What can vitamins act as?
Gene activators
Free radical scavengers
Coenzymes or cofactors in metabolic reactions
Which type of vitamin requires more regular intake?
Water soluble vitamins pass more readily through the body so require more intake than fat soluble vitamins.
Name fat soluble vitamins…
Vitamin A (retinoids)
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Name water soluble vitamins…
Vitamin C
Vitamin B12
What are vitamin A functions?
- Vision
- Reproduction
- Growth
- Stabilisation of cellular membranes
What are vitamin D functions?
- Increased intestinal absorption of calcium
- Reabsorption and formation of bone
- Reduced renal excretion of calcium
What are vitamin E functions?
Important antioxidant
What are vitamin E requirements?
Men - 4mg/day
Women - 3mg/day
Where is vitamin E stored?
non-adipose tissue cells such as liver and plasma and adipose cells
What are vitamin K functions?
- Responsible for activation of clotting factors.
- Necessary for liver synthesis of plasma clotting factors
What are vitamin C functions?
- Collagen synthesis
- Antioxidant
- Iron absorption
How much vitamin c do adults need daily?
40mg
What are the 2 active forms of vitamin b12?
methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin
Where is vitamin b12 stored?
In the liver.
Functions of folate?
- Coenzyme in methylation reactions
- DNA synthesis
- Synthesis of methionine from homocysteine
How can the performance of the clotting pathways be measured?
- Prothrombin time
- International normalised ratio (INR)
- Activated partial thromboplastin time
What may an increased prothrombin time (PT) indicate?
A deficiency in the synthetic capacity of the liver.
