Prepared by :

Jayson Lumagas
Practice Teacher
PNU
What are vitamins?
• A vitamin is one of a group of organic substances
that is present in minute amounts in natural food
stuffs.
• Vitamins are essential to normal metabolism.
• If we do not take enough of any kind of vitamin,
certain medical conditions can result.
What are vitamins?
• A vitamin is both:
- an organic compound, which means it
contains carbon
- an essential nutrient that body cannot
produce enough of and which it needs to get
from food
 FAST FACTS ON VITAMINS
• There are 13 known vitamins.
• Vitamins are either water-soluble or fat-soluble.
• Fat-soluble vitamins are easier for the body to store
than water-soluble.
• Vitamins always contain carbon, so they are described
as "organic."
• Food is the best source of vitamins, but some people
may be advised by a physician to use supplements.
Two Types of
Vitamins

☺Water-soluble Vitamins

☺Fat-soluble Vitamins
 Water-soluble Vitamins

- water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water

and are not stored;
-they are eliminated in urine
-The water-soluble vitamins are the B-
complex group and vitamin C.
Water-soluble vitamins are easily
destroyed or washed out during
food storage or preparation.

Proper storage and preparation of

food can minimize vitamin loss.
Fat-soluble Vitamins
Are absorbed from the intestine along
with lipids.

Because fat-soluble vitamins are

stored for long periods, they generally
pose a greater risk for toxicity than
water-soluble vitamins when
consumed in excess.
Water-soluble Vitamins
• Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)
• Thiamine (Vitamin B1)
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
• Niacin (Vitamin B3)
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)
• Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)
• Biotin (Vitamin B7)
• Folate (Vitamin B9)
• Cobalamin (Vitamin B12)
VITAMIN C
• also known as ascorbic acid or
“ascorbate”
• Present in higher private species
mammals, birds and fishes.
• Uses: Serves as antioxidants in living
body to protect as from oxidative stress.
Deficiency: scurvy, an avitaminosis disease,
swelling of gums, loosening of teeth,
hemorrhages of the skin, etc.

Sources: citrus fruits (such as lemon and

orange), berries, green vegetables, pears
and cabbages, some in potatoes, apples,
bananas and carrots

Chem. Formula: C6H8O6

RDA- 60 mg
Optimal Intake- 250-1,000 mg
SCURVY
• Disease resulting form vitamin C
deficiency
• Early symptoms include weakness,
feeling tired, and sore arms and legs
• Without treatment, decreased red
blood cells, gum disease, changes to
hair, and bleeding from the skin.
SCURVY
 oranges

pears cabbages

apples
Vitamin B Complex
• They are all recognized as critical for
energy and for a healthy nervous system.
• They are often found together in food
stuffs
• There are eight Vitamin B Complex,
namely:
B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9 and B12.
Vitamin B1
• also known as Thiamine
• a crystalline compound with a yeast-like
odor
• This is stored in the liver and heart and, to
a lesser extent, in the kidney and brain
• The first vitamin to be isolated in pure
form
• Nitrogen containing alcohol that is
necessary in the diet of all animals except
luminaries to prevent beriberi.
• Was first synthesized in 1936
Vitamin B1
Benefit: it prevents beriberi, a disease
characterized by multiple neuritis (lesions of
nerves), general debility, and painful rigidity

Deficiency: loss of appetite, fatigue, wasting

away of the muscles, digestive disturbances,
poor assimilation of food and loss of weight;
may also lead to paralysis and death may
result.
Beriberi
Vitamin B1
Good Sources- Brewer's yeast, peanuts, milk, rice,
oatmeal, beans and lean meat

Chemical formula (C12H18Cl2N4OS)

RDA- 1.5 mg
Optimal Intake- 5-15 mg
Structural formula
peanuts oatmeal

Brewer’s yeast
Vitamin B2
• also known as Riboflavin
• A yellow nitrogen-containing
alcohol that occurs abundantly in
whey (the watery part of milk)
and in egg white
• It is a mild antioxidant; its bright
yellow color colors urine after it is
taken.
Vitamin B2
• Was recognized as a vitamin in 1933 and first
synthesized in 1935
• Benefit: it is to function as part of metabolic
systems concerned with the oxidation of
carbohydrates and amino acids
Vitamin B2
Deficiency- splitting of skin around the
mouth (cheilosis), inflammation of the
tongue (glossitis), vascularization of the
eyeball with eyestrain and abnormal
intolerance of light, greasy and scaly
inflammation of the skin
CHEILOSIS
Vitamin B2
Good Sources- liver, yeast, oysters, leafy
vegetables, whey, eggs, etc.

