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Questions and Answers
What is one of the primary deficiency diseases associated with Vitamin D?
What is one of the primary deficiency diseases associated with Vitamin D?
Which food source is particularly high in Vitamin D?
Which food source is particularly high in Vitamin D?
Which symptom is typically associated with Vitamin A deficiency in children?
Which symptom is typically associated with Vitamin A deficiency in children?
What is a chief function of Vitamin D in maintaining body health?
What is a chief function of Vitamin D in maintaining body health?
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What effect can excessive amounts of Vitamin D have?
What effect can excessive amounts of Vitamin D have?
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Which of the following is NOT a symptom of Vitamin A deficiency?
Which of the following is NOT a symptom of Vitamin A deficiency?
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What functional role does Vitamin A play in the body?
What functional role does Vitamin A play in the body?
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What is the first detectable sign of Vitamin A deficiency?
What is the first detectable sign of Vitamin A deficiency?
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Which of the following can lead to Vitamin A toxicity?
Which of the following can lead to Vitamin A toxicity?
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What are the consequences of chronic Vitamin A toxicity?
What are the consequences of chronic Vitamin A toxicity?
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What are the symptoms associated with Vitamin D toxicity?
What are the symptoms associated with Vitamin D toxicity?
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Which of the following vitamin functions supports normal fetal development in women?
Which of the following vitamin functions supports normal fetal development in women?
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Which of the following foods is a significant source of Vitamin D?
Which of the following foods is a significant source of Vitamin D?
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Which of these supplements is most likely to cause acute symptoms of Vitamin A toxicity?
Which of these supplements is most likely to cause acute symptoms of Vitamin A toxicity?
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What is the adequate intake of Vitamin D for individuals over 70 years old?
What is the adequate intake of Vitamin D for individuals over 70 years old?
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What key nutrient does Vitamin D help to enhance the absorption of in the body?
What key nutrient does Vitamin D help to enhance the absorption of in the body?
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What is the primary function of Vitamin E in the human body?
What is the primary function of Vitamin E in the human body?
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Which symptom is commonly associated with Vitamin E deficiency?
Which symptom is commonly associated with Vitamin E deficiency?
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What can cause secondary Vitamin K deficiency?
What can cause secondary Vitamin K deficiency?
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What is the upper level intake of Vitamin E for adults?
What is the upper level intake of Vitamin E for adults?
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Which is a symptom of Vitamin D deficiency?
Which is a symptom of Vitamin D deficiency?
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Study Notes
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
- Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble.
- These vitamins are essential for health, needed in small amounts.
- They are absorbed and used by the body.
- Vitamins dissolve in fat and are stored in fat tissues.
Vitamins in general
- Vitamins are essential nutrients in small amounts to prevent deficiency diseases and support health.
- Bioavailability is the rate and extent of a nutrient's absorption and use.
- Precursors (provitamins) are inactive forms of vitamins that become active in the human body.
- Cooking and storage can destroy vitamins.
Water-Soluble vs. Fat-Soluble Vitamins (Comparison)
| Feature | Water-Soluble Vitamins (B Vitamins and Vitamin C) | Fat-Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, and K) |
|---|---|---|
| Absorption | Directly into the blood | First into the lymph, then blood |
| Transport | Travel freely | Many need protein carriers |
| Storage | Circulate freely in water-filled parts of the body | Stored in fat cells |
| Excretion | Kidneys remove excess | Less readily excreted, tend to remain in fat-storage sites |
| Toxicity | Possible to get toxic levels from supplements | Likely to get toxic levels from supplements |
| Requirements | Frequent doses (e.g., 1-3 days) | Periodic doses (e.g., weeks or months) |
Vitamin A
- Vitamin A exists in the body as retinoids: retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid.
- Sources include retinyl esters in animal foods and beta-carotene in plant foods.
- Functions include maintaining the cornea, converting light to nerve impulses in the retina (using rhodopsin), and regulating growth.
- Deficiency can lead to night blindness, impaired immunity (children), and xerophthalmia (blindness).
- A build-up can cause bone defects and birth defects, and acute toxicity includes nausea, vomiting and headaches.
- RDA for men is 900 µg RAE/day and for women 700 µg RAE/day
Vitamin D
- Other names include calciferol, 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D (calcitriol).
- Animal sources: vitamin D₃ (cholecalciferol); Plant sources: vitamin D₂ (ergocalciferol).
- Cholesterol is a precursor.
- Exposure to sunlight produces vitamin D3 in the skin.
- Functions include maintaining blood calcium and phosphorus levels (through reabsorption from the digestive tract, mobilization from bones, and stimulating retention by kidneys).
- Deficiency can cause rickets in children (bowed legs, and enlarged ends of long bones, deformed ribs) and osteomalacia in adults (soft and deformed bones).
- Symptoms include progressive weakness and pain in pelvis, lower back, and legs.
- AI for 19-50 years: 5 µg/day, for 51-70 years: 10 µg/day, and for more than 70 years: 15 µg/day.
- Significant sources include fortified milk, margarine, butter, cereals, chocolate mixes, beef, egg yolks, liver, fatty fish (like salmon and sardines).
Vitamin E
- Four tocopherol compounds; only alpha-tocopherol is active.
- Functions as an antioxidant, stopping free radical chain reactions, protecting LDL oxidation, and protecting polyunsaturated fatty acids and Vitamin A.
- Deficiency is rare, but can cause loss of muscle coordination, impaired vision, speech problems, and nerve damage.
- Toxicity is uncommon.
- RDA for adults is 15 mg/day; upper level is 1000 mg/day.
- Excellent sources include polyunsaturated plant oils, salad dressings, leafy green vegetables, wheat germ, whole grains, liver, egg yolks, nuts, and seeds.
Vitamin K
- Functions include synthesizing blood-clotting proteins and bone proteins to regulate blood calcium.
- Deficiency symptoms include hemorrhaging and hemorrhagic disease.
- Newborn infants usually receive a single dose of Vitamin K at birth because their intestinal tracts are initially sterile.
- Secondary deficiencies may occur with antibiotic use.
- Toxicity is rare and there are no known toxicities.
- RDA for men is 120 µg/day and for women 90 µg/day.
- Sources include liver, leafy green vegetables and cabbage-type vegetables, and milk.
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Description
This quiz explores fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K, highlighting their importance for health, absorption, and storage in the body. Understand the differences between water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins, their characteristics, and how they interact with the body. Test your knowledge on vitamins and their vital roles in nutrition.
