THE FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS
FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS 
 Fat soluble vitamins have long 
nonpolar hydrocarbon chains or 
rings. 
 Common fat soluble vitamins 
include 
• A 
• D 
• E 
• K 
2 
Vitamin D 
Vitamin K
FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS 
 Fat soluble vitamins usually accumulate in tissues 
and are not leached out quickly. 
 Unlike water soluble vitamins, an excess of a fat 
soluble vitamin can be just as harmful as a 
deficiency. 
3
1. VITAMIN A (RETINOL) 
 Foods from animal source provide various 
retinoids that are easily converted to retinol in the 
body 
 Foods from plant source provide carotenoids 
 Over 500 carotenoids found in nature 
 Less than 10% with provitamin A activity 
 -carotene highest activity 
 Must be acted upon in the gut or by the liver to form 
retinol
VITAMIN A - SOURCES 
 Animal sources 
 Liver 
 Milk 
 Egg yolk 
 Plant sources 
 Carrots 
 Green leafy vegetables 
 Orange coloured fruits, 
e.g. mango and apricots
6 
•RDA (retinol): 
• 1000 μg of retinol, or 3,500 IU, for males 
• 800 μg of retinol, or 2,500 IU, for females 
•one glass of milk provides 10% of the RDA 
•one medium carrot provides 200% of the RDA 
•a serving of liver provides 900% of RDA
THE RETINOIDS 
 3 forms of vitamin A 
important for health 
 Retinol (key player; 
can be converted to 
other forms) 
 Retinal 
 Retinoic acid 
 β-carotene 
 potent provitamin A
8
CAROTENOID CLEAVAGE 
AND STORAGE 
 β-carotene is converted to vitamin 
A in the intestinal mucosa 
 90% is stored in liver, mainly as the 
ester, retinyl palmitate (~ 6 months 
storage) 
 Small amounts in adipose and 
blood 
 Transport 
 Retinol binding protein(RBP) acts 
to transport vitamin A from the 
liver and in the blood. 
 Excretion 
 Small amount in urine
MAJOR FUNCTION IN THE BODY 
 vital to good vision 
 prevents night blindness 
 antioxidant (β-carotene) 
 necessary for healthy skin, hair growth 
 keeps mucous membranes healthy 
 promotes bone development 
 Support immunity (retinoic acid and carotenoids) 
10
Role of vitamin A in vision
RHODOPSIN CYCLE OR WALD’S VISUAL 
CYCLE 
•Rhodopsin: combination 
of a protein part (opsin) 
and 11-cis retinal (only cis 
form can bind with opsin). 
•When light energy is 
absorbed by rhodopsin, 
the rhodopsin decompose: 
converts 11-cis retinal into 
all-trans retinal. 
•In order to maintain the 
ability to detect light, the 
rods must reconvert the 
all-trans retinal into 11-cis 
retinal. 
•This process only occurs 
under the dark 
environment. 
•Dark adaptation time
VITAMIN A - 
DEFICIENCY 
 More obvious deficiency symptoms than other 
vitamins 
 Night blindness 
 Leading cause of blindness in third world countries 
 Cell keratinization 
 Dry skin 
 Xerophthalmia (dryness of cornea & conjunctiva) 
 Reproductive failure 
 Abnormal skeletal development/maintenance 
 Immune dysfunction
VITAMIN A TOXICITY 
 Not readily excreted 
 Hypervitaminosis A in humans 
 Self-medication and overprescription 
 symptom 
 Skeletal malformations, spontaneous fractures 
 Birth defects and miscarriage 
 Decalcification, joint pain, fragility 
 Dry itchy skin 
 Hair loss 
 Liver damage 
 Overconsumption of beta carotene from food sources may 
cause skin to turn yellow but is not harmful
BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF Β- 
CAROTENE 
 Antioxidant role of β-carotene 
 Increased consumption of β-carotene is 
associated with decreased incidence of heart 
attacks, skin and lung cancers. 
 High doses of carotene for long periods are not 
toxic.
