Water Soluble Vitamins

How many NTD's have decreased since mandatory fortification of folic acid in 1998?

50%

Does Vitamin C prevent the common cold?

No, it doesn't prevent it, but it can help lesson the symptoms and shorten the duration. It cannot enhance the immune system

What animals cannot make their own vitamin C and why can't they?

Most animals make their own Vitamin C out of glucose. - Only monkeys, apes (humans), guinea pigs and fruit bats can't - We don't have the right enzymes to do it!

List all the B vitamins.

Thiamin (B1), Riboflavin (B2), Niacin (B3), B6 (Pyridoxine), Folate or Folic Acid, B12 (Cobalamin), Biotin and, Pantothenic Acid

What does Thiamin do?

Thiamin is needed to burn carbohydrates for energy

What are the differences between water soluble and fat soluble vitamins?

Water soluble - B vitamins, vitamin C - Dissolve in the chyme (stomach) - Transported into intestinal cells using facilitated diffusion or active transport - transported in the body with blood proteins - too much? Pee it out! Fat Soluble - Vitamins A, D, E and K - Are best absorbed when eaten with fat - Are absorbed into intestinal cells in micelles with lipids. - Transported in the body with blood proteins or lipoproteins - too much? Often stored in the body, could be dangerous!

How does preparation affect Vitamin C?

Heat and Oxygen can destroy vitamin C - raw, fresh vegetables and fruits have the most Cooking Methods - Boiling in water, vitamin C dissolves in the water - Microwaving may destroy vitamin C - Steam, roasting, or stir frying retains vitamin C Bioavailability, processing can determine how much vitamin C you are absorbing

What does more oxidation increases the risk for?

- CANCER! (generalizing) - Heart disease - Diabetes - Arthritis - Cataracts - Kidney disease - Alzheimer's disease - Parkinson's disease

What can be oxidized?

- Cell membrane phospholipids - DNA - Low Density Lipoproteins (LDL) - Proteins - If they're oxidized they don't work!

What if you get too much vitamin C?

- It's hard to eat toxic amounts, you'll just pee it out - Just get expensive urine from the supplements

What can deficiency of folate lead to?

- Macrocytic anemia (in mom), red blood cells form abnormally large and therefore cannot function properly - Neural tube defects (in infants of genetically-predisposed women)

What B vitamins are flours in Canada enriched with?

- Thiamine - Riboflavin - Niacin - Folic Acid - Iron

Where do you find Vitamin C?

- You do need to get vitamin C from the diet! - Fresh fruit and vegetables - Citrus fruits, strawberries, cantaloupe, leafy greens etc.

Where are the B-vitamins found?

-Added to white flours, pasta and breakfast cereals - Found abundantly in meat, meat alternatives, milk, grains, fruit and vegetables - Severe deficiencies are RARE - Possible low intakes of: - folate among non-vegetables eaters - Vitamin B12 among vegans*

What are Neural tube defects?

-Improper closure of the neural tube can lead to NTD - If improper closure happens in spinal cord: result is spina bifida - If improper closure happens in brain: result is anencephaly (brain not fully developed, fatal)

What is a neural tube?

-Neural tube becomes the brain and spinal cord - It closes ~28 days post conception -Poor folate status may causes improper closure of the neural tube (happens so fast, therefore important for women to take enough folate beforehand)

How do antioxidants help or body?

Antioxidants are chemicals that decreases the adverse effects of free radicals by: - Donating their electrons (without creating more free radicals) - Activating enzymes that turn free radicals into less harmful substances (Donate an electron to help stabilize free radicals while staying stable themselves)

What are antioxidants?

Antioxidants are compounds that protect our cells from damage caused by oxidation. Superheroes in your body!

What does Vitamin C do?

Assists in collagen synthesis. Assists in synthesis of DNA, neurotransmitters and some hormones. Increases immunity (is an antioxidant).

What happens when you get too little thiamin?

Beriberi. Beriberi became very common in Asia when polished (white) rice was introduced. Beriberi is muscle wasting and weakness. It causes nerve damage, which leads to dementia, confusion, and memory loss.

What is bioavailability, and what does it depend on for vitamins?

Bioavailability = How well the body can absorb and use a nutrient Depends if the vitamin is water soluble or fat soluble

List 3 examples of non-heme iron and vitamin C combinations.

Break fast cereal - OJ, 1/2 grapefruit, strawberries Kidney Beans - Tomatoes and/or red pepper (as in Chilli) Bread - Salad

What is the RDA for folate during pregnancy and why is this important?

