VITAMINS

VITAMINS
• Chemically highly diversified organic substances exist in foods
• Participated in chemical and biochemical reactions
• Required in very small amounts for normal growth and maintenance
• These do not include other essential nutrients such as dietary minerals,
essential fatty acids, or essential amino acids
• Vitamins are biomolecules that act both as catalysts & substrates in
chemical reactions
• Vitamins also act as coenzymes (attach to enzymes & help in their
functioning) e.g. folic acid
 CLASSIFICATION
1. Fat soluble vitamins
2. Water soluble vitamins

• Vitamins A, D, E & K make up the fat soluble vitamins

• These are absorbed, together with fat from the intestine, into the
circulation
• Once absorbed into the circulation these vitamins are carried to the
liver where they are stored can be drawn whenever needed
• These include vitamin C & the B vitamins
• These are stored in the body for only a brief period of time
• One exception to this is vitamin B12, which is stored in the liver
• Water-soluble vitamins need to be taken daily as they don't get stored
as much in the body
• Instead, they travel through bloodstream & whatever body doesn't
use comes out when we urinate
• Vitamin A consists of three biologically active molecules, retinol (ketone),
retinal (aldehyde) and retinoic acid
• Each of these compounds is derived from the plant precursor molecule, β-
carotene (a member of a family of molecules known as carotenoids are
found in carrots, spinach, tomatoes, cabbage and peas)
• β–carotene is a precursor of retinal linked at their aldehyde ends & is
referred to as provitamin form of vitamin A
• Helps maintain eyes, skin, tissues and mucous membranes
• Prevents the infections to linings of mouth, nose, throat and digestive tract
• Supports vision in dim light, bone and tooth growth, immunity and
reproduction
• Liver, cod liver oil or other fish liver oils, egg yolks, eggs,
cheese, butter, spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables

DEFICIENCY
• The earliest symptoms of vitamin A deficiency are night
blindness, increased susceptibility to infection and cancer
and anemia equivalent to iron deficient anemia
• Prolonged lack of vitamin A leads to deterioration of the eye
tissue through progressive keratinization of the cornea, a
condition known as xerophthalmia
• Retarded growth in children
• The biologically active form of this vitamin is cholecalciferol or
vitamin D-3 (white crystalline powder)
• Vitamin D-3 functions primarily to regulate calcium and phosphorous
homeostasis
• Important for growing children and pregnant & lactating mothers
• Quite stable to processing

• Milk and other dairy products fortified with vitamin D, fish, egg
yolks
• Produced in human body by the action of ultraviolet rays of the sun
• Severe vitamin D deficiency has serious consequences for bone health and
increase the risk of osteoporosis (a medical condition in which the bones
become brittle and fragile from loss of tissue, typically as a result of
hormonal changes) and other health problems
• In infants and children, severe vitamin D deficiency results in the failure
of bone to mineralize (rickets)
• In adults bone mineral is progressively lost, resulting in bone pain and
osteomalacia (soft bones)
• Deficiency causes muscle weakness and pain in children and adults
• The term vitamin E describes a family of eight antioxidants, four
tocopherols, alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-, and four tocotrienols (also
alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-)
• α-tocopherol is the only form of vitamin E that is actively maintained in
the human body and protect fats and oils from becoming oxidized
• The main function of α-tocopherol in humans appears to be that of an
antioxidantα-tocopherol is known to inhibit hormones from oxidation
• Protects tissues against damage
• Regulate reproductive function in both men and women
• Vegetable oils; wheat germ, whole meal bread and cereals, egg yoke,
milk, oil seeds
DEFICIENCY
• The developing nervous system appears to be especially vulnerable to
vitamin E deficiency because children with severe vitamin E
deficiency from birth, who are not treated with vitamin E, develop
neurological symptoms rapidly
• Two naturally occurring forms of vitamin K
• Plants synthesize phylloquinone or vitamin K1 (yellow viscous oil)
• Bacteria synthesize a range of vitamin K forms, using repeating 5-
carbon units in the side chain of the molecule
• These forms of vitamin K are designated menaquinone-n (MK-n),
where n stands for the number of 5-carbon units
• MK-n are collectively referred to as vitamin K2
• K3 (menadione synthetic product) crystallizes as yellow needles from
alcohol and petroleum ether
• Vitamin K is anti-haemorrhagic and associated with normal clotting
of blood
• Leafy green vegetables, liver, milk and yogurt, olive and soybean
oils, peas
DEFICIENCY
• Cause liver damage and haemorrhagic condition
• Since the vitamin K2 form is synthesized by intestinal bacteria,
deficiency of the vitamin in adults is rare
• Photo-reactive
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
• Occurs in the human body as free thiamin and its phosphorylated forms
1. Thiamin monophosphate (TMP)
2. Thiamin triphosphate (TTP)
3. Thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP) or Thiamin diphosphate
• Rapidly converted to its active form, thiamin pyrophosphate, TPP, in the
brain and liver by specific enzymes
• Participates as a coenzyme in the oxidation of glucose
• Helps body cells obtain energy from food and promote good appetite
and digestion
• Keeps nerves in healthy condition
• Water soluble so can be lost in cooking water
• Sensitive to high temperature and partially destroying during heat
processing
• Yeast, egg yolk, liver, wheat germ, nuts, red meat and cereals, peas,
potatoes, dry beans, milk, pulses
DEFICIENCY
• Severe deficiency results in beriberi characterized by:
• Muscular weakness
• Palpitation of heart
• Degeneration of nerves owing to accumulation of pyruvic acid in the
blood
• Disease is prevalent in areas where polished rice is consumed as a
staple food
 RIBOFLAVIN OR B2
• Yellow, crystalline water-soluble compound primarily found in the body
as an integral component of the coenzymes:
1. Flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD)
2. Flavin mononucleotide (FMN)
• Involved in the release of energy in the cell
• Keeps eyes healthy and the skin around mouth and nose smooth
• Slightly soluble in water and fairly stable to heat
• Lost during trimming, milling and leaching operations
• More stable under acid than alkaline conditions
• Sensitive to light and readily lost due to sunlight exposure
• Dairy products, liver, dark leafy vegetables, eggs, cereals, fruit, yeast, lean meat,
heart, kidney
DEFICIENCY
• Riboflavin deficiency is often seen in chronic alcoholics due to their poor dietetic
habits
• Riboflavin decomposes when exposed to visible light that can lead to riboflavin
deficiencies in newborns
• Symptoms associated with riboflavin deficiency include, glossitis (a condition in
which the tongue & lips are swollen and scaliness at the corners of the mouth
occurs), angular stomatitis, and photophobia
• In the body niacin is converted into nicotinamide (formed from the amino
acid, tryptophan)
• Niacin (white crystalline, water-soluble solid) refers to nicotinic acid and
nicotinamide, which are both used by the body to form the coenzymes
1. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)
2. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP)
• Involved in the oxidation of glucose in the body
• Helps the body cells to use oxygen to produce energy (cellular oxidation)
• Maintain the health of skin, tongue, digestive tract and nervous system
• Resistant to heat, acid or alkali
• Yeast, meat, poultry, fish, liver, cereals, legumes, pulses, milk, green leafy
vegetables, ground nuts, enriched breads, coffee & tea

