VITAMINS

OBOH, HA
 Definition / Description of Vitamins
• Vitamins are organic nutrients which are essential for life.

• They are classified as micronutrients, present in food in small quantities.

• They are required to ensure normal metabolism, growth and physical well-being.

• Most minerals are not made in the body or they are made in insufficient amounts to meet our needs.

• They are therefore obtained through the food we eat.

• The average adult eats about 600g of food per day on dry weight basis, of which less than 1g consists

of vitamins.
BIOCHEMICAL BASIS OF DISEASES RESULTING FROM DEFICIENCY
 
Deficiency diseases
 
They are diseases caused by the lack of certain essential nutrients, especially vitamins and minerals.
 
AVITAMINOSES
It is when Vitamins are absent in the diet giving rise to deficiency syndromes. e.g.
Vitamin C absence produces scurvy.
 
HYPOVITAMINOSES
Vitamins are present but are lower than the RDI. This also leads to deficiency syndromes
 
Vitamin A → Night blindness.
 
 Introduction and Significance
 Vitamin deficiencies remain common globally. Unless severe, they are often clinically unrecognized, yet even
mild deficiency may have significant adverse consequences. 

 Vitamin deficiencies affect all ages and frequently co-exist with mineral (zinc, iron, iodine) deficiencies.

  The groups most susceptible to vitamin deficiencies are: (vulnerable groups) pregnant and lactating women, and
young children, because of their relatively high needs for these compounds and susceptibilities to their absence.

 These include death from infectious diseases, anaemia, death during pregnancy or childbirth and
impaired cognition and physical development.

 The effects of vitamin deficiencies are related to the biochemical roles they play.
Vitamins are unique and irreplaceable
• There are 13 vitamins known today with specific functions in the body

• No single food contains the full range of vitamins and inadequate vitamin intake
leads to vitamin deficiency disorders.

• A balanced and varied diet is vital to meet the body’s vitamin requirements.

• They can be divided into:

• FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS

• WATER SOLUBLE VITAMINS
Fat soluble By
Vitamins
OBOH,HA
FAT SOLUBLE VITAMIN
 The fat soluble Vitamins are A, D, E, K.
 Vitamin D and A can be synthesized within the body; from cholesterol and carotenoids
respectively.
 They are absorbed as in fat and transported in lipoproteins or attached to specific binding
proteins. The lipid soluble nutrients are carried to the lymphatic vessels which lead to the
bloodstream.

BIOMEDICAL IMPORTANCE:
 Deficiencies result from conditions affecting digestion and absorption of the lipid soluble
vitamins; the vitamins would not be able to carry out their physiologic functions.
 The body can store surplus lipid – soluble vitamins leading to toxicity if the intake is
excessive.
 VITAMIN A
STRUCTURE
It consists of a five carbon fragment , of a
unit called the ISOPRENE UNIT. They
are repeated to form a polymeric unit called
the ISOPRENOID UNIT.

Retinol (Vitamin A) is a condensation

product of Isoprene unit C15 essentially it
has a B-ionone ring at the end and an
alcohol group at the other end.
 
 
 
Biochemistry
 β – carotene is a provitamin of vitamin A.
It consists of two molecules of retinol
joined together. This compound is split
by β carotene dioxygenase to two
molecules of retinal.
 Retinal is reduced to retinol by
dioxygenase And retinol acid by retinal
reductase.

 Vitamin A or retinol is a polyisoprenoid

compound with a β- ionone ring at one
end and an alcohol group at the other
end.

 Retinol – phosphate – mannose (a

glycolipid) is present in a variety of cell
membranes.
 
 
Dietary Sources
(Plant and animal sources)
1. Plants Vegetables, fruits e.g.
β -Carotene, Lycopene and xanthophyll
in tomato, cryptoxanthin in yellow
maize
2. Animals: fish liver oils, dairy products,
liver, egg yolk.
DEFICIENCY OF VITAMIN A
1. Keratomalacia (Softening of the cornea) leads to blindness.
2. Follicular keratosis results when the sweat glands are blocked with horny plugs of keratin as mucous secretion
diminishes. (Dry and rough skin)
3.Keratinization of the lungs can lead to bronchopneumonia as cilia is lost and bacteria accumulate in the epithelial
lining of the lungs.
4. Growth retardation at cellular level regarding bone formation.