Folate RDA is 600 micrograms/day to support - High rates of cell development for uterus, placenta, and fetus - Expansion of mom's red blood cell mass

What does folate do?

Folate plays a role in DNA synthesis - important in new cell and tissue formation - critical during first few weeks of pregnancy When cells divide they need to replicate DNA, folate helps us do this. Folate impacts if a gene is going to express itself or not.

What is folic acid?

Folic acid is the active form of folate

What are free radicals, and what impact do they have on the body?

In most exchange reactions, unpaired electrons immediately pair up with other unpaired electrons. Sometimes, atoms with unpaired electrons remain unpaired = free radicals. Free radicals are not good for the body and go around wreaking havoc on our bodies!

Where do Canadians get Vitamins in their diet?

Natural Sources - almost all foods contain some vitamins - Cooking and storing can cause vitamin losses Fortified Foods - added to foods - can help with deficiencies Natural Health Products - Supplements - Traditional Herbs - Probiotics

How do we get folic acid?

Naturally occurring food folate is converted into folic acid in the body. - with the help of vitamin B12 We also consume folic acid - In supplements - In fortified foods (eg. flour, grain products) - Mandatory fortification with folic acid introduced in NA in 1998 (ensure moms get enough folate so there are no complications during pregnancy) -Lentils*

What happens if you get too little vitamin B6?

Neurological symptoms i.e headache, convulsions, depression, confusion Anemia Poor Growth Skin Lesions Less production of Antibodies

What causes free radical formation?

No Control: - Oxidation reactions in the body - occur all the time - Other metabolic processes - eg. when immune system fights infection Some Control: Other Factors - Pollution, overexposure to sun, toxic substances, radiation exposure, cigarette smoke, asbestos - Continued exposure leads to free radical formation

How does vitamin C help with non-heme iron absorption?

Non-heme iron: - not a part of hemoglobin or myoglobin - found in plant-based foods - ex. breakfast cereal, kidney beans and bread Vitamin C converts ferric (Fe3+) to ferrous (Fe2+) iron. Therefore, optimize absorption by consuming iron rich foods with food high in Vitamin C (bioavailability)

What is oxidation, and why is it called oxidation?

Oxidation is the stealing of elections (by free radicals). It is called oxidation because molecules containing oxidation are often the electron stealers.

Where is vitamin B6 found?

Plant foods i.e whole wheat products, brown rice, soy beans, bananas, broccoli, spinach etc. Animal foods i.e chicken, fish, pork and ORGAN meats

What if we don't get enough vitamin C?

Scurvy! - scurvy can occur after about 1 month with little or no Vitamin C - Bleeding gums, loose teeth, hemorrhaging, impaired wound healing, swelling, bone pain, and diarrhea

What do all B vitamins have in common?

They are all water soluble. They are ALL involved with energy metabolism. Many B vitamins act as coenzymes to release energy from macronutrients and alcohol. - Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, and biotin Vitamins B6, folate and B12 function together to metabolize amino acids (especially homocysteine)

What does vitamin B6 do?

Vitamin B6 is needed for protein and amino acid metabolism. It is needed for neurotransmitter and hemoglobin synthesis. In coenzyme form it is known as pyridoxal phosphate

What vitamin is the major water soluble antioxidant?

Vitamin C is the major water soluble antioxidant! - It donates its electrons to free radicals - It also "recharges" Vitamin E by giving it electrons

What are the two categories of vitamins?

Vitamins are either water soluble or fat soluble.

What are vitamins?

Vitamins are organic molecules we need to eat for our bodies to function. We need them in small amounts to promote and regulate the chemical reactions and processes needed for growth, reproduction, and maintenance of health.

Where do we find Thiamin?

Whole grains naturally contain it. Thiamin is added to enriched grain products. *Pork also has thiamin

Is there Beriberi in Canada?

Yes, Beriberi still happens. It is seen in alcoholism, can lead to Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: caused by a combination of alcohol intake and poor quality diet. Leads to dementia and confusion Alcoholics are more at risk for beriberi because thiamine absorption is decreased due to the effect of alcohol on the GI tract. Liver reduces conversion of thiamin to active coenzyme forms. Less nutrient dense diet.

What is Anencephaly?

part of the brain is missing. - babies don't often make it past a day

What is spina bifida?

spinal cord is not completely inside the vertebrae