Minerals and vitamins are interrelated in the sense that both belongs to the same class of nutrients called as micro nutrients, because both are needed in the body in small quantity as compared to other nutrients like carbohydrates, fat and protein.

1. Interrelationship Between Vitamins And
Minerals
Presented by:
Dr. J.Balakesava Reddy,
GVM/16-005,
1st M.V.Sc.,
Department of Animal Nutrition,
NTR College Of Veterinary Science,
Gannavaram.

2. Introduction:
Minerals and vitamins are interrelated in the sense that both belongs
to the same class of nutrients called as micro nutrients, because both
are needed in the body in small quantity as compared to other
nutrients like carbohydrates, fat and protein.
Both the minerals and vitamins are very essential nutrients and play
vital role in various physiological functions of the body.
With the advancement of knowledge and discovery of new element,
it has become essential to understand the interrelationship between
minerals and vitamins because many of the biological processes
depend upon the availability of both the micronutrients.

3. Some important minerals and vitamins interrelationships are given
below:
Calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D
Zinc and vitamin A
Selenium and vitamin E
Cobalt and vitamin B12
Iron and vitamin B6
Calcium, manganese and vitamin K
Vitamin C and its interrelationship with minerals
Sulphur and its interaction with other vitamins

4. Interrelationship of calcium, phosphorus and
vitamin D:
Calcium and phosphorus serve as the major structural elements
of skeletal tissues, with more than 99% of the total body calcium
and more than 80% of the total phosphorus being found in the
bones and teeth.
Calcium and phosphorus homeostasis is controlled by the
hormonal form of vitamin D3, known as 1,25 dihydroxy
cholecalciferol [1-25(OH)2D3].
The decreased plasma calcium levels stimulates parathyroid
gland, which in turn stimulates the synthesis of [1-25(OH)2D3].

5. This form of vitamin D is synthesized by two sequential
hydroxylation.
The first hydroxylation takes place on the side chain at
carbon-25 in the endoplasmic reticulum of liver cells.
This is the major circulating form of vitamin D under normal
conditions.
The second hydroxylation takes place at carbon-1 in the
mitochondria of the kidney to form 1-25 (OH)2D3.
This form of vitamin D helps in the synthesis of calcium
binding protein (Ca BP) in the cytoplasmic fraction of the
epithelial cells.

6. 7-dehydrocholesterol
Cholecalciferol (Vit.D3)
25-hydroxycholecalciferol(25-OHD3)
1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol(1,25-(OH)2D3)
Liver
microsomes
Kidney
mitochondria
UV Light (Skin)
Intestine
Kidney
Bone
Induction of Ca-Binding Protein
Absorption of Ca++
Mode of synthesis of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol(1,25-(OH)2D3)

7.  The mechanism by which vitamin D maintains the homeostasis of
calcium and phosphorus is detailed below.
I. Vitamin D or its derivatives intensify the diffusion of Ca++ across the
intestinal wall by counteracting the factor which reduce the
concentration of Ca++ or by increasing the permeability of the
membrane of intestinal epithelium.
II. Vitamin D is helpful in the formation or initiation of the special
calcium transport system in the intestinal wall.
III. 1,25 (OH)2D3 helps in calcium resorption from the bone to
extracellular fluid thereby it maintains serum calcium level.
IV. 1,25 (OH)2D3 also helps in the renal absorption of calcium from the
distal convoluted tubules of the kidney.

8. Thus it is clear that for the proper
utilization of calcium and
phosphorus, the presence of
vitamin D is of vital significance.
If the body is deficient in vitamin
D, the absorption of calcium and
phosphorus may be hampered in
spite of their adequate
concentrations in the diet of
animal.
Serum Ca2+ conc.
Ca2+ Absorption
Ca2+ Resorption
1,25 (OH)2D3
25-OHD3
Calcium Homeostatic Mechanism
Ca2+Retention
HPO4
2- Excretion
PTH
CT

9. Zinc and vitamin A interrelationship:
Zinc is present in the skin, hair and wool of the animals and its
concentration is highest in pancreas and prostate gland.
Zinc is associated with about 20 enzyme system in body required for
metabolism.
It also plays a very important role in the utilization of vitamin A.
Certain deficiency diseases such as parakeratosis and night blindness
appear to be similar either due to deficiency of vitamin A or zinc or
due to both.
Zinc supplementation is responsible for mobilisation of vitamin A
from its store in liver.