These are accompanied by decrease in mucous secretion and destruction of epithelial tissue ( in lungs, intestines,
urinary tract, genitals)
(1,2,3): The above are a result of the absence of the glycoproteins in the cells of which vitamin A
plays a significant role in the synthesis.
Groups at risk of deficiency
• Pregnant and lactating women

• Infants and young children

• Populations suffering from poor nutrition(preponderance of

only rice, maize, potatoes as staples)
 VITAMIN
D
• Biochemistry
• It is a sterol.Derived from
cholesterol
• Ergosterol found in plants
e.g. yeast
• It is converted under
commercial photolysis to
Ergocalciferol (D2)
• 7 – dehydrocholesterol is
also converted under
sunlight to cholecaliferol.
Formation and Hydroxylation
of Vitamin D3
Characteristics
1. The body can store a small
amount of Vitamin D
particularly in the liver,
adipose tissues and other fat
depots e.g. the skin.
2. On exposure to sunlight (UV
radiation)
Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3)
formed.
 
 
 • 7 dehydrocholesterol is converted
under sunlight to cholecalciferol.

• Vitamin D. functions as a hormone.

It is produced at one Site (skin) and
act6s on another (gut/bones).

• It binds to a Vitamin D binding

protein in blood and taken up by the
liver and hydroxylated to 25
Hydroxyl cholecalciferol and then to
the kidney as 1,25 DCC (calcitriol).

• Vitamin D promotes absorption of

calcium and phosphorous thus aiding
bone formation.
 • CALCITRIOL
•Is secreted by the kidneys, into the bloodstream
and finally to the small intestine and bone where it
has a direct action.
• Its production is regulated by parathyroid
hormone (PTH) serum phosphate and calcium.

• If calcium decreases, PTH is released from

glomerular filtrate.
Calcium Is released from bones and renal
reabsorption of calcium.
• If calcium Increases, Calcitonin is released to
aid the mineralization of bone.

• Vitamin D promotes absorption of calcium and

phosphorous from the gut thus aiding bone
formation. This is done by initiating the
synthesis of a specific DNA for calcium binding
protein.
Deficiency
1. Deficiency of Vitamin D causes rickets, Osteomalacia and Osteoporosis.
 The bones are softened due to lack of calcium and phosphate in the diet.
The weight of the body tend to buckle the leg bones in children given “bow legs” or “Knocked Knees.”
In adults, Osteomalacia is due to the failure to mineralize bone and could lead to facture of the bones in the limbs.
Bones become brittle.
 Sunlight is essential for the conversion to the active form of the Vitamin. Adequate exposure to sunlight is
required in adults and children.
 Painful bone degeneration in CKD patients. Persons suffering from chronic kidney failure often lose the ability to
synthesize 1, 25 dihydrocholecalciferol and suffer from painful bone deterioration
2.Promotion of cancerous growth in breast, prostrate.

3. Insulin deficiency and resistance

4. Arthritis in Auto-Immune disorders.

5. Auto immune disorders -Multiple sclerosis, thyroiditis

Recent Advantages
Vitamin D Protects the heart by:
1. Increases natural anti-inflamation cytokinins
2. Suppression of vascular calcification and Inhibition. Of vascular smooth muscle
growth.

Excessive intake leads to hypervitaminosis and calcification of soft tissues.

3. Vitamin D protects the head by increases in the body’s natural anti-inflammation
structure.
4. Suppression of vascular calcification.
5. Inhibition of vascular smooth muscle growth.
 •Biochemistry

•They are several naturally occurring tocopherols. They are Isoprenoid

substituted. The naturally occurring tocopherols of dietary significance
are d, β, γ, and ϥ.
Vitamin E  
•Alpha - tocopherol is most widely distributed and most active of the
(α- tocopherols.
•It is viscous oil at room temperature.
Tocopherol) •Stable to heat in the absence of oxygen.
Physiology
 Vitamin E (ToC.oH) is carried by lipoprotein in blood into chylomicrons and then stored in
all tissues.

