NCM 105 – CHAPTER 4: MICRONUTRIENTS

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VITAMINS
 “Vitamin” comes from the Latin word “vita” meaning life, “amine” means nitrogen compound.
 Organic compounds needed only in minute quantities in the diet
 Complex organic compound to regulate body processes and maintain body tissue
 Do not give energy to the body but merely help convert food into energy through biochemical reactions.
 Taking extra: can’t increase one’s physical capacity
 Shortage: lead to fatigue
 Do not have caloric value

VITAMINS TERMINOLOGIES
1. Precursors or provitamins
 is a substance that may be converted within the body to a vitamin
2. Preformed vitamins
 compound that can be changed to active vitamins
Ex. Carotene are precursors to Vit. A
 are naturally occurring vitamins that are in inactive form and ready for its biological use
3. Avitaminosis
 severe lack of vitamins
Ex. Avitaminosis A leads to night blindness
4. Hypervitaminosis
 excessive accumulation of vitamins in the body – “vitamin toxicity”
5. Vitamin Malnutrition
 “too much or too little” not good for the health
6. Vitamin – like Compounds
 Have physiological roles like vitamins but they are present in larger amounts and partially
synthesized in the body
Ex: Inositol, Choline, lipoic acid, ubiquinone
7. Antivitamins or Vitamin Antagonist
 They interfere with the normal functioning of a vitamin

CLASSIFICATION OF VITAMINS ON THE BASIS OF SOLUBILITY

1. Fat-soluble Vitamins
 Vitamins A, D, E, K, G
2. Water-soluble Vitamins
 Vitamin B Complex and Vitamin C, G

GENERAL PROPERTIES AND STABILITY

FAT – SOLUBLE WATER - SOLUBLE
1. Have precursors or provitamins 1. Do not have precursors
2. Deficiencies are slow to develop 2. Any excess is excreted in the urine
3. Not needed daily in the diet 3. Must be supplied daily in the diet
4. Stable, especially in ordinary cooking 4. Deficiency symptoms develop fast
5. Destroyed in ordinary cooking
FUNCTIONS
1. Essential in the growth, repair and healthy functioning of body tissues.
2. Through many biochemical reactions, vitamins transform food into energy.
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Major Roles of Vitamins:
 Antioxidants – Vit. E & C
 Bone Health – Vit. D & K
 Blood clotting – Vit. K
 Vision – Vit. A
 Coenzymes – The 8 B – Vitamins

NOMENCLATURE OF VITAMINS
VITAMIN NOMENCLATURE
A Retinol
D Calciferol
E Tocopherol
K Phylloquinone
B1 Thiamine
B2 Riboflavin
B3 Niacin
B4 Adenine
B5 Pantothenic Acid
B6 Pyridoxine
B7 Biotin
B8 Inositol (Vit. like factor)
B10 Para – Aminobenzoic Acid (pseudo vit)
Cyanocobalamin (Cobalamin)
B12
Folic Acid

FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS

 A, D, E, K can be absorbed in the presence of fat & stored in the body
 Generally, have pre cursors or pro vitamins
 They can be stored in the body, deficiencies are slow to develop
 Not absolutely needed daily from food sources
 Stable especially in daily cooking

VITAMIN A (RETINOL)
 Vitamin A is a group of compounds that play an important role in vision, bone growth, reproduction, cell
division, and cell differentiation

FUNCTIONS
 Helps regulate the immune system, which helps fight infections – has been labeled as
“antioxidant”
 Maintenance of vision in dim light – correct night blindness
 Necessary material for proper synthesis and maintenance of epithelial tissue, integrity of skin
and internal mucosa, growth and formation of tooth buds
 Growth and Bone Development - provides normal bone development and affects tooth
formation in nearly life.
 Reproduction –Vit. A intake must be increased to assure normal reproduction and lactation.
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a. Chemical and physical nature
i. Performed Vitamin is found in meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products.
ii. Provitamin A is found in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based products. The most
common type of provitamin A in foods and dietary supplements is beta-carotene.
b. Absorption and storage
i. Absorption aided by: Bile salts, pancreatic lipase and dietary fat
ii. Carotene
Converted into vit A in intestinal wall.
iii. Absorbed through
Lymphatic system and portal blood to liver
iv. Toxicity levels with large intake

