NCM 105: NUTRITION AND DIET THERAPHY MIDTERM 6.

VITAMIN LIKE COMPOUNDS - some substances have

physiological roles like vitamins but they are present in
Vitamins are a group of unrelated organic compounds
larger amounts and are partially synthesized in the
needed only in minute quantities in the diet but
body. These include inositol, choline, lipoic acid and
essential for specific metabolic reactions within the cell
ubiquinone.
and necessary for normal growth and maintenance of
health. They do not provide energy but are necessary in 7. ANTIVATAMINS OR VITAMIN ANTAGONIST - are
enzyme systems that catalyse reactions in energy substances that interfere with the normal functioning of
utilization. a vitamin. They need to be similar in chemical
composition as the vitamin it "antagonized". Examples
These are organic compounds found in food, which are
are: dicumerol against Vitamin K, avidin against biotin,
essential in the growth, repair and healthy functioning
and thiaminase against thiamine or Vitamin B1.
of body tissues. Through many biochemical reactions,
vitamins transform food into energy. They are also TOXICITY SYMPTOMS FOR SELECTED VITAMINS
essential for maintaining a wide range of body functions
VITAMIN TOXICITY FROM OVERDOSE
and for building new tissues. A lasting shortage of
WATER SOLUBLE
vitamins results in deterioration of health.
VITAMINS
The word "vitamin" comes from a combination of the VITAMIN C Diarrhea, nausea, cramps,
Latin word "Vita" meaning life and the suffix "amine", acidification of urine
which means a nitrogen compound. It was revealed NIACIN Skin burning, flushing, liver
later that not all vitamins contain nitrogen, however, and eye damage nausea and
"Vitamin" has become a common word. itching
VITAMIN B12 Allergic shock, especially
Vitamins do not give the body energy. They merely help when vitamin is injected
convert food into energy. You cannot increase your FAT-SOLUBLE
physical capacity by taking extra vitamins. However, if VITAMINS
you are short of vitamins, you may suffer fatigue. Your VITAMIN A Liver damage, hair loss,
body cannot make its own vitamins except for Vitamins bone damage and potential
D and Niacin which are produced in sources. If you don't birth defects
get enough vitamins, particularly A, B, and C, you may VITAMIN D Severe high blood calcium,
lose appetite. You can restore lost appetite by taking brain damage, heart
more of these vitamins. damage, birth defects
VITAMIN E Cramps, diarrhea, dizziness,
Vitamins do not have calorie value. Vitamin blurred vision and
supplements, however, may contain a few calories in headaches
their sugar coating. Normally, the amount is negligible. VITAMIN K Formation of blood clots
and jaundice in infants
TERMS ACCOUNTED WITH VITAMINS

1. PRECURSORS OR PROVITAMINS - are compounds NOMENCLATURE OF THE VITAMINS

that can be changed to the active vitamins. For example,
carotenes, cryptoxanthin are precursors of Vitamin A. Vitamin A (Anti-infective) Vitamin A (retinol)
Ergosterol, when radiated becomes Vitamin D. Vitamin B (Anti-beriberi- Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
antineuritic) Riboflavin
2. PREFORMED VITAMINS - are naturally occurring Vitamin C (B2) Niacin (nicotinic acid,
vitamins that are in inactive form and ready for its niacinamide)
biological use. Pelagra Preventive Factor Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Vitamin B complex Vitamin B12
3. AVITAMINOSIS - a condition resulting from lack of a (Cyanocabalamin)
vitamin in its later stage when more defined signs and Folasin (folinic acid,
symptoms occur such that a nutritional deficiency Pteroyglutamic acid)
disease is recognizable. For example: Avitaminosis A Biotin
leads to night blindness and xeropthalmin. Avitaminosis Vitamin C Ascorbic acid
C refers to scurvy and avitaminosis B, is beri-beri. Vitamin D Vitamin D (calciferol)
Vitamin E Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
4. HYPERVITAMINOSIS - sometimes referred to as
Vitamin K Vitamin K (menaquinone
"vitamin toxicity," this condition is a result of excessive and phylloquinone)
accumulation of a vitamin in the body.

