Short survey of vitamins

1. BIOCHEMISTRY
VITAMINS

2. VITAMINS
• Vitamins are organic molecules that are essential to an organism in
small quantities for proper metabolic function.
• Essential nutrients cannot be synthesized in the organism in
sufficient quantities for survival, and therefore must be obtained
through the diet.
• There are 13 recognised vitamins.

3. Functions of vitamins
• Normal functioning of the body
• Metabolism
• Growth
• Development

4. Classification:
• Vitamins are grouped into two categories:
• Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body's liver, fatty tissue,
and muscles. The four fat-soluble vitamins are vitamins A, D, E,
and K. These vitamins are absorbed more easily by the body in
the presence of dietary fat.
• Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in the body. The nine
water-soluble vitamins are vitamin C and all the B vitamins. Any
leftover or excess amounts of these leave the body through the
urine.

7. Fat soluble vitamins
• Vitamin A :
• Vitamin A is important for normal vision, the immune system,
reproduction, and growth and development. Vitamin A also helps
your heart, lungs, and other organs work properly.

8. Sources :
• Leafy green vegetables (kale, spinach, broccoli), orange and yellow
vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and other winter
squash, summer squash)
• Tomatoes
• Red bell pepper
• Cantaloupe, mango
• Beef liver
• Fish oils
• Milk
• Eggs
• Fortified foods

9. Deficiencies
Conditions that interfere with normal digestion can lead to vitamin A
malabsorption such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, cirrhosis, alcoholism,
and cystic fibrosis.
• Xerophthalmia, a severe dryness of the eye that if untreated can lead to
blindness
• Nyctalopia or night blindness
• Irregular patches on the white of the eyes
• Dry skin or hair

10. Toxicity
• Vision changes such as blurry sight
• Bone pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dry skin
• Sensitivity to bright light like sunlight

11. • RDA: The Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults 19 years
and older is 900 mcg RAE for Men and 700 mcg RAE for women

12. Vit D
• Vitamin D is both a nutrient we eat and a hormone our bodies
make. It is a fat-soluble vitamin that has long been known to
help the body absorb and retain calcium and phosphorus; both
are critical for building bone.

13. Sources :
• Cod liver oil
• Salmon
• Swordfish
• Tuna fish
• Orange juice fortified with vitamin D
• Dairy and plant milks fortified with vitamin D
• Sardines
• Beef liver
• Egg yolk
• Fortified cereals

14. Deficiency
• Conditions resulting from prolonged vitamin D deficiency:
• Rickets: A condition in infants and children of soft bones and
skeletal deformities caused by failure of bone tissue to harden.
• Osteomalacia: A condition in adults of weak and softened bones
that can be reversed with supplementation. This is different than
osteoporosis, in which the bones are porous and brittle and the
condition is irreversible.

15. • Symptoms of toxicity:
• Anorexia
• Weight loss
• Irregular heart beat
• Hardening of blood vessels and tissues due to increased blood
levels of calcium, potentially leading to damage of the heart and
kidneys

16. • The Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults 19 years and
older is 600 IU (15 mcg) daily for men and women, and for
adults >70 years it is 800 IU (20 mcg) daily.

17. Sources of vitamins

18. Functions

19. Vit E
• Its main role is to act as an antioxidant, scavenging loose
electrons—so-called “free radicals”—that can damage cells. [1] It
also enhances immune function and prevents clots from
forming in heart arteries. Antioxidant vitamins,

20. Functions:

21. • The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for vitamin E for males
and females ages 14 years and older is 15 mg daily (or 22
international units, IU), including women who are pregnant.
• The following are common signs of a deficiency:
• Retinopathy (damage to the retina of the eyes that can impair vision)
• Peripheral neuropathy (damage to the peripheral nerves, usually in the
hands or feet, causing weakness or pain)
• Ataxia (loss of control of body movements)
• Decreased immune function

22. Vit k
• Vitamin K helps to make various proteins that are needed for
blood clotting and the building of bones. Prothrombin is a
vitamin K-dependent protein directly involved with blood
clotting. Osteocalcin is another protein that requires vitamin K
to produce healthy bone tissue.

23. Functions

24. • For adults 19 years and older, the AI for vitamin K is 120 micrograms
(mcg) daily for men and 90 mcg for women and for those who are
pregnant or lactating.
• The following are the most common signs of a deficiency.
• A longer time for blood to clot or a prolonged prothrombin time (as
measured in a physician’s office)
• Bleeding
• Hemorrhaging
• Osteopenia or osteoporosis

25. Water soluble vitamins
• Vitamin C plays a role in controlling infections and healing wounds,
and is a powerful antioxidant that can neutralize harmful free radicals.
It is needed to make collagen, a fibrous protein in connective tissue
that is weaved throughout various systems in the body: nervous,
immune, bone, cartilage, blood, and others.

