Vitamins and Minerals

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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.

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The Nature of Vitamins

•Organic cofactors – what is a cofactor?• Water analogy, scissor analogy

•Physiological role – specific metabolic function•Prevents disease – unlike “supplements” which may promote “some thing” or have general metabolic effect

(ex. Omega 3s, fibers)•Natural = Synthetic (except Vitamin E)

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The Nature of Vitamins• Nutritional Value lost by:

• Light• Heat• Oxidation• Bacteria• Enzymes• Insects• (Nutritional value of baby

food must be assured.)

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Effect of packaging on nutrient loss in milk.

The Nature of Vitamins• Food processing can

preserve nutrients.

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Vitamin Requirements• Daily Values (DV): standard nutrient intake values

developed by FDA• Includes DRIs (Daily Recommended Intakes for Individuals) and (DRVs)

Daily Recommended Values (Proteins, etc.)• Disease prevention• Best met through a consumption of a wide variety of foods

Vitamin Requirements

•Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI): recommendation for individuals (more accurate, but would be impossible to label)•Age•Gender•Pregnancy•Lactation

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Vitamin Requirements•Daily Reference Values (DRV): standards established for protein and other dietary components lacking a RDA or nutrient standard

•Constitute part of the Daily Values (DV) used on food labels

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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.

Dr. Montville’s Favorite Supplements

• Glucosamine• Omega 3• Folic acid• Ginko baloba• Ground rhino’s horn.

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Fat Soluble Vitamins• A – orange, carotenoids, vision, antioxidant- used as color

and antioxidant

• D – we make it with sunlight, deficiency causes rickets, in milk, regulates Ca:P ratios

• E – tocopherols, antioxidants, role in preventing stroke, cancer, heart disease- used as antioxidant

• K – contributes to blood clotting factor

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Vitamin A

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Lots of double bonds, good anti-oxidant

Vitamin A• Carrotinoids Used in food industry as a

colorant (orange) (label friendly)• Antioxidant (label friendly)• 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

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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

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Vitamin D• Can be stored in fat tissues (as can all fat soluble vitamins)• 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

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Vitamin D

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Rickets can be caused by lack of sunlight, but also from insufficient

calcium. Vitamin D linked to calcium absorption.

(Rickets reported in NYC.)

Vitamin E• Used as an anti-oxidant in foods• Since aging is considered an “oxidation” reaction, many

“anti-oxidants” are used as dietary supplements• Deficiencies are not well understood• Role is stroke, cancer, heart, and immune response• Americans spend $300 million per year on vitamin E

supplements

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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

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Water Soluble Vitamins• Relatively cheap to add to food• Only Vitamin C is used for its

functionality

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Water Soluble Vitamins• B1, thiamine• B2, riboflavin• B6, pyridoxamine• B12

• Biotin • Panothenic acid • Niacin• Folacin• Vitamin C

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Water Soluble Vitamins• Vitamin B1

• Thiamine• Involved in carbohydrate metabolism• Helps body metabolize glucose, affects central nervous

system• Deficiency causes Beri beri (Singlese, “I can’t, I can’t”)

• B2- riboflavin• Energy metabolism

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

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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

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Water Soluble Vitamins• Choline

• A major component of cell membranes

• Folacin = Folate = Folic acid• Deficiency causes neural tube

defects – in utero

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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)

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Vitamin C - Scurvy

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Niacin (B3)• Energy metabolism• Disease – pellagra – The Four D’s

• Dermatitis• Diarrhea• Dementia• Death

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Minerals• Issues

• Absorption• Bioavailability

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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 0.04%

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Minerals• Calcium

• 99% is structural• ~25% absorption• Vitamin D aids absorption• 75% is obtained from dairy 75% is obtained from dairy

productsproducts• Many products are fortified

with it• Built in youth, lost in

maturity

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Very hard for vegans to get enough calcium

Calcium• Osteoporosis – a pediatric disease

with geriatric consequences• 1.5 million fractures each year-

major cause of subsequent mortality (25% within one year)

• 14 billion in direct health cost• 25 million women at risk• DRI women 600 – 800 mg/day

National Osteoporosis Foundation www.nof.org

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Calcium

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Risk Factors- By Mayo Clinic staff Your gender.

Age. Race.

Frame size. Eating disorders.

Low calcium intake.Excess soda consumption (Ca:P ratio).

The link between osteoporosis and caffeinated sodas isn't clear, but caffeine may interfere with calcium absorption and its diuretic effect may increase mineral loss. In addition, the phosphoric acid in soda may contribute to bone loss.

Bone density can be improved at any time.

Soda is the devil’s drink

• Extra calories• Poor nutrient density• Interferes with calcification• Replaces more nutritious

drinks

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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

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Minerals• Sodium and Chloride

• Added during processing• Enhances flavor• We consume 2X of what we need (DV = 2.4 grams, 1/10 ounce) (show)• Excess Sodium can lead to hypertension

• High blood pressure• Salt sensitivity – genetics and race

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Salt – Uses in Food

• Enhances other flavors, cuts cost• Salty taste, per se • Increases consumer acceptance• Raises boiling point of liquids (pasta)• Masks bitter tastes• Food safety• Water binding

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Minerals• Sulfur

• Necessary for collagen formation

• Magnesium• Abundant in plants

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Minerals• Iron

• Most common and easily preventable deficiency• Needed for oxygen absorption, immune function, developmental

performance• Poor absorption from plant sources• Low iron causes anemia, especially in menstruating women• Toxicity

• 6 – 12 vitamins with 100% iron content will kill a small child

(The dose makes the poison.)

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

“Enriched UraniumEnriched Uranium