RDA- 1.7 mg

Optimal Intake- 5-20 mg

Structural formula
 egg

yeast

oyster
whey
Vitamin B3
• also known as Niacin, Niacinamide or
Nicotinic Acid
• This play an important role in ridding the
body of toxic and harmful chemicals
• Also helps the body make various sex and
stress-related hormones in the adrenal
glands and other parts of the body.
• Benefit: to treat insulin-dependent diabetes,
arthritis and migraine
Vitamin B3
Deficiency:
Pellagra, a disease that is characterized by red,
rough skin, weakness, loss of appetite,
diarrhea and digestive disturbances; if
untreated, it can be fatal
PELLAGRA
Good Sources- red meat, liver, fresh
vegetables,
wheat germ, milk and eggs
Chemical formula: niacin (C6H5NO2),
niacinamide (C6H5N2O)
RDA- 20 mg
Optimal Intake- 50-500 mg
Wheat germ
eggs

milk
Vitamin B5
• also known as Pantothenic Acid,
Panthenol, Pantethine, (Calcium)
Pantothenate
• came from the Greek word
“pantothen”, meaning “from
everywhere”
• Studies with rats by Dr. Roger Williams
showed that Pantothenic Acid may be
highly beneficial in fighting the
effects of stress.
 Vitamin B5
Benefits: Diets with pantothenic acid have
greatly
increased the life span if experimental animals.
In man, no disease has been definitely traced to
the lack of pantothenic acid.
Deficiency- Hypoglycemia, ulcers, skin disorders;
failure to grow, change in hair color, hind legs
may be paralyzed and may cause to death in
animals
Good Sources: Meat, whole grains, leafy
vegetables, royal jelly

RDA- 10 mg

Optimal Intake- 15-500 mg

broccoli
yeast

molasses
Vitamin B6
• also known as pyridoxine
• has potential to reduce blood levels of
homocysteine, possibly reducing the risk
of heart disease. Amounts in excess of 200
mg/day might lead to toxicity, expressed in
nerve problems.

• Benefit: it helps in the treatment of

radiation sickness and in nausea and
vomiting of pregnancy.
Vitamin B6
Deficiency:
 No certain human ailments
caused by deficiency of vitamin
B6.
 Anemia in pigs and dogs;
dermatitis in rat; growth
retardation in chickens
Vitamin B6
Good Sources: cereal grains, meats, nuts and
some fruits and
vegetables

Chemical formula: (C8H11NO3)

RDA- 2 mg
Optimal Intake- 10-100 m
 meats

Cereal grains

nuts
Vitamin B7
• also known as Biotin and Vitamin H
• It is involved in carbon dioxide transfer
and is essential to the metabolism of
carbohydrate and fat.
• Benefits: assists production of energy
within the body, promotes healthy hair
and normal cholesterol levels strengthens
hair and nails and reduces blood sugar
level
Vitamin B7
Deficiency:
hair loss, dry scaly skin, muscle
pain swollen and painful tongue,
exhaustion, loss of appetite,nausea,
etc.
 Vitamin B7
Good Sources: Brewer's yeast, soy beans,
egg yolk, butter, oatmeal, soy,
mushrooms, etc.

Chemical formula: (C10H16N203S)

Optimal Intake- 300-10,000 mcg
cauliflower

legumes

mushroom
Vitamin B9
• also known as folic acid or ”pteroylglutamic” or
Vitamin M
• received its name because it was first detected in
leafy vegetable; the Latin word for “leaf” is folium
• Benefit: used the treat various anemias; to prevent
and cure sprue; has potential to lower blood levels of
homocysteine, perhaps having a role in reducing
heart disease. Folic Acid is also a key factor in the
prevention of many birth defects.
Vitamin B9
Deficiency: failure of bone-marrow to
form mature red blood cells, diseases in
digestive system, macrocytic anemia
(enlarged red blood cells), spina bifida

Good sources: Green leafy vegetables,

mushrooms, liver, kidney
SPINI BIFIDA
• A birth defect
where there
is incomplete
closing of the
backbone and
membranes
around the
spinal cord
yeast
mushroom

kangkong
Vitamin B12
•also known as Cobalamin,
Cyanocobalamin, Methylcobalamin
•Known as the extrinsic factor—a substance
from outside the body—that aids in the
development of red blood cell in higher
animals.
Benefits: B12 reduces homocysteine
levels in the blood, thus it possibly
has a role in heart disease
prevention
Deficiency- Pernicious Anemia,
defective function of the intestine,
indigestion, constipation or diarrhea
Good Sources- Meat products, cheese,
eggs
RDA- 6 mcg
Optimal Intake- 100-1,000 mcg
PERNICIOUS ANEMIA
• Caused by inability to
absorbed the vitamin B-12
needed for your body to
make enough healthy red
blood cells
 meats
cheese

eggs
 Other B-Vitamins
• B4- also known as Adenine
- is a purine base of nucleic acids; its status
as a human vitamin is doubtful.
Deficiency: Muscular weakness (in rats and
chicks)
Good Sources- Widespread in animal and plant
tissues
• B8- chemical names: 5'-Adenylic Acid,
Ergadenylic Acid, Adenosine
Monophosphate
- This nucleotide is still listed as a
“nutrient" by the Merck Index. Many
sources now claim this substance is indeed
an essential vitamin.

Deficiency: Decreases RNA, ADP, and ATP

synthesis, inhibits breakdown of food into
energy, reduces hormone function.

