Too little causes blood hemorrhaging.
• Too much may cause jaundice.

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Antioxidants
• Many chemical reactions in the body lead to the release of oxygen.
• These loose oxygen molecules are called “free radicals” and when
they build up in the body they are toxic and lead to chronic diseases and
cancer.
• The antioxidant vitamins help the body flush out the excess oxygen
molecules.
• Vitamin C, vitamin, E, and beta-carotene (a form of vitamin A) are
antioxidants

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Fat soluble Vitamin rich foods

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Water soluble vitamin rich foods

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How to prevent Vitamin deficiencies)
• Plan to give or eat balanced diet.
• If infant and child consider exclusive breast feeding up to six month of
age and feeding…..
• If sick, modify feed or diet according to balance diets.
• Asses nutritional deficiencies.
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Any ?
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