MICRONUTRIENTS: VITAMINS
Nutrition & Diet Therapy | Monaliza Lee | BSN 2P
Vitamins
 Potent, essential, non-caloric, organic nutrients
needed from food in trace amounts to perform
specific functions that promote growth,
reproduction, and maintenance of health and
life.
Distinguishing characteristics of vitamins:
1. Do not yield energy when broken down but
assist the enzymes that release energy from
CHO, CHON, and fats.
2. Needed n much smaller amounts than the
energy nutrients
3. Dietary essentials
4. Required for normal human growth
Factors Affecting the Bioavailability of Vitamins
Bioavailability
 The rate and extent to which a nutrient is
absorbed and used
1. Quantity provided by food
2. Amount absorbed and used by the body
3. A person’s previous nutrient intake and
nutritional status
4. Other foods eaten at the same time
5. Methods of food preparation (raw or cooked)
6. Source of nutrients (naturally occurring,
synthetic, or fortified)
Terms Associated with Vitamins
1. Precursor or provitamins
a. Compounds that can be changed to the
active vitamins
b. They are potential vitamins
c. E.g. beta-carotene (a.k.a provitamin A)
is the precursor to vit A, ergosterol
(a.k.a provitamin D2) is the precursor to
vit D2, 7-dehydrocholesterol (a.k.a
provitamin D3) is the precursor to vit D3
2. Preformed vitamins
a. Naturally occurring that in active form
and ready for its biological role
b. Preformed vitamin A = vit A
c. Sources of preformed vit A: meat fish,
poultry, dairy
3. Avitaminosis
a. Condition resulting from the lack of a
vitamin in its later stage when more
defined signs and symptoms will occur
b. Xeropthalmia – vit A deficiency
c. Scurvy – vit C deficiency
4. Hypervitaminosis
a. A vitamin toxicity or a condition is a
result of excessive accumulation of a
vitamin in the body
b. Teratogenic toxicity of vit A (specific)
c. Hypervitaminosis A – toxicity of vit A
d. Hypervitaminosis B complex – toxicity of
vit B complex
5. Antivitamins or Vitamin Antagonists
a. Substances that interfere with the
normal functioning of a vitamin
b. Inactivates, destroys or inhibits the
function of a vitamin
c. Ascorbic acid oxidase against vit C
d. Thiaminase against thiamine (B1)
e. Dicumarol against vit K
6. Synthetic vitamins
a. Man-made or synthesized in a
laboratory
b. Does not substitute for normal intakes of
vitamins from food sources (natural
vitamins)
c. In the ingredients list of a food label,
look for ingredients starting with d and
dl or ending with -ide and -ate
d. Synthetic vit A: acetate, palmitate
e. Synthetic vit B1: thiamine mononitrate,
thiamine hydrochloride
f. Synthetic vit E: dl-alpha tocopherol, dl-
alpha tocopherol acetate
7. Vitamers
a. Are multiple forms of a vitamin
b. One vitamin may have a lot of both
synthetic and natural vitamers
c. Vit B6: pyridoxine, pyridoxal,
pyridoxamine
d. Vit B9: food folates, folic acid
e. Vit E: tocopherols, tocotrienols
8. Vitamin supplements
a. Vitamins taken in addition to the diet
b. Made in concentrated forms of the
vitamins
c. May be in tablet form or liquid form
CLASSIFICATIONS OF VITAMINS
1. Fat-soluble vitamins
a. Generally have precursors
b. Stored in the liver and fatty tissues
c. Present in fats and oils of food
d. Absorbed like lipids
e. Not readily excreted
f. Can build up toxic concentrations
g. Deficiencies are slow to develop
h. Generally stable
2. Water-soluble vitamins
a. Do not have precursors
b. Found in watery components of food
c. Distributed into water-filled
compartments of the body
d. Easily absorbed into the blood stream
e. Easily excreted in the urine if blood
concentration is high
f. Less likely to reach toxic concentrations
g. Deficiency symptoms develop fast
h. Easily destroyed by ordinary cooking
FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
  Vitamins A,D,E, and K (ADEK)
 Usually occur together in the fats and oils of
foods
 The body absorbs ADEK in the same way it
absorbs lipids, thus they are stored in the liver
and fatty tissues until the body needs them
 Not readily excreted and can build up to toxic
concentrations if consumed excessively
WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
 Vitamins B (B-complex) and C
 The body needs water-soluble vitamins in
frequent but small amounts
 Not likely to reach toxic levels
 Note: excessive vit B6 can cause irreversible
nerve damage
 Excreted by the kidneys through urine
 Help burn fuel but do not serve as fuel
 B vitamins are part of an enzyme helper known
as coenzyme, a molecule that combines with an
enzyme to make it active and attractive to other
substances.
o Coenzymes containing B6 – helps
enzymes to metabolize amino acids
o Coenzymes containing B9 and B12 –
helps in making new cells
o Note: B vitamins are not coenzymes, but
are components of coenzymes
 B vitamins help the body convert carbohydrates
(food) to glucose (fuel), which the body uses to
produce energy. They also help in the
conversion of proteins and fats
o B1, B2, B3, B5, B7 – participate in the
release of energy from CHO, CHON,
and fats
 Processes that protect people from water-
soluble vitamin deficiencies:
o Fortification
 Addition of vitamins that were
either not originally present or
lost during the preparation of
food
 Originally, no or very
insignificant amount of vitamins
are found in the food
o Enrichment
 Addition of vitamins to meet a
specified standard
 Originally, the food already
contains the specific vitamin but
the amount is just not enough to
meet the standards
 Vitamin B Complex
o B1: thiamine
o B2: riboflavin
o B3: niacin
o B5: pantothenic acid
o B6: pyridoxine
o B7: biotin
o B9: folate or folic acid
o B12: cobalamin
 Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
 Nutrients that are no longer labeled as
vitamins:
o These nutrients no longer fit the official
definition of vitamins
o B4: adenine
o B8: inositol
o B10: para amino benzoic acid (PABA)
o B11: salicylic acid
MAJOR B VITAMIN DEFICIENCIES
 Beriberi
o B1 (thiamin) deficiency
o Cause: consuming rice that is
unenriched or the bran layer of rice was
stripped off to make it look white
o At risk: people experiencing alcohol
abuse, hyperemesis gravidarum
(extreme vomiting in pregnancy),
prolonged diarrhea, AIDS patients,
dialysis patients
o Wet beriberi: affects the heart and
circulatory system, may lead to heart
failure
o Dry beriberi: nerve damage, decreased
muscle strength, may lead to muscle
paralysis
 Pellagra
o B3 (niacin) deficiency
o Types
 1. primary – low niacin or
tryptophan in the diet (low
protein or excessive intake of
corn)
 2. Secondary – the body cannot
absorb niacin (may be due to
alcoholism, eating disorders, GI
diseases, liver cirrhosis)
o 3Ds
 Dermatitis
 Diarrhea
 Dementia
 Megaloblastic anemia
o B9 (folate) and B12 (cobalamin)
deficiency
o Characterized by unusually large,
structurally abnormal, immature RBCs
(called megaloblasts) that are also few
in amount
o Megaloblasts are too large and cannot
exit the bone marrow to enter the
circulatory system, thus they cannot
transport oxygen to the rest of the body
DISEASE ASSOCIATED WITH VITAMIN C
DEFICIENCY
 Scurvy
o Severe vitamin C deficiency
o s/sx:
 swollen and tender joints
 joint pain
 loose teeth
 swollen and bleeding gums
 capillary fragility (bleeding and
pinpoint hemorrhages)
 abnormal bone growth
 Infantile Scurvy
o The infant flexes his legs for comfort or
the so called “frog’s position” of the legs
because the thighs are swollen and the
joints are painful
o Skeletal growth and dentition are also
delayed
VITAMIN C or ANTISCURVY VITAMIN FUNCTIONS:
 Conversion of folic acid to its active form
 Healing of wounds and bone fractures
 Prevention of iron deficiency anemia,
megaloblastic anemia and pinpoint hemorrhages
 Building of body resistance against infection
 Production of steroid hormones, especially
adrenocortical hormones under severe stress
and insulin synthesis
 Tyrosine and phenylalanine synthesis
 Iron utilization is improved by vit C, making iron
more available for hemoglobin formation and
RBC maturation
 Involved in brain metabolism
 As an antioxidant vitamin, it protects normal
cells from the damage of free radicals
 Shown to help prevent cataracts

