Vitamin A
A little information…
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Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin.
It doesn’t need to be replenished daily.
It comes in two forms:
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Performed vitamin A, called retinol and
Pro-vitamin A, known as carotene
Plays essential roles in vision, growth,
and development.
What vitamin A can do for you…
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Help with eyes and vision.
Assists with skin issues.
Aids in the treatment of emphysema and hyperthyroidism.
Promotes growth in:
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Bones
Hair
Teeth
Gums
Builds resistance to respiratory infections.
It permits formation of visual purple in the eye.
The two forms of vitamin A:
Provitamin A is found in colorful fruits and vegetables.
Provitamins are also called vitamin precursors,
which are substance found in some foods that the
body can use to make vitamins. In this case,
provitamin A carotenoids are turned into retinol
within the body.
Preformed vitamin A is found in foods that come from
animals. It is already in the form of retinol and can
be turned into other forms of vitamin A.
Vitamin A can be found in…
•Fish liver oil
•Carrots
•Eggs
•Liver
•Dark green and yellow vegetables
•Yellow fruits
•All dairy products
Deficiency Disease:
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Night blindness
Xerophthalmia- (Greek for dry eyes)
where the eyes fail to produce tears.
Bitot’s Spots- Irregular spots in the white
part of the eye. In ancient Egypt, this was
treated with animal liver.
Xerosis which is the medical term for dry
skin and is the drying of the eye.
FDA Requirements
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900 micrograms
for men
700 microgram
for women
Vitamin K
Functions Of Vitamin K
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Vitamin K (Menandione)is a fat soluble
vitamin that plays an integral role in clotting of
blood
Because it is fat soluble it can be stored in
the body.
Vitamin K is a trio of vitamins: K1, K2, K3.
All of which are necessary for the formation
of prothrombin, a blood clotting chemical.
Synthesized or Outside
sources?
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There are 2 natural sources of vitamin K: K1
and K2. K3 is synthetic.
Plants are capable of synthesizing Vitamin K
Bacteria also synthesizes Vitamin K in the
large intestine.
Vitamin K is available over the counter in
multivitamin form typically in 10-120
mcg/dose.
Foods Sources
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Leafy green vegetables
Cabbage
Cauliflower
Spinach
Vegetable oils
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Soybean
Cottonseed
Canola
Olive Oil
Daily Requirements
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Specific requirements vary with age, gender,
and other factors such as pregnancy.
Multivitamins carry doses of 10-120
mcg/dose.
Getting more than 500mcg of the synthetic
Vitamin K (K3) is not recommended.
Deficiencies
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Vitamin K deficiency is very rare in healthy adults.
Most common side effects:
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Bruising/bleeding
Nosebleeds
Blood in urine/stool
Extremely heavy menstrual bleeding
In infants: life-threatening intercranial pressure from
a subdural hematoma.
Diseases/Treatment
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Osteoporosis
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Discovery of a Vitamin K dependant protein in bone.
Studies are being done to determine whether Vitamin K
reduces the likelihood of bone fractures in the elderly.
Cardiovascular Disease
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Matrix Gla: A Vitamin K dependant protein found in high
density where blood vessel calcification is seen.
Scientists believe the presence of Mga is a defensive
response to the beginnings of atherosclerosis.
Fun Facts
Vitamin “K” : From the German word
“Koagulation”.
Spaß-Tatsachen
Vitamin "K": Vom deutschen Wort
"Koagulation".
Vitamin C
Synthesized by the human
body or does it come from
other sources?
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Humans as well as apes and guienea pigs
rely on outside dietary sources.
Food Sources
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Fruits and Vegetables are high in Vitamin C
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Citrus fruits (such as lemons, limes, and oranges),
potatoes, strawberries, tomatoes, kiwi fruit,
broccoli, spinach and other leafy greens,
cabbage, green and red peppers, and cauliflower
are excellent sources of Vitamin C.
Daily Requirements
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90 mg per day for men
75 mg per day for women
Smokers and older persons have a greater need for
Vitamin C. Each cigarette destroys 25-100 mg of
Vitamin C.
Recommended as a preventative for crib death or
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
Carbon monoxide destroys Vitamin C, so city
dwellers need to definietly up their intake.
Also up your intake of Vitamin C if your on the pill.
How it works in the body
Acts as an antioxidant.
Also regenerates Vitamin E after
it has been oxidized by donating
an electron.
Deficiency/ Diseases/
Treatment?
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Assists in the synthesis of collagen.
Enhances our immune response.
Fun Facts!!
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Vitamin C, the aerial view.... Polarized light
image at aproximately 400x.
Vitamin D
A little information…
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Fat soluble.
Taken with Vitamin A
and , it can aid in
preventing colds.
If you live in high smog
areas, work at night, or
are a nun you should
increase your vitamin D
intake!
HUH? A Nun?
Vitamin D does not always need to come
from the diet because our bodies can
synthesize vitamin D using energy from
exposure to sunlight.
Where else can you get
vitamin D?
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Fish liver oil
Sardines
Tuna
Herring
Milk/ dairy
Salmon
Deficiencies
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Rickets: ( weak bones
which lead to
deformities in
children).
Osteomalacia: “soft
bones” (weak,
fracture prone bone).
Tooth decay
Recommended Intake
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Men: 5 micrograms
a day
Women: 5
micrograms a day
You should increase
your intake with
age.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E
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The word Vitamin E refers a family of 8
antioxidants
The only form of Vitamin E that is actively
maintained in the body is a form called AlphaTocopherol.
Alpha-Tocopherol is the only form of Vitamin
E that shows to have any nutritional
significance.
Function in the Body
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Vitamin E plays the role of an
antioxidant.
Research has shown to contribute to
immune function, DNA repair , and
other metabolic processes.
Alpha-Tocopherol is uniquely suited to
intercepting free radicals and
preventing a chain reaction of lipid
breakdown.
Synthesized or Outside
Sources?
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Vitamin E is not synthesized in the human
body. We must rely on outside sources.
All 8 varieties of Vitamin E occur naturally in
the foods that we eat.
It is also readily available in supplements and
multivitamins ranging from 100 IU to 1000 IU
Food Sources
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Major Sources of Vitamin E are
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Vegetable Oils
 Olive
 Sunflower
 Safflower
Nuts
Whole grains
Leafy green vegetables
Fortified cereals are also a
common source of Vitamin E
Daily requirements
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Nutritionists believe that for both men and women
15 mgs daily is adequate.
Breast feeding women are advised to get 19 mg
daily.
Diets that are considered “low fat” can significantly
reduce the Vitamin E absorption in the body
because of the fat solubility.
Supplements are generally advised in those
circumstances.
Deficiencies and Disease
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Vitamin E deficiencies are very rare in humans
because it is so abundant in the food that we eat.
There are 3 specific situations where a deficiency
may occur.
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People who can’t absorb dietary fat because of an inability
to secrete bile or have rare disorders of fat metabolism.
Individuals with rare genetic abnormalities in the AlphaTocopherol transfer protein.
Premature, very-low birth weight infants.
Blood levels of Vitamin E may also be decreased if
the person had a zinc deficiency.
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Deficiencies of Vitamin E are usually
characterized by neurological problems
associated with nerve degeneration in the
hands or feet.
Muscle weakness
Damage to the retina of the eye
Disease
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Vitamin E has been shown to play a part in a
few key disease processes.
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Cardiovascular Disease
Cataracts
Cancer
Caffeine
How it works in the body
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Acts in the nervous system by blocking
adenosine receptors.
Stimulating the central nervous system
Acts as a diuretic by increasesing the
circulation and oxidation of the fatty acids.
Where does it come from?
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Tea
Cola nuts
Coffee
Chocolate bean
Guarana
Also artificially added to many soft drinks and
energy drinks
Daily Requirements
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Moderation
Moderation
Moderation!!!
And moderation :-)
Deficiencies
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Has been known to
effect bone density
Also is not
recommended for
pregnant women.
Calcium deficiency
If consumed regularly it
will accumulate in
adipose tissue…making
you fat!
FUN FACTS!! YAHOOOOOO
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Has been known to be a factor in IBS.
Caffeine is one of the most psychoactive
drugs in the world!! ENERGY BITCHES!!!
Works Cited
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Mindell, Earl. Earl Midell’s Vitamin Bible. Warner
Books. 1991.
Bonnie Specker, Ph.D. North Dakota State
University. Office of Dietary Supplements National
Institutes of Health. Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet:
Vitamin D.
Jane Higdon, Ph.D. Linus Pauling Institute. Oregon
State University. Micronutrient Information Center:
Vitamin C. Last updated 01/31/2006. Copyright
2000-2006 Linus Pauling Institute.