1. Vitamins and Minerals

2. The Nature of Vitamins
Vitamins are organic (carbon) compounds needed for normal function, growth and maintenance.
Vitamins are cofactors, they don’t do anything by themselves.
They are not a source of calories.

3. Vitamin Requirements
Daily Values (DV): standard nutrient intake values developed by FDA
Disease prevention
Best met through a consumption of a wide variety of foods

4. Dietary Supplements $6 Billion Market
They are classified as “Nutritional Supplements” They are not foods, and not drugs.*
Supplements are “Product intended to supplement the diet and contains vitamins, minerals, botanicals, amino acids, and their extracts.”
NOT consumed as a food replacement
Loosely regulated, “not evaluated by FDA”
By definition a “drug” is used to
“prevent, treat or cure” disease.
These terms cannot be used with supplements.
Use of some supplements is backed by scientific data.

5. Fat Soluble Vitamins
A – orange, helps vision, antioxidant- used as color and antioxidant
D – we make it with sunlight, deficiency causes rickets, in milk, regulates Calcium:Potassium ratios
E – antioxidants, role in preventing stroke, cancer, heart disease- used as antioxidant
K – contributes to blood clotting factor

6. Vitamin A Antioxidant Stored in liver Important for sight
Deficiency causes ~500,000 cases of “night blindness” worldwide
Genetically engineered rice with high Vitamin A can prevent night blindness
Carrotenosis: more vitamin A than needed, orange cast to skin

7. Vitamin D
Also known as calciferol due to its role in calcium absorption
Main role is to maintain calcium and potassium levels
It is the only fat soluble vitamin that we can make- in the presence of sunlight
Can be made from cholesterol

8. Vitamin D Elderly and shut ins are at risk- not enough sunlight
We get vitamin D form fortified milk and cereal
Toxicity is very dangerous
Occurs only from excess supplementation
Can lead to calcium deposits in kidneys, heart and blood vessels

9. (Rickets reported in NYC.)
Vitamin D
Rickets can be caused by lack of sunlight, but also from insufficient calcium. Vitamin D linked to calcium absorption.
(Rickets reported in NYC.)

10. Vitamin E A family of eight naturally occurring compounds
Deficiencies are not well understood
Role is stroke, cancer, heart, and immune response
Americans spend $300 million per year on vitamin E supplements

11. Vitamin K Contributes to synthesis of seven blood clotting factors
Can be reactivated to continue biological action
Works as a cofactor for an enzyme that makes two bone proteins

12. Water Soluble Vitamins
Relatively cheap to add to food
Only Vitamin C is used for its functionality

13. Water Soluble Vitamins
B1, thiamine
B2, riboflavin
B6, pyridoxamine
B12
Biotin
Panothenic acid
Niacin
Folacin
Vitamin C

14. Water Soluble Vitamins
Vitamin B1
Thiamine
Involved in carbohydrate metabolism
Helps body metabolize glucose, affects central nervous system
Deficiency causes Beri beri
B2- riboflavin
Energy metabolism

15. Water Soluble Vitamins
B6 - Pyridoxamine
Neurotransmitter, co-enzyme in over 100 reactions
B12 –
Development of red blood cells
Lack of it makes one anemic
Hard for vegans to get (found in meat)

16. Water Soluble Vitamins
Biotin –
Involved in fatty acid synthesis
Deficiency causes skin disease and hair loss
Panthothenic acid
Found in many foods
Essential for metabolism of carbohydrates, protein, alcohol and fat

17. Water Soluble Vitamins
Choline
A major component of cell membranes
Folacin = Folate = Folic acid
Deficiency causes neural tube defects – in mother’s uterus
Took Rutgers Professor 20 years to for FDA approval as enrichment Why?

18. Vitamin C Ascorbic acid
Very inexpensive to add to food, marketing tool. Antioxidant
Deficiency leads to bleeding gums, hemorrhages
High in citrus fruits, limes, (Limeys)

19. Vitamin C - Scurvy

20. Niacin (B3) Energy metabolism Disease – pellagra – The Four D’s
Dermatitis
Diarrhea
Dementia
Death

21. Minerals
Issues
Absorption
Bioavailability

22. Minerals Percent of Body weight Calcium 2% Phosphorus 1%
Potassium 0.3%
Sulfur 0.2%
Sodium 0.1%
Chloride 0.1%
Magnesium 0.05%
Iron %

23. Very hard for vegans to get enough calcium
Minerals
Calcium
99% is structural
~25% absorption
Vitamin D aids absorption
75% is obtained from dairy products
Many products are fortified with it
Built in youth, lost in maturity
Very hard for vegans to get enough calcium

24. Calcium Osteoporosis – a pediatric disease with geriatric consequences
National Osteoporosis Foundation

25. Calcium

26. Minerals Phosphorus Easily absorbed by the body Enhanced by Vitamin D
Deficiency are rare
Soda, phosphoric acid
Potassium
A primary electrolyte in blood
Associated with lower blood pressure
Athletes

27. Minerals Sodium and Chloride Added during processing Enhances flavor
Excess Sodium can lead to hypertension
High blood pressure
Salt sensitivity – genetics and race

28. Minerals Sulfur Necessary for collagen formation Magnesium
Abundant in plants

29. (The dose makes the poison.)
Minerals
Iron
Most common and easily preventable deficiency
oxygen absorption
Poor absorption from plant sources
anemia, especially in menstruating women
Toxicity
6 – 12 vitamins with 100% iron content will kill a small child
(The dose makes the poison.)

30. Fortification vs Enrichment
Fortification - restores lost
nutrients due to processing
Enrichment – adds nutritional value to
meet a specific standard
Old London Restaurant Style Croutons. Seasoned Sourdough. Enriched Bread, [Enriched Flour (Flour, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Water, Yeast, Sugar, Salt, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil , Vinegar, Ascorbic Acid] Bean Oil with BHT added as a Dextrin
                                                               

31. “Enriched Uranium
Enriched Uranium