UTILIZATION OF VITAMIN C
 Almost completely absorbed in the small
intestine, except in cases of achlorhydria
(absence of hydrochloric acid in the gastric
secretions) and GIT disorders
 Adrenal glands, liver and other glandular organs
contain the highest amount of vit C in the body
 Almost all plants and animals can synthesize or
produce vit C except for humans and other
specific animals

SAMPLE FOOD SOURCES

(equivalent of one exchange or serving)

Malunggay = 231 mg
Kasuy (cashew nuts) = 167 mg
Bayabas, pula = 158 mg
Bayabas, puti = 127 mg
Orange = 100 mg
Strawberries = 97 mg

EARLY SIGNS OF VITAMIN C DEFICIENCY

1. Irritability
2. Weakness
3. Lack of appetite
4. Pallor
5. Lowered resistance to infection
VITAMIN FUNCTIONS DEFICIENCY TOXICITY SOURCES EXCRETION
SYMPTOMS SYMPTOMS
A -Gene expression -night blindness Toxic if >10,000 -fortified milk, Feces and urine
-vision -xerophthalmia: IU (3000 mcg) per cheese, cream,
-protein synthesis abnormal dryness of day butter,
-healthy skin and the conjunctiva and margarine
mucous the cornea of the eye -fetal malformation -eggs, liver
membranes with inflammation and -hair loss -beta-carotene:
-bone and tooth ridge formation -skin changes dark leafy
growth -poor growth -bone pain vegetales, dark
-immune system -dry skin -liver damage orange fruits
(anti-infective) (apricots,
-reproduction, cantaloupe,
growth and papaya),
development carrots, sweet
-anti-oxidant potatoes,
pumpkin

D -proper absorption -rickets: softening Toxic if >2000 IU -egg yolks, liver feces
of calcium (stores and weakening of per day -fatty fish,
in bones) bones in children sardines,
-facilitate -osteomalacia: -growth retardation salmon
absorption of marked softening of -kidney damage -fortified milk
phosphorus the bones in adults -hypercalcemia: and margarine
-maintain optimal (after closing of the calcium deposits in -exposure to
calcification epiphysial plates or soft tissues sunlight
(hardening due to when the adult stops
calcium) of bones growing in height)
E -antioxidant, -hemolysis Toxic if >1200 IU -plant and urine
especially to the (destruction) of RBC per day vegetable oils:
lungs by -nerve destruction soybean, corn,
protecting them -muscle weakness cottonseed,
from air pollutants -headaches safflower
-prevent the -fatigue -leafy
breakdown of vit -blood clots vegetables,
A&K whole grain,
-protects other liver, egg yolk
substances from -nuts and seeds
oxidation
K -proper blood -hemorrhage -anemia -leafy green feces
clotting -jaundice vegetables:
-helps in bone kale, spinach,
formation kangkong
-green
vegetables:
broccoli,
asparagus
-non-fat milk,
liver, eggs
-also produced
in the intestinal
tract by normal
flora (bacteria)
FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

VITAMIN FUNCTIONS SOURCES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

B1 -energy metabolism -moderate amounts in Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS)
thiamine -important to nerve pork, whole-grain or -disorder of the brain due to alcohol
function enriched breads and abuse
cereals, legumes, nuts -alcohol impairs the absorption of
and seeds thiamine from the digestive tract and
hastens its excretion in the urine
-vit B1 deficiency causes lesions on the
brain
-s/sx: double vision, ptosis (dropping
upper eyelid), loss of muscle
coordination, confused mental state
(combative or violent), amnesia,
hallucinations