2. VITAMIN D: SUNSHINE VITAMIN 
 Body can make it if 
exposed to enough 
sunlight 
 Made from cholesterol 
in the skin
VITAMIN D - SOURCES 
 Synthesized in body 
 Plants (ergosterol) 
 Sun-cured forages 
 Fluid milk products are 
fortified with vitamin D 
 Oily fish 
 Egg yolk 
 Butter 
 Liver 
 Daily Value 
 10 micrograms
VITAMIN D (CALCIFEROL) 
 There are 2 major precursor forms: 
7-dehydrocholesterol 
Ergosterol 
 Vitamin D2 = ergocalciferol 
 Completely synthetic form produced by the 
irradiation of the plant steroid ergosterol 
 Vitamin D3 = cholecalciferol 
 Produced photochemically by the action of sunlight 
or ultraviolet light from the precursor sterol 7- 
dehydrocholesterol
FORMATION OF VITAMIN D 
 Skin (UV light) 
7-dehydro cholesterol  vitamin D3 
 Liver 
OH-group added 
25-hydroxy vitamin D3 
Storage form of vitamin (~3 months storage in liver) 
 Kidney 
OH-group added by 1-hydroxylase 
1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 (or 1,25-dihydroxy 
cholecalciferol, 1,25-DHCC) 
Active form of vitamin D, a “steroid hormone” 
OH-group added by 24-hydroxylase 
24,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 
Inactive form of vitamin D, ready for excretion
Calcitriol (1,25-dihydroxy-cholecalciferol, 
1,25 DHCC)
Chemical name Abbreviation Generic name 
Vitamin D2 D2 Ergocalciferol 
Vitamin D3 D3 Cholecalciferol 
25-hydroxy 
Vitamin D3 
25(OH)D3 Calciferol 
1,25-dihydroxy 
vitamin D3 
1,25-(OH)2D3 Calcitriol 
24,25-dihydroxy 
vitamin D3 
24,25- (OH)2D3 Secalcifediol
23 
FUNCTIONS OF VITAMIN D 
 Calcium and Phosphorus Homeostasis 
 Calcium and Phosphorus absorption (small intestine) 
 Calcium resorption (bone and kidney) 
 Maintain blood calcium levels 
 Bone formation 
 Stimulate calcium uptake for deposition as calcium phosphate 
(Osteoblasts: bone-forming cells) 
 Hormone 
 Regulation of gene expression 
 Cell growth
24 
PTH:Parathyroid Hormone
VITAMIN D (ANTIRACHITIC 
VITAMIN)- DEFICIENCY 
 Less common 
 Young animals 
 Rickets (meaning: twist) 
 Failure of bones to grow properly 
 Results in “bowed” legs or knock-knees, outward bowed chest 
and knobs on ribs 
 Older animals 
 Osteomalacia(Greek: osteon-bone, malakia-softness): 
 Adult form of rickets 
 Osteoporosis (porous bones): 
 Loss of vitamin D activity with advancing age 
 Associated with fractures  very serious for geriatrics
OSTEOPOROSIS 
progressive loss of bone density, thinning of bone tissue 
and increased vulnerability to fractures in the elderly 
people of both sexes.
VITAMIN D TOXICITY 
 Hypervitaminosis D 
 Among the vitamins, vitamin D is the most toxic in 
overdoses(10-100 times RDA) 
 Calcification of soft tissue 
 Lungs, heart, blood vessels 
 Hardening of arteries, stone formation in kidneys 
 Does not occur from sunlight or dietary sources 
 Does occur with supplementation 
 In general, vitamin D supplement are not recommended. 
 Upper limit: 50 micrograms a day
3. VITAMIN E (TOCOPHEROL) 
 A naturally occurring antioxidant. 
 Essential for nomal reproduction in many 
animals. Tocopherol (Greek: tokos-child birth; 
pheros-bear; ol-alcohol), Anti-sterility vitamin.
VITAMIN E - SOURCES 
 Plant sources 
 Cereal grains 
 Especially in germ 
 Vegetable and seed oils 
 Animal sources 
 Meat,milk,butter,eggs 
 RDA: 10 mg for men, and 
8 mg for women
VITAMIN E (TOCOPHEROL) 
 The term vitamin E refers to a family of 8 
related compounds, the tocopherols and the 
tocotrienols 
 The four major forms of vitamin E are 
designated a, , d, g, of which a -tocopherol is 
the most active. 
