Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a primary role of vitamin C in the body?
What is a primary role of vitamin C in the body?
What deficiency condition is associated with a lack of vitamin C?
What deficiency condition is associated with a lack of vitamin C?
What effect does heating or canning food have on vitamin C?
What effect does heating or canning food have on vitamin C?
Which of the following foods is a rich source of vitamin D?
Which of the following foods is a rich source of vitamin D?
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What is a consequence of vitamin D deficiency in children?
What is a consequence of vitamin D deficiency in children?
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Why is it essential to expose children to sunlight?
Why is it essential to expose children to sunlight?
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In what state is vitamin D found in the body, allowing for storage?
In what state is vitamin D found in the body, allowing for storage?
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What physiological role does water serve in the body?
What physiological role does water serve in the body?
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What is a deficiency associated with a lack of dietary fiber?
What is a deficiency associated with a lack of dietary fiber?
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What happens to DCPIP when it comes into contact with vitamin C?
What happens to DCPIP when it comes into contact with vitamin C?
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What is one of the symptoms of vitamin C deficiency?
What is one of the symptoms of vitamin C deficiency?
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Which vitamin is primarily responsible for aiding in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus?
Which vitamin is primarily responsible for aiding in the absorption of calcium and phosphorus?
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Which condition is caused by a deficiency in vitamin D?
Which condition is caused by a deficiency in vitamin D?
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How does exposure to air affect vitamin C in food?
How does exposure to air affect vitamin C in food?
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Why are sailors particularly susceptible to scurvy?
Why are sailors particularly susceptible to scurvy?
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Which of the following statements about vitamin C is true?
Which of the following statements about vitamin C is true?
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What is the main consequence of vitamin C's water-soluble property?
What is the main consequence of vitamin C's water-soluble property?
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What is the role of water in metabolic reactions?
What is the role of water in metabolic reactions?
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Which food item is a source of vitamin D?
Which food item is a source of vitamin D?
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What is a consequence of fiber deficiency in the diet?
What is a consequence of fiber deficiency in the diet?
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Study Notes
Vitamