Fat Soluble Vitamins
VITAMIN
VITAMIN A
(Retinol):
PHYSIOLOGIC FUNC.
B-carotene 
Retinol 
11 cis retinol
Proper night vision

Night blindness
 Toxic in large amounts.

Formation & maintenance of
healthy epithelial tissue.

Keratinization of corneal
epithelium  Xerophthalmia
 Loss of hair, joint pain,
Growth of skeletal / soft tissues
bone & teeth

Keratinization of epithelium
of skin / mucous membrane
leading to Infections
 In children: hyperstoses


Deficiency can be due to:
o Inadequate dietary intake
o Poor absorption
o Inadequate hepatic
Formed in the body
by skin exposure to
UV from sun or
lamp


Para-hormone (involved in Ca / P
metabolism)
jaundice, L. bone thicken
(bone hypertrophy)
Faulty tooth formation.
o Peeling of skin

Retarded growth

o Headache, Nystagmus
Loss of appetite
o Lymph node enlarge

In children: faulty bone
formation & rickets (cranial
Absorption of Ca & P from GIT
o Calcification of soft
tissues lungs / kidney
bones soften, bowed
thighs & knock-knees)
o Hyper-calcemia

Tubular reabsorption of Ca

Calcification of bones (Ca
mobilization from bone to blood)

In adults: osteomalasia &
hypo-parathyroidism.
o
VITAMIN E:

Related to action of Selenium

Hemolysis of RBCs

Anti-sterility vitamin
(proven in rats)

Antioxidant (protects # peroxides
which can destroy RBCs &
capillary walls)

Anemia.

Sterility in males.

Habitual abortion in females

Muscular dystrophy
Hemorrhagic tendencies 
 PT time.
VITAMIN K:

Normal development of muscles

Safe in large doses

Blood clotting, necessary for
hepatic synthesis of prothrombin.

Toxic in large amounts.


Xss oral AB  inhibits flora
 Vitamin K deficiency.
U.S. RDA



o Bone fragility.
 digitalis tox. , MI
Safe in large doses
o Inf:
hemorrhagic
anemia, kernicterus,
&  bilirubin.
o In adults:  liver
functn.  jaundice.
SOURCES
Adult: 3,000 IU
 Liver, fish oil
Inf: 1,300 – 2,600
 Butter, whole
Ped. prepn. must
contain > 1,000 IU

Adult prepn. must
contain > 1,600 IU

No prepn. should
contain > 10,000

1IU = 0.3  retinol,
0.6  carotene
 In adults & children:

conversion of B carotene
VITAMIN D:
Toxicity

Retin = Retina
ol = alcohol
DEFICIENCY
400 IU (children;
pregnant or lactating
women)
milk, egg yolk
 Green & yellow
vegetables
 Yellow fruits
(apricots)
 Fish oil / yeast
 Fortified or
irradiated milk.
1 IU vitamin D =
0.025 g vitamin D2.
 In few foods:

Adult: 5 - 10 IU
 Vegetable oil.

Increases vitamin
A absorption
 Seed oils.

Anti-oxidant

UNKNOWN

Synthesized by
normal GIT flora
cod liver oil, little
in milk, egg yolk
 Others: milk,
eggs, meat &
fish.
 Green leafy
vegetables,
 Cheese, egg
yolk, liver.
Water Soluble Vitamins
VITAMIN
PHYSIOL. FUNCTIONS
THIAMINE
(B 1)

Anti-beriberi
factor
Coenzyme in carbohydrate
metabolism (2 C atom
metabolism getting rid of
pyruvic).
(Oral / IM / SC)
RIBOFLAVIN
(B 2)
The yellow green
florescent pigment in
milk
NIACIN
(B 3)
As nicotinic acid or
nicotinamide (when
vasodilatation is
contraindicated we
can use nicotinamide
instead of nicotinic a
PYRIDOXINE
(B 6)
Pyridoxal is more
stable than
pyridoxine




Coenzyme in protein
metabolism (proton carrier).
Deficiency  tissue
inflammation. (def. occurs in
conjunctn. with other B vit.)
Coenzyme in tissue oxidation
as H+ carrier  energy (ATP
productn in respiratory chain).
Metabolism of Fat, protein,
glucose.

Uses: ttt

Nicot. a (not nicotinamide)
> 3 gm / day, hypocholest.


of pellagra.
Coenzyme in amino acid
metabolism (in decarboxylation
& transamination)
Production of GABA (a
neurotransmitter inhibitor that
prevents convulsions)
Deficiency

Results from eating white
wheat polished rice &
alcoholics Beriberi
Toxicity

Very safe; toxicity not
marked.
U.S. RDA
Adults > 0.6 mg
Uses:
GI: Anorexia,  HCl
Beriberi
CNS: Fatigue, Mental
Disorders, Periph neuritis,
Periph neuritis in DM

CV: Card. failure / LVH, TC
Mental Disorders


Wound aggravation
Adults > 1.0 mg
Cheilosis (cracks at corners
of mouth).
Infants > 0.6 mg
Glossitis, eye irritation.