DEFICIENCY
1. Poor adaptation or night blindness
2. Eye lesions
 Bitot’s spot (mild form)
 Xeropthalmia (severe form)
3. Retarded growth
4. Lower resistance to infection
5. Lack of vitamin A is the leading cause of blindness in the world (discounting accidents).
s/s: malfunction of lacrimal gland; keratinization; rupture of corneal tissues; infections thus pus
develops; eye hemorrhages
6. Faulty skeletal and dental development
7. Keratinization of epithelial linings
8. Disturbances in the respiratory, GI, and genitourinary tracts
9. Phrynoderma
Skin lesion
s/s – dry, rough skin; dermal changes occurs: thighs, abdomen, upper arm and back

TOXICITY
 Thickening of the skin with peeling off
 Coarse sparse hair
 Violent headaches
 Nausea and vomiting
 Enlargement of spleen and liver
 Swollen, painful long bones
 Cessation of menstruation in young girls

FOOD SOURCES
1. Preformed Vit. A - animal sources (liver, egg yolk, milk, cream, butter & cheese)
2. FISHES – dilis, clams, tahong, shellfish
3. Fortified margarine or skim milk
4. Precursors or Provitamin A – plant sources (green & leafy vegetables, Deep yellow or orange fruit,
Fortified margarine.

VITAMIN D (CALCIFEROL)
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 Called the sunshine vitamins because the body produces it when the sun’s ultraviolet B (UVB) rays strike
the sun.
 It is vital for the control of the levels of calcium in the blood and excretion of calcium in the urine

It has 2 Forms:
 Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) – found in few plant foods
 Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) – found in few animal-derived foods

FUNCTIONS
 The major function of vitamin D is the promotion of calcium and phosphorus absorption in the body.
 Building and maintenance of normal bones and teeth
 Prevention of tetany

DEFICIENCY
1. Tetany
 a syndrome characterized by abnormal muscle twitching, cramps and sharp bilateral spasms
of joints in the wrist and ankles
2. Rickets
 in children is the severe form manifested in defective bones and retarded growth
 Bones become fragile, soft deformed
3. In adults, Osteomalacia
4. In infants, dentition and delayed closing of the fontanel

TOXICITY
 Stone formation on kidney
 Hypercalcemia – excessive quantities of vitamin D and hypersensitivity to vitamin D
 Polyuria
 Weight Loss
 Nausea

FOOD SOURCES
 fortified margarine, butter, milk, cheese, fish, liver and other glandular organs, egg yolk, sardines
and salmon

VITAMIN E (TOCOPHEROL)
 Also called alpha-tocopherol
 Health benefits: skin enhancement, wound healing, immune function, protection against various
diseases

FUNCTIONS
1. Antioxidant
 help remove free radicals
2. Cholesterol reduction
 prevents cholesterol from being converted to plaque
 it also thins the blood and improves blood flow
 free radicals (unstable compounds that damage cell structure) - it is aided in this process by
vitamin C and the mineral selenium
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3. Skin care
 helps retain moisture in the skin and prevents dryness, itchiness, and chapping.
 it also protects against UV radiation and speeds up wound healing. (It can be applied
topically and a main ingredient in most creams, lotions, and sunscreens).

DEFICIENCY
 Hemolysis of RBC
 Low level of tocopherols in the blood
 Increase urinary excretion of creatine and decreased excretion of creatinine

TOXICITY
 It is advisable to avoid long-term mega doses of vitamin E.
 Although vitamin E appears to be relatively nontoxic, it is a fat-soluble vitamin, and the excess is
stored in adipose tissue

FOOD SOURCES
 Animal source – none
 Plant source – Green and leafy vegetables, Margarine, Salad dressing, Wheat germ, Vegetable oils
and Nuts

VITAMIN K (PHYLLOQUINONE)
 Vitamin K is made up of several compounds that are essential to blood clotting.

