May 9: Orientation to Vitamins – Water-Soluble Vitamins & Food Enrichment/Fortification

Question 1

Vitamin function

Answer 1

Regulation (no energy or structure)

Question 2

Water-soluble vitamins (examples, where are they found, turnover rate, where does excess go?)

Answer 2

Vitamin B and C
Found in watery parts of cells
Fast turnover in body (~24-48 hours)
Excess from diet/supplement filtered from blood into urine

Question 3

Water soluble vitamin function

Answer 3

Coenzyme - facilitates enzyme action

Question 4

What does deficiency of water-soluble vitamins cause and clinical signs?

Answer 4

Vitamin deficient diet
Tissue depletion (3-4 weeks)
Biochemical lesion (4-6 weeks)

Clinical signs: skin changes, intestinal changes, tongue (smooth, purple), fatigue (6-8 weeks)

Question 5

Fat-soluble vitamins (where are they found, turnover rate, where does excess go?)

Answer 5

Found in fatty parts of the cell and body, not soluble in H2O
Slow turnover in body
Excess from diet/supplement stays in body (not excreted unlike water-soluble vitamins)
Potential toxicity problems

Question 6

Fat-soluble vitamin function

Answer 6

More general roles (not coenzymes)

Question 7

Thiamin (B1) function

Answer 7

Coenzyme in carbohydrate and energy metabolism

If you eat more carbs, you also need more thiamin

Question 8

Where is thiamin (B1) deficiency most prevalent and what does it cause?

Answer 8

Found among cultures that relied on grains for majority of calories, causes beriberi

Question 9

Beriberi

Answer 9

Result of thiamin (vitamin B1) deficiency

Central nervous system dysfunction
Muscle fatigue
Heart failure

Question 10

Food sources of thiamin (B1)

Answer 10

Grain, meat, poultry, fish, liver, pork, legumes, fortified cereals

Question 11

Niacin (B3) deficiency

Answer 11

Causes pellagra

Question 12

Pellagra (4 D’s)

Answer 12

Caused by niacin deficiency

Dermatitis, diarrhea, delirium, death

Question 13

Niacin food sources

Answer 13

Meat, fish, poultry, grains, cereals, nuts, beans

Question 14

Vitamin B12 and folate (folic acid) function

Answer 14

Coenzymes in the growth and turnover of new cells
Needed for metabolism of protein metabolite homocysteine (heart disease risk)
B12 is also needed for myelin sheaths

Question 15

Special considerations for vitamin B12

Answer 15

Requires a special factor made in the stomach for absorption - intrinsic factor (IF)
The mineral cobalt is part of B12 structure
Stored in liver (approximately 2 year supply)
Found only in animal-based food or fermented food

Question 16

Deficiency of B12 and folate deficiency

Answer 16

Consider cells with high turnover
Anemia - large, immature blood cells: folate deficiency
Pernicious anemia - same anemia, nerve damage: B12 deficiency
Low folate during pre and early pregnancy may lead to congenital disorders

Question 17

What nutrient needs increase during pregnancy?

Answer 17

Protein needs increase
Iron needs increase
Folate needs increase
Vitamin B12 needs increase

Question 18

Folate food sources

Answer 18

Liver, green vegetables, orange juice, enriched and fortified grains/breakfast cereal

Question 19

Vitamin B12 food sources

Answer 19

Animal source foods, fermented products

Question 20

What minerals/vitamins are added to refined grains?

Answer 20

Niacin
Iron
Thiamin
Riboflavin
Folate (1996)

Question 21

What are the 3 components of a whole grain and what is in each?

Answer 21

Hull: minerals, B vitamins, fiber
Starch
Germ: minerals, B vitamins, Vitamin E

Question 22

What does milling do to the nutrient content of grains?

Answer 22

Makes it lose water-insoluble fiber, B vitamins, iron, zinc, magnesium, thiamin

Question 23

Examples of whole grains

Answer 23

Brown rice, whole wheat, popcorn, barley, oats, whole corn, millet