 Most of the tocopherol enters the bloodstream via lymph.

So it is associated with chylomicron and very-low-density lipoprotein.
Its absorption takes place in the presence of bile in the small intestine.

 The tissue stores product against vitamin deficiency for long periods.
 Vitamin E protects the skin from the damaging effects of UV rays.
 
 
FREE RADICALS
The Biochemical role of vitamin E
1. Biological antioxidant
It acts in the lipid phase of the membrane throughout the cell.

 It inhibits oxidation of essential cellular constituents and prevents the formation of toxic
oxidation products.
 The toxic oxidation products are toxic radicals e.g. peroxyl free radical, hydroxyl and and
alkoxyl free radical (.OH, .O).
 The Vitamin E acts by breaking free radical chain reactions and terminating the reactions
from occuring.
FUNCTIONS
 This is a powerful antioxidant vitamin. It prevents the formation of oxidants which cause the
disease, aging, and cleavage of fatty acids.

 In fact it is the most important antioxidant in the body, scavenging loose electrons—so-
called “free radicals”—that can damage cells.
 It can protect the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the membrane from oxidation

 Regulate the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species
(RNS), and modulate signal transduction.

 It is effective at high Oxygen Pressure.

The antioxidant activity is effective at high oxygen concentrations hence the activity is concentrated in the
lipid structure that are exposed to the highest oxygen partial pressure, e.g. retina, membranes of the respiratory
tree and erythrocyte membrane.

 Prevent the oxidation of vitamin A, DNA, and phospholipids of the cell membrane.
• Vitamin K - Napthoquinone
•It is a napthoquinone substituted
poly isoprenoid structure.

• K1 - Phylloquinone
(Dark green Vegetables)

•K2 -Menaquinone
(Intestinal bacteria)

• 
Vit. K as an anticoagulant Prothrombin → thrombin
 After prothrombin, the 1st 33 N terminal residues are glutamate
  
 

1-33 amino acids

 The Amino Acid must be carboxylated by a Vitamin K dependent Enzyme to form

γ - carboxyglutamate (a stronger chelator of calcium)
 
Glutamate Vit K γcarboxylglutamate
dependent Prothrombin

Fibrinongen Thrombin Fibrin

 
  

1. In the synthesis of bone proteins that can bind

minerals to bone. Essential for strong bones.
SUMMARY
SUMMARY OF FAT SOLUBLE VITAMINS

Vitamin Function Too little Too much Food sources

A Antioxidant Night blindness, Keratomalacia Headache Dizziness Butter, eggs, palm oil, green leafy
vegetable.
Healthy eyes, skin, hair, Follicular keratosis, Bronchopneumonia Nausea, Hair loss
mucous membrane

D Development of bones and Rickets Osteoporosis Calcification of soft Milk , fish, liver
teeth, Regulation of cell Osteomalacia tissues
synthesis, Heart health Diarrhea
Breast/prostrate health. Renal damage
E Antioxidant Oxidative stress Diarrhea, Fatigue Leafy green vegetable, fruits ,
cereal, whole wheat, bread
Headache, Muscle

Weakness, nausea

K Blood Clothing,Bone health Easy brushing and bleeding Interfere with Leafy green vegetable, cauliflower,
anticoagulation cabbage.
Heart health
medicines
Vitamins Chemistry Biochemical functions Deficiency
Vision in dim light Night blindness
A β -Carotene
Healthy skin and hair, epithelial Keratomalacia
cells Follicular Keratosis
Essential for growth, development
and immune function
Antioxidant
Promotes absorption of Calcium Rickets
D Cholecalciferol
and Phosphorous Osteoporosis
Osteomalacia
 
Antioxidant Damage to cells
E Tocopherol
 
Blood clotting Prolonged clotting time
k Naphthoquinone
• Can you discuss
extensively the
importance and
deficiencies
associated with fat
soluble vitamins?