FN1070A Week 12: Nutrients for Energy & Blood Health

Nutrients for Energy Metabolism & Blood Health

• This covers FN1070A Week 12, focusing on Chapters 10 & 14, about nutrients for energy and blood health.

Overview of Vitamins & Minerals

• Vitamins: organic, essential nutrients needed in small amounts, regulating growth processes.
• Minerals: inorganic, essential nutrients needed in varying amounts, contributing to structural body components, and regulating body processes.
• Both vitamins and minerals differ from carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids, as they don't yield usable energy. Minerals maintain their structure after ingestion, unlike vitamins, which can be destroyed during cooking.

Bioavailability

• Nutrient absorption and use efficiency impacted by processing, nutritional status, and nutrient form.
• Vitamins can be destroyed or lost during cooking or processing.
• Minerals may leach out into cooking water.
• Nutrient interactions exist.

B Vitamins

• B vitamins are "helper" nutrients, directly or indirectly aiding energy use from carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
• B vitamins function as coenzymes in the release of energy from protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
• Vitamin B6 helps the body use amino acids (AAs) for protein production.
• Folate and vitamin B12 are necessary for cell multiplication.

B Vitamin Deficiencies

• General symptoms of B vitamin deficiencies include nausea, severe exhaustion, irritability, depression, forgetfulness, weight loss, impaired immune response, pain in muscles, abnormal heart action, teary eyes, swollen red tongue, and severe skin problems.
• Cell renewal is affected in the digestive tract, and blood, with deficiencies often showing up together due to interrelated nature of nutrients.

Thiamin (B1)

• Function: part of coenzyme in energy metabolism, affects nerve function, needed for alcohol metabolism.
• Recommendations: Men: 1.2 mg/day, Women: 1.1 mg/day
• Sources: whole grains, enriched cereals, beef, pork, legumes, black beans, green peas, sunflower seeds.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome & Beriberi

• Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a severe thiamin deficiency associated with alcohol abuse, affecting brain tissues.
• Beriberi is another thiamin deficiency, with symptoms like nerve damage (dry) or heart issues (wet)

Riboflavin (B2)

• Function: Co-enzyme for energy metabolism, protects skin and eyes, interacts with other B vitamins and folic acid.
• Recommendations: Men: 1.3 mg/day, Women: 1.1 mg/day
• Sources: milk, yogurt, whole grains, enriched cereals, eggs, meats (liver), leafy greens, spinach, kale, mushrooms.
• Deficiency = Ariboflavinosis, inflammation of oral, skin, eye membranes, and gastrointestinal tract.

Niacin

• Function: Co-enzyme for energy metabolism (>40 reactions), NAD component protecting from neurological degeneration, two chemical structures (nicotinic acid and nicotinamide).
• Recommendations: Men: 16 mg NE/day, Women: 14 mg NE/day
• Sources: meats, fish, nuts, whole grains, enriched cereals, mushrooms, baked potato; adequate protein intake sufficient for niacin needs
• Deficiency: Pellagra (4Ds).
• Excess: physiological effect = normal levels, no harm; pharmacological effect = large amounts may be harmful, leading to Niacin Flush.

Biotin

• Function: co-enzyme in energy metabolism, crucial in gluconeogenesis and AA/fatty acid (FA) metabolism.
• Needed in small amounts (30 µg/day).
• Sources: Most foods of plant and animal origin.
• Deficiency: rare, symptoms = skin rash, hair loss, neurological impairment.
• Avodi in egg white inhibits its absorption, but denatured by cooking.

Pantothenic Acid

• Function: Co-enzyme in CHO, fat, protein metabolism; important in lipid, hormone, and neurotransmitter synthesis.
• Recommendations: Al for adults: 5 mg/day.
• Sources: Beef, poultry, whole grains, potatoes, tomatoes, broccoli.
• Deficiency: very rare.

Vitamin B6

• Function: assists in 100+ bodily reactions, including amino acid, neurotransmitter, and hemoglobin synthesis, immune function, and steroid hormone production & glycogen release.
• Recommendations: RDA for adults (19-50): 1.3mg/day, UL: 100 mg/day.

Folate

• Function: Required for cell formation (blood cells & digestive tract), aids DNA/RNA metabolism and homocysteine processing.
• Prevention of folate deficiency anemia, related to pernicious (B12) deficiency.
• Absorption and activation: Conversion in the intestine involves removal of glutamates and adding a methyl groups assisted by B12.
• Recommendations: RDA is 400 µg/day (higher in pregnancy), UL is 1000 µg/day.
• Sources: leafy greens, lentils, pinto beans, asparagus, avocado, beets, beef liver, enriched grains, cantaloupe, orange juice.
• Deficiency can result in anemia, diminished immunity, impaired digestive function, and neural tube defects.