5. VITAMIN MALNUTRITION - the prefix mal- meaning HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

"bad" denotes that too much or too little is not good for
the health. Vitamins were formally called "accessory food factors”
because their presence in minute quantities is easily
overlooked. They are the last group of organic
compounds vital to life maintenance and growth to be b. Absorption and Storage
discovered. Animals fed with pure mixtures of
 b.1 absorption aided by bile salts, pancreatic
carbohydrates, protein fat, minerals and H2O showed
lipase and dietary fat
poor growth and deficiency signs.
 b.2 carotene converted to Vitamin A in intestinal
The word "vitamin" was originated by Casimir Funk in wall
1912 when he was searching for a constituent in rice  b.3 absorbed through lymphatic system and
bran which could cure beri-beri. The missing substance portal blood to liver (same route as fat)
he called "vitamin" was coined from "vita" meaning  b.4 large storage capacity in liver, hence
necessary for life and "amine" denoting that the anti potential toxicity levels with large intakes
beri-beri factor contained nitrogen. He hypothesized
c. Stability
that nutritional deficiencies which were observed in the
past such as scurvy, pellagra, and rickets, resulted from  Vitamin A is rather stable to light and heat, but
lack of "vitamine." Researchers later showed that not all prolonged heating in contact with air destroys
these dietary factors combined with nitrogen, hence the it. It is easily destroyed by oxidation and
final letter "e" was dropped and now we have the word ultraviolet light. A cool atmosphere and
"vitamin." refrigeration tend to preserve it. Vitamin E may
be used with Vitamin A to preserve it.
CLASSIFICATION OF VITAMINS ON THE BASIS OF
SOLUBILITY d. Physiologic Functions
1. The fat-soluble Vitamin A, D, E, K are found in foods in  d.1 Vision Cycle
association with lipids.  d.2 Epithelial tissue
 d.3 Growth and Bone Development
2. The water-soluble vitamins are B complex and vitamin
 d.4 Reproduction
C.
e. Deficiency
GENERAL PROPERTIES AND STABILITY
 e.1 poor adaptation or night blindness
Besides solubility properties, fat soluble vitamins differ
 e.2 eye lesions
from water soluble vitamins based on the following
 e.3 retarded growth
criteria:
 e.4 lower resistance to infection
 Fat soluble vitamins generally have precursors  e.5 faulty skeletal and dental development
or provitamins.  e.6 keratinization of epithelial linings
 Because they can be stored in the body,  e.7 disturbances in the respiratory, Gl and
deficiencies are slow to develop genitourinary tracts
 They are not absolutely needed daily from food  e.8 skin lesions
sources.
f. Toxicity
 They are generally stable, especially in ordinary
cooking methods.  f.1 violent headache
 f.2 nausea and vomiting
On the other hand, water soluble vitamins have the
 f.3 thickening of the skin with peeling off
following general properties:
 f.4 swollen painful long bones
 They must be supplied every day in the diet.  f.5 coarse sparse hair
 They do not have precursors.  f.6 enlargement of the spleen and liver
 They are not stored significantly in the body and  f.7 in young girls, there is cessation of
any excess is excreted in the urine. menstruation
 Deficiency symptoms develop relatively fast.  f.8 hypercarotenimia
 Being water soluble, they are most likely to be
g. Food Sources
destroyed in ordinary cooking.
 g.1 Preformed Vitamin A - animal sources (liver,
A. FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS
egg, yolk, milk, cream, butter and cheese)
1. VITAMIN A (RETINOL)  g.2 Fortified margarine or skim milk fortified
with Vitamin A are common foods that are ideal
a. Chemical and Physical Nature
carriers of Vitamin A.
 a.1 Preformed Vitamin Aanimal sources  g.3 Fishes - dilis, clams, "tahong", and other
 a.2 Provitamin A-precursor carotene; pigment shellfish
found in green and yellow plants; body converts  Precursors or Provitamin A - green and yellow
to vitamin A vegetables (dark leaves of malunggay, kamote,
kangkong, are among the Philippine favorites.
Yellow fruits of foreign rich in Vitamin A are
apricots, peaches, and nectarines.
2. VITAMIN D (CALCIFEROL)  g1. Animal sources - fortified margarine, butter,
milk, cheese; fish, liver and other glandular
a. Chemical and Physical Nature
organs, sardines and salmon; egg yolk.
 a.1 Sterols, more hormone-like in source and  g.2 Plant sources-not significant
action
3. VITAMIN E (TOCOPHEROL)
 a.2 Formed in skin by irradiation of cholesterol
by sunlight a. Chemical and Physical Nature

