VITAMINS

 Combination of the Latin word “Vita” meaning life

 “Amine” nitrogen compound (not all vitamins contain nitrogen)
 were formally called “accessory factor” (because their presence in minute quantities is easily
overlooked)
 They are the last group of organic compounds vital to life maintenance and growth to be
discovered
 The word vitamin was originated/ coined by Casimir Funk in 1912
- are a group of unrelated organic compounds needed only in minute quantities in the diet but
essential for specific metabolic reactions within the cell and necessary for normal growth and
maintenance of health
- they do not provide energy but are necessary in enzyme systems that catalyze reactions in energy
utilization
- they are organic compounds found in food, which are essential in the growth
- through many chemical reactions, vitamins transform food into energy
- they are also essential for maintaining a wide range of body functions and for building new tissues
- a lasting shortage of vitamins results in deterioration of health
- Vitamins do not give the body energy (they merely help convert food into energy)
- Your body cannot make its own vitamins except for Vitamins D and Niacin which produced in
sources
- if you are short of vitamins, you may suffer fatigue
- if you don’t get enough vitamins, particularly A, B, and C, you may loose appetite (you can restore
lost appetite by taking more of these vitamins)
- vitamins do not have calorie value
- Vitamins supplements, however, may contain few calories in their sugar coating (normally,
however, the amount is negligible)
 TERMS ACCOUNTED WITH VITAMINS
1. Precursors or Provitamins – are compounds that can be changed to the active vitamins
2. Preformed Vitamins – are naturally occurring vitamins that are in inactive form and ready for its
biological use
3. Avitaminosis – a condition resulting from lack of a vitamin in its later stage when more defined sign
and symptoms occur such that a nutritional deficiency disease is recognizable
4. Hypervitaminosis – (vitamin toxicity) – this condition is a result of excessive accumulation of a
vitamin in the body
5. Vitamin Malnutrition – too much or too little is not good for the health
6. Vitamin-like compounds – some substances have physiological roles like vitamins but are present in
larger amounts and are partially synthesized in the body (inositol, choline, lipoic and ubiquinone)
7. Antivitamins or vitamin antagonists – are substances that interfere with the normal functioning of
a vitamin; they need to be similar in chemical composition as the vitamin it “ntagonized”
(dicumerol against Vitamin K. avidin against biotin, thiaminase against thiamin or Vitamin B1)
 VITAMINS TOXICITY FROM OVERDOSE

WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Vitamin C diarrhea, nausea, cramps, formation of excess oxalic acid in the body,
acidification of urine, conditioning to a higher requirement both in infants
and adult, intestinal obstruction, false positive urine diabetic test

Niacin skin burning, flushing, and itching, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, liver and
eye damage
Vitamin B12 Allegic shock, especially when vitamin is injected
FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Vitamin A Liver damage, hair loss, bone damage, potential birth defects

Vitamin D Severe high blood calcium, brain damage, heart damage, potential birth
defects
Vitamin E Cramps, diarrhea, dizziness, blurred vision, headaches, increased serum
triglycerides in women, decreased serum thyroid hormone in men and
women

Vitamin K Formation of blood clots, jaundice in infants

 NOMENCLATURE OF THE VITAMINS
ORIGINAL NAME CURRENT NAME
Vitamin A (anti-infective) Vitamin A (retinol)
Vitamin B1 (anti-beriberi, antineuritic) Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Riboflavin

Vitamin C (B2) Niacin (nicotinic acid, niacinamide)

Pelagra Preventive Factor Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Vitamin B complex Vitamin B12 (cyanocabalamin),
Folasin (folinic acid, pteroylglutamic acid)
Biotin
Vitamin C Ascorbic acid
Vitamin D Vitamin D (calciferol)

Vitamin E Vitamin E (tocopherol)

Vitamin K Vitamin K (menaquinone and phylloquinone)
CLASSIFICATION OF VITAMINS ON THE BASIS OF SOLUBILITY
1. The fat soluble Vitamins A, D, E, K are found in foods in association with lipids
2. The water soluble vitamins are B complex and Vitamin C

GENERAL PROPERTIES AND STABILITY

• Besides solubility properties, fat soluble vitamins differ from water soluble vitamins based on the
following criteria:
1. Fat soluble vitamins generally have precursors or provitamins
2. Because they can be stored in the body, deficiencies are slow to develop
3. They do not absolutely needed daily from food sources
4. They are generally stable, especially in ordinary cooking methods

• On the other hand, water soluble vitamins have the following general properties:
1. They must be supplied everyday in the diet
2. They do not have precursors
3. They are not stored significantly in the body and any excess is excreted in the urine
4. Deficiency symptoms develop relatively fast
5. Being water soluble, they are most likely to be destroyed in ordinary cooking
A. FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
1. VITAMIN A (RETINOL)
A. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL NATURE
a.1. Preformed vitamin A – animal sources
a.2. Provitamin A – precursor carotene; pigment found in green and yellow plants; body converts into
vitamin A

B. ABSORPTION AND STORAGE

b.1. Absorption aided by bile salts, pancreatic lipase, and dietary fat
b.2. Carotene converted into vitamin A in intestinal wall
b.3. Absorbed through lymphatic system and portal blood to liver (same route as fat)
b.4. Large capacity in liver, hence potential toxicity levels with large intakes

C. STABILITY
- Vitamin A is rather stable to light and heat, but prolonged heating in contact with air destroys it
- It is easily destroyed by oxidation and ultraviolet light
- A cool atmosphere and refrigeration tend to preserve this vitamin
- Vitamin E may be used with vitamin A to preserve the latter
D. PHYSIOLOGIC FUNCTIONS
d.1. Vision cycle – vitamin A is a necessary component of visual purple (rhodopsin), light-sensitive
pigment in the retina enabling it to make adjustment to light and darkness ; retinal is a prosthetic group of
photosensitive pigments of both rods (rhodopsin) and cone (iodopsin); the reaction involves the oxidation-
reaction systems of retinol-retinal and stereochemical changes of the vitamin A molecule; when there is a
deficiency of vitamin A, the rods and cones cannot adjust to light changes, resulting in night blindness; an
injection of vitamin A corrects this condition within a matter of minutes; color blindness and other defects of
vision cannot be cured by vitamin A
d.2. Epithelial tissue – vitamin A plays a vital role in the proper synthesis and maintenance of epithelial
tissue, hence the integrity of skin and internal mucosa, and the growth and formation of tooth buds; when
vitamin A is lacking, keratinization (hardening and sloughing) happens in the mucous membrane lining of the
respiratory tract, digestive tract, urinary system, eyes, and the skin; keratinization of the eye epithelium is the
stigma of xerophthalmia
d.3. Growth and bone development – vitamin A is also necessary for the growth and development of
skeletal and soft tissues through its effect upon protein synthesis and differentiation of bone cells; it appears
that the active metabolite in this capacity is retinoic acid and not retinol; a normal intake vitamin A helps in
the normal bone development; it also affects tooth formation in the early life of animals forming epithelial
cells; excessive vitamin A, however, causes complete disintegration of the bone matrix
d.4. Reproduction – vitamin A intake must be increased to assure normal reproduction and lactation;
although not yet clear, the role of vitamin A in reproduction may be in steroid hormone synthesis or in
cellular differentiation

E. DEFICIENCY
e.1. Poor adaptation or night blindness
e.2. Eye lesion – the condition is the most critical in avitaminosis A; the cornea of the eye is
affected early, and the lacrimal gland fails to function, followed by keratinization and rupture of
the corneal tissues; infection sets in; pus develops ; and the eye hemorrhages; this set of
symptoms is known as Bitot’s spot in its mild form and xeropthalmia in severe form
e.3. Retarded growth
e.4. Lower resistance to infection
e.5. Faulty skeletal and dental developments
e.6. Keratinization of epithelial linings
e.7. Disturbances in the respiratory, GI, and genitourinary tracts
e.8. Skin lesion – characterized as “food skin” clinically known as phrynoderma, skin lesion appears
as dry and rough skin with popular eruptions occurring around the hair follicles; the sites of
dermal changes are usually in the thighs, abdomen, upper arm, and back
F. TOXICITY
f.1. Violent headache f.2. Nausea and vomiting
f.3. Thickening of the ski with peeling of f.4. Swollen, painful long bones
f.5. Coarse sparse hair f.6. Enlargement of the spleen and liver
f.7. In young girls, there is cessation of menstruation
f.8. Hypercarotenimia - the ingestion of large amounts of foods containing carotene merely results in
deposition of carotene in tissues, particularly the skin and eyes and gives the person a disturbing yet
harmless orange appearance

G. FOOD SOURCES
g.1. preformed vitamin A – animal sources (liver, egg yolk, milk, cream, butter and cheese)
g.2. fortified margarine or skim milk fortified with vitamin A are common foods that are ideal carriers of
this vitamin
g.3. fishes – dilis, clams, mussels or tahong and other shellfish
g.4. precursors of provitamin A- green and yellow vegetables (dark leaves of malunggay, sweet potatoes or
kamote, kangkong, pechay, squash or kalabasa, spinach or spinaka, alugbati, taro or gabi, saluyot and
bitter gourd or ampalaya are among the Philippine favorites; yellow fruits of foreign origin rich in
vitamin A are apricots, peaches and nectarines
2. VITAMIN D (CALCIFEROL)
A. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL NATURE
a.1. Sterols, more hormone-like in source and action
a.2. Formed in the skin by irradiation of cholesterol by sunlight

B. ABSORPTION AND STORAGE

b.1. Absorption accompanies that of calcium and phosphorus in the small intestine
b.2. It is formed by sunlight in the skin absorbed into systemic circulation as hormones
b.3. Stored in the liver, but not as great as that of vitamin A

C. STABILITY
- Vitamin D is remarkably stable and foods containing it can be warmed or kept for long
periods without deteriorating

D. PHYSIOLOGIC FUNCTIONS
d.1. Vitamin D absorbs calcium and phosphorus
d.2. It is also essential for normal growth and development and is important in the formation of
normal bones and teeth
E. DEFICIENCY
e.1. Tetany is a syndrome characterized by abnormal muscle twitching, cramps, and sharp bilateral spasms of joints in the
wrist and ankles
e.2. Rickets in children is the severe form manifested in defective bones and retarded growth; bones become soft, fragile
and
deformed, such as pigeon-breasted, knock-knee, bow-legged, malformed teeth and rachitic rosary-like chest; in the
latter, the ends of ribs are rounded or beaded
e.3. In infants, dentition and closing of the fontanel are delayed
e.4. In adults, the terms used for deficiency is osteomalacia which means softening of the bones; there are also skeletal
deformities, fragility of bones and rheumatic-like pains of joints; osteomalacia is sometimes called adult rickets

F. TOXICITY
f.1. nausea f.2. diarrhea
f.3. polyuria f.4. weight loss in the early stages
f.5. demineralization of bones and deposits of minerals in soft tissues (calcification of soft tissues which is abnormal) in
the
later stages
f.6. renal damage and uremia as observed in severe cases
f.7. hypercalcemia – excessive quantities of vitamin D (1,000-3,0000 IU per day for children and adults) and hypersensitivity
to
vitamin D leading to hypercalcemia (excessive calcium in the blood)

G. FOOD SOURCES
g.1. animal sources – fortified margarine, butter, milk, cheese; liver and other glandular organs; fish; sardines and salmon;
eggyolk
g.2. plant sources - not significant
3. VITAMIN E (TOCOPHEROL)
A. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL NATURE
a.1. resistant to oxidation (valuable as an antioxidant)
a.2. fat soluble, stable to heat and acids

B. ABSORPTION AND STORAGE

b.1. absorbed with other fat-soluble vitamins, aided by bile and fats
b.2. stored especially in adipose tissue

C. PHYSIOLOGIC FUNCTIONS
c.1. Antioxidant Functions – it acts a in vitro as a lipid antioxidant is well documented; it serves to prevent
the formation of peroxides from polyunsaturated fatty acids, thus preventing the oxidation of
unsaturated fats; Vitamin E also helps to enhance the activity of Vitamin A by preventing its oxidation
and loss of activity in the intestinal tract; Vitamin C in foods is similarly protected when Vitamin E is
present
c. 2. it helps sustain tissue integrity, especially structural parts containing unsaturated lipid
D. STABILITY
- Vitamin E is fairly stable to heat and acids and unstable to alkalis, ultraviolet light and oxygen; it is also
destroyed when in contact with rancid fats, lead, and iron; since it is insoluble water, there is no loss by
extraction in cooking; storage including deep-freeze food processing and deep frying destroy food
processing destroy much of the tocopherol present

E. DEFICIENCY
e.1. hemolysis of RBC
e.2. low blood levels of tocopherols
e.3. increased urinary excretion of creatine and decreased excretion of creatinine

F. TOXICITY
- Hypervitaminosis E has not been reported largely because the nutrient could not be stored to a large
extent in the body; also, its presence in food is not widespread; whatever concentrated forms are available
are not common

G. FOOD SOURCES
g.1. plant sources - germ oils of wheat, corn, cottonseed or soy bean; products from these oils such as
mayonnaise, salad dressing and margarine; nuts and some legumes
g.2. animal sources – egg yolk (liver), butter, milk
4.VITAMIN K (PHYLLOQUINONE, MENADIONE)
A. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL NATURE
a.1. fat soluble
a.2. synthesized by normal intestinal bacteria

B. ABSORPTIONAND STORAGE
b.1. absorbed by usual route for fats - lacteals portal blood to liver
b.2. stored in liver in small amounts

C. PHYSIOLOGIC FUNCTIONS
c.1. maintenance of prothrombin level in blood plasma
c.2. needed for phosphorylation, a chemical process that aids the phosphate radical to glucose so
that its
passage through the cell membrane is hastened

D. STABILITY
- Vitamin K is fairly resistant to heat, but sunlight destroys the K; there is not destruction in ordinary
cooking methods and being fat soluble there is no loss in cooking water; all vitamin K compounds
tend to be unstable to all alkali
E. DEFICIENCY
e.1. hemorrhagic disease in new born
e.2. delayed blood clotting time in adults

F. TOXICITY
f.1. vomiting
f.2. hemolysis
f.3. Albuminuria
f.4. Kennicterus – a condition resulting from the accumulation of bile pigments in the gray matter of the
CNS

G. FOOD SOURCES
- liver, dark green leaves, wheat bran, vegetable oils, especially soybean oil and wheat germ oil are
excellent food sources
- good amounts are present in tomatoes, tubers, seeds and legumes, and eggyolk
B. WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
• The water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C or ascorbic acid and the B complex vitamins
• Vitamin C is called the “fresh food vitamin” since it is found in the growing parts of plants
• All raw fresh fruits and vegetables contain ascorbic acid in varying amounts
• Vitamin C performs a number of biological roles as well as serves as an antioxidant

• The B-complex vitamins important in human nutrition are thiamine. riboflavin, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, niacin-
folic acid panthothenic acid, choline, inositol, and biotin
• They are found together in nature and generally have related functions although they are chemically unrelated

1. VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID)

A. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL NATURE
a.1. water-soluble acid, easily oxidized, unstable
a.2. other animals can synthesize vitamin C from glucose but humans lack the necessary enzyme

B. ABSORPTION AND STORAGE

b. 1. easily absorbed by the small intestine
b. 2. not stored in tissue depots; distributed to tissue saturation levels in general circulations, remainder
being excreted; large amounts present in adrenal tissues

C. PHYSIOLOGIC FUNCTIONS
c.1. vitamin C is needed in the formation and maintenance of intercellular cementing substance (this
cementing substance is simply explained as a “binder” that holds cells in proper relation to each other
as to cellular fluids which bathe and nourish them)
 c.2. it converts folic acid into its active form, folinic acid
c.3. it aids in the healing of wounds and bone fractures
c.4. it prevents megaloblastic anemia and pinpoint hemorrhages ( also called petechiae hemorrhages)
c.5. vitamin C helps build body resistance against infections
c.6. it helps produce steroid hormones, particularly adrenocortical hormones under severe stress as well
as aids in insulin synthesis
c.7. vitamin C is necessary for tyrosine and phenylalanine metabolism
c.8. it improves iron absorption; it makes iron more available for haemoglobin and red blood cell maturation
c.9. vitamin C plays a vital role in brain metabolism
c.10. vitamin C has an antioxidant action

D. STABILITY
- much ascorbic acid is lost in cooking or thrown out in the cooking water
- bruising, cutting and allowing fruit and vegetables to be exposed to the air cause much loss of ascorbic acid
- vitamin C is less destroyed when food is cooked quickly in small amounts of boiling water and covered tightly
- quick freezing of food preserves the vitamins; refrigeration aids retention
- the use of sodium of sodium bicarbonate in cooking vegetables to preserve and improve their color is very
destructive of the vitamin
- the ascorbic acid content of fruits and vegetables varies with the conditions under which they are grown,
degree of ripeness when harvested, and conditions under which they are stored and cooked
E. DEFICIENCY
e.1. irritability
e.2. general weakness
e.3. lack of appetite
e.4. lowered resistance to infections
e.5. pallor
e.6. scurvy (bleeding, swollen gums, loose teeth, swollen and tender joints, internal hemorrhages
underneath the skin, capillary fragility, and megaloblastic anemia)

F. TOXICITY
- there is no toxicity or hypervitaminosis C since the vitamin cannot be stored in the body

G. REQUIREMENT OR ALLOWANCE
- in general, males need more vitamin C than females do
- vitamin C needs are also increased during the growth period, with the older age groups requiring
more
- physiological stresses like pregnancy and lactation and other stress factors such as surgery, illness,
infection, shock, and injuries need higher vitamin C intake
2. VITAMIN B – COMPLEX
 The complex consists of the Vitamin B1, B6, B12, Niacin, Panthothenic Acid, Folic and Biotin
- it is a group of water-soluble vitamins that need to be continually replaced because of their short “life”
- though they all belong to one group, each vitamin has its own unique function

 The B Vitamins transform increased amount of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into extra energy
- they provide energy necessary for muscle contraction but during exertion, they are also involved in the
production and repair of tissues particularly muscular tissues

 Vitamin B-complex are water soluble nutrients that play important roles in the normal growth and
maintenance of normal growth and body processes

 Boiling meat results to about 15 to 40% loss of Vitamin B

- in frying, as high as 40 to 50% is lost and in roasting, approximately 30 to 60%
- some of the lost vitamins are transferred to the cooking liquids, so it is best to turn these liquids into
sauces or gravies
 B-COMPLEX VITAMINS
A. GROUP I:
CLASSIC DISEASE FACTORS
1. THIAMINE (B1)
A. FUNCTIONS
a.1. integral part of the coenzyme factor, thiamin pyrophosphate or TPP, needed for carbohydrate
metabolism
a.2. helps maintain good appetite, good muscle tone especially of the GI tract and normal functioning of
nerves

B. STABILITY
- loss of vitamin in cooking is extremely variable, depending on the pH o the food, time, temperature,
quantity of water used and discarded and the use of sodium bicarbonate to enhance the green color of
vegetables
- freezing has little or no effect on the thiamin content of foods

C. DEFICIENCY
c.1. loss of appetite c.6. gastric atony
c.2. weakness c.7. poor reflexes and irritability
c.3. easy fatigability c.8. retarded growth
c.4. indigestion c.9. numbness of extremities
c.5. severe constipation c.10. beri-beri – nutritional polyneuritis
Types of Beri Beri
a. Infantile beri beri – usually occurs in infnats 2 to 5 months of age whose main food is milk from a mother
suffering from beri beri
- symptoms : loss of voice (aphoria), whining cry, bluish discoloration of infant (cyanosis), difficulty in
breathing and even death in a few hours
b. Wet beri beri – is evidenced by edema of both lower extremities which progress upwards to body cavities
such as abdomen and ches
- the heart is enlarged, heart beats become irregular and there is difficulty in breathing
- Dry beri beri involves peripheral nerves – there is a feeling of pins and needles (parathesias) in toes,
gradual loss of touch sensation, muscle weakness, finally paralysis

D. TOXICITY
- there are no toxic reactions of excessive thiamin intake in the body
E. REQUIREMENT OR ALLOWANCE
- experimental evidences show that the minimal thiamin requirements is 0.2 mg per 1000 caloric intake
- allowances are at least twice the minimum needs (0.5 mg/1000 cal) and vary with sex, body weight,
muscular activity and composition of diet which are related to caloric requirements
- among the factors that will increase thiamin requirements as long as caloric needs are increased
include pregnancy, lactation, fever, infections, alcoholism, hyperthyroidism and polyneuropathies
- these physiological variations for thiamin needs are reflected in the RDA’s

F. FOOD SOURCES
- outstanding food sources are lean pork, pork liver and other glandularorgans of pork and some
shellfish
- next in line as excellent sources are liver and organ meats of other animals, egg yolk and unpolished
rice, whole grains, legumes (like monggo, kadyos, soybean) and nuts
- the enrichment or fortification of cereals like rice and wheat flour requires additional thiamine
2. RIBOFLAVIN (B2)
A. FUNCTIONS
a.1. an essential component of coenzymes, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and riboflavin adenine
dinuchleotide (FAD), riboflavin is essential for protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism
a.2. needed for conversion of trytophan to niacin
a.3. helps maintain healthy skin, tongue and mouth, normal vision, proper growth and development

B. STABILITY
- it is stable to heat, oxidation and acid
- due to its heat stability and limited water solubility, very little is lost in cooking and processing of foods
- however, because it is sensitive to alkali, the addition of baking soda to soften dried peas or beans for
faster cooking destroys much of their riboflavin content

C. DEFICIENCY
- Ariboflavinosis is characterized by tissue changes particularly in the skin, eyes, mouth, nose and tongue
- the skin develops seborrheic dermatitis (scaly, greasy with burning sensation and corneal vascularization
or extra blood vessels over the cornea)
- vascularization gets so severe that there is accompanying photophobia and dimness of vision
D. TOXICITY
- toxicity of Riboflavin does not occur from oral doses but is possible when massive doses are given by
injection
- however, its ill-defined effects are not as serious as what is experienced in hypervitaminoses A and D

E. FOOD SOURCES
- animal sources – cheese, milk, eggs, liver and other glandular organs
- plant sources – whole grain, legumes, leafy green vegetables and seaweeds
3. NIACIN (NICOTINIC ACID)
A. FUNCTIONS
a.1. acts as hydrogen and electron acceptors, an important biochemical reaction is energy metabolism,
fatty acid synthesis/oxidation and protein synthesis/catabolism
a.2. needed for photosynthesis in plants and fixation of CO2 in animal cells

B. STABILITY
- it is more stable than thiamine and riboflavin and is remarkably resistant to heat, light, air acids, alkalis,
although small amounts may be lost in discarded cooking water

C. DEFICIENCY
c.1. anorexia
c.2. indigestion
c.3. skin changes
c.4. pellagra – classic deficiency disease characterized by the 4 Ds
1. dermatitis 2. dementia 3. diarrhea 4. death
 - the skin changes are different from other dermatitis because of its blockish or dark, scaly
patches that appear symmetrically in areas exposed to sunlight called bilateral dermatitis)
- the tongue is beefy red and swollen (glossitis) and the corners of the mouth cracked (angular stomatitis)

D. TOXICITY
d.1. hypermotility
d.2. acidity of the stomach
d.3. paralysis in the respiratory center

E. FOOD SOURCES
- animal sources – liver, glandular organs, lean meats, fish and poultry , milk, and cheese, eggs
- plant sources – legume, nuts, whole grains, enriched cereals, and green vegetables
 B. GROUP II:
MORE RECENTLY DISCOVERED COENZYME
FACTORS
1. PYRIDOXINE (VITAMIN B6)
A. FUNCTIONS
a.1. plays an essential role in many of the complex biochemical processed by which foods are
metabolized by the body
a.2. found in the cells in active form (Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP), a co-enzyme that functions in protein,
fat and carbohydrate metabolism)
a.3. co-enzyme for many chemical reactions, however, is related to protein metabolism
a.4. essential for the formation of tryptophan and for the conversation of tryptophan to nicotine acid

B. DEFICIENCY
- no deficiency state has been observed in adult man by dietary depletion; induced experimental
deficiency by injecting an antagonist results in nausea, vomiting, seborrheic or oily dermatitis,
glossitis,
conjunctivitis and depressive moods
- in infants, deficiency state which resulted from feeding them mil formula lacking in pyridoxine for
several weeks caused irritability, poo growth, anemia and convulsions

C. TOXICITY
- observed only in rats

D. FOOD SOURCES
- vegetable oils of corn, cottonseed, linseed, olive, peanut, wheat germ, wheat and rice germ, lard,
legumes, especially soybeans and nuts
2. PANTHOTHENIC ACID
A. FUNCTIONS
a.1. essential for carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism
a.2. maintenance of normal growth, healthy skin and integrity of the CNS
a.3. part of coenzyme A, has many metabolic roles in the cells

B. STABILITY
- water soluble, stable in moist heat

C. DEFICIENCY
c.1. insomnia
c.2. muscle cramps
c.3. tingling sensation of the extremities
c.4. vomiting

D. TOXICITY
- no toxic effects of this substance are known
 GROUP III:
CELL GROWTH AND BLOOD FORMING
FACTORS
1. FOLIC ACID
A. FUNCTIONS
a.1. transfer one-carbon units to appropriate metabolites in the synthesis of DNA, RNA,
methionine and serine; the enzymes which utilize felacin coenzyme are known as
pteroproteins
a.2. required for one-step conversion of histidine to glutamic acid
a.3. essential for formation of both RBC and WBC in the bone marrow and for their maturation

B. STABILITY
- it is unstable to heat in acid media and stable to sunlight then in solution
- there is a considerable loss of folic acid in vegetables during storage at room temperatures
- loss occurs in processing food at high temperatures
- in dried milk, for example , folic acid activity is destroyed
C. DEFICIENCY
c.1. poor growth
c.2. megaloblastic anemia and other blood disorders
c.3. glossitis
c.4. GIT disturbances arising from inadequate dietary intake
c.5. impaired absorption
c.6. excessive demands by tissues of the body
c.7. metabolic derangements
D. FOOD SOURCES
- it occurs widely in foods and an adequate supply is easily obtained
- the best sources are liver, kidney beans, lima beans, fresh dark green leafy vegetables especially spinach,
asparagus and broccoli
- good sources are lean beef, potatoes, whole wheat bread and dried beans
- poor sources include most meats, milk, eggs, most fruits and root vegetables
2. COBALAMIN (B12)
A. FUNCTIONS
a.1. essential for normal function in the metabolism of all cells, especially for those in the GI tract, bone
marrow, and nervous tissues and for growth
a.2. participates with folic acid, choline and methionine in the transfer of methyl groups in the synthesis of
nucleic acids, purines and pyrimidine intermediates
a.3. effects myelin formation
a.4. involved in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, and associated with folic acid absorption and
metabolism

B. STABILITY
- approximately 70% of the vitamin activity is retained during cooking

C. DEFICIENCY
c.1. demyelination of the large nerve fibers of the spinal cord c.2. pernicious anemia

D. TOXICITY
- no toxic effects are known

E. FOOD SOURCES
- animal protein contain B12 in significant amounts while plant sources are practically nil
 GROUP IV:
OTHER RELATED FACTORS (PSEUDO-
VITAMINS)
1.INOSITOL
- occurs in meat and meat extractive, muscle and glandular organs, brain, legumes and nuts, fruits,
vegetables and grains
- abundant in the diet and minimum requirements for inositol are not known
- its chemistry is closely similar to glucose, hence, the other name for it is “muscle sugar”
- is a lipotropic agent – it is linked with phospholipids as phosphoinositols which help in the transport and
metabolism

2. CHOLINE
- is a lipotropic agent (i.e. it mobilizes fat and prevents fatty acids)
- is needed for fat transport as a constituent of phospholipids, namely lecithin, cephalin, and sphingomyelin
- it helps in transmission of nerve impulses
- deficiency results in fatty livers as seen in chronic alcoholism and Kwashiorkor
- richest food sources is eggyolk: other good sources are liver, brain, kidney, heart, meats, legumes and
nuts, yeast and wheat