Vitamins and Minerals: An In Depth Discussion

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Vitamins and Minerals An In Depth Discussion

• Professor Steven Dion Salem State College
• Sport, Fitness Leisure Studies

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Vitamins

• An early 20th century discovery
• Organic - non caloric compounds that promote
  growth and reproduction and help maintain life
  and health.
• (13 main vits - A, D, E, K, Bs C)

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Kinds of Vitamins

• Fat Soluble Water Soluble vitamins.
• Fat-soluble A, D, E, K
• Water-soluble Vitamins B complex C

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Properties of Fat-soluble vitamins 

• Dont need to be ingested daily
• Years may elapse before showing fat soluble
  deficiency
• Liver stores vit A and D and K (only in little
  amounts)
• Vit E is stored throughout the body in fat stores
• Transported as part of the lipoproteins in the
  lymph fluid
• Travel to the liver to be dispersed to various
  body tissue
• By having a very low fat or fat free diet could
  cause fat-soluble vitamin insufficiency.

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Hypervitaminosis

• The toxic levels of fat soluble vitamins
• A and D can cause toxic effects - however no
  concise research about E and K
• Too much A possible birth defects in pregnant
  women - (children) irritability, dry skin,
  swelling of bones, weight loss, and dry itchy
  skin, and (adults) nausea, headache,
  drowsiness, loss of hair, diarrhea, loss of
  calcium in the bones as well as turn your skin
  yellowish and orange.
• Too much D - kidney damage

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Functions of A

• A (an antioxidant) Active form is retinal
  (yellow) and carotene (orange)
• Functions / purposes include - Vision -covers the
  skin and tissue wrapped around our organs - some
  metabolic actions - too little of vit. A night
  blindness and a build up of Keratin clouding of
  protein over the eyes.
• Keratin - water insoluble protein found in our
  hair and nails.
• Beta carotene - (natural pro/ pre vit A
  derivative) similar to vit A effects - but its
  water soluble.

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Functions of D

• D - body makes all it needs from the sunlight /
  ultra violet rays -  
• Responsible / purpose - bone density - regulates
  the absorption and utilization of calcium - and
  the mineralization of bone - cell maturation -
  immune and disease cell production.
• Too little vit D can lead to osteoporosis - Take
  400 International Units each day

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Functions of E

• E (an antioxidant) protects polyunsaturated
  fats from being destroyed from oxygen (termed
  oxidative stress)
• Prevents the oxidation of polyunsaturated fatty
  acids in membranes and cells decrease cancer
  risks
•  Sources include - oil rich seeds, nuts, germs,
  grains, and eggs
•  High doses of E - topically - decrease scars and
  taken internally - decrease fiberistic breasts
  and act as a blood thinner, decreases menstrual
  symptoms.
•  RDA 30 International Units (IU) - but 400 -
  800 IU are best for optimum health / disease
  prevention - but need to get this much from a
  natural vit E supplement - be sure to eat it with
  fat to ensure absorption.

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Functions of K

• K - blood clotting - regulates blood calcium
  levels. - intestinal synthesis from gut flora and
  from leafy greens - deficiencies are rare -
• When you are put on blood thinners to decrease
  possibility of heart attacks - this decrease the
  synthesis of vit k - but if you have a diet high
  in vit k - you can undo the medications role to
  thin the blood.

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Water-Soluble Vitamins

• The B complex vitamins and vitamin C -
•  Act largely as coenzymes - combine with proteins
  to assist in the regulation of chemical
  reactions.
• They are easily dissolved in water.
• They are directly absorbed into the blood stream,
  where they travel freely.
• They are not stored in tissues to any great
  extent - excess is excreted

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Vitamin C

• Vit C - regulates metabolic functioning and
  decreases oxidative stress and synthesis of
  connective tissue and vascular function
• Found mainly in plants
• Too much vit C can disturb gastrointestinal and
  urinary functions
• Vit C (Balts Fry) the body becomes saturated at
  120 - 220 milligrams of vit c - any excess spills
  over into the urine. - 60 milligrams (RDA) is to
  little.

