vitamins

NutrientsInvolvedinEnergyMetabolismandBloodHealth

Vitaminsandminerals

Arerequiredforpropermetabolism

Donotdirectlyprovideenergy

Arenecessaryforobtainingenergyfromthemacronutrients

Oftenfunctionascoenzymes

Enzymes:aproteinthatacceleratestherateofachemicalreaction.

Enzymesarerequiredforallmetabolicreactions

Coenzymes:amoleculethatcombineswithanenzymetoactivateit.

Somemetabolicreactionsrequirecoenzymes

TheB-complexvitaminsareespeciallyimportantforenergymetabolism.

TheB-complexvitaminsinclude

thiamin(B

1

),folate,riboflavin(B

2

),vitaminB

12,

niacin,pantothenicacid,vitaminB

6

,biotin

B-complexVitamins:Thiamin(VitaminB

1

)

Coenzymethiaminpyrophosphateisrequiredforcarbohydratemetabolism

Coenzymeforthemetabolismofsomefattyacids

Enrichedfoods,wholegrains,andporkaregoodsources

Beriberi:deficiencyofthiaminresultinginmusclewastingandnervedamage,heartfailure

B-complexVitamins:Riboflavin(VitaminB

2

)

Partofcoenzymesinvolvedinoxidation-reductionreactions

Partoftheantioxidantenzymeglutathioneperoxida

Milkisagoodsourceofriboflavin

Ariboflavinosis:riboflavindeficiency;sorethroat,swollenmucousmembranes

B-complexVitamins:Niacin

Nicotinamideandnicotinicacid

Coenzymeassistswiththemetabolismofcarbohydratesandfattyacids

Goodsources:meat,fish,poultry,enrichedbreadproducts

Toxicitycanresultfromsupplements

Pellagra:vereniacindeficiency

4Ds:dermatitis,diarrhea,dementia,anddeath

B-complexVitamins:VitaminB

6

(Pyridoxine)

Groupofsixrelatedcompounds

Partofacoenzymeformorethan100enzymes,aminoacidmetabolism,neurotransmitter,andheme

synthesis

Goodsources:enrichedcereals,meat,fish,poultry,starchyvegetables

Toxicityfromsupplementscanresultinnervedamageandskinlesions

Deficiency:anemia,elevatedlevelsofhomocysteine

B-complexVitamins:Folate

InvolvedinDNAsynthesis,aminoacidmetabolism,redbloodcellsynthesis

Criticalforcelldivisionofveryearlyembryos

Goodsources:ready-to-eatcereals,enrichedbreadproducts

ToxicitycanmaskvitaminB

12

deficiency

Deficiency:macrocyticanemia

NeuralTubeDefects-Awoman’sneedforfolatedramaticallyincreasduringpregnancy.

Folateisrequiredforcelldivisionandproperformationoftheneuraltube.

Theneuraltubedevelopsintothebrainandspinalcord

Theincreadneedforfolateiscriticalveryearly(first4weeks)inpregnancy,frequentlybeforeawoman

knowssheispregnant.

Allwomencapableofbecomingpregnantshouldconsumeanextra400µg/dayoffolate.

Anemiameans“withoutblood”;anyconditionoflowhemoglobinlevels.

Therearemanytypesandcausofanemia.

MacrocyticAnemia

Caudbyaverefolatedeficiency

Resultsinenlargedredbloodcellscarryinginsufficienthemoglobin

Showscommonsymptomsofanemiaincludingweakness,fatigue,difficultyconcentrating,irritability,

headache,shortnessofbreath

B-complexVitamins:VitaminB

12

(Cobalamin)-Foundonlyinanimal-badfoods

Partofcoenzymesforbloodformation

Requiredfornervefunctioning

Requiredforhomocysteinebreakdown

Deficiencyresultsinanemia,lowenergy,fatigue,shortnessofbreath,andcanleadtoperniciousanemia

B-complexVitamins:VitaminB

12

(Cobalamin)-Vegansareatriskfordeficiency

Deficiencyisduetoinsufficientintakeorinabilitytoabsorbthevitamin

Absorptionrequires:intrinsicfactorandlowstomachpH

Lackofintrinsicfactorproductioncanoccur

Atrophicgastritisresultsininadequatestomachacidproduction

VascularDia

FolateandvitaminB

12

arerequiredforthebreakdownoftheaminoacidhomocysteine.

Lowfolate,vitaminB

12

,andvitaminB

6

intakemaycauanincreadlevelofhomocysteine.

Highhomocysteinelevelsareassociatedwithgreaterriskofcardiovascularandcerebrovasculardia.

PerniciousAnemia-Perniciousmeanscausinggreatharmorfatal

VitaminB

12

deficiency

Duetolowacidproductioninthestomachorlackofgastricintrinsicfactorproduction

AlsooccursinpeoplewhoconsumeverylittlevitaminB

12

intheirdiet

Symptomsarepaleskin,reducedenergy,fatigue,neurologicalsymptoms

B-complexVitamins:PantothenicAcid

Componentofcoenzymesforfattyacidmetabolism

Requiredforbuildingnewfattyacids

Goodsources:chicken,beef,eggyolk,potatoes,oatcereals,tomatoproducts

Notoxicityfromexcesspantothenicacid

Deficiencyisveryrare

B-complexVitamins:Biotin

Partofcoenzymesinvolvedinmetabolismofcarbohydrates,fat,andproteins

Importantforgluconeogenesis

Biotincontenthasbeendeterminedforveryfewfoods

Deficiencysymptomsincludehairthinning,lossofhaircolor,redrashonface

Deficiencyisveryrare

Cholineisavitamin-likesubstance.

