Vitamins

Vitamins
• Vitamins
• group of organic compounds
• essential for normal growth and nutrition
• required in small quantities in the diet
• they cannot be synthesized by the body
• Vitamins have diverse biochemical functions.
• Vitamin A: regulators of cell and tissue growth and differentiation
• Vitamin B: precursors for enzyme cofactors
• Vitamin D: regulators of mineral metabolism
• Vitamin E: antioxidants
 Classification
• Water Soluble
• B and C

• Fat Soluble
• A, D, E, K
Vitamins and their function

Vitamin
Vitamin A (Retinol)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid)
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)
Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid or Folate) Helps the liver eliminate toxins Promotes the growth and reproduction of body cells; aids in the formation of red blood cells and bone
Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Vitamin D (Calciferol)
Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
Vitamin K1 (Phylloquinone)
Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone)
Vitamin K3 (Menadione)
Essential Vitamins
Function
Promotes growth and repair of tissues; reduces susceptibility to infections; aids in bone/teeth formation; maintains smooth skin
Promote growth and muscle tone; aid in functioning of muscles, heart, & nervous system; assists in digestion of carbohydrates
Maintain good vision and healthy skin, hair, and nails; assists in formation of antibodies and red blood cells; aids in carbohydrate, fat,
and protein metabolism
Reduces cholesterol levels in the blood; maintains healthy skin, tongue, and digestive system; improves blood circulation; increases
energy
Fortifies white blood cells; helps the body's resistance to stress; builds cells
Aids in the synthesis and breakdown of amino acids and the metabolism of fats and carbohydrates; supports the central nervous
system; maintains healthy skin
Aids in the metabolism of proteins and fats; promotes healthy skin
marrow
Promotes growth in children; prevents anemia by regenerating red blood cells; aids in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and
proteins; maintains healthy nervous system
One of the major antioxidants; essential for healthy teeth, gums, and bones; helps to heal wounds, fractures, and scar tissue; builds
resistance to infections; assists in the prievention and treatment of the common cold; prevents scurvy
Improves the absorption of calcium and phosphorous (essential in the formation of healthy bones and teeth) maintains nervous
system
A major antioxidant; supplies oxygen to blood; provides nourishment to cells; prevents blood clots; slows cellular aging
Activate proteins that serve important roles in blood clotting, heart health and bone health
Activate proteins that serve important roles in blood clotting, heart health and bone health
Prevents internal bleeding; reduces heavy menstrual flow
 No longer called as Vitamins
• Vitamin B4 (Adenine)
• Vitamin B8 (Inositol)
• Vitamin B10 (Para amino benzoic acid – PABA)
• Vitamin B11 (Salicylic acid)
 Upper
Vitamin Examples Solubility RDA Deficiency disease Intake Level Overdose disease Food sources
(UL/day)

Retinol, retinal, and

Night-blindness, Liver, orange, ripe yellow fruits,
four carotenoids
Vitamin A Fat 900 µg Hyperkeratosis, and 3,000 µg Hypervitaminosis A leafy vegetables, carrots, pumpkin,
including beta
Keratomalacia squash, spinach, fish, soy milk, milk
carotene

Vitamin B1 Beriberi, Wernicke- Drowsiness or muscle Pork, oatmeal, brown rice,

Thiamine Water 1.2 mg N/D
Korsakoff syndrome relaxation with large doses. vegetables, potatoes, liver, eggs

Vitamin B2 Ariboflavinosis, Glossitis, Dairy products, bananas, popcorn,

Riboflavin Water 1.3 mg N/D
Angular stomatitis green beans, asparagus

Vitamin B3 Liver damage (doses > Meat, fish, eggs, many vegetables,
Niacin, niacinamide Water 16.0 mg Pellagra 35.0 mg
2g/day) and other problems mushrooms, tree nuts

Vitamin B5 Diarrhea; possibly nausea

Pantothenic acid Water 5.0 mg Paresthesia N/D Meat, broccoli, avocados
and heartburn
Impairment of
Pyridoxine,
Vitamin B6 Anemia peripheral proprioception, nerve Meat, vegetables, tree nuts,
pyridoxamine, Water 1.3–1.7 mg 100 mg
neuropathy. damage (doses > bananas
pyridoxal
100 mg/day)

Vitamin B7 Raw egg yolk, liver, peanuts, leafy

Biotin Water 30.0 µg Dermatitis, enteritis N/D
green vegetables
 Megaloblastic anemia and
Deficiency during pregnancy
Vitamin B9
Folic acid, folinic acid Water 400 µg is associated with birth
defects, such as neural tube
defects
May mask symptoms of
vitamin B12 deficiency; other Leafy vegetables, pasta,
1,000 µg
bread, cereal, liver
effects.

Cyanocobalamin,
Vitamin B12 Acne-like rash [causality is Meat and other animal
hydroxycobalamin, Water 2.4 µg Megaloblastic anemia N/D
not conclusively established]. products
methylcobalamin

Many fruits and

Vitamin C Ascorbic acid Water 90.0 mg Scurvy 2,000 mg Vitamin C megadosage
vegetables, liver

Cholecalciferol, Fish, eggs, liver,

Vitamin D Fat 10 µg Rickets and Osteomalacia 50 µg Hypervitaminosis D
Ergocalciferol mushrooms

Deficiency is very rare;

sterility in males and Increased congestive heart
Tocopherols, Many fruits and
Vitamin E Fat 15.0 mg abortions in females, mild 1,000 mg failure seen in one large
tocotrienols vegetables, nuts and seeds
hemolytic anemia in newborn randomized study.
infants.