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B Vitamins

• Vit B complex - animal products
• Bacteria in gut makes some B vitamins
• Too much B 3 vitamins - cause liver dysfunction's
• Too much B 6 causes damage to peripheral nerves
  numbness
• Alcohol destroys B 1 thiamin - which may lead to
  central nervous system problems associated with
  alcoholism.
• B12 - only found in animal foods - vegans need
  to be wary - leads to anemia and nerve damage.

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Folic Acid

• Part of the B complex vitamins
• Sources- beans and orange juice - green leafy
  veg
• Purpose / function - decreased arterial disease /
  cancer and chronic illnesses.
• Take an additional 400 micrograms / day - 400
  from pills - 400 from diet -
• Folic Acid - (foliage - green leafy veggies) -
  decreases chances of heart disease in adults
  because it decreases the homocystine levels in
  the blood. - which are linked to heart disease.

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Antioxidants

• Help slow down the degeneration / breakdown of
  human cells - anti rusting vitamins A, C, E and
  the vitamin A precursor - Beta carotene (one of
  the caroteniods found in dark green and orange
  vegetables) and selenium.

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Vitamin Supplementation

• Suggested to take vitamin supplements because the
  RDA of vitamins are to prevent deficiencies- not
  in the promotion of healthy benefits of the
  vitamins.
• It only takes 200 milligrams of vitamin C to
  prevent Scurvy, (abnormal bone growth) but it
  takes 1000 milligrams / day to have beneficial
  health benefits.

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Minerals

• Inorganic, indestructible elements that aid in
  physiological functions including - pH levels,
  assist in the release of hydrogen ions, through
  the acid in urine and carbon dioxide in our
  breath.
• Macro minerals - minerals that the body needs in
  fairly large amounts.
• calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium,
  chloride, magnesium 
• Trace minerals - minerals that the body needs in
  only very small amounts.
• iron, manganese, copper and iodine

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Iron

• A trace mineral that regulates the amount of red
  blood cells and the amount of oxygen the blood
  holds. The loss or iron due to excessive bleeding
  will cause the individual to loose the ability to
  produce an ample amount of oxygen. Sources
  include meat and animal products
•  Anemia fewer and smaller red blood cells
  decreasing oxygen production and mobility
• Found in dried beans, veggies, cocoa
• Eat with vit. C - 100 milligrams with the foods
• Vegetarians - less iron lower amounts of
  hemoglobin lower chances of heart disease due
  to less clotting ability of the blood.

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Calcium

• Nerve, kidney, muscular, cardiovascular function
  - body regulates it carefully - will draw on huge
  reservoir in the bones
• Effected by hormone levels and exercise
• High protein diets increase the excretion of
  calcium
• Smoking, alcohol wheat bran fructose (soft
  drinks), salt, caffeine, tobacco can interfere
  with calcium absorption.
• 1200 -1500 milligrams / day
• Too much has no health effects

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Sodium

• Key in normal body functions - slight deviation
  in blood levels have drastic effects
• Taken in by table salt and excreted sweat
• Liking salt- is an addiction - extra salt is not
  need - not used - seen until agriculture - 9000
  years ago
• Too much salt can cause us to retain fluid -
  which can create undo stress on cardiovascular
  concerns.
• Best way to cut down on sodium - cut out
  processed foods / snack foods coated in salt and
  increase potassium levels (mostly form fruits and
  veggies).

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Selenium Recommendations

• Selenium (an antioxidant) - seeds and nuts -
  brazil nuts - 200 micrograms / day. 
• Additional Recommendations
• 1. Eat more fruits and veggies
• 2. Take a supplement pill - synthetic is fine -
  try to get a natural vit E supplement
• 3. No need for Multi-day mineral - you get enough
  in the normal diet

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