10. Depressed plasma vitamin A level is observed in zinc deficiency.
It was in spite of the fact that liver store of vitamin A was adequate in
zinc deficient animals.
Supplementation of zinc normalised the level of plasma vitamin A
level in zinc deficient rats.
Prasad and Arora (1979) observed lower level of retinol binding
protein (RBP) in blood plasma of rats, fed on zinc deficient diet.
This is due to the fact that two enzyme viz. thymidase kinase and
DNA dependent RNA polymerase which helps in RBP synthesis
depends on zinc for their activity.
The conversion of β-carotene to vitamin A takes place in the intestinal
tissue in the presence of alcohol dehydrogenase, a zinc metallo-
enzyme.

11. It was indicated that for optimum conversion of β-carotene to vitamin
A, dietary Zn requirement was 80 ppm against 40 ppm suggested for
optimum growth and reproduction.
It was further observed that alcohol dehydrogenase activity was
greatly enhanced at 80 ppm dietary level of zinc.
Zinc and vitamin A also play a very important role in the normal vision.
Alcohol dehydrogenase is necessary for the interconversion of vitamin
A alcohol (retinol) to vitamin A aldehyde (retinal), a process for normal
vision.

12. Selenium and vitamin E interrelationship:
Vitamin E and selenium are essential micronutrients that share
common biological activities.
Vitamin E and the Se-containing enzyme, glutathione peroxidase
(GSH-Px) are integral part of the antioxidant system present in most
mammalian cells.
The essential role of Se is to prevent the formation of peroxides from
unsaturated fatty acids and removal of hydrogen peroxide from the
bio system.
The accumulation of these peroxides in tissues, dissolve and
degenerate the muscle fibres and lead to white muscle disease in
calves.
In lamb similar condition is known as stiff lamb disease.

13. The enzyme GSH-Px catalyses the reaction of hydrogen peroxide and
of peroxides formed from fatty acids according to the general action:
R COOH + GSH Px ----ROH + HOH + GSSH
Where R COOH is lipid peroxides, and ROH is non-damaging hydroxy
compounds.
Thus the glutathione peroxidase acts by destroying peroxides before
they attack the cellular membranes.
It appears, Vitamin E in cellular and subcellular membranes is the first
line of defence against peroxidation of phospholipids.
Vitamin E functions as a chain breaking antioxidant in the lumen of
gastrointestinal tract as well as within the cell.

14. For this purpose vitamin E donates phenolic hydrogen atom to a free
radical formed from unsaturated fatty acids.
R COO + α tocopherol ---- R COOH+ oxidised tocopherol
Inactivate the unpaired electrons of the radical and at the same time
undergoing conversion to the quinone form.
Thus even with adequate vitamin some peroxides are formed.
Se as a part of GSH-Px is a second line of defence that destroys these
peroxides that have an opportunity to cause damage to membranes.
Vitamin E and sulphur amino acids partially protect against or delay
onset of several forms of deficiency syndrome.

15. Selenium spares vitamin E in following ways:
a. It enhances the retention of vitamin E in blood plasma, but the
actual mechanism is not known.
b. It maintains the integrity of pancreas, which is very important for
normal fat digestion and thus normal vitamin E absorption.
c. The amount of vitamin E required to maintain the integrity of cell
membrane is decreased by selenium via GSH-Px.

16. However, vitamin E reduces selenium requirement in 2 ways:
a) It maintains body selenium in active form and prevents its loss from
the body.
b) It prevents destruction of membrane lipids within the membranes
there by inhibiting the production of hydroperoxides and reducing the
amount of Se dependent enzyme needed to destroy peroxides formed
in the cell.

17. It is evident from above that vitamin E has some properties similar to
selenium.
Thus, selenium and vitamin E prevents the liver necrosis independently.
Similarly the exudative diathesis in chicks is also checked either by Se or
vitamin E, but sterility and erythrocyte haemolysis respond only to vit. E
but not to Se.
Likewise the white muscle disease is not cured by vitamin E alone unless
a supply of Se is substituted.

18. Cobalt and vitamin B12 interrelationship:
Cobalt, a trace element, is nutritionally essential in the diet of ruminants,
although the required level is very low i.e. 0.1 ppm.
Cobalt deficiency in ruminants is actually a vitamin B12 deficiency brought
out by the inability of rumen microorganisms to synthesize vit. B12, as
cobalt is an integral part of vit. B12.
Cobalt is a dietary essential only in ruminants, whereas in monogastric
animals it is required to be given in the form of vit. B12.
Vitamin B12 is very important in carbohydrate metabolism of ruminants, as
vit. B12 is a component of the enzyme methyl malonyl Co A isomerase
(mutase) which catalyses the conversion of methyl malonyl Co A to succinyl
Co A.

19. Thus for the utilization of propionic acid through TCA cycle the
presence of vit. B12 is must.
In the deficiency of vit. B12 it is observed that there is an increase in
the proportion of odd-numbered fatty acids in lipids as a result of
increase in the availability of propionic acid.
Increase in the availability of later is the result of decrease in activity
of B12 dependent enzyme methylmalonyl Co A mutase, leading to
higher level of methyl malonyl Co A in blood plasma.
The later is considered as an index of cobalt or Vit. B12 deficiency, and
it affects the voluntary intake of food.