O 
CH3 
H3C 
HO 
CH3 
CH3 
CH3 CH3 
CH3 
CH3 
ALPHA TOCOPHEROL
32 
ABSORPTION, TRANSPORT AND 
EXCRETION OF VITAMIN E 
 Absorption and Transportation 
 Micelles into chylomicrons 
 Transported via lipoproteins 
 Stored in adipose tissue 
 Excretion 
 Bile, urine and skin
MAJOR FUNCTION IN THE 
BODY 
 Antioxidant 
 Vitamin E is very unstable, easily oxidized 
 protect cells against oxidative damage by free 
radicals, for example oxidation of the lipids in the cell 
membranes 
 plays a role in aging, sexual performance, or 
prevention of cancer and/or heart disease 
33
VITAMIN E - DEFICIENCY 
 Rare 
 Erythrocyte hemolysis and hemolytic anemia 
 disruption of red blood cell membranes, perhaps due to 
polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) oxidation 
 Sterility: reproductive failure
VITAMIN E TOXICITY 
 Toxicity rare: wide range of safe intake 
compared to other fat soluble vitamins 
- Vitamin E is one of the most popular nutrient 
supplements. There are many health claims 
for supplementation – slowing of the aging 
process or an improvement in sexual potency.
4. VITAMIN K 
 The only fat soluble vitamin with a specific 
coenzyme function. 
 Required for the production of blood clotting 
factors, essential for coagulation. Named as 
antihemorrhagic vitamin.
VITAMIN K - SOURCES 
 Plant sources 
 Green leafy vegetables 
 Some oils 
 Broccoli 
 Animal sources 
 Liver 
 Milk 
 Also made by bacteria in the gut 
 RDA: 80 μg for men, 65 μg for 
women
FORMS OF VITAMIN K 
 K1, phylloquinone 
 Chloroplasts in plants 
 K2, menaquinone 
 Bacterial synthesis 
 K3, menadione 
 Synthetic, Complexed to 
improve stability 
Vitamin K2
ABSORPTION, TRANSPORT AND 
EXCRETION OF VITAMIN K 
42 
 Absorption and Transportation 
 Absorbed in small intestine, via chylomicrons in 
lymphatic system. 
 Transported via lipoproteins and stored in the liver 
 Excretion 
 Primarily bile, small amount urine
FUNCTIONS OF VITAMIN K 
 Essential for clotting of blood. 
 Clotting factors are synthesized in the liver as 
inactive precursors - vitamin K converts them to 
their active forms 
 Conversion of prothrombin to thrombin, an active 
enzyme 
 Formation of fibrinogen to fibrin, leading to clot 
formation 
 Stimulates bone formation and decreases bone resorption.
Gamma carboxylation of clotting factors II,VII,IX and X 
produces calcium binding sites
 Deficiency: increased bleeding and hemorrhage 
- rare, they may occur in some individuals when antibiotic 
medications kill the intestinal bacteria that produce the 
vitamin. 
 Hypervitaminosis K: thrombosis, hemolytic anaemia 
and jaundice, particularly in infants. The toxic effect 
is due to increased breakdown of RBC. 
46
Fat soluble vitamins
Fat soluble vitamins

Fat soluble vitamins

  • 1.
  • 2.
    FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS  Fat soluble vitamins have long nonpolar hydrocarbon chains or rings.  Common fat soluble vitamins include • A • D • E • K 2 Vitamin D Vitamin K
  • 3.
    FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS  Fat soluble vitamins usually accumulate in tissues and are not leached out quickly.  Unlike water soluble vitamins, an excess of a fat soluble vitamin can be just as harmful as a deficiency. 3
  • 4.
    1. VITAMIN A(RETINOL)  Foods from animal source provide various retinoids that are easily converted to retinol in the body  Foods from plant source provide carotenoids  Over 500 carotenoids found in nature  Less than 10% with provitamin A activity  -carotene highest activity  Must be acted upon in the gut or by the liver to form retinol
  • 5.
    VITAMIN A -SOURCES  Animal sources  Liver  Milk  Egg yolk  Plant sources  Carrots  Green leafy vegetables  Orange coloured fruits, e.g. mango and apricots
  • 6.
    6 •RDA (retinol): • 1000 μg of retinol, or 3,500 IU, for males • 800 μg of retinol, or 2,500 IU, for females •one glass of milk provides 10% of the RDA •one medium carrot provides 200% of the RDA •a serving of liver provides 900% of RDA
  • 7.
    THE RETINOIDS 3 forms of vitamin A important for health  Retinol (key player; can be converted to other forms)  Retinal  Retinoic acid  β-carotene  potent provitamin A
  • 8.
  • 9.