Good Sources- Yeast

• B10- also known as Pteroyl-
monoglutamic acid and Vitamin R
- mixed with other B
vitamins essential for animal
nutrition.

Deficiency: Depressed growth

and feathering in chicks.
• B11- chemical names: Pteryl-hepta-
glutamic acid, Vitamin S and "Factor S.”
- one of the 5 folates necessary for
human
-also a form of folic acid

Deficiency: Depressed growth and

feathering in chicks, birth defects
Fat-soluble Vitamins
•Retinol (Vitamin A)
•Calciferol (Vitamin D)
•Tocopherol (Vitamin E)
•Phylloquinones (Vitamin K)
Vitamin A
• Chemical name: Retinol, Beta Carotene (pro-vitamin A)
• A fat-soluble alcohol, most abundant in fish and especially in fish-
liver oils
• Taking over 25,000 IU of Retinol a day can lead to toxic buildup.
• Beta-Carotene is an antioxidant, and non-toxic. Synthetic Beta-
Carotene (the kind sold in supplement stores) has been shown
ineffective in preventing cancer in humans, and seems to be
harmful to smokers. Consuming over the RDA of Vitamin A is
associated with a shorter lifespan.
Vitamin A
Benefit: maintains normal skin health, vision

Deficiency- Night blindness, retarded growth,

poor quality skin and hair and toxicity

Good Sources- Liver, carrots, spinach, fish liver

oil, vegetables, dairy products

Chemical formula: (C20H30O)

NIGHT BLINDNESS
• “nyctalopia”
• Inability to see
well at night or in
poor light
• Its causes include
glaucoma
medications and
cataracts
VITAMIN D
• Chemical names- Ergocalciferol, Calciferol,
Cholecalciferol
• A group of fat-soluble alcohols important in calcium
metabolism in animals
• Found only in animals
• Benefits: maintains proper balance of calcium and
phosphorus in the body
Deficiency- rickets; the bones fail to harden, abnormal
cartilage growth, teeth do not develop properly causing
dental cavities, ribs become misshapen, chest is deformed,
etc.
Good Sources- Milk, fatty fish particularly that obtained
from the cod halibut and shark and sunshine

Chemical formula: (C27H4403)

RDA- 400 IU
Optimal Intake- 400-1000 IU
RICKETS
• A skeletal disorder that’s caused by a lack of
vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate.
• People with rickets may have weak and soft
bones, stunted growth, and in severe cases,
skeletal ddeformities.
Structural formula
VITAMIN E
• Chemical Names: tocopherol, tocopheryl
• was identified chemically in 1938
• A fat-soluble anti-oxidant

 The vitamin E family consists of four tocopherols and four

tocotrienols, each designated as alpha, beta, gamma, or delta
based upon slight differences in chemical structures.

• Function:A major function of vitamin E in humans is as an

antioxidant. Vitamin E protects polyunsaturated fatty acids
(PUFA) from oxidation by destroying peroxyl radicals.
Benefit: Protect your skin from ultraviolet light,
prevent cell damage from free radicals, allow
your cells to communicate effectively, help
protect against prostate cancer and Alzheimer's
disease
Deficiency- possibly infertility, cell damage and
death in skeletal muscle, heart, liver, and nerves,
premature infacy
Good Sources: wheat germ, safflower, sunflower,
cottonseed, canola and olive oils, unrefined
cereal grains, fruits, nuts and vegetables.
Chemical Formula: (C29H50O2)
RDA- 30 IU
Optimal Intake- 100-300 IU
Structural formula
VITAMIN K
•Chemical names: Menadione,
Phytomenadione,
Phylloquinone, Menaquinone
•Was first discovered by Henrik
Dan in 1929
• Benefit: this is essential for the
formation in the liver, of
prothrombin an important
factor in blood clotting.
• Deficiency: Hemorrhage- blood
clotting is delayed,
• Good Sources: alfalfa, spinach,
carrot tops, soybean oil, tomatoes,
casein, chestnut
• RDA- 80 mcg
• Optimal Intake- 100-150 mcg
Test I.
1. Vitamins
a. are inorganic compounds.
b. yield energy when broken down.
c. are soluble in either water or fat.
d. perform best when linked in long chains.
2. The vitamin that protects against neural tube defects is:
a. niacin
b. folate
c. riboflavin
d. Vit. B 12

3. A lack of intrinsic factor may lead to:

a. beriberi b. pellagra c. pernicious anemia d. glossitis

4. Which of the following is a B vitamin?

a. inositol b. carnitine c. vitamin B15 d. pantothenic acid
5. The following are the fat-soluble vitamins
except?
a. Vitamin A (Retinol)
b. Vitamin D (Calciferol)
c. Vitamin E (Tocopherol)
d. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
Test II.
• Give the chemical name of the following:
1. Vitamin B1 11. Vitamin D
2. Vitamin B2 12. Vitamin E
3. Vitamin B3 13. Vitamin K
4. Vitamin B5
5. Vitamin B6
6. Vitamin B7
7. Vitamin B9
8. Vitamin B12
9. Vitamin C
10. Vitamin A