20. Calcium, Manganese and Vitamin K
interrelationship:
Vitamin K and calcium plays a significant role in the process of blood
clotting.
Vitamin K is essentially required for the synthesis of prothrombin in the
liver.
Calcium plays an important role through its relationship with thrombin.
Calcium stimulate the release of thromboplastin from the blood platelets.
If vitamin K is inadequate, prothrombin molecule is deficient in carboxy
glutamic acid, a specific amino acid responsible for calcium binding, which
affects the process of blood clotting.
Prothrombin, which is an important component in blood clotting is vitamin
K dependent.
Glycosyl transferase, a manganese containing enzyme is essential for the
conversion of prothrombin to thrombin with the help of vitamin K.

21. Iron and Vitamin B6 interrelationship:
More than 90% of the iron in the body is combined with proteins, the
most important protein being haemoglobin, which contains about
0.34% of the element.
Iron also occurs in blood serum is a protein, called transferrin (also
called siderophillin), which is concerned with the transport of iron
from one part of the body to another.
• Ferritin, a brown, iron containing protein has up to 20% of the
element, is present in the spleen, liver, kidney and bone marrow and
provides a form of storage for iron.
Haemosiderin is also a similar storage compound which may contain
up to 35% of the element.

22. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) plays an important role in the incorporation
of iron in haemoglobin synthesis.
In monogastric animals, diet rich in iron but deficient in vitamin B6,
the animals show the symptoms of anaemia along with the symptoms
of B6 deficiency.

23. Vitamin C and its interrelationship with minerals:
Ascorbic acid and its oxidation product, dehydro-ascorbic acid play an
important role in various oxidation-reduction mechanism in living
cells.
Vitamin C also plays a significant role in mineral metabolism due to
their chelating behaviour with the minerals.
Vitamin C enhances the absorption of various dietary minerals and
their distribution throughout the body.
It promotes the absorption of non-heme iron from the food and acts
by reducing the ferric iron at the acidic pH in the stomach and by
forming complexes with iron ions that stay in the solution at alkaline
condition of duodenum.
It also helps in the reduction and release of ferric iron from the tight
linkages with plasma protein and its incorporations into ferritin.

24. Sulphur and its interrelationship with vitamins:
Sulphur plays a significant role in the body of animal as it is a
component of two amino acids i.e. cysteine and methionine.
It is also essential for various enzymes like glutathione peroxidase, co-
enzyme A etc. being their component.
It is also a component of two water soluble vitamins namely, thiamin
(B1) and biotin.
The deficiency of thiamin causes beriberi in humans and polyneuritis
in chicks.
The major function of thiamin in all cells is as the coenzyme co-
carboxylase or thiamin pyrophosphate.

25. Thiamin plays important role along with riboflavin and niacin in Kreb
cycle in which breakdown products of carbohydrate, proteins and fats
are brought together for further breakdown and synthesis.
Like thiamine, biotin is also important in energy metabolism.
Biotin serves as the prosthetic group of several enzymes which
catalyzes fixation of carbon dioxide into organic linkage.
Enzymes containing biotin include acetyl Co A carboxylase, propionyl
Co A caboxylase and methyl malonyl transcarboxylase.
Deficiency of biotin hampers the metabolism of fatty acids and as a
result animal may suffer from dermatitis.

26. Thus, it indicates that there are mineral-vitamin interaction for the
proper functioning of the body metabolism and the knowledge of
interrelationship of the two micro-nutrients help in identifying and
preventing the deficiency and toxicity in the body of animal and helps
in the betterment of livestock production.

27. References:
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Chhabra. A. and Arora, SP. 1985. Livestock Prod. Sci. 12: 69.
Chhabra, A. and Amra, SP. 1987. Indian J. Dairy Sci. 40: 322.
Garton, G.A., Duncan, W.R.H. and Fell, B.R. 1981. TEMA-4, Perth, Australia, P 33.
Ghazarion, J-G., Jifevate, C.R.. Knutson, J.C., Orme Johnson, W.H. and Deluca, H.E.
1974. J. Biol. Chem. 249: 3026.
Hoekstra, W.G. 1975. Fed. Proc. 34: 2083
Littledike, E.'I‘. and Horst, R.L. 1982. J. Dairy Sci. 65: 749.
Prasad, CS. and Arora, S.P.1979. Indian J. Dairy Sci. 32: 375.
Smith, T.C., McDowell, E.G., Found, F.F. and Holstead, LA. 1975. Science 181.
Wasseman, RH. 1981. Fed. Am. Soc. Exp. Biol. 40: 68-72.

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