Vitamins: Drivers
of Cell Processes
Chapter 8
What are Vitamins?
An essential nutrient needed in tiny amounts to regulate
body processes.
•
Vitamins have no calorie value, but are needed for the chemical
reactions involved in releasing energy from other nutrients.
VITA = Life
AMINE = Chemical structure that contains nitrogen
Vitamin Types
VITAMINS were named as they were discovered (Vitamin A,
Vitamin B, etc.)
Classified into 2 categories
•Fat-soluble – dissolves in fat (can lead to toxicity)
•Water-soluble – dissolves in water (no toxicity, flushed out with waste)
Used by body for nutrient metabolism, energy production and release,
tissue maintenance, normal digestion, and infection resistance
2-Types of Vitamins
Fat-Soluble: Vitamin A
Functions:
•Formation of healthy epithelial cells (surface cells that line the outside of the body)
•Maintenance of healthy eyesight
Needs:
•RDA: 900 micrograms for male ages 14 and up
700 micrograms for females ages 14 and up
Health:
•Deficiencies – night blindness; dry, scaly skin; fatigue
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tr2DeAQA-DI
•Toxicity – severe headaches, bone pain, dry skin, hair loss, vomiting, and liver
damage. Children are at a greater risk.
Vitamin A
Sources:
•Liver, fish oils, egg yolks,
whole fat dairy products
•Dark green and deep orange
fruits and vegetables
Fat-Soluble: Vitamin D
Functions:
•Regulate calcium levels in the bloodstream
•Bone health
•Maintaining all body tissues
Needs:
•RDA: 15 micrograms per day for all people through age 70
Health:
•Deficiency: Rickets – in children-bones are soft and misshapen (leg bones bow in or out)
Osteomalacia – in adults-leg and spine bones soften and bend
•Toxicity: Usually the result of consuming supplements, causes too much calcium to be absorbed in the
bloodstream and it is deposited in the kidneys and soft organs, the organs cannot perform their vital functions.
Vitamin D
Sources:
•In food and made by body
when skin is exposed to
sunlight
•Fatty fish and fish oils, eggs,
butter, and Vit. D fortified milk
and margarine
D Deficiency
Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is a disease in
which bones become fragile and
more likely to fracture. Usually the
bone loses density, which
measures the amount of calcium
and minerals in the bone.
**It is more common in women
than men
You can build strong bones and help
prevent osteoporosis with weightbearing exercise and a diet rich in
calcium and vitamin D.
Fat-Soluble: Vitamin E
Functions:
•As an antioxidant (substances that react with oxygen to protect other substances from harmful effects of
oxygen exposure)
•Protects the cells of the lungs
•Helps deactivate or transform free radicals – free radicals can generate a harmful chain reaction that can
damage tissue
Needs:
RDA: 15 milligrams for male and females ages 14 and up
Health: Deficiencies – not common; mostly seen in premature babies
•Toxicity – digestive problems and nausea
Sources: Vegetable oils, some fruits and vegetables, and margarine. Wheat germ, multigrain cereals, and
nuts are also good sources.
Fat-Soluble: Vitamin K
Functions:
•Make proteins needed in the coagulation of blood (blood clotting)
Needs:
•AI
•75 micrograms for male and females ages 14-18
Health:
•Deficiencies – few cases, usually with those who take antibiotics that kill intestinal bacteria and newborns.
•Toxicity – rare, symptom is jaundice (yellowing of skin/eyes).
Can cause brain damage
Sources:
•Green leafy vegetables and liver. Fruits, milk, meat, eggs, and grain products supply small amounts
Experiment Time!
Water-Soluble: Vitamin C
Vitamin C / Ascorbic Acid
● Assists in forming collagen (protein substance in
connective tissues that holds cells together).
● Needed for healthy bones, cartilage, muscles, and
blood vessels.
● Vit C increases iron and calcium absorption.
● Protects body against infections.
Does more vitamin C CURE a Cold?
Too much Vitamin C?
RDA: Males 14-18= 75 mg/day 19+= 90mg/day
Females 14-18= 65 mg/day 19+= 75 mg/day
Safety limits are set at 1800 mg/day for 14-18 year olds.
The body does not store Vitamin C, so it is needed as a daily intake. Usually
not harmful if too much in system, b/c you will excrete it. However, still may
have side effects (1,000-3,000mg) of nausea, diarrhea, stomach cramps and
reduced ability of Vitamin B12 to function if too much Vitamin C.
Vitamin C Deficiency
Scurvy is a disease that occurs when you have a
severe lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid) in your diet.
Scurvy causes general weakness,
anemia, gum disease, and skin hemorrhages.
Scurvy is rare in the United States.
Older adults who are not getting proper nutrition are most affected
by scurvy.
Symptoms: Tiredness, weakness, shortness of breath,
aching bones and muscles, swollen and bleeding gums, and lack
of appetite. Capillaries break under skin. Wounds are slow to heal.
Water-Soluble: B Vitamins
There are eight different
B vitamins:
B1: Metabolize carbs, fats, proteins, helps functioning of
nerves.