    CAROTENOID CLEAVAGE ANDSTORAGE  β-carotene is converted to vitamin A in the intestinal mucosa  90% is stored in liver, mainly as the ester, retinyl palmitate (~ 6 months storage)  Small amounts in adipose and blood  Transport  Retinol binding protein(RBP) acts to transport vitamin A from the liver and in the blood.  Excretion  Small amount in urine
  • 10.
    MAJOR FUNCTION INTHE BODY  vital to good vision  prevents night blindness  antioxidant (β-carotene)  necessary for healthy skin, hair growth  keeps mucous membranes healthy  promotes bone development  Support immunity (retinoic acid and carotenoids) 10
  • 11.
    Role of vitaminA in vision
  • 12.
    RHODOPSIN CYCLE ORWALD’S VISUAL CYCLE •Rhodopsin: combination of a protein part (opsin) and 11-cis retinal (only cis form can bind with opsin). •When light energy is absorbed by rhodopsin, the rhodopsin decompose: converts 11-cis retinal into all-trans retinal. •In order to maintain the ability to detect light, the rods must reconvert the all-trans retinal into 11-cis retinal. •This process only occurs under the dark environment. •Dark adaptation time
  • 13.
    VITAMIN A - DEFICIENCY  More obvious deficiency symptoms than other vitamins  Night blindness  Leading cause of blindness in third world countries  Cell keratinization  Dry skin  Xerophthalmia (dryness of cornea & conjunctiva)  Reproductive failure  Abnormal skeletal development/maintenance  Immune dysfunction
  • 14.
    VITAMIN A TOXICITY  Not readily excreted  Hypervitaminosis A in humans  Self-medication and overprescription  symptom  Skeletal malformations, spontaneous fractures  Birth defects and miscarriage  Decalcification, joint pain, fragility  Dry itchy skin  Hair loss  Liver damage  Overconsumption of beta carotene from food sources may cause skin to turn yellow but is not harmful
  • 15.
    BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OFΒ- CAROTENE  Antioxidant role of β-carotene  Increased consumption of β-carotene is associated with decreased incidence of heart attacks, skin and lung cancers.  High doses of carotene for long periods are not toxic.
  • 16.
    2. VITAMIN D:SUNSHINE VITAMIN  Body can make it if exposed to enough sunlight  Made from cholesterol in the skin
  • 17.
    VITAMIN D -SOURCES  Synthesized in body  Plants (ergosterol)  Sun-cured forages  Fluid milk products are fortified with vitamin D  Oily fish  Egg yolk  Butter  Liver  Daily Value  10 micrograms
  • 18.
    VITAMIN D (CALCIFEROL)  There are 2 major precursor forms: 7-dehydrocholesterol Ergosterol  Vitamin D2 = ergocalciferol  Completely synthetic form produced by the irradiation of the plant steroid ergosterol  Vitamin D3 = cholecalciferol  Produced photochemically by the action of sunlight or ultraviolet light from the precursor sterol 7- dehydrocholesterol
  • 19.
    FORMATION OF VITAMIND  Skin (UV light) 7-dehydro cholesterol  vitamin D3  Liver OH-group added 25-hydroxy vitamin D3 Storage form of vitamin (~3 months storage in liver)  Kidney OH-group added by 1-hydroxylase 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 (or 1,25-dihydroxy cholecalciferol, 1,25-DHCC) Active form of vitamin D, a “steroid hormone” OH-group added by 24-hydroxylase 24,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 Inactive form of vitamin D, ready for excretion
  • 20.
  • 22.
    Chemical name AbbreviationGeneric name Vitamin D2 D2 Ergocalciferol Vitamin D3 D3 Cholecalciferol 25-hydroxy Vitamin D3 25(OH)D3 Calciferol 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 1,25-(OH)2D3 Calcitriol 24,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 24,25- (OH)2D3 Secalcifediol
  • 23.
    23 FUNCTIONS OFVITAMIN D  Calcium and Phosphorus Homeostasis  Calcium and Phosphorus absorption (small intestine)  Calcium resorption (bone and kidney)  Maintain blood calcium levels  Bone formation  Stimulate calcium uptake for deposition as calcium phosphate (Osteoblasts: bone-forming cells)  Hormone  Regulation of gene expression  Cell growth
  • 24.
  • 26.
    VITAMIN D (ANTIRACHITIC VITAMIN)- DEFICIENCY  Less common  Young animals  Rickets (meaning: twist)  Failure of bones to grow properly  Results in “bowed” legs or knock-knees, outward bowed chest and knobs on ribs  Older animals  Osteomalacia(Greek: osteon-bone, malakia-softness):  Adult form of rickets  Osteoporosis (porous bones):  Loss of vitamin D activity with advancing age  Associated with fractures  very serious for geriatrics
  • 27.