Leafy green vegetables

phylloquinone, Increases coagulation in
Vitamin K Fat 120 µg Bleeding diathesis N/D such as spinach, egg yolks,
menaquinones patients taking warfarin.
liver
Self Study
Vitamin RNI (DoH 1991) Sources Action/functions Deficiency Excess Special points
Water soluble
Vitamin B group
B1 Thiamin(e) 0.4 mg/1000 kcal Fortified breakfast cereals, yeast Coenzyme for carbohydrate metabolism Encephalopathy can occur with Headache, insomnia, Requirement related to carbohydrate
extract, vegetables, fruit, wholegrain alcohol excess and low food intake. irritability, contact intake
cereals, milk, liver, eggs, pork Beri-beri where polished rice is staple dermatitis

B2 Riboflavin •Female 1.1 mg/d Milk, milk products, offal, yeast Coenzyme for the metabolism of Fissures at corners of mouth; tongue No toxic effects, since Destroyed by sunlight
•Male 1.3 mg/d extract, fortified breakfast cereals carbohydrate, fat and protein inflammation; corneal vascularization large quantities are not
absorbed

B3 Niacin (nicotinic 6.6 mg/1000 kcal as Meat, fish, yeast extract, pulses, Energy metabolism, as part of coenzymes Pellagra: dermatitis, diarrhoea and Liver damage, skin Also synthesized from the amino acid
acid and nicotinic acid equivalents wholegrains, fortified breakfast cereals NAD and NADP involved in oxidation and dementia irritation tryptophan
nicotinamide) reduction reactions

B5 Pantothenic acid None set Widespread in food, e.g. liver, eggs, Protein, fat, carbohydrate and alcohol Vomiting, insomnia Not reported
yeast, vegetables, pulses, cereals metabolism

B6 Pyridoxine •Female 1.2 mg/d Meat, fish, eggs, some vegetables, Production of haemoglobin and of Rare. Metabolic and nervous system Peripheral nerve damage Requirement is related to protein intake
•Male 1.4 mg/d wholegrains coenzymes involved in many metabolic disorders
processes

Biotin None set Widely distributed in many foods, e.g. Essential in fat metabolism Rare; dermatitis, hair loss, nausea, None known
offal, egg yolk, legumes, etc. Can be fatigue and anorexia
synthesized by intestinal bacteria

B12 Cobalamins 15 μg/g of protein Animal products, meat, eggs, fish, •Essential for red blood cell formation Anaemia; irreversible spinal cord Not reported •Absorption requires 'intrinsic factor'
dairy products, yeast extract and nerve myelination. damage produced by the stomach.
•Needed for use of folate •Only in foods of animal origin, so strict
vegetarians and vegans require
supplements

Folates (folic acid) 200 μg/d Green leaf vegetables, bread, fortified Red blood cell production; DNA synthesis •Anaemia; growth retardation. May Can mask the effects of Supplements before and during
breakfast cereals, yeast extract, liver contribute to Alzheimer's. B12 deficiency pregnancy reduce the incidence of
•Fetal defects spinal cord defects
Vitamin C ascorbic acid 40 mg/d •Citrus fruits, kiwi fruit,
blackcurrants, strawberries; green
peppers, green leaf vegetables,
potatoes, tomatoes.
•Content decreases with storage
Collagen synthesis, formation of
bones, connective tissue, teeth.
Iron absorption for red blood
cell production. Acts as an
antioxidant
Sore mouth and gums; Diarrhoea; oxalate stones in Destroyed by cooking in the presence of
capillary bleeding; kidneys air and by plant enzymes released when
scurvy; delayed wound cutting and grating raw food
healing, scar break
down

Vitamin A retinol •Female 600 μg/d As retinol in liver, kidney, oily fish,
•Male 700 μg/d egg yolk, full-fat dairy produce. As
the provitamin carotenes in green,
yellow, orange and red fruit and
vegetables, e.g. broccoli, carrots,
apricots, mangoes, sweet potatoes
and tomatoes
Fat soluble
Visual pigments in retina, aids
night vision. Normal growth and
development of tissues;
essential for healthy skin and
mucosae. Acts as an antioxidant
Poor growth; rough dry In pregnancy, high doses can Synthesized in the body from carotenes
skin and mucosae; cause fetal malformations present in the diet
xerophthalmia and
eventual blindness;
increased risk of
infection; poor night
vision

Vitamin D cholecalciferol 10 μg/d if housebound Oily fish, egg yolk, butter, fortified Calcium and phosphorus Rickets (children); Rare; weight loss and diarrhoea Produced in the body by action of
ergosterol margarine; action of ultraviolet rays homeostasis osteomalacia (adults) sunlight on a provitamin in the skin:
(sunlight) deficiency develops in those who are not
exposed to sun

Vitamin E tocopherols None set Wheat germ, vegetable oils, nuts, •Antioxidant. Neurological Muscle weakness, Requirement is increased with increased
tocotrienes seeds, egg yolk, cereals, dark green •Protects against cell membrane abnormalities; anaemia: gastrointestinal disorders intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids
vegetables damage rare, from malnutrition
or malabsorption

Vitamin K phylloquinones None set Green leafy vegetables, fruit and Needed for the production of Impaired clotting; liver Not so far observed from Synthesized by intestinal bacteria so
menaquinones dairy products prothrombin and other damage naturally occurring vitamin deficiency unusual
coagulation factors
Thank You