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Vitamins: Drivers of cell Processes

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VitaminsA few facts:

- These are essential nutrients needed in tiny amounts to regulate body processes.

- Have no calorie value because they yield no energy

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Some things that they do…

• Nutrient metabolism

• Energy production and release

• Tissue maintenance

• Normal digestion

• Infection resistance

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How much do you need??

YOU ONLY NEED ABOUT ONE OUNCE OF VITAMINS FOR EVERY 150 POUNDS OF FOOD YOU EAT.

-ALL THE VITAMINS YOU NEED IN ONE DAY ADD UP TO ONLY ONE EIGTH OF A TEASPOON!

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Vitamin Deficiency, How Can it Happen

1. An insufficient amount of a vitamin in the diet.

-e.g. poverty. Or simply not choosing foods rich in vitamins.

-pregnancy 2. A body’s failure to absorb a vitamin e.g. changes in the body that occur with age

can affect a person’s ability to absorb vitamin B12.

- What about diarrhea?

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Some Examples of Vitamin Deficiency … Can You Guess the Deficiency?

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Vitamin Classifications

• Fat soluble = Vitamins that dissolve in fats

- A,D,E,K

• Water Soluble = Vitamins that dissolve in water

- B-complex and vitamin C

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Fat Soluble

Vitamin A-needed for the formation

of surface cells that line the outside of the body

-needed for the creation of bone tissue

-night blindness (eyes fail

to adjust to the lack of light very quickly)

-you need about 900 micrograms a day

-generally, foods lower in fat are lower in vit. A, so these foods are usually ‘fortified’(added) with more vit. A

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Fat Soluble

Vitamin D-helps regulate the levels of

calcium in the bloodstream and absorption from the intestines.

-needed for healthy nerve function, bone growth and maintenance.

-you need 5 micrograms a day and more if you are older, why?

-sunlight also triggers the formation of vitamin D

-W/O enough vit. D various bone diseases will occur like Rickets (legs bow),

-too much vit. D can cause damage to the kidneys due to too much calcium being absorbed into the bloodstream

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Fat Soluble

Vitamin E -helps maintain a healthy

immune and nervous system -One of the main functions of

vit. E is as an ANTIOXIDANT (substances that react with oxygen to protect other substances from harmful affects of oxygen exposure.

-Not enough vit. E can result in the formation of free radicals (unstable oxygen molecules) that can cause tissue damage.

-you need about 15 mg per day

-good sources of vit. E include Canola oil, but it is relatively widespread throughout our diet.

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Fat Soluble

Vitamin K-the main function of

vitamin K is to make proteins needed for the coagulation (clotting) of blood

-you need about 75 micrograms a day

-sources of vit.K include bacteria which are found in your intestinal tract, green leafy vegetables and liver

-generally, toxic affects of vit.K is rare, jaundice(yellowing of the skin) is a form of this toxicity.

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Water soluble

The B complex Vitamins!• Thiamin – needed for energy

metabolism, and nerves. Found in pork, dried beans, nuts…

• Riboflavin – helps release energy from carbs, fats and proteins. Helps with healthy skin and eyesight. Main sources are milk and milk products.

• Niacin – needed for energy metabolism, healthy skin, digestion and nervous system. Found in meat, poultry and nuts.

• Pantothenic Acid – Promotes growth. Found in many foods therefore deficiency in it is rarely a problem.

• Biotin – Helps activate several enzymes that are involves in the release of energy from carbs, fats and proteins.

• Vitamin B6 - involved in the synthesizing of nonessential amino acids and proteins that help RBC’s carry oxygen. Found in meats ans a variety of fruits

• Folate – helps synthesize DNA. Dark green leafy vegetables are good sources of folate. Deficiencies should be avoided especially during child bearing ages… Why?

• Vitamin B12 – helps with folate function, growth and maintenance of healthy nerve tissue. Meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products are all good sources.

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Water Soluble

Vitamin C, AKA ascorbic acidVitamin C, AKA ascorbic acidFunction = assists in the formation of collagen(protein

substance in the connective tissue that hold cells together). Collagen is needed for healthy bones, cartilage, muscles and blood vessels.

-increases iron and calcium absorption.-It is an antioxidant and works with vit. E to prevent free

radicalsMeeting Vit. C needs = people exposed to cigarette

smoke need extra vit. C. It is found in many fruits and vegetables and you need about 75 milligrams per day.

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Phytochemicals – the vitamin look-alike!

• Many substances have vitamin like qualities, they may be active in the body and serve some purpose, but are not essential to human nutrition.

• Among the non-nutrients are phytochemicals which are health-enhancing compounds made by plants to protect themselves from UV rays, insects, oxidation, etc…. They are active in the body at the cellular level.

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Functions of Phytochemicals

• Antioxidant- We have already discussed these as they relate to free radicals

• Hormonal Action – Isoflavones, found in soy imitate human estrogens and help to reduce menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis.

• Stimulation of enzymes – indoles, the phytochemical found in cabbage enzymes that make the estrogen less effective and could reduce the risk for breast cancer.

• Interference with DNA replication – Saponins found in beans interfere with the replication of cell DNA for cancer cells

• Anti-bacterial Effect – The phytochemical allicin from garlic found to have antibacterial properties.