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)

• Function: converts folate to its active form, aids DNA/RNA production, maintains nerve fiber sheaths.
• Digestion/Absorption: HCL & pepsin separate B12 from food proteins, requires intrinsic factor (IF).
• Recommendations: RDA for adults (19-50): 2.4 µg/day.
• Sources: animal products (liver, steak, pork roast, Swiss cheese, cottage cheese, sardines, tuna).
• Deficiency: associated with poor absorption (lack of HCI, intrinsic factor, or atrophic gastritis), pernicious anemia, neurological damage, macrocytic anemia.

Choline

• Function: produces important cell components, crucial for fetal brain development and adult cognitive function.
• Essential nutrient used to produce lecithin and acetylcholine.
• Recommendations: Men: 550mg/day, Women: 425mg/day, UL: 3500mg/day.
• Sources: milk, eggs, peanuts.
• Deficiency: impacts not fully understood, most intakes fall below recommended values, symptoms include liver damage.
• Toxicity: possible risks include dangerously low BP, sweating, slowing of growth, and liver damage.

Minerals for Energy Metabolism

• This section focuses on essential minerals for energy-related body processes.

Sulfur

• Function: contributes to protein structure and is part of various amino acids vital for diverse bodily functions.
• Recommendations: no defined recommendation.
• Sources: various protein-rich foods.
• Deficiency/Toxicity: very rare.

Iodine

• Function: vital part of thyroid hormones, regulating growth, development, and basal metabolic rate (BMR).
• Recommendations: RDA for adults = 150 µg/day.
• Sources: iodized salt, seafood, plant-based foods.
• Deficiency: goiter (thyroid gland enlargement), mental impairment (cretinism).
• Excess: similar goiter-like symptoms but can have more severe consequences.

Manganese

• Function: cofactor for enzymes in CHO, lipid, and AA metabolism, aids bone formation.
• RDA for Men: 2.3 mg/day, Women: 1.8 mg/day, UL: 11 mg/day.
• Sources: nuts, whole grains, green leafy vegetables, tea.
• Deficiency: rare, absorption inhibits with high intake of iron and calcium.

Chromium

• Function: participates in lipid & CHO metabolism, assisting with glucose regulation and insulin function.
• Recommendations: Men: 35 µg/day, Women: 25 µg/day.
• Sources: liver, unrefined whole grains, meats, brewers yeast.
• Deficiency: abnormal glucose metabolism (diabetes-like symptoms).

Highlight 10: Vitamin & Mineral Supplements

• Rationale for and against supplemental use of vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin K

• Function: synthesize clotting proteins for blood and tissue repair.
• Necessary for bone health.
• Recommendations: Al for Men: 120 µg/day, Women: 90 µg/day.
• Sources: bacteria in the GI tract, leafy green vegetables, liver, cabbage-type vegetables, milk, canola, olive, and other oils.
• Deficiency: rare but may be linked to bleeding.
• Toxicity: rare.

Iron

• Function: Crucial component for hemoglobin and myoglobin, essential for energy production & cell function, needed to make AAs, hormones & neurotransmitters.
• Recommended intakes; RDA for Women: 18 mg/d (19-50), 8mg/d (51+), 27mg/d (pregnancy), Men: 8 mg/d.
• Sources: meat, poultry, fish, eggs, kale/spinach, oats, lentils, beans, avocado.
• Deficiency: depleted iron stores without being anemic, decrease physical productivity, high risk in certain populations.
• Toxicity: Can result from foods in iron cookware or supplements; difficulty excreting excess iron can lead to hemochromatosis.

Zinc

• Function: part of many enzymes, supports immune function, wound healing, sperm production, and developmental processes in children, and vision.
• Recommendations: Men: 11mg/day, Women: 8mg/day, UL: 40mg/day.
• Sources: Oysters, shrimp, beef, poultry, enriched cereal, pork chops, bread with yeast, legumes, nuts, whole grains.
• Deficiency: impaired functions, growth retardation.
• Toxicity: Toxicity includes nausea, decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, impaired immunity, copper/iron deficiency.

Copper

• Function: forming hemoglobin and collagen; necessary component of several enzymes important for energy production, iron handling, and free radical control.
• Recommendations: RDA for adults: 900µg/day, UL: 10000 µg/day.
• Sources: organ meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, and drinking water (copper plumbing).
• Deficiency and Toxicity: Genetic disorders (Menkes Disease) associated with malabsorption and impaired copper utilization.

Other Trace Minerals

• Research is still limited on many trace minerals due to limited availability in quantities enough for analysis.
• No defined recommended Dietary Intake (DRIs)
• Contamination is possible with heavy metals like lead, mercury, and cadmium.
• Environmental issues may have changed bioavailability for these minerals.

Phytochemicals

• Non-nutritive compounds found in plant-derived foods.
• Act as antioxidants, and stimulate important enzymes, mimic hormones, suppress inflammation, and destroy bacteria.
• Play a role in defense against cancer and heart disease.
• Some have adverse effects when taken in large amounts from supplements.

Functional Foods

• Natural foods exert potential health benefits, processed or fortified foods are labelled as functional foods.