b. Absorption and Storage  a.1 Resistant to oxidation (valuable as anti-

oxidant)
 b.1 Absorption accompanies that of calcium and
 a.2 Fat soluble, stable to heat and acids
phosphorus in the small intestines.
 b.2 It is formed by sunlight in the skin absorbed b. Absorption and Storage
into systemic circulation as hormones.
 b.1 absorbed with other fat-soluble vitamins,
 b.3 Storage in liver, but not as great as that of
aided by bile and fats
Vitamin A
 b.2 stored especially in adipose tissue
c. Stability and Storage
c. Physiologic Functions
 Vitamin D is remarkably stable and foods
 c.1 Antioxidant Functions
containing it can be warmed or kept for long
 c.2. It helps sustain tissue integrity, especially
periods without deteriorating.
structural parts containing unsaturated lipids,
d. Physiologic Functions e.g. cell wall.

 d.1 Absorption of calcium and phosphorus d. Stability

 d.2 Essential for normal growth and
Vitamin E is fairly stable to heat and acids and unstable
development and is important for the formation
to alkalis, ultraviolet light and oxygen. It is also
of normal bones and teeth.
destroyed when in contact with rancid fats, lead and
e. Deficiency iron. Since it is insoluble in water, there is no loss by
extraction in cooking. Storage including deep-freeze
 e.1 Tetany is a syndrome characterized by
food processing and deep-fat frying destroy much of the
abnormal muscle twitching, cramps and sharp
tocopherol present.
bilateral spasms of joints in the wrist and
ankles, e. Deficiency
 e.2 Rickets in children is the severe form
 e.1 hemolysis of RBC
manifested in defective bones and retarded
 e.2 low blood levels of tocopherols
growth. Bones become soft, fragile and
 e.3 increased urinary excretion of creatine and
deformed, such as pigeon-breasted, knock-
decreased excretion of creatinine
kneed, bow legged, malformed teeth and
rachitic rosary-like chest. In the latter, the ends f. Toxicity
of ribs are rounded or beaded.
 e.3 In infants, dentition and closing of fontanel  Hypervitaminosis E has not been reported
are delayed. largely because the nutrient could not be stored
 e.4 In adults, the term used for deficiency to a large extent in the body. Also, its presence
osteomalacia, meaning softening of bones. in food is not widespread, whatever
There are also skeletal deformities, fragility of concentrated forms are available are not
bones and rheumatic-like pains of joints. common.
Osteomalacia is sometimes called adult rickets. g. Food Sources
f. Toxicity  g.1 Plant sources - germ oils of wheat, corn,
 f1. Nausea. cottonseed or soybean and products from these
 f2. Diarrhea oils such as mayonnaise, salad dressing and
 f3. Polyuria margarine. Nuts and some legumes are good
 f4. Weight loss in the early stages sources.
 f5. Demineralization of bones and deposits of  g.2 Animal sources - egg yolk, (liver), butter,
minerals in soft tissues (calcification of soft milk
tissues which is abnormal) in the later stages. 4. VITAMIN K (PHYLLOQUINONE, MENADIONE)
 f6. Renal damage and uremia have been
observed in severe cases. a. Chemical and Physical Nature
 f7. Hypercalcemia excessive quantities of  a.1 Fat Soluble
Vitamin D (1000-3000 IU per kg. per day for  a.2 Synthesized by normal intestinal bacteria
children and adults) and hypersensitivity to
Vitamin D may lead to hypercalcemia (excess
calcium in the blood)
b. Absorption and Storage
g. Food Sources
  b.1 Absorbed by usual route for fats-lacteals, remainder being excreted, large amounts
portal blood to liver present in adrenal tissues.