Pellagra characterized by
scaly dermatitis,
photosensitivity & fatal
effects on CNS



Neuralgia
 Never given alone
but with other B
vit. (Oral, IM, SC)
Seborrheic dermatitis.

Vasodilatatn, flushing
Adults: > 6 - 45 mg

Hepatotoxicity

GI irritatn/ ulceration
Weakness, lassitude

Hyperuricemia
Infants > 4 mg
(niacin equivalent)
60 mg tryptophan =
1 mg nicotinic acid
Anorexia, indigestion.

Glucose
intolerance interrelated in cell
(hyperglycemia)
metabolism. If one is
CNS: neuritis, confusion,
apathy, schizophrenia.

Anemia (hypo chromic,
microcytic).

CNS: epileptic convulsions,
peripheral neuritis.

Beef, liver, pork,
fish, eggs.

Whole or
enriched grains.


Yeast

Milk, liver,
kidney


Enriched cereals


Meats

Enriched grains.
Infants > 0.4 mg




SOURCES
Vitamin B1 is
thermolabile.
Absorbed from
upper GIT
Peanuts, beans,
peas
B3 & B2 are closely
deficient the other is.
B6 is contraindicated wit Ldopa (Why)
2 mg (Pregnancy &
estrogen/progest OC
 B6  additional B6)
INH, hydralazine &
penicillamine deplete
tryptophan  B6 def.
 Wheat, corn, yeast
 Meat, liver, Kidney
 GIT flora  B6 but
significance not
determined
VITAMIN
PANTOTHENIC
ACID
Found throughout
body tissues
PHYSIOLOGIC FUNC.


Coenzyme in overall body
metabolism
Deficiency
U.S. RDA
Contributes to:

Converted to Co-A (Ac Ch
synthesis & fatty a metabolism)
Amino acid activation

Locally to aid wound
healing.

IM to aid motility of the
intestine after surgical op
(post-op paralytic ileus.
SOURCES
GIT flora syn. a
considerable amount
+ wide spread in nat.
sources  def. not
common

Liver, kidney

Yeast, egg yolk

Skimmed milk.

Leafy vegetable
50 ug

Liver, kidney

Formation of Cholesterol

Excretion of drugs

Megaloplasic anemia

Not toxic by oral route

Sprue (GIT disease
characterized by severe
diarrhea).

Pern. anemia (doesn’t
control neurologic sym)

Green leafy
vegetables

Megaloblastic anemia.

Asparagus.

Sprue treatment.
6 ug.

Liver, meat, egg.
milk, cheese.
“micronutrient” bec
minute traces 
metabolic task

Egg yolk,

Liver, kidney.

Tomato, yeast
.
FOLIC ACID

Important in cell growth &
blood forming factors.

Essential for synth. of purine &
pyrimidine nucleotides
COBOLAMINE
(B12)

Coenzyme in protein synthesis

Pernicious anemia

Formation of red blood cells.

Sprue treatment + folic a
BIOTIN

Coenzyme in CO2 reactions in
energy metabolism.

Undetermined.

Involved in fatty a synthesis &
in carboxylation reactns.
CHOLINE

Essential for synthesis of
phosphatidyl-choline
involved in lipid transport &
acetylcholine synthesis



Synthesized by GIT flora
or with ingested food (nat.
def. unknown)
Large amounts of
white  deficiency.
egg
 Synth. in body from
amino acid methionine
VITAMIN C

Building & maintaining
collagen, cartilage, bone matrix
& connective tissue.
 Scurvy *

Wound healing, tissue
 Wound healing, tissue

GIT absorption of iron

Redox reactions in the body 
Cellular respiration
formation (cementing
connective tissue)
 Megahemoglobinemia (bec
of its reducing properties)
 Fever, infections  stored
vitamin C
 Stress reactions
 Growth period.
 ttt of alcohol overdose 
stimulates alcohol
dehydrogenase
 Increased
formation in UT.
stone Adult > 150 mg
Child > 20 mg
 Diarrhea
 10 gm daily of vit C
followed
by
rapid
withdrawal  frank
symptoms of scurvy.
Women have
higher vitamin C
levels than men.
Smoking  vitamin
 Scurvy develops in C levels in blood.
newborns to mothers
who suddenly stop large
daily doses of vitamin C.
Citrus fruits,
tomatoes, green &
yellow vegetables
(cabbage, potatoes)
& strawberries.