Nutrition

1. VITAMIN C
8th Semester
IAAS, Paklihawa
Roll no. 36,37,38,39

2. INTRODUCTION
 Generic term for compounds showing biological activity
of ascorbic acid (AsA).
 Water soluble vitamin.
 Formation of collagen.
 Important for immune system function.
 Included on the World Health Organization Model List of
Essential Medicines.

3. PROPERTIES
 Two forms :- L- ascorbic acid and dehydro-L-ascorbic
acid.
 Least stable.
 Most easily destroyed of all vitamins.
 Stable in acidic medium.
 Soluble in acetone and alcohols.

4. SOURCES
 FRESH FRUIT, GREEN LEAFYVEGETABLES
 Amla is the richest source
 BREAST MILK (if mother is on adequate diet)
4-7 mg/100ml
 FRESH COW MILK/BUFFALO MILK
2mg/100ml
 SPROUTING PULSES

5. Fig :- Source of Vitamin C
Credit :- planetayurveda.com

6. SOURCES

7. Fig:- Sources of vitamin C
Credit :- KeepVitality.com

8. RECOMMENDED DIETARY INTAKE
 DAILY INTAKE in Mg/day
 Preterm baby - 75
 0-6 months- 20
 6 months- 1 year- 40
 1 year- adults- 40
 Pregnancy -40
 Lactation- 80

9. FUNCTIONS
 PRODUCTION OF SUPPORTINGTISSUE
 BONE FORMATION (osteoid)
 TEETH FORMATION (dentin)
 CAPILLARY FUNCTIONS (collagen )

10. FUNCTIONS
 HEMOPOESIS
 Maturation of R.B.C
 Transport of iron in the body
 Helps in conversion of folic acid to folinic acid

11. ENZYMATIC FUNCTIONS
 Imp. Role in oxidation of tyrosine
 Phenylalanine metabolism
 Hydroxylation of proline in collagen
formation
 Biogenesis of corticosteroids in adrenals
 Hydroxylation of aromatic compounds
 As a cofactor of dopamine B monooxygenase
(necessary for nor epinephrine synthesis)
 Effect on catecholamine biosynthesis

12. FUNCTIONS
 CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM
 Impaired glucose tolerance can be corrected
by large amount of vit.C
 FAT METABOLISM
 Intervention in cholesterol transformation to
its principal products of bile acids

13. FUNCTIONS
ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT
 Important scavenger of free radicles which are
derived from oxygen
METAL ION METABOLISM
 Involved in absorption, mobilization,
distribution and intoxication of metal ions
 Helps in transfer of iron from plasma transferrin
into tissue ferritin storage of iron in bone
marrow, spleen and liver

14. FUNCTIONS
 IMMUNE SYSTEM
 High doses(1gm/day)- increases IgM and C3
levels
 May stimulate lymphocyte transformation
and mobility of PMN leucocyte
 BIOSYNTHESIS
 Neurotransmitters
 Carnitine

15. DEFICIENCY
 Scurvy in human beings.
 Infertility in cattle.
 Slow healing and susceptible to infection.
 Low resistance to infections.
 Immunosuppression.

16. SCURVY
 ETIOLOGY
 Formula and boiled milk fed infants without any
vit.C suppl.
 Breast fed infants of mothers deficient in vit.C
 Prolonged storage of vit.C containing food
products(tin foods)
 Vit. C dependency
 Increased requirement- burn, fracture, febrile
illness, surgery, chronic disorders-ra and tb,
pregnancy, lactation, thyrotox., Diarrhea

17. SCURVY
PATHOLOGY
 SKELETAL CHANGES
Significant changes occur at growing end of
long bones
 Failure of ossification
 Failure of osteoblastic function.
 balance of productive and destructive
processes of bone is altered

18. SCURVY
 Process of provisional calcification continues
but destruction of cartilage is disturbed
 Calcified cartilages piles up

19. SCURVY
 PERIOSTEUM- Proliferation of fibroblast
 Loose fibroblastic tissue- hemorrhage can
occur easily
 Zone of weakness between metaphysis and
diaphysis.

20. SCURVY
TEETH
 Defective collagen formation and chondroitin
sulphate
 Defective dentine formation and loosening of
teeth
 Gums are swollen, red or blue, tender, bleeds
on touch

21. SCURVY
ANEMIA
 Decrease in iron absorption and storage
 Altered folic acid metabolism
 Bleeding manifestation
HEMORRHAGE
 Impairment of ability of mesenchymal cells to
form normal intracellular substance-collagen
tissue of vascular endothelium
 Hemorrhage in skin , mm, sub periosteum,
into joints

22. TREATMENT
LATENT SCURVY-VIT.C 100-200mg/day
 VIT.C RICH DIET
CLINICAL SCURVY
 ASCORBICACID 500-1000mg loading dose
repeated daily for 1 week(IV route in
diarrhea, adrenal failure , shock)
 Maintenance dose of vitamin c 50-75 mg/day

23. LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS
BLOOD
 HB%
 ANEMIATYPING (normocytic
normochromic/microcytic
hypochromic/megaloblastic)
 WBC COUNT (raised-infections)
 SERUM BILIRUBIN

24. Laboratory diagnosis
PLASMA ASCORBIC ACID LEVEL
 0.7 mg-1.2mg/dl –normal
 0.4-0.7 – mild deficiency
 <0.4 – severe deficiency
 Plasma and serum conc. Respond to changes
in dietary vitamin c concentration- used for
assessment of recent vit.c intake
 Poor indicators of tissue levels

25. Fig :- Guinea pig infected with Scurvy