Assistsinhomocysteinemetabolism

Acceleratesthesynthesisofacetylcholine,aneurotransmitter

Goodsources:milk,liver,eggs,peanuts

Deficiencycanleadtofataccumulationintheliver

Toxicitycanresultfromsupplements

Iodineisatracemineral.

Criticalforthesynthesisofthyroidhormones

Thyroidhormonesregulatebodytemperature,growth,andrestingmetabolicrate

Goodsources:saltwaterfish,shrimp,iodizedsalt,milkanddairyproducts

Excessiodine

BlockssynthesisofthyroidhormonesThyroidtriestomakemorehormonesResultsingoiter:

enlargedthyroid

Iodinedeficiency-Resultsinhypothyroidismandgoiter

Cretinism:mentalretardationfromiodinedeficiencyduringembryonicdevelopment

Chromiumisatracemineral.

Assistsinsulinasittransportsglucofromthebloodintothecells

Playsaroleinimmunefunctionandgrowth

Thereisverylittlechromiuminthebody

Goodsources:mushrooms,prunes,darkchocolate,nuts,wholegrains

Chromiumdeficiencyinhibitsglucoabsorptionbybodycells

Manganeisatracemineral.

Coenzymeinvolvedinenergymetabolism

Partoftheantioxidantenzymesuperoxidedismuta

Goodsources:whole-grainfoods,brownrice,pineapple,pinenuts,okra,spinach

Toxicityimpairsthenervoussystemcausingspasmsandtremors

Sulfurisamajormineral.

Componentofthiaminandbiotin

Stabilizesproteinstructure

Requiredfordetoxificationofalcoholanddrugsbytheliver

Foundintwoaminoacids

Requirementforsulfurismetfromtheproteininourdiets

Bloodistheonlyfluidtissueinthebody.

Functions

Transportofoxygenandnutrientstocells&Removalofwastesproductsfromcells

ComponentsofBlood

Erythrocytes:redbloodcells

Transportoxygenthroughthebody

Leukocytes:whitebloodcellsoftheimmunesystem

Platelets:cellfragmentsthatassistinbloodclotting

Plasma:thefluidportionoftheblood

VitaminKisafat-solublevitamin.

Coenzymeforthesynthesisofproteinsinvolvedinbloodclotting

HealthfulintestinalbacteriaproducesomevitaminK

Goodsources:greenleafyvegetables

Deficienciescanresultfromdiasthatdisturbabsorptionoffats

NewbornsaregivenvitaminKatbirth

Ironisatracemineral.

Functionsofiron

Acomponentoftheproteinhemoglobinwhichcarriesoxygeninerythrocytes

Acomponentofmyoglobinwhichcarriesoxygeninmusclecells

Acoenzymeinvolvedinthemetabolismofcarbohydrates,fats,andproteins

Ironcanbestoredinthebodyasferritinorhomosiderin.

Storageisusuallyintheliver,bonemarrow,intestinalmucosa,andspleen

Twotypesofironarefoundinfoods

Hemeiron—foundinanimalbadfoodsandmoreabsorbable

Non-hemeiron—noteasilyabsorbed,ironnotpartofhemoglobinormyoglobin

Recommendedintake:RDAvariesbadonageandgender

8mg/dayforadultmen

27mg/dayforpregnantwomen

Sourcesofiron-MeatfactorandvitaminCenhanceabsorption

Meat,poultry,fish,clams,oysters,enrichedcerealsandbreads

Whatifyouconsumetoomuchiron?

Ironoverdoisthemostcommoncauofpoisoningdeathsinchildren

Toxicitysymptoms:naua,vomiting,diarrhea,dizziness,confusion

Delayedtreatmentofirontoxicitycanresultinveredamagetotheheart,centralnervoussystem,liver,

kidneys

Hemochromatosis—excessiveironabsorption

Whatifyoudon’tconsumeenoughiron?

Irondeficiencyisthemostcommonnutrientdeficiencyintheworld

High-riskpeopleincludeinfants,youngchildren,preadolescentgirls,premenopausalwomen,and

pregnantwomen

Iron-DeficientAnemia

Irondeficiencyresultsinsmallredbloodcellsthatdonotcarryenoughhemoglobin

Symptomsarefatigue,paleskin,impairedworkperformance,depresdimmunefunction,impaired

memory

Zincisatracemineral.

Functionsofzinc

Cofactorforhemoglobinproduction

Partofsuperoxidedismutaantioxidantenzymesystem

Developmentandfunctionofimmunesystem

Growth

Assistsinenergymetabolism

Recommendedintake

RDAis8mg/dayforwomen

11mg/dayformen

Sourcesofzinc:Redmeats,someafood,wholegrains,enrichedgrainsandcereals

Whatifyouconsumetoomuchzinc?

Toxicitycanoccurfromsupplements

Symptomsareintestinalpain,cramps,naua,vomiting,lossofappetite

Whatifyoudon’tconsumeenoughzinc?

DeficienciesareuncommonintheUnitedStates

Symptomsaregrowthretardation,diarrhea,delayedxualmaturation

Copperisatracemineral.

Functionsofcopper

Cofactorforenergymetabolism

Coenzymethatassistsincollagenproduction

Partofsuperoxidedismutaantioxidantenzymesystem

Requiredforirontransport

Recommendedintake:RDAforadultsis900µg/day

Sourcesofcopper:Organmeats,afood,nuts,eds,whole-grainfoods

Whatifyouconsumetoomuchcopper?

Toxicityinnotwellstudiedinhumans

Symptomsareintestinalpain,cramps,naua,vomiting,liverdamage

Whatifyoudon’tconsumeenoughcopper?

Copperdeficiencyisrare

Symptomsareanemia,reducedwhitebloodcells,osteoporosisinchildren