Micronutrients Chapter 1 Learning outcomes To know the

Micronutrients Chapter 1 Learning outcomes To know the definition of vitamins and minerals To understand the function of vitamin and minerals in the body To know what are the main sources of vitamins in the diet To understand the effects of vitamin excess and deficiency in the diet The amount of vitamins needed for various life stages

What are Micronutrients? Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals needed in the body in small amounts We will be looking at Vitamins in this chapter – minerals afterwards. The main vitamins we will be looking at are: Fat soluble: Vitamins A, D, E, K Water Soluble: Vitamin B 1, B 2, B 3, B 9, B 12, C

Vitamins What are they? They are chemical substances found naturally in unprocessed foods both Animal and Plant Why are they needed? They help prevent disease Each Vitamin is given a name and a letter to help differentiate them from each other Fill in the table as we go along Fat Soluble – vitamins that are found in foods containing Fat Water Soluble - vitamins that are found in foods that are high in water content

Antioxidants Our bodies are exposed to different chemical from the air, water, food and pollution everyday. Some of these pick up oxygen in the body and become reactive “free radicals” Free Radicals can cause damage to the cells in our bodies This can lead to heart disease, inflammation and cancer Antioxidants – help to prevent these free radicals so that they cannot damage our bodies These are Vitamins A, C and E These are one of the reasons that we are encouraged to eat many fruit and vegetables and prevent people from developing these conditions.

Fat Soluble Vitamin A Chemical name/main food sources Function in the body Effects of deficiency Why does this happen? Effects of excess (rare) Retinol Whole milk, semi skimmed milk, cheddar cheese, egg yolk, oily fish, butter, vegetable fats Keeps skin healthy Stored in the liver – will Children need the right only see effect of balance of all nutrients deficiency when this store has been used More susceptible to Bacteria and viruses if Do not grow properly weak immune system Can damage the development of an unborn child Beta Carotene (it is an Antioxidant) Converted to retinol in the liver, dark green vegetables, orange, yellow and red fruit and vegetables, butternut squash and sweet potato When light levels are low – enables us to see dim light – produces a substance called dim purple in the retina (eye) Skin and mucus membranes dry Insufficient visual purple Helps children growth Produces Mucus for the mucus membranes in the body i. e. mouth Night blindness – cannot Eyes tired and dry see dim light Excess stored in liver – Can lead to total will start to poison it blindness Pregnant women – excess can harm the baby Can be toxic

Fat Soluble – Vitamin D Chemical name/main food sources Function in the body Effects of deficiency Why does this happen? Effects of excess (rare) Cholecalciferol Reaction of sunlight on the skin which causes vitamin D to be made under the skin Enables calcium to be absorbed from the small intestine during digestion Children: Weak bones and teeth Legs bend under the weight of their body RICKETS Cannot support body correctly Excess will lead to excess calcium absorbed – damaging kidneys and other organs especially in children Oily fish, meat, eggs, butter, fortified cereals, vegetable spreads Helps calcium be deposited in bones and teeth Adults: Bones start to weaken and break easily Osteomalacia Calcium removed from other parts for its pruposes and if not replaced bones weakened

Fat Soluble - Vitamin E Chemical name/main food sources Function in the body Effects of deficiency Tocopherol Mainly in plant foods – soya, olive oil, nuts, seeds, vegetable fat spreads It is an Antioxidant Too rare Why does this happen? Effects of excess (rare) - -

Fat Soluble – Vitamin K Chemical name/main food sources Function in the body Effects of deficiency Why does this happen? Effects of excess (rare) Phylloquinone Plant and Animal foods especially green leafy vegetables, green tea, cheese and liver Part of the process that enables the blood to clot when the body has been injured thus preventing further blood loss Sometimes occurs in new born babies and they are given a dose when they are born Babies can sometimes lose blood internally during the birthing process -

Water Soluble – B 1 Thiamin Chemical name/main food sources Function in the body Effects of deficiency Why does this happen? Effects of excess (rare) Thiamin Meat (especially pork), milk, cheese, vegetables, fortified cereals, wholemeal bread, fresh and dried fruit Enables energy to be released from carbohydrates in the body during respiration Beri – where nerves and muscles affected and there are problems with memory, concentration and heart rate Energy is needed by the nerve cells – controls how the brain works – deficiency will not enable them to work correctly

Water Soluble – Vitamin B 2 Riboflavin Chemical name/main food sources Function in the body Effects of deficiency Why does this happen? Effects of excess (rare) Riboflavin Found in many foods – milk, milk products, eggs, fortified cereals, rice and mushrooms Enables energy to be released from carbohydrates in the body during respiration Rare – Sores in the corner of the mouth as needed to help maintain healthy skin - -

Water Soluble – Vitamin B 3 Niacin Chemical name/main food sources Function in the body Effects of deficiency Why does this happen? Niacin Beef, pork, wheat flour, eggs, milk (Cow) Can be made from an amino acid called Tryptophan in the body Enables energy to be released from carbohydrates in the body during respiration Pellagra: Symptoms – diarrhoea, dermatitis (sore, dry, cracked skin), Dementia (loss of memory, confusion, cannot speak properly) Prevents the brain and nervous system from working properly Effects of excess (rare)

Water Soluble – Vitamin B 9 Folate (Folic Acid) Chemical name/main Function in the body Effects of deficiency Why does this food sources happen? Folate – called folic acid when used in supplements Not found in many foods naturally Best sources are green leafy vegetables, yeast extract such as marmite, peas, chickpeas, wholegrain rice, bananas, oranges Works with vitamin B 12 to make healthy red blood cells Helps reduce the risk of central nervous system defects i. e. Spina Bifida in unborn babies Can lead to anaemia - megaloblastic (large cells) where they become enlarged Spinal cord defects in unborn babies Red blood cells do not grow to the right size and grow very big Prevents them from passing through the blood vessels (capillaries) Effects of excess (rare)

Water Soluble – Vitamin B 12 Cobalamin Chemical name/main food sources Function in the body Effects of deficiency Cobalamin Does not occur naturally in food. Found in liver, meat, fish, cheese, fortified cereals Works with folate to Can be stored in the make healthy red liver for 2 or more blood cells years Vegans need to Keeps nerve cells ensure that they healthy take B 12 supplements to avoid a deficiency Can lead to a type of anaemia Pernicious Anaemia Why does this happen? Effects of excess (rare) Absorbed in the small intestine – can only do this if special cells in the stomach that produce protein are not damaged

Water Soluble – Vitamin C Ascorbic Acid Chemical name/main food sources Function in the body Effects of deficiency Why does this happen? Ascorbic Acid Mainly fruits and vegetables especially citrus fruits, kiwi, blackcurrants, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, broccoli Helps the body to absorb the mineral iron in the small intestine Needed to maintain connective tissue which holds the body cells together in the skin, blood vessels, muscles An important antioxidant Some can be stored in the body for months Iron is not absorbed which leads to iron deficiency anaemia Bleeding from small blood vessels under the skin and in the gums leads to red spots under the skin and loosing teeth Can lead to Scurvy and death Iron is needed to make haemoglobin in the red blood cells Connective tissue starts to break down – allows the blood to leak out and weakens the tissue in the gums that holds the teeth in place Connective tissue cannot be made properly to heal a wound – starts to break down which can open scars Effects of excess (rare)

Amount of Vitamins needed everyday for different life stages

Questions