A. Vitamin K1, commonly called phylloquinone from plant sources

B. Vitamin K2, called menaquinone, from animal sources
C. A synthetic vitamin K3, called menadione is a synthetic form of vitamin K meaning that it does not occur
in nature but rather is a man-made chemical form of the vitamin.

FUNCTION
 Aids in blood clotting

DEFICIENCY
 Hemorrhagic disease in newborn
 Delayed blood clotting time in adults

TOXICITY
 Vomiting
 Hemolysis
 Albuminuria
 Kernicterus – resulting from the accumulation of bile pigments in the gray matter of CNS

FOOD SOURCES
 The best dietary sources of vitamin K are green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, spinach,
and kale
 Dairy products, eggs, meats, fruits, and cereals also contain some vitamin K

WATER SOLUBLE VITAMINS

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 Water soluble vitamins are B-complex group and Vit. C
 Water-soluble vitamins are easily destroyed or washed out during food storage or preparation
 Dissolve in water and are not stored, they are eliminated in urine, so we need continuous supply of this
vitamins in the diet every day.
 To reduce vitamin loss, refrigerate fresh produce, keep milk and grains away from strong light, and use
the cooking water from vegetables to prepare soups.

VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID)

 It is the fresh food vitamin since it occurs in growing parts of the plants.
 Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin. It is needed for normal growth and development.
 Leftover amounts of the vitamin leave the body through the urine.

FUNCTIONS
1. Vitamin C is known to prevent scurvy. This is a disease characterized by gingivitis (soft, bleeding
gums and loose teeth)
 s/s of scurvy: flesh that is easily bruised; tiny, pinpoint hemorrhages of the skin; poor wound
healing; sore joints and muscles; and weight loss
2. Vitamin C also has an important role in the formation of collagen, a protein substance making it
necessary for wound healing.
 Tiny, pinpoint hemorrhages are symptoms of the breakdown of collagen.
3. Vitamin C is an iron enhancer
 aids in the absorption of non heme iron in the small intestine when both nutrients are
ingested at the same time
4. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, along with vitamin E, beta-carotene
5. It is believed to reduce the severity of colds because it is a natural antihistamine
6. Prevents megaloblastic anemia and pinpoint hemorrhage also called petechiae hemorrhage.
7. Resistance to infection

RECOMMENDED VITAMIN C INTAKE:

MEN 75 mg/day
WOMEN 70 mg/day
PREGNANT WOMEN 80 mg/day
LACTATING WOMEN 105 mg/day

DEFICIENCY
Irritability, general weakness, lack of appetite, lowered resistance to infections, pallor and scurvy (bleeding,
swollen gums)

TOXICITY
 No toxicity or hypervitaminosis
 Mega doses greater than 2000mg daily may cause abdominal cramps and diarrhea
 No toxicity or hypervitaminosis since the vitamins cannot be stored in the body

FOOD SOURCES
 Animal - None
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 Plants
 All citrus fruits, broccoli, melons, strawberries, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, potatoes, cabbage, green
peppers

VITAMIN B COMPLEX
 These include thiamine (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid
(vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin, folic acid and the cobalamins (vitamin B12).
 Each member of the B-complex has a unique structure and performs unique functions in the human
body.
 They play important roles in the normal growth and body processes.

A. GROUP I: CLASSIC DISEASE FACTORS

1. Thiamine (B1)
 Thiamine is considered an "anti-stress" vitamin because it strengthens the immune
system and improve the body's ability to withstand stressful conditions

FUNCTIONS
 Essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates and some amino acids.
 It is also essential to nerve and muscle action.
 Helps maintain good appetite, good muscle tone, especially of the GI tract and normal
functioning of nerves.

DEFICIENCY
 experience fatigue, irritability, depression and abdominal discomfort
 also have difficulty digesting carbohydrates
 Beriberi is a disease in which the body does not have enough thiamine (vitamin B1).

