Week 6 (good) Flashcards
(116 cards)
What are vitamins?
- organic compounds
- do not yield energy
- micronutrients
- vital to life
- indispensible to bodily functions
What are precursors/provitamins?
transform chemically to one or more active vitamin forms
What does the measure of vitamin of a food usually include?
- vitamin and the vitamin activity potential from its precursors
What is bioavailability?
the rate and extent to which a nutrient is absorbed and used
what is subclinical deficiency?
a deficiency in the early stages, before the outward signs have appeared
What are the fat soluble vitamins?
- A
- D
- E
- K
What are the water soluble vitamins?
- B vitamins
- vitamin C
General characteristics of the fat soluble vitamins?
- absorped into the lymph
- trvel in blood in association with protein carriers
- found in fats and oils of food
- require bile for absorption
- stored in liver and fatty tissues until needed
- body can survive weeks without eating these vitamins (diet as a whole. meets the average amounts needed)
- excess vitamin A and D can easily reach toxic levels
General characteristics of water soluble vitamins?
- absorbed directly into bloodstream
- travel freely in bloodstream
- most are not stored to any great extent
- excess excreted in urine
- lower risk of toxicity than fat soluble vitamins
What are possible causes of deficiency for fat soluble vitamins?
- likely if consistently low in fat soluble vitamins
- fat malabsorption (has trouble digesting/absorbing it)
- mineral oil laxatives can cause vitamin loss
- very low fat diets interfere with absorption
What are the 3 active forms of Vitamin A in the body?
- retinol
- retinal
- retinoic acid
What is the plant derived precursor for vitamin a?
beta carotene
What are the roles of Vitamin A? (general)
- vision
- gene expression
- maintenance of body linings and skin
- immunity
- growth of bones and of the body
- normal development of cells
- critial importance to reproduction
What does the retina contain?
light sensitive nerve cells
what is the vitamin A containing pigment and what does it do?
- rhodopsin
- light bleaches this pigmemt
- this pigment breaks off the vitamin, which intiates an impulse to the optic center in the brain
- the vitamin reuintes with the pigment with very little vitamin a destruction
- Vitamin A must regenerate the supply
What happens if Vitamin A supply runs low
- night blindness
- a lag occurs before the eye can see again after a flash of bright light
What is keratinization and how can it occur?
- kertain accumulation of the cornea can occur with vitamin A deficiency
- can lead to xerosis (drying) then to thickening (xerophthalmia) causing permanent blindness
How can keratinization be prevented if caught early? why is this important
- can be reversed with vitamin A supplementation or regular consumption of vegetables and fruit
- important to prevent permanent blindess
How does Vitamin A play a role in control of gene expression?
retinoic acid activates/deactivates certain genes thereby affecting protein production
How is Vitamin A important for skin and body linings?
- needed by all epithelial tissue (serve as protection)
- this vitamin promotes cell differentations (so it develops to serve a particular function)
How does Vitamin A play a role in immunity?
- regulation of genes that produce immune system proteins
- deficiency can lead to malnutrition and infection
How does Vitamin A play a role in growth?
assists in growth of bones and teeth
Consequences of Vitamin A deficiency?
- cell differentiation and maturation impaired
- can’t produce mucus
- increase in keratin producing cells
- more vulnerable to infection
True or False: supplemental vitamin A cuts childhood death rates