B2: Metabolize carbs, fats, proteins, helps in healthy
skin and normal eyesight.
B3: Metabolize carbs, fats, proteins, helps keep skin
and nervous system healthy.
B5: Metabolize carbs, fats, proteins. Promotes growth,
synthesizes substances.
B6: Metabolize carbs, fats, proteins, helps in
synthesizing amino acids, effects health of immune and
nervous system.
B7: Metabolize carbs, fats, proteins and helps body
make fats and glycogen.
B9: Helps synthesize DNA, during pregnancy prevents
neural tube defects.
B12: Release of energy from fats, helps form red blood
cells, helps folate function.
B1 Deficiency
Beriberi is a disease in which the body does
not have enough thiamin (vitamin B1).
Beriberi translated means
"weak, weak" or "I cannot, I cannot",
the word being duplicated for emphasis.
Symptoms: weakness, loss of appetite, and
irritability
Sources: Whole grain breads and cereals,
pork, dried beans, nuts, and seeds.
Thaimin toxicity has not been identified.
B2: Riboflavin
RDA: 14-18 yr old males: 1.3 mg/day
14-18 yr old females: 1.0 mg/day
19+ females: increases to 1.1 mg/day
Sources: milk, milk products (yogurt), enriched whole-grain
cereals, meats, poultry, and fish.
Deficiency: may exist if not drinking milk or eating milk
products.
• Inflamed tongue, cracked skin around corners of mouth
Toxicity: none
B3: Niacin
Niacin deficiency :
Pellagra is a disease that occurs when a person does not get enough
niacin or tryptophan (an amino acid).
Characterized by the 4 Ds: diarrhea,
dermatitis, dementia, and death.
Symptoms: scaly sores, mucosal changes
and mental changes.
Niacin toxicity symptoms: dilated blood
vessels near the surface of the skin,
nauseau, dizziness,and low blood pressurecaused by supplement use
Sources: whole grains, meat, poultry, nuts
B5: Pantothenic acid
From the Greek word pantothen, meaning “from all sides”. B5 is found
in all living tissues.
Found in many food sources – avocado, broccoli, legumes, eggs, milk,
poultry.
Deficiency symptoms are rarely a problem.
Toxicity is also rare.
B6
Deficiencies are rare. Symptoms include skin disorders,
fatigue, irritability, and convulsions.
Large doses of B6 report symptoms of numbness in hands
and feet and walking difficulties.
Sources: meats, fish, and poultry, dairy products, and some
fruits and vegetables.
B7: Biotin
Deficiencies are uncommon among people who
eat a nutritious diet.
Researchers have found no evidence of biotin
toxicity.
Good sources are egg yolks, yeast, beans,
nuts, cheese, and liver.
B9: Folate
Folate is another B Vitamin,
a synthetic form of it is folic acid.
Word Folium, in Latin, means “leaf”.
Green leafy vegetables are good
sources of folate.
Folate helps synthesize DNA,
the genetic material in every cell.
Without folate, cells cannot divide to form new cells.
There is little information available on folate toxicity.
Folate/Folic Acid Deficiency
Deficiency is especially damaging to women and babies while pregnant. Can
cause brain and spinal cord damage, paralysis, brain and mental deformities,
or death.
B12
Deficiency caused by inability to absorb vitamin B12 is called Pernicious Anemia.
Prevents red blood cells from
maturing and dividing properly
Person feels tired and weak,
has a red, painful tongue and a
tingling or burning in the skin.
Nerve damage can lead to paralysis.
No toxicity symptoms are known.
Sources: animal products
Vitamin Supplements
-Supplements are not “miracle cures” for everything.
-They do not make up for poor eating habits!
The only symptoms a vitamin supplement relieves are those caused by a
lack of that vitamin.
-Some people may need supplements to augment the vitamins provided by
their diets.
Pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants, older adults, and patients who
are ill or recovering from surgery.
Vitamin Supplements
When a vitamin cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by the body, it must be
supplied by the body or a supplement.
Be aware that some supplements provide large doses of vitamins.
Toxicity in supplements - taking too much causes damage to the body – body can store
toxic levels of fat-soluble vitamins and large doses of some water-soluble vitamins
produce negative effects for some people.
FDA regulates the sale of vitamin supplements, but has little authority to regulate the
amounts of vitamins that supplements contain.
Minimize Nutrient Loss in Foods
Store and Prepare foods safer:
● Keep freezer temperature at 0 degrees
● Use frozen foods within several months
● Store canned foods and fruits and vegetables in a cool, dry storage
area
● Do not soak fruits or veggies in water
● Avoid paring or peeling fruits and veggies, if possible
● Cut fruits right before cooking or eating them
Maximize Nutrients in Foods
● Heat canned vegetables in their own liquids
● Follow package directions when cooking
frozen veggies and fruit
● Steam, or use as little water as possible.
● Cover pan and cook for a short period of
time
● Save cooking liquids for soups, stews, gravy
Compare and Contrast
What are the benefits of getting
vitamins from supplements?
What are the benefits of getting
vitamins from food sources?
Vitamin Review:
Vitamins video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTDPJq8yxYc beginning to 18:35