Download Vitamins - WordPress.com

Vitamins
By S0207885 and S0257589
Vitamins
•
•
•
•
Organic compounds.
Help to maintain the body’s normal functions.
Needed in small amounts.
Needed if an animal is unable to synthesize enough
of the vitamins itself or cannot synthesize them in
the body at all.
• Divided into two main groups: fat soluble and water
soluble vitamins.
Fat Soluble Vitamins
These vitamins are only soluble in fats or lipids as they are also
known. There are four vitamins which are in this group, these are
Vitamins A, D, E and K.
Vitamin
What It Does
Sources
Deficiency
Vitamin A
(Retinoid)
This vitamin is needed for
vision as well as healthy skin,
mucous membranes (e.g.
gums), the growth of teeth
and bones and helping to
support the immune system.
Vegetables, fruit, meat, eggs
“Night blindness” – a
symptom of Vitamin A
deficiency is common and
causes poor eyesight in the
dark as well as taking more
time for eyes to adapt to
darkness.
Vitamin D
Helps in the absorption of
Calcium, bone growth and
strength, maintaining general
health and supports the
immune system.
Egg yolks, exposure to the
sun, citrus fruits, fish
Deficiency of Vitamin D can
cause Rickets which is a bone
disease that weakens the
bones causing them to break
easily and not develop
properly in younger animals.
Vitamin E
(Tocochromanols)
Is a strong antioxidant which
protects the fatty lining on
the outer layer of cells in the
body. Helps to prevent heart
problems such as heart
attacks from occurring.
Green and leafy vegetables,
nuts, seeds
Deficiency can effect fertility,
it can also lead to muscle
disease which causes the
weakening of muscles.
Vitamin K
Aids in the clotting of blood,
strengthens bones
Vegetables (green and leafy
vegetables contain the most
Vitamin K), fruit, meat (from
grass fed animals), fish
Can cause unwanted blood
clots to form in the body if
Vitamin K is deficient.
If the body is exposed to the
sun it will produce Vitamin D
and therefore it does not
need to be supplemented like
most other vitamins. This
production of Vitamin D is
Water Soluble Vitamins
These vitamins are soluble in water and the vitamins in this group are
Vitamins B and C.
Vitamin B Group
What It Does
Sources
Deficiency
B1 (Thiamine)
Helps to convert food into
energy in the body, is also
needed to maintain the
normal functions of the
nervous system.
Black beans, green peas,
black-eyed peas, peanuts and
other nuts, seeds, fruit,
vegetables, meat
Deficiency of Thiamine
(Vitamin B1) can result in
many problems with the
nervous system and brain
along with other vital organs
within the body.
B2 (Riboflavin)
Helps to convert food into
energy and supports the
production of red blood cells.
Green vegetables, beans,
beets, eggs
A deficiency of Riboflavin can
cause red cell production to
decrease and this can lead to
anaemia.
B3 (Niacin)
Maintains general health and
helps to convert food into
energy. Used to synthesize
starch which is then stored in
the liver and muscles for
energy use at another time.
Cereal, meat, fish, nuts,
vegetables
Deficiency in Niacin can cause
anaemia, skin lesions, low
blood sugar, dizzy spells,
diarrhoea, insomnia, muscle
weakness.
Prolonged deficiency of
Vitamin B3 can cause Pellagra:
a disease which causes
dementia among other
symptoms.
B5 (Pantothenic
Acid)
Helps maintain general health
and the correct functioning of
the organs. Has a role in
making food into energy and
the extraction of vital
nutrients from foodstuffs.
Oily fish, eggs, meat, seeds
Burning foot syndrome is one
of the most common results
of Pantothenic Acid
deficiency, this causes loss of
feeling in the feet,
inflammation, intense pain,
lethargy and weakness.
Vitamin B Group
What It Does
Sources
Deficiency
B6 (Pyridoxine)
Helps in the production of red
blood cells and the
breakdown of carbohydrates
into energy. Pyridoxine is
needed for the production of
neurotransmitters, chemicals
which send impulses from
one neuron to another in the
nervous system and brain.
Meat, fish, potatoes, seeds,
bananas, spinach
Deficiency of Pyridoxine can
cause anaemia and can also
cause problems to nerves in
the body. Vitamin B6
deficiency can also cause skin
problems (such as
inflammation).
B7 (Biotin)
Vitamin B7 aids in the
regulating of blood sugars and
also helps to turn fatty acids
into energy.
Eggs, nuts, green, leafy
vegetables, meat
Deficiency of Biotin can cause
hair loss, fatigue, loss of
appetite, weakness and pain
in muscles.
B9 (Folic Acid/
Folate)
Folate helps with the
functioning of the brain and
nervous system as well as
supporting the production of
red blood cells.
Beans (black, pinto, kidney),
lentils, leafy, green vegetables
B12 (Cobalamin)
Vitamin B12 aids in the
production of red blood cells,
also plays an important role in
the production of DNA
Fish, meat
Deficiency of Vitamin B12
leads to anaemia.
Macrocytosis is another
symptom of Cobalamin
deficiency which is when
there is not enough of the
vitamin in red cell production
and the production of DNA,
this causes the cells to
become larger than usual.
Vitamin
Vitamin C
What It Does
Sources
Deficiency
Is a strong antioxidant which
help to maintain a safe
amount of activity in free
radical molecules, these
molecules are very reactive
and this can cause a lot of
damage to parts of the body
depending on where these
molecules are.
Changes iron into a more
absorbable form for the
intestines.
Vitamin C is needed for the
production of Collagen,
proteins which are important
in body structure.
Needed for the production of
some types of
neurotransmitters which send
commands around the
nervous system.
Vitamin C is needed for the
production of Serotonin
which is vital in many of the
different systems in the body
including the immune system.
Green, leafy vegetables, citrus
fruits, strawberries, kiwis,
pineapple, papayas (papayas
provide the most Vitamin C
out of these foods)
Deficiency of Vitamin C
causes a disease known as
Scurvy which causes hair loss,
flaky skin, loss of teeth and
swollen limbs. If Vitamin C is
not provided then animal’s
with Scurvy will die (only
humans and guinea pigs
cannot produce their own
Vitamin C).