Vitamins Requirements

The concept of energy intake and expenditure refers to the amount of calories per day that an individual consumes, and is the chemical energy in foods which can be metabolized to produce energy available to the body. As stated before energy is obtained from the foods we eat and is used to support an individual’s Basal Metabolic Rate, energy is measured in calories or joules as both units are very small they are multiplied by 1,000 and referred to as kilocalories. Different foods provide us with different amounts of energy, and the potential fuel sources available to exercising muscles are fats – 1 gram fat =9.0kcal = 23kJ,

Vitamin B and vitamin C are vitamins that are soluble in water, also known as water soluble. Whilst, vitamin D and vitamin k belong to a group that are soluble in fat which are known as fat soluble.

- In general, the body can call upon its stores of fat-soluble vitamins; whereas, most water-soluble vitamins are not stored.

In order to maintain proper functioning, our body requires nutrients that must be obtained through our diets. Vitamin A, one of the four fat-soluble vitamins, can be obtained through an eclectic variety of sources such as milk, eggs, fish, beef liver, red and yellow vegetables, and dark leafy vegetables (Booth, Johns, & Kuhnlein). The vitamin A that comes from animal provenances is called preformed vitamin A (“Vitamin A”). The configurations of vitamin A that fall into the preformed vitamin A category are retinol and retinyl ester. As for the configuration of vitamin A that is consumed from vegetables, or fruit, this form is not a retinoid (“Vitamin A). Instead of a retinoid, this is referred to as a

Vitamin B12 is important in the growth of cells. The body needs the cells to carry oxygen and nutrients to the body. B12 also works with the nervous system function. It makes up are bodies genetic material, and is essential for the production of red blood cells.

Vitamin B12 is Part of coenzymes used in new cell synthesis; helps to maintain nerve cells. Vitamin A Helps maintain good vision (necessary for night vision), resistance to infections, and supports growth and repair of body tissues. Vitamin D is part of the bone-making and bone maintenance team. Regulates absorption of calcium and phosphorus for bone health.

4. Vitamin K- Exists is several forms, resistant to heat but destroyed by acids, bases, and light, stored in liver. Functions: Requires for synthesis of prothombin, which functions in blood clotting. Sources: Leafy green vegetables, egg yolk, pork liver, soy oil, tomatoes, cauliflower. Excesses: jaundice in formula-fed newborns. Deficiencies: prolonged

Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, biotin, and pantothenic acid are B vitamins needed to produce ATP from carbohydrate, fat, and protein. Vitamin B6 is important for amino acid metabolism as well as energy production. Folate is a coenzyme that is needed for cell division. Vitamin B12, only found in animal foods, is needed for nerve function and to activate folate. Vitamin C is needed to form connective tissue and acts as a watersoluble antioxidant. Vitamin A is essential for vision, and it regulates cell differentiation and growth. Vitamin D is necessary for bone health. Vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting.

Vitamin C is a polar molecule. This vitamin contains one polar ester functional group, four polar hydroxyl groups, and one non-polar alkene group. The rest of the molecule is hydrocarbon. The hydrocarbon part of the molecule is non-polar. There are a larger quantity of polar groups and a smaller amount of non-polar hydrocarbons and an alkene. The polar part is dominant over the non-polar part, resulting in a polar molecule overall.

Food gives our bodies vital energy to burn throughout the day. A kilocalorie refers to the ‘calorie’ in food. A calorie is a unit that represents the amount of energy that foods will produce for people. In order to find the calorie, you must first find the heat content. Heat content is defined by the amount of heat needed to raise a system’s temperature by one degree. The heat content is given by the equation .

Vitamin C is very essential to our bodies. Vitamin C helps the body to maintain its collective tissues. This also includes our bones, blood vessels, and skin. Vitamin C is scientifically known as L-ascorbic acid. The vitamin is a water-soluble vitamin that can be found in several fruits and vegetables. Vitamin C can also be found as a dietary supplement. It is essential for our bodies to have some source of vitamin C intake. “Vitamin C is required for the biosynthesis of collagen, L-carnitine, and certain neurotransmitters; vitamin C is also involved in protein metabolism. Collagen is an essential component of connective tissue, which plays a vital role in wound healing. Vitamin C is also an important physiological antioxidant [3] and has been shown to regenerate other antioxidants within the body, including alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E).” (1) The overall body intake for vitamin C runs to a high of 2g. Lower amounts of vitamin C can be found in areas such as eyes, pituitary gland, and

Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin that has a wide range of functions in the human body. One of vitamin C’s important functions is acting as an antioxidant, protecting LDL cholesterol from oxidative damage. When LDL is damaged, the cholesterol appears to lead to heart disease, but vitamin C acts as an important antioxidant protector of LDL. Vitamin C may also protect against heart disease by reducing the stiffness of arteries and the tendency of platelets to coagulate in the vein. (“nutrition glossary” n.d.). Vitamin C has a range of additional functions. It is needed to make collagen, a substance that strengthens many parts of the body, such as muscles and blood vessels, and plays important roles in healing and as an antihistamine. Vitamin C also aids in the formation of liver bile, which helps to detoxify alcohol and other substances. Evidence indicates that vitamin C levels in the eye decrease with age and that vitamin C supplements prevent this decrease, lowering the risk of

In M2 we have been set the question ‘What are vitamins – and who needs them’? Vitamins are essential substances that cannot be manufactured by the body. We need small amounts of vitamins for growth and development. Without vitamins the body cannot survive.

Vitamins are substances our bodies can’t make. Therefore they need to be obtained through our diet. If we didn’t get vitamins in our diet we would die or be seriously ill. (Precision Nutrition, 2014)

Describe 5 properties or functions that a number B vitamins have in common and identify any exceptions to these (5 marks)