FAT-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

VITAMIN FUNCTION SOURCES DEFICIENCY TOXICITIES

A ➢ Formation of visual purple ▪ Retinol: beef, liver, milk, ✓ Skin problems ❖ Birth defects
➢ Normal bones and teeth butter, cheese, cream, egg ✓ Unhealthy hair ❖ Liver damage
growth & development yolk, fortified milk, margarine, ✓ Poor vision ❖ Double vision
➢ Important role in immunity and ready-to-eat cereals ✓ Night blindness [nyctalopia]
➢ Formation & maintenance of ▪ Beta-carotene: “greens”, ✓ Eye dryness [xerosis]
mucosal epithelium [to spinach, kale, broccoli, ✓ Impaired immune system
maintain healthy skin, hair, carrots, peaches, pumpkin, ✓ Bone growth ceases
gums and various glands] red peppers, sweet potatoes,
winter squash, mango,
apricots, cantaloupe
D ➢ Maintains serum calcium ▪ Sunlight ✓ Rickets ❖ Kidney stones
concentrations ▪ Dairy products ✓ Osteomalacia ❖ Soft tissues calcification
➢ Stimulate GI absorption ▪ Seafood ❖ Muscle & bone weakness
➢ Stimulate release of calcium ▪ Cereal ❖ Bone spurs
from the bones
➢ Stimulate calcium absorption
from the kidneys
E ➢ Antioxidant ▪ Nuts ✓ Infants: anemia, edema and ❖ none
➢ Protects cell membrane ▪ Wheat germ skin lesions
➢ Promotes healthy skin ▪ Dark green vegetables ✓ RBC hemolysis
K ➢ Blood clotting ▪ Bacterial synthesis ✓ Hemorrhaging ❖ none
➢ Bone healing ▪ Dark green vegetables
➢ Skin repair ▪ Cabbage
▪ Liver
▪ Beans
 WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS

VITAMIN FUNCTION SOURCES DEFICIENCY TOXICITIES

C (ASCORBIC ACID) ➢ Antioxidant ▪ Citrus fruits & juices ✓ Bleeding gums ❖ Diarrhea
➢ Immune system functioning ✓ Scurvy ❖ Mild GI upset
➢ Collagen synthesis
➢ Promotes iron absorption
B1 (THIAMINE) ➢ Coenzyme in energy ▪ Whole-grain ✓ Beriberi ❖ None
metabolism ▪ Liver
➢ Promotes normal appetite ▪ Nuts
➢ Promotes nervous system ▪ Pork
functioning ▪ Dried peas
▪ Beans
B2 (RIBOFLAVIN) ➢ Coenzyme in energy ▪ Dairy products ✓ Dermatitis ❖ None
metabolism ▪ Liver ✓ Cheilosis
➢ Aids in the conversion of ▪ Eggs ✓ Glossitis
tryptophan into niacin ▪ Meat ✓ Photophobia
▪ Spinach ✓ Reddening of the cornea
B3 (NIACIN) ➢ Coenzyme in energy ▪ Protein foods ✓ Pellagra ❖ Supplemental: Flushing, liver
metabolism ▪ Whole grain ✓ 4 D’s [dermatitis, dementia, damage, gastric ulcers, low
➢ Promotes normal nervous diarrhea & death] blood pressure, diarrhea,
system functioning nausea, vomiting
B5 (PANTHOTHENIC ACID) ➢ Part of coenzyme A used in ▪ Widespread in food ✓ Headache ❖ Diarrhea [large doses]
energy metabolism ✓ Fatigue
➢ Good health & proper ✓ Impaired muscle coordination
functioning of all organ ✓ GI tract disorders
system ✓ RARE: all body system failure
B6 (PYRIDOXINE) ➢ Healthy brain function ▪ Beans ✓ Immunosuppressed ❖ None
➢ RBC production ▪ Legumes
➢ Immune system support ▪ Nuts
▪ Eggs
▪ Protein foods
B7 (BIOTIN) ➢ Growth & replication of cells ▪ Widespread in foods ✓ RARE: anorexia, fatigue, ❖ None
➢ Tissue maintenance depression, dry skin, heart
➢ Blood sugar maintenance abnormalities
➢ Fatty acid synthesis
➢ Protein metabolism
➢ Glycogen formation
B9 (FOLIC ACID/ FOLATE) ➢ Prevents memory loss ▪ Liver ✓ Neural tube birth defects ❖ To much can mask B12
➢ Prevents vision & hearing loss ▪ Beans/ legumes ✓ Anemia deficiency
➢ Promotes RBC production ▪ Dark green vegetables ✓ Glossitis
▪ Grains ✓ Vitiligo
▪ Protein foods
B12 (COBALAMIN) ➢ Healthy RBC production ▪ Widespread in food ✓ Anemia ❖ Slight stomach upset
➢ Sperm production ✓ GI changes
➢ Improves mental energy ✓ Neuro problems