27. • The Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults 19 years and older is
90 mg daily for men and 75 mg for women.
• The following are the most common signs of a deficiency.
• Scurvy, the hallmark disease of severe vitamin C deficiency, displays
symptoms resulting from loss of collagen that weakens connective tissues:
• Skin spots caused by bleeding and bruising from broken blood vessels
• Swelling or bleeding of gums, and eventual loss of teeth
• Hair loss
• Delayed healing of skin wounds
• Fatigue, malaise

28. • However, adverse effects are possible with intakes greater than
3000 mg daily, including reports of diarrhea, increased
formation of kidney stones in those with existing kidney disease
or history of stones, increased levels of uric acid

29. Vitamin B

30. • The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for men ages 19
and older is 1.2 mg daily, and for women in the same age range
1.1 mg daily.
• Deficiency:
• Weight loss
• Confusion, memory loss
• Muscle weakness
• Peripheral neuropathy
• Lowered immunity

32. Vitamin B2
• Riboflavin is a key component of coenzymes involved with the
growth of cells, energy production, and the breakdown of fats,
steroids, and medications.

33. • The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for men and women ages 19+ years is 1.3
mg and 1.1 mg daily, respectively.
• Symptoms may include: Deficiency
• Cracked lips
• Sore throat
• Swelling of the mouth and throat
• Swollen tongue (glossitis)
• Hair loss
• Skin rash
• Anemia
• Itchy red eyes
• Cataracts in severe cases

35. Vit B3
• Niacin helps to convert nutrients into energy, create cholesterol
and fats, create and repair DNA, and exert antioxidant effects.

36. • The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults 19+ years is
16 mg NE for men, 14 mg NE for women, 18 mg NE for pregnant
women.
• Signs of severe niacin deficiency include:
• Depression
• Headache
• Fatigue
• Memory loss
• Hallucinations

37. Toxicity
• . A reddened skin flush with itchiness or tingling on the face,
arms, and chest is a common sign.
• Functions:
• DNA synthesis
• Energy production
• Healthy nervous system,skin and digestive system

38. Vit B5
• . It is used to make coenzyme A (CoA), a chemical compound
that helps enzymes to build and break down fatty acids as well
as perform other metabolic functions.

39. • The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for men and women
ages 19+ years is 5 mg daily.
Symptoms of deficiency may include:
Headache
Fatigue
Irritability, restlessness
Disturbed sleep
Nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps
Numbness or burning sensation in hands or feet
Muscle cramps

40. Vit B6
• Breakdown of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats; maintaining normal levels o
homocysteine (since high levels can cause heart problems); and supporting i
function and brain health.

41. • The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for men ages 14-50
years is 1.3 mg daily; 51+ years, 1.7 mg. The RDA for women ages
14-18 years is 1.2 mg; 19-50 years, 1.3 mg; and 51+ years, 1.5 mg.
• Deficiency can exhibit the following:
• Microcytic anemia
• Skin conditions
• Depression
• Confusion
• Lowered immunity

42. Toxicity:
• Neuropathy in feet and hands
• Ataxia (loss of control of body movements)
• Nausea.
• Functions
• Promotes RBC production
• Breakdown protein
• Make antibodies
• Assist in balancing sodium levels

43. Vit B7
• Biotin plays a vital role in assisting enzymes to break down fats,
carbohydrates, and proteins in food. It also helps to regulate
signals sent by cells and the activity of genes.
• Symptoms appearing with a biotin deficiency:
• Thinning hair
• Scaly skin rashes around eyes, nose, mouth
• Brittle nails

45. Vit B9
• Folate helps to form DNA and RNA and is involved in protein
metabolism. It plays a key role in breaking down homocysteine,
an amino acid that can exert harmful effects in the body if it is
present in high amounts. Folate is also needed to produce
healthy red blood cells and is critical during periods of rapid
growth, such as during pregnancy and fetal development.

46. RDA
• Men and women ages 19 years and older should aim for 400
mcg DFE. Pregnant and lactating women require 600 mcg DFE
and 500 mcg DFE, respectively.
• Deficiency
• Produces less red blood cells, and larger in size than normal);
weakness, fatigue; irregular heartbeat; shortness of breath; difficulty
concentrating; hair loss; pale skin; mouth sores.

47. Functions
• Formation of RBC – folic acid in combination with vitamin B12 is
essential for formation, maturation.
• Nerve – it is necessary for growth & division of all body cells,
Hair & Skin – it is essential for the health of skin & hair
• Pregnancy – it is an important nutrient for the pregnant women
& her developing fetus.& folic acid improves the lactation.
• DNA synthesis

48. Vit B12
• Vitamin B12 is needed to form red blood cells and DNA. It is
also a key player in the function and development of brain and
nerve cells.
• The Recommended Dietary Allowance for men and women ages 14
years and older is 2.4 micrograms (mcg) daily. For pregnancy and
lactation, the amount increases to 2.6 mcg and 2.8 mcg

49. Deficiency
• Signs of deficiency may include:
• Megaloblastic anemia—a condition of larger than normal sized red
blood cells
• Pernicious anemia—a type of megaloblastic anemia caused by a lack
of intrinsic factor so that vitamin B12 is not absorbed
• Fatigue, weakness
• Nerve damage with numbness, tingling in the hands and legs
• Memory loss, confusion
• Dementia
• Depression
• Seizures