    OSTEOPOROSIS progressive lossof bone density, thinning of bone tissue and increased vulnerability to fractures in the elderly people of both sexes.
  • 28.
    VITAMIN D TOXICITY  Hypervitaminosis D  Among the vitamins, vitamin D is the most toxic in overdoses(10-100 times RDA)  Calcification of soft tissue  Lungs, heart, blood vessels  Hardening of arteries, stone formation in kidneys  Does not occur from sunlight or dietary sources  Does occur with supplementation  In general, vitamin D supplement are not recommended.  Upper limit: 50 micrograms a day
  • 29.
    3. VITAMIN E(TOCOPHEROL)  A naturally occurring antioxidant.  Essential for nomal reproduction in many animals. Tocopherol (Greek: tokos-child birth; pheros-bear; ol-alcohol), Anti-sterility vitamin.
  • 30.
    VITAMIN E -SOURCES  Plant sources  Cereal grains  Especially in germ  Vegetable and seed oils  Animal sources  Meat,milk,butter,eggs  RDA: 10 mg for men, and 8 mg for women
  • 31.
    VITAMIN E (TOCOPHEROL)  The term vitamin E refers to a family of 8 related compounds, the tocopherols and the tocotrienols  The four major forms of vitamin E are designated a, , d, g, of which a -tocopherol is the most active. O CH3 H3C HO CH3 CH3 CH3 CH3 CH3 CH3 ALPHA TOCOPHEROL
  • 32.
    32 ABSORPTION, TRANSPORTAND EXCRETION OF VITAMIN E  Absorption and Transportation  Micelles into chylomicrons  Transported via lipoproteins  Stored in adipose tissue  Excretion  Bile, urine and skin
  • 33.
    MAJOR FUNCTION INTHE BODY  Antioxidant  Vitamin E is very unstable, easily oxidized  protect cells against oxidative damage by free radicals, for example oxidation of the lipids in the cell membranes  plays a role in aging, sexual performance, or prevention of cancer and/or heart disease 33
  • 37.
    VITAMIN E -DEFICIENCY  Rare  Erythrocyte hemolysis and hemolytic anemia  disruption of red blood cell membranes, perhaps due to polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) oxidation  Sterility: reproductive failure
  • 38.
    VITAMIN E TOXICITY  Toxicity rare: wide range of safe intake compared to other fat soluble vitamins - Vitamin E is one of the most popular nutrient supplements. There are many health claims for supplementation – slowing of the aging process or an improvement in sexual potency.
  • 39.
    4. VITAMIN K  The only fat soluble vitamin with a specific coenzyme function.  Required for the production of blood clotting factors, essential for coagulation. Named as antihemorrhagic vitamin.
  • 40.
    VITAMIN K -SOURCES  Plant sources  Green leafy vegetables  Some oils  Broccoli  Animal sources  Liver  Milk  Also made by bacteria in the gut  RDA: 80 μg for men, 65 μg for women
  • 41.
    FORMS OF VITAMINK  K1, phylloquinone  Chloroplasts in plants  K2, menaquinone  Bacterial synthesis  K3, menadione  Synthetic, Complexed to improve stability Vitamin K2
  • 42.
    ABSORPTION, TRANSPORT AND EXCRETION OF VITAMIN K 42  Absorption and Transportation  Absorbed in small intestine, via chylomicrons in lymphatic system.  Transported via lipoproteins and stored in the liver  Excretion  Primarily bile, small amount urine
  • 43.
    FUNCTIONS OF VITAMINK  Essential for clotting of blood.  Clotting factors are synthesized in the liver as inactive precursors - vitamin K converts them to their active forms  Conversion of prothrombin to thrombin, an active enzyme  Formation of fibrinogen to fibrin, leading to clot formation  Stimulates bone formation and decreases bone resorption.
  • 44.
    Gamma carboxylation ofclotting factors II,VII,IX and X produces calcium binding sites
  • 46.
     Deficiency: increasedbleeding and hemorrhage - rare, they may occur in some individuals when antibiotic medications kill the intestinal bacteria that produce the vitamin.  Hypervitaminosis K: thrombosis, hemolytic anaemia and jaundice, particularly in infants. The toxic effect is due to increased breakdown of RBC. 46