• The late stage of severe niacin deficiency is known as pellagra

• In the skin, a thick, scaly, darkly pigmented rash develops symmetrically in
areas exposed to sunlight
• Other symptoms include bright red tongue, vomiting, diarrhea, memory loss
etc.
• Pellagra may result from inadequate dietary intake of niacin and/or tryptophan
and also deficiency of other nutrient like iron
 PANTOTHENIC ACID OR B5
• Yellow viscous oil, soluble in water essential to all forms of life
• It is found throughout living cells in the form of coenzyme A (CoA), vital
in numerous chemical reactions
• Calcium pantothenate, white microcrystalline salt also soluble in water
• More stable in the pH range 4-7
• Lost up to 50% during thermal processing

• Milk, meat, cereals, broccoli, lentils, peas, avocado, mushrooms, eggs and
liver
• There are six forms of vitamin B6:
1. Pyridoxal (PL)
2. Pyridoxine (PN),
3. Pyridoxamine (PM)
4. Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)
5. Pyridoxine 5'-phosphate (PNP)
6. Pridoxamine 5'-phospate (PMP)
• PN is crystalline water and alcohol soluble
• In the body functions as a part of an enzyme system in the form of pyridoxal
phosphate involved in transamination (amino acid metabolism)
• Lost in sterilized milk
• Sensitive to light in the presence of oxygen

• Rice bran, yeasts, seeds, cereals, egg yolk, meat, liver and kidney
 BIOTIN OR VITAMIN H
• Water-soluble crystalline vitamin synthesized by bacteria present in intestinal
tract
• Participates as a coenzyme for carboxylation and transcarboxylation reactions
• Combine with avidin (protein present in raw egg white) which makes this
vitamin unavailable to the human body
• Cooking of egg white prevents this reaction
• Stable to heat and light
• Unstable in strong acid or alkali
• Optimum stable in pH range 5-8

• Whole wheat bread, cheddar cheese, avocado, raspberries, raw cauliflower, egg
yolk, liver
 FOLIC ACID (B9)
• Folic acid crystalline yellow needles cover pteroylglutamic acid and its
derivatives
• Slightly soluble in water and soluble in hot water
• Folic acid is essential for synthesis of nucleic acid and formation of red
blood cells in the body

• Liver, green vegetables, yeast ang kidney

DEFICIENCY
• Deficiency occurs due to low dietary intake and diminished absorption, as
in alcoholism, can result in a decreased supply of folate
• Causes megaloblastic anaemia (decreased synthesis of red blood cells)
• Anaemic patients unable to engage in strenuous and sustained exercise
• Folic acid lost in stored milk by oxidation
• vitamin B-12 is red in color and water soluble
• Involved in some enzyme systems in the body
• Necessary for growth and formation of red blood cells
• Stable in pH range of 4-6
• Severe losses at higher pH or in the presence of reducing agents (ascorbic
acid or sulphites)
• Present in animal products such as meat, poultry, fish and fermented
vegetable products (pickles)
DEFICIENCY
• Deficiency results in Pernicious anemia (strict vegetarians), constipation,
heart disease, permanent nerve damage, loss of appetite, weight loss,
difficulty in maintaining balance, memory loss etc.
• White crystalline substance, highly soluble in water
• Essential for the formation of all tissues in the body
• Helps to strengthen the blood vessels
• Aids in the absorption of iron from the intestines
• Wounds healing and tooth and bone formation
• Easily destroyed by oxidation
• Lost during preparatory operations
• Destroyed by exposure to high temperature
• Orange juice, grapefruit juice, orange, grapefruit, strawberries, potato
etc.

• Severe vitamin C deficiency results in potentially fatal disease, scurvy

• Symptoms of scurvy include bleeding and bruising easily, hair and
tooth loss, joint pain and swelling
• Such symptoms appear to be related to the weakening of blood vessels,
connective tissue, and bone, which contain collagen