 b.2 Stored in liver in small amounts
c. Physiologic Functions
c. Physiologic Functions
 c.1 needed in the formation and maintenance
 c.1 Maintenance of prothrombin level in blood of intercellular cementing substance. This
plasma. cementing substance is simply explained as a
 c.2 Needed for phosphorylation, a chemical "binder" that holds cells in proper relation to
process that aids the phosphate radical to each other as to cellular fluids which bathe and
glucose so that its passage through the cell nourish them.
membrane is hastened.  c.2 converts folic acids to its active form, folinic
acid
d. Stability
 c.3 healing of wounds and bone fractures
 Vitamin K is fairly resistant to heat, but sunlight  c.4 prevents megaloblastic anemia and pinpoint
destroys the K hemorrhages also called petechiae
hemorrhages.
e. Deficiency  c.5 building of bodily resistance against
 e.1 hemorrhagic disease in newborn infections
 e.2 delayed blood clotting time in adults  c.6 production of steroid hormone, particularly
adrenocortical hormones under severe stress
f. Toxicity and insulin synthesis.
 f.1 vomiting  c.7 tyrosine and phenylalanine metabolism
 f.2 hemolysis  c.8 improves iron absorption. It makes iron
 f.3 albuminura more available for hemoglobin and red blood
 f.4 Kernnicterus - accumulation of bile pigments cell maturation.
in the gray matter of the CNS.  c.9 brain metabolism
 c.10 antioxidant action
g. Food Sources
d. Stability
Liver, dark green leaves, wheat bran, vegetable oils,
especially soybean oil and wheat germ oil are excellent Much ascorbic acid is lost in cooking or thrown out in
food sources. Good amounts are present in tomatoes, the cooking water. Bruising, cutting and allowing fruit
tubers, seeds and legumes and egg yolk. and vegetables to be exposed to the air cause much loss
of ascorbic acid. Less destruction and more retention of
A. WATER SOLUBLE VITAMINS the vitamin occurs when the food is cooked quickly in
small amounts of boiling water and covered tightly.
The water soluble vitamins are Vitamin C or ascorbic
Quick freezing of food preserves the vitamins.
acid and the B complex vitamins. It is the "fresh food
Refrigeration aids retention. Use of sodium bicarbonate
vitamin since it occurs in growing parts of the plants. All
in cooking vegetables to preserve and improve the color
raw fresh fruits and vegetables contain ascorbic acid in
is very destructive of the vitamin. The ascorbic acid
varying amounts. Vitamin C is involved in a number of
content of fruits and vegetables varies with the
biological roles as well as in foods as an antioxidant.
conditions under which they are grown, degree of
The B-complex vitamins important in human nutrition ripeness when harvested, and conditions under which
are thiamine, riboflavin, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, they are stored and cooked.
niacin-folic acid, panthothenic acid, choline, inositol and
e. Deficiency
biotin. They are found together in nature and generally
have related functions although they are chemically  e.1 irritability
unrelated.  e.2 general weakness
 e.3 lack of appetite
1. VITAMIN C (ASCORBIC ACID)
 e.4 lowered resistance to infections
a. Chemical and Physical Nature  e.5 pallor
 e.6 scurvy (bleeding, swollen gums, loose teeth,
 a.1 Water soluble acid, easily oxidized, unstable
swollen, tender joints, internal hemorrhages
 a.2 Other animals can synthesize Vitamin C from
underneath the skin, capillary fragility and
glucose but humans lack the necessary specific
megaloblastic anemia)
enzyme

b. Absorption and Storage

 b.1 Easily absorbed from small intestines

 b.2 Not stored in tissue depots; distributed to f. Toxicity

tissue saturation levels in general circulation,
 No toxicity or hypervitaminosis C since the
vitamin cannot be stored in the body.
d. Requirement Allowance  c.3 Easy fatigability
 c.4 Indigestion
 In general, males need more Vitamin C than
 c.5 Severe constipation
females. Vitamin C needs are also increased
 c.6 Gastric atony
during the growth period, with the older age
 c.7 Poor reflexes and irritability
groups requiring more. Physiological stresses
 c.8 Retarded growth
like pregnancy and lactation and other stresses
 c.9 Numbeness of extremities
factors such as surgery, illness, infection, shock
 c. 10 Beriberi-also called "nutritional
and injuries need higher Vitamin C intakes.
polyneuritis"
2.VITAMIN B COMPLEX
Types of Beriberi:
 The complex consists of the Vitamin B1, B6,
A. Infantile beri-beri - occurs in infants 2 to 5 months of
B12, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid and
age. Symptoms:
biotin. It is a group of water-soluble vitamins
that need to be continually replaced because of  Loss of voice (aphoria)
their short "life". Though they all belong to one  Whining cry
group, each vitamin has its own unique  Bluish discoloration of infant (cyanosis)
function.  Difficulty in breathing
 The B vitamins transform increased amount of  Death (in a few hours)
proteins, carbohydrates, and fats into extra
B. Wet beri-beri - evidenced by edema of both lower
energy. They provide energy necessary for
extremities which progresses upward to body cavities
muscle contraction. But during exertion, they
(abdomen and chest)
are also involved in the production and repair of
tissues particularly muscular tissues.  Heart is enlarged
 Vitamin B-complex are water soluble nutrients  Irregular heart beat
that play important roles in the normal growth  Difficulty in breathing
and maintenance of normal growth and body
processes. C. Dry beri-beri - involves peripheral nerves.
 Boiling meat results to about 15 to 40% loss of  Feeling of pins and needles (paresthesia in toes)
Vitamin B. In frying, as high as 40 to 50% is lost  Gradual loss of touch sensation
and in roasting, approximately 30 to 60%. Some  Muscle weakness
of the lost vitamins are transferred to the  (Last stage) paralysis
cooking liquids, some is best to turn these
liquids into sauces or gravies. b. Toxicity

B-COMPLEX VITAMINS  There are no toxic reactions of excessive

thiamine intake in the body.
A. GROUP I. CLASSIC DISEASE FACTORS
c. Requirement or Allowances
1. THIAMINE (B1)
 Experimental evidences show that the minimal
a. Funtions thiamine requirement is 0.2 mg per 1000 caloric
 a.1 Integral part of the coenzyme factor, intake. Allowances are at least twice the
thiamine pyrophosphate or TPP, needed for minimum needs (0.5 mg/1000 cal.) and vary
carbohydrate metabolism with sex, body weight muscular activity and
 a.2 Helps maintain good appetite, good muscle composition of diet which are related to caloric
tone especially of the Gl tract and normal requirements.
functioning of nerve  Among the factors that will increase thiamine
requirements as long as caloric needs are
b. Stability increased Include pregnancy, lactation, fever,
infections, alcoholism, hyperthyroidism and
 Loss of vitamin in cooking is extremely variable,
polyneuropathies.
depending on the pH of the food, time,
temperature, quantity of water used and d. Food Sources
discarded and the use of sodium bicarbonate to
enhance the green color of vegetables. Freezing  Outstanding food sources are lean pork, pork
has little or no effect on the thiamine content of liver and other glandular organs of pork and
foods.

some shellfish. Next in line as excellent sources

c. Deficiency are liver and organ meats of other animals, egg
yolk and unpolished rice whole grains, legumes
 c.1 Loss of appetite (like monggo, kadyos, soybean) and nuts. The
 c.2 Weakness5
 enrichment or fortification of cereals like rice  Niacin is more stable than thiamine and
and wheat flour requires additional thiamine. riboflavin and is remarkably resistant to heat,
light, air, acids, and alkalis, although small
2.RIBOFLAVIN (B2)
amounts may be lost in discarded cooking
a. Functions water.

 a.1 An essential component of coenzymes, c. Deficiency

flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine
 c.1 Anorexia
dinucleotide (FAD), riboflavin is essential for
 c.2 Indigestion
protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
 c.3 Skin changes
 a.2 needed for conversion of tryptophan to
 c.4 Pellagra - classic deficiency disease
niacin
characterized by 4 Ds, namely dermatitis,
 a.3 helps maintain healthy skin, tongue and
dementia, diarrhea, and even death. The skin
mouth, normal vision, proper growth and
changes are different from other types of
development.
dermatitis because of the blackish or dark, scaly
b. Stability patches that appear symmetrically in areas
exposed to sunlight called bilateral dermatitis.
 It is stable to heat, oxidation and acid. Due to its The tongue is beefy red and swollen (glossitis)
heat stability and limited water solubility and and the corners of the mouth are cracked
limited water solubility, very little is lost in (angular stomatitis)
cooking and processing of foods. However,
because it is sensitive to alkali, the addition of d. Toxicity
baking soda to soften dried peas or beans for
 d.1 Hypermotility
faster cooking destroys much of their riboflavin
 d.2 Acidity of the stomach
content.
 d.3 Paralysis in the respiratory center
c. Deficiency
e. Food sources
 Ariboflavinosis is characterized by tissue
 Animal sources - liver, glandular organs, lean
changes particularly in the skin, eyes, mouth,
meats, fish and poultry, milk and cheese, eggs
nose and tongue. The skin develops seborrheic
 Plant sources - legumes, nuts, whole grains,
dermatitis (scaly, greasy with burning sensation
enriched cereals, and green vegetables
and corneal vascularization or extra blood
vessels over the cornea). Vascularization gets to B. Group II: MORE RECENTLY DISCOVERED CO-ENZYME
severe that there is accompanying photophobia FACTORS
and dimness or vision. The tongue is swollen
1. PYRIDOXINE (VITAMIN B6)
and becomes magenta red (glossitis). The other
lesion is called cheilosis when lips are swollen a. Functions
and corners of mouth are cracked.
 a.1 plays an important role in many of the
d. Toxicity complex biochemical processes by which foods
are metabolized by the body.
 Toxicity of riboflavin does not occur from oral
 a.2 found in the cells in active form. Pyridoxal
doses but possible when massive doses are
phosphate (PLP), co-enzyme that functions in
given by injection. However, its ill-defined
protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
effects are not as serious as what is experienced
 a.3 co-enzyme for many chemical reactions,
in hypervitaminoses A and D.
however, is related to protein metabolism.
e. Food Sources  a.4 essential for the formation of tryptophan
and for the conversion of tryptophan to
 Animal Sources - liver, glandular organs, lean
nicotinic acid.
meats, fish and poultry, milk and cheese, eggs.
 Plant Sources - legume, nuts, whole grains, b. Deficiency
enriched cereals and green vegetables.
 No deficiency state has been observed in adult
3.NIACIN (NICOTINIC ACID) man by dietary depletion. Induced experimental
deficiency by injecting an antagonist result in
a. Functions
nausea, vomiting, seborrheic or oily dermatitis,
 a.1 It acts as a hydrogen and electron acceptor. glossitis, conjunctivitis and depressive moods.
It plays an important role in energy metabolism,
fatty acid synthesis/oxidation, and protein
synthesis/ catabolism.

 In infants, deficiency state which resulted from

feeding them milk formula lacking in pyridoxine
 a.2 It is also needed for photosynthesis in plants
for several weeks, caused irritability, poor
and fixation of CO, in animal cells.
growth, anemia and convulsions.
b. Stability
c. Toxicity c. Deficiency

 Observed only in rats  True biotin deficiency doesn't occur, even in a

poor diet.
d. Food Sources
d. Toxicity
 Vegetable oils of corn, cottonseed, linseed,
olive, peanut, wheat germ, wheat and rice  No toxic effects of excessive biotin has been
germ, lard, legumes, especially soybeans and observed in man.
nuts.
e. Requirement or Allowances
2. PANTOTHENIC ACID (B5)
 The very minute amount of biotin needed for
a. Functions physiology makes it difficult to determine
requirements. It is suggested that 150 to 300
 a.1 essential for carbohydrate, protein and fat
micrograms a day is ample.
metabolism
 a.2 maintenance of normal growth, health skin f. Food Sources
and integrity of the CNS.
 Liver and other glandular organs, meats, egg
 a.3 part of coenzyme A, has many metabolic
yolk, milk, molasses, whole grains, legumes and
roles in the cells.
nuts.
b. Stability
C. GROUP III: CELL GROWTH AND BLOOD FORMING
 Water soluble, stable in moist heat FACTORS

c. Deficiency 1. FOLIC ACID (B9)

 c. 1 insomnia a. Functions
 c.2 muscle cramps
 a.1 Transfer of one carbon units to appropriate
 c.3 tingling sensation of the extremities
metabolites in the synthesis of DNA, RNA,
 c.4 vomiting
methionine and serine; the enzymes which
d. Toxicity utilize felacin coenzymes are known as
pteroproteins.
 No toxic effects of this substance are known.
 a.2 required for one-step conversion of histidine
e. Requirement or Allowances to glutamic acid
 a.3 essential for formation of both RBC and
 5mg a day is sufficient for an adult man. Daily WBC in the bone marrow and for their
mixed diets may contain as much as 15 mg maturation
which is more than adequate.
b. Stability
f. Sources
 It is unstable to heat in acid media and stable to
 Liver, other glandular organs, meats, eggs, milk, sunlight when in solution. There is a
cheese and legumes. considerable loss of folic acid in vegetables
3. LIPOIC ACID during storage at room temperatures. Loss
occurs in processing food at high temperatures.
 This is a sulfur-containing fatty acid and is not a In dried milk, for example, folic acid activity is
true vitamin because it can be synthesized in destroyed.
adequate amounts in the body. The
concentrated sources of lipoic acid are yeast c. Deficiency
and liver.  c.1 poor growth
4. BIOTIN (B7)  c.2 megaloblastic anemia and other blood
disorders
a. Functions  c.3 glossitis
 a.1 coenzyme factor in CO, fixation  c.4 GIT disturbances arising from inadequate
 a.2 together with active acetate (COA) it helps in dietary intake
the synthesis of purines, pyrimidines, fatty acids  c.5 impared absorption
and carboxylation reactions.  c.6 excessive demands by tissues of the body
 c.7 metabolic derangements

d. Sources
b. Stability
 It occurs widely in foods and an adequate
 Stable to heat, soluble in water and alcohol and supply is easily obtained. The best sources are
susceptible to oxidation, to alkali and to strong liver, kidney, beans, lima beans, fresh dark green
acids. leafy vegetables, especially spinach, asparagus,
 and broccoli. Good sources are lean beef, b. Is needed for fat transport as a constituent of
potatoes, whole wheat bread and dried beans. phospholipids, namely, lecithin, cephalin and
Poor sources include most meats, milk, eggs, sphingomyelin
most fruits and root vegetables. c. It helps in transmission of nerve impulses
d. Deficiency results in fatty livers as seen in
2. COBALAMIN (B12)
chronic alcoholism and kwashiorkor.
a. Functions e. Richest food source is egg yolk: other good
sources are liver, brain, kidney, heart meats,
 a.1 essential for normal function in the legumes and nuts, yeast and wheat germ.
metabolism of all cells, especially for those in
the Gi tract, bone marrow, and nervous tissue
and for growth.
 a.2 participates with folic acid, choline and
methionine in the transfer of methyl groups in
the synthesis of nucleic acids, purines and
pyrimidine intermediates.
 a.3 effects myelin formation
 a.4 involved in carbohydrate, protein and fat
metabolism, and associated with folic acid
absorption and metabolism

b. Stability

 Approximately 70% of the vitamin activity is

retained during cooking

c. Deficiency

 c.1 demyelination of the large nerve fibers of

the spinal cord
 c.2 pernicious anemia

d. Toxicity

 No toxic effects are known.

e. Sources

Animal protein contains B12 in significant amounts

while plant sources are practically nothing

D. GROUP IV: OTHER RELATED FACTORS (PSEUDO-

VITAMINS)

1. INOSITOL (B8)

a. Occurs in meat and meat extractive, muscle and

glandular organs, brain, legumes and nuts, fruits
and vegetables and grains.
b. Abundant in the diet and minimum
requirements for inositol are not known.
c. Its chemistry is closely similar to glucose, hence,
the other name for it is "muscle sugar"
d. Is a lipotropic agent. It is linked with
phospholipids as phosphoinositols which help in
the transport and metabolism of fats.

2. CHOLINE

a. Is a lipotropic agent, ie, it mobilizes fat and

prevents fatty acids