B2 -energy metabolism -milk and milk products

Riboflavin -important for normal -leafy green vegetables
vision and skin health -whole-grain and enriched
breads and cereals

B3 -energy metabolism -meat, poultry, fish -can be made from proteins, amino acid
Niacin -important for the nervous -whole-grain and enriched tryptophan can be converted into
system, digestive system breads and cereals niacin in the body (60 mg tryptophan = 1
and skin health -vegetables: mushrooms, mg niacin)
asparagus, leafy green -metabolizes tryptophan to serotonin
vegetables -used as a pharmacologic agent in the
-peanut butter form of nicotinic acid, which lowers
blood cholesterol in the treatment of
atherosclerosis
-deficiency: dilation of the capillaries of
the skin, causing perceptive tingling and
pain
-deficiency: pellagra

B5 -energy metabolism -widespread in foods -involved in more than 100 steps in the
Pantothenic synthesis of lipids, steroid hormones,
acid hemoglobin and neurotransmitters
(communication molecule of the brain
that is essential for maintaining the
integrity of the CNS and for CPF
metabolism)
-deficiency: digestive and neurological
disturbances
B6 -protein metabolism -meat, fish, poultry -stored primarily in muscle tissue
Pyridoxine -amino acid and fatty acid -variety of fruits and -aids in the conversion of tryptophan to
metabolism vegetables niacin
-helps make red blood -an anticonvulsant vitamin
cells -prevents nausea and vomiting in
pregnancy
-catalyzes urea formation
-synthesis of essential fatty acids (EFA)
-deficiency: scaly dermatitis,
depression, confusion, convulsions,
anemia

B7 -energy metabolism -widespread in foods -has an important role in metabolism as

Biotin -also produced in the it helps the co-enzyme that carries
intestinal tract by normal carbon dioxide
flora (bacteria) -synthesis of purines and folic acid
-binds with avidin (a harmful protein in
raw egg whites) to render it harmless
-deficiency: skin rash, hair loss

B9 -DNA synthesis -leafy vegetables, -essential in erythropoiesis

Folate -synthesis of new cells, legumes, seeds (development of mature RBCs)
 especially RBCs and the
heme in hemoglobin
B12 -production of new cells
Cobalamin -DNA synthesis
-important to nerve cell
function
Choline* -integrity of cell structure
-fat transport and
metabolism
-DNA synthesis
-important to the nervous
system
Taurine* -retinal development
-heart health
-nerve growth
C -antioxidant
Ascorbic acid -protein metabolism
-immune system health
-aids in iron absorption
-synthesis of collagen,
carnitine, hormones and
neurotransmitters
*not B vitamins but are often grouped with them
-orange juice
-liver
-added to most refined
grains
-meat, poultry, fish,
seafood, eggs
-milk and dairy products
-not found in plant foods
-egg yolks
-organ meats: liver, brain,
kidneys, heart
-legumes
-fish oils
-meat
-found only in fruits and
vegetables especially
citrus fruits, cabbage,
lettuce, papaya, mango,
kiwi, cantaloupe,
strawberry, pepper,
tomato, potato
-prevents neural tube defects
(malformation of the brain, spinal cord
or both during embryonic development)
-help in the treatment of sprue
(digestive malabsorption disease)
-deficiency: anemia, GIT deterioration
-effects of folate are antagonized by
alcohol, aspirin, contraceptives,
smoking and anticonvulsants
-needs an intrinsic factor (enzyme
secreted in the fundus of the stomach)
for absorption from the digestive tract to
the bloodstream
-highest concentration in the kidneys,
testes, brain, spleen, pancreas, bone
marrow, muscles
-deficiency: anemia, nerve damage,
paralysis
-mobilizes fats and prevents fatty liver
-deficiency: fatty liver
-integral component of acetylcholine
that helps in the transmission of nerve
impulses
-added to formula milk to provide
concentrations similar to that in
breastmilk
-component of bile acids
-regular of heartbeat and lowers blood
pressure
-stimulates new growth of brain cells
-deficiency: scurvy
-toxicity: diarrhea, GI distress