TYPES OF BERIBERI
1. Infantile beriberi
 Occurs in infants 2 to 5 months whose main food is milk coming from a mother
with bribery
 s/s: loss of voice, whining cry, bluish discoloration, difficulty of breathing, even
death.
2. Wet beriberi
 affects the cardiovascular system
 s/s: edema of both lower extremities, cardiomegaly, heart beats irregular

3. Dry beriberi
 Involves peripheral nerves
 s/s: pins and needles feeling (paresthesia) in toes, gradual loss of touch
sensation, muscle weakness, finally paralysis

TOXICITY
 There are no toxic reactions of excessive thiamine
intake in the body

FOOD SOURCES
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 Outstanding foods:
lean pork, pork liver and other glandular organs of pork and some shellfish
 Next in line sources:
liver and organ meats of other animals, egg yolk and unpolished rice, whole grains,
legumes (monggo, kadyis, soybean) and nuts.

2. VITAMIN B2 (RIBOFLAVIN)
 Riboflavin is sometimes called B2. It is destroyed by light and radiation.

FUNCTIONS
1. Aids release of energy from food (is essential for carbohydrate, fat, and protein
metabolism)
2. It is also necessary for tissue maintenance, especially the skin around the mouth,
and for healthy eyes.
3. It is needed for conversion of tryptophan into niacin

DEFICIENCY
1. CHEILOSIS
 an abnormal condition of the lips characterized by scaling
of the surface and by the formation of fissures in the
corners of the mouth

2. SEBORRHEIC DERMATITIS
 scaly, greasy skin with burning sensation,
corneal vascularization

3. GLOSSITIS
 inflammation of the tongue
 magenta red

4. EYE SENSITIVITY
5. PHOTOPHOBIA

TOXICITY
 Does not occur from oral doses but is possible with massive doses are given by
injection

FOOD SOURCES
 Animal sources – cheese, milk, eggs, liver and glandular organs.
 Plant sources – whole grain, legumes, leafy green vegetables and seaweeds.

3. VITAMIN B3 NIACIN (NICOTINIC ACID)

 Niacin is the generic name for nicotinic acid and nicotinamide.
 Niacin is fairly stable in foods.
 It can withstand heat and acid and is not destroyed during food storage.

FUNCTIONS
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1. Effective in improving circulation and reducing cholesterol levels in the blood.
2. Serves as a coenzyme in energy metabolism and is essential in prevention of
pellagra.
3. Pellagra is characterized by cracked, scaly skin, dementia, and diarrhea.

DEFICIENCY
1. PELLAGRA
 characterized by 4 d’s dermatitis, dementia, diarrhea and death

 Skin changes – blockish or dark, scaly patches that exposed to sunlight

called bilateral dermatitis
 Tongue is beefy red and swollen (glossitis) and the corners of the mouth are
cracked (angular stomatitis)

2. ANOREXIA
3. INDIGESTION
4. SKIN CHANGES

TOXICITY
 Hypermotility
 Acidity of the stomach
 Paralysis in the respiratory center

FOOD SOURCES
 Animal sources – liver, glandular organs, lean meat, fish and poultry, milk and
cheese, eggs
 Plant sources- legume, nuts, whole grains, enriched cereals and green vegetables

B. GROUP II: MORE RECENTLY DISCOVERED CO-ENZYMES FACTORS

1. PYRIDOXINE (VITAMIN B6)
 Vitamin B6 is composed of three related forms: pyridoxine, pyridoxal, and
pyridoxamine.
 It is stable to heat but sensitive to light and alkalies.

FUNCTIONS
1. Essential for protein metabolism and absorption
2. Essential for the formation of tryptophan and for the conversion of tryptophan to
niacin
3. Co-enzymes for many chemical reactions, related to protein metabolism
4. Important in maintaining a healthy digestive tract

DEFICIENCY
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Vitamin B6 deficiency causes peripheral neuropathy and a pellagra-like syndrome,
with seborrheic dermatitis, glossitis, and cheilosis, and, in adults, can cause
depression, confusion, EEG abnormalities, and seizures.
 Infants – cause seizure, irritability, poor growth and anemia

FOOD SOURCES
 Animal – pork, fish, poultry, liver, kidney, milk, eggs
 Plants – Whole-grain cereals, legumes

2. PANTOTHENIC ACID
 Pantothenic acid is appropriately named because the Greek word pantothen means
“from many places.”
 It is fairly stable, but it can be damaged by acids and alkalies.

FUNCTIONS
1. Essential for carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism
2. Maintenance of normal growth, healthy skin and integrity of the CNS
3. It is also essential for the synthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine and of
steroid hormones.
DEFICIENCY
 insomnia, muscle cramps, tingling sensation of extremities

TOXICITY
 None

FOOD SOURCES
 Liver, glandular organs, meats, eggs, milk, cheese and legumes

3. LIPOIC ACID
 an antioxidant that is made by the body and is found in every cell, where it helps turn
glucose into energy
 concentrated sources are yeast and liver

4. VITAMIN B7 (BIOTIN)
 also known as vitamin H
 is used for preventing and treating biotin deficiency associated with pregnancy, long-
term tube feeding, malnutrition, and rapid weight loss.
 also used orally for hair loss, brittle nails, skin rash in infants (seborrheic dermatitis),
diabetes, and mild depression.

FUNCTIONS
1. Coenzyme in carbohydrates and amino acid metabolism
2. Niacin synthesis from tryptophan

REQUIREMENTS
 Suggested 150-300 micrograms a day
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FOOD SOURCES 11
 Animal – milk, liver and kidney, egg yolks
 Plants – legumes, Brewer’s yeast, soy flour, cereals and fruits

C. GROUP III: CELL GROWTH AND BLOOD FORMING FACTORS

1. FOLIC ACID OR FOLATE
 Folic acid is a type of B vitamin.
 It is the man-made (synthetic) form of folate that is found in supplements and added to
fortified foods.

FUNCTIONS
1. Folate helps tissues grow and cells work
2. Essential for formation of both RBC and WBC in the bone marrow and for their
maturation
3. Folic acid also increases homocysteine levels that help prevent stroke, blood vessel
disease, macular generation, and Alzheimer’s disease.

DEFICIENCY
 Poor growth
 Megaloblastic anemia and other blood disorders
 Glossitis
 GIT disturbances arising from inadequate dietary intake
 Impaired absorption
 Excessive demands by tissues of the body
 Metabolic derangements

FOOD SOURCES
 Best sources are liver, kidney beans, lima beans, fresh dark green leafy vegetables
esp. spinach, asparagus and broccoli
 Good sources are lean beef, potatoes, whole wheat bread and dried beans
 Poor sources include most meats, milk, eggs, most fruits and root vegetables.

2. VITAMIN B12 (COBALAMIN)

 Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is a compound that contains the mineral cobalt.
 It can be stored in the human body for 3 to 5 years.

FUNCTIONS
1. Vitamin B12 is involved in folate metabolism, maintenance of the myelin sheath,
and healthy red blood cells
2. Involved in carbohydrate, protein and fat metabolism, and associated with folic acid
absorption and metabolism
3. Treatment of pernicious anemia

DEFICIENCY
 Degeneration of the myelin sheath
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 Pernicious anemia - is a blood disorder caused by inadequate vitamin B12 in the 12
blood.
 Patients who have this disorder do not produce the protein substance in the
stomach that allows the body to absorb vitamin B12.

TOXICITY
 None

STABILITY
 70% of the vitamin activity is retained during cooking

FOOD SOURCES
 Animal – seafood, poultry, liver and kidney, muscle meats, eggs, milk, cheese
 Plants – none

D. GROUP IV: OTHER RELATED FACTORS (PSEUDO – VITAMINS)

 a substance that has a chemical structure similar to that of a vitamin but lacks the physiologic
effects.
1. INOSITOL
 Inositol is a vitamin-like substance
 It is found in many plants and animals. It can also be made in a laboratory
 Also called “muscle sugar”
 Inositol has also been known to improve insulin sensitivity and provide other beneficial
health effects

2. CHOLINE
 choline helps keep your cell membranes functioning properly
 plays a role in nerve communications
 prevents the buildup of homocysteine in your blood (elevated levels are linked to heart
disease) and reduces chronic inflammation.
 In pregnant, choline prevents certain birth defects, such as spina bifida, and playing a
role in brain development.
DEFICIENCY
 Results fatty livers
FOOD SOURCES
 egg yolk, liver, brain, kidney, heart, meats, legumes and nuts, yeast and wheat germ