Vitamin Workshop

Question 1

What are the symptoms of a vitamin A deficiency?

Answer 1

• depressed immune response (esp measles)
• xeropthalmia
• night-blindness
• poor embryonic development
• thickening of the corneum (hyperkeratosis)

Question 2

What is the function of Vitamin A?

Answer 2

• maintains all epithelial linings
• maintains the cornea
• night vision
• immune function
• bone metabolism
• hematopoiesis
• important for correct fetal development
• needed to form rhodopsin

Question 3

What are the symptoms of a Vitamin D deficiency?

Answer 3

• minimal walking in children (rickets)
• osteomalacia in adults (softening of the bones), presents as muscle aches and pains.
• hypocalcemia can also present with tetany

Question 4

What is the function of Vitamin D?

Answer 4

• maintains blood calcium and phosphate levels.
• enhances intestinal calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphate and zinc.
• bone strength

Question 5

What are the symptoms of a Vitamin K deficiency?

Answer 5

• hemorrhagic disease in infants (intracranial and retroperitoneal bleeding)
• osteoporosis in adults (many bone fractures)

Question 6

What is the function of Vitamin K?

Answer 6

• required for normal blood clotting.

Question 7

What are the symptoms of Vitamin C deficiency?

Answer 7

• scurvy (fatigue, infections, dry hair and skin, bruising, poor wound healing, dental conditions, joint and muscle aches, mood changes, weight loss, anemia, nosebleeds, gingivitis)
• petechiae

Question 8

What is the function of vitamin C?

Answer 8

• antioxidant
• necessary for hydroxylation of proline and lysine leading to increased H-bonds in collagen
• important for wound healing
• necessary for synthesis of dopamine-B-hydroxylase which converts dopamine to norepinephrine
• facilitates iron absorption (Fe2+ easier to reabsorb)

Question 9

What are the symptoms of Vitamin E deficiency?

Answer 9

• common in those with fat malabsorption (duodenal switch)
• cause neuromuscular disorders and hemolysis
• spinocerebellar syndromes may present as ataxia
• hemolysis may lead to anemia

Question 10

What is the function of Vitamin E?

Answer 10

• prevents oxidation of vitamin C and A (antioxidant!)
• protects polyunsaturated FA in membrane from free radical attacks
• protects RBC again hemolysis

Question 11

What are the symptoms of Vitamin B6 deficiency?

Answer 11

seizures, rashes, cracked lips, mental disorders like depression and hyper-irritability

Question 12

What is the function of Vitamin B6?

Answer 12

converted to PLP, cofactor for serotonin production, heme synthesis, niacin synthesis from Trp, nucleic acid synthesis

Question 13

What are the symptoms of folate deficiency?

Answer 13

• elevated homocyteine levels, megaloblastic anemia, fatigue, weakness, SOB, neural tube defects, anencephaly, spinabifida

Question 14

What are the functions of folate?

Answer 14

used to reduce FH4 and accepts single carbon fragments from donors (Ser, gly, his, trp) and transfers them to intermediates in AA and nucleic acid synthesis

Question 15

What are the symptoms of B12 deficiency?

Answer 15

pernicious anemia (autoimmune), food bound B12 malabsoption, impaired methionine synthesis, impaired L-methylmalonyl-CoA, neurological damage to myelin sheet, Gi inflammation, impaired DNA synthesis

Question 16

What are the functions of B12?

Answer 16

cofactor for both methionine synthase and methylmalonyl CoA mutase so involved in converting homocysteine to methionine (required for SAM which methylates DNA, RNA, proteins, lipids, etc)
- malonyl CoA mutase straights to malonyl CoA to succinyl CoA which can enter citric cycle and make energy. Also needed for hemoglobin synthesis

Question 17

What are the symptoms of biotin deficiency?

Answer 17

hair loss, dermatitis (rash around eyes, nose mouth, genitals), muscle pain, depression, lethargy, hallucinations, numbness, tingling of extremities, insomnia

Question 18

What are the functions of biotin?

Answer 18

• cofactor for carboxylase enzymes

- acetyl CoA carboxylase, pyruvate carboxylase, methlycrotonyl CoA carboxylase, propionyl CoA carboxylase

Question 19

What are the symptoms of zinc deficiency?

Answer 19

white spots in fingernails, pale rough skin, dry hair, acne, unhealthy weight loss, loss of appetite, dandruff, slow wound healing, poor night vision, mood swings, frequent infections

Question 20

Function of zinc?

Answer 20

anything that uses zinc finger

Question 21

Iron deficiency?

Answer 21

anemia, fatigue, difficulty concentration and maintaining body temp, decreased immune function, glossitis, pica (eat dirt!)

Question 22

Iron function?

Answer 22

• heme binds O2

- redox rnx in cellular respiration like ETC

Question 23

Iodine deficiency?

Answer 23

goiter, mental retardation, cretinism, hypothyroidism symptoms

Question 24

Iodine function?

Answer 24

thyroid hormone synthesis, immune function

Question 25

Potassium deficiency?

Answer 25

weakness, fatigue, muscle cramping, GI distress, arrhythmia, abnormal EKG, kidney stones, increased bone turnover (brittle bones)

Question 26

Potassium functions?

Answer 26

maintenance of neuronal and muscular membrane potentials. Cardiac rhythm and acid-base balance

Question 27

Sodium deficiency?

Answer 27

hyponatremia resulting in drowsiness, fatigue, restlessness, headache, nausea, confusion, loss of consciousness or coma, muscle weakness/spasms, vomiting

Question 28

Sodium functions?

Answer 28

maintains plasma osmolarity, membrane potential for neuronal and muscular action potentials, membrane transport mechanisms

Question 29

B1 thiamine deficiency?

Answer 29

beriberi, resulting in confusion, loss of reflexes, difficulting walking, neropathy, tachycardia, dyspnea

Question 30

B1 thiamine function?

Answer 30

TPP is cofactor for decarboxylations like pyruvate dehydrogenase, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, transketolase, BCAA dehydrogenase

Question 31

B2 riboflavin deficiency?

Answer 31

oral-ocular-genital syndrome where you get angular chelitis, photophobia, scrotal dermatitis, mouth ulcers, dry scaling skin, iron deficiency, itchy skin, bloodshot eyes

Question 32

B2 riboflavin function?

Answer 32

main component of FAD and FMN cofactors involved in oxidative enzymes, required for all flavoproteins. involved in metabolism of fats, carbs, and proteins, antioxidant activity

Question 33

B3 Niacin deficiency?

Answer 33

Pellagra, the 3 D's, diarrhea, dementia, dermatitis. Can be followed by death if untreated

Question 34

B3 Niacin function?

Answer 34

redox reactions. steroid formation, FA synthesis, protein metabolism, DNA repair, TCA cycle

Question 35

B5 pantothenic acid deficiency?

Answer 35

dermatitis, enteritis, alopecia, adrenal insufficiency, hepatic encephalopathy

Question 36

B5 pantothenic acid function?

Answer 36

CoA and acyl carrier protein in FA synthase. needed for extracting energy from foods, making neurotransmitters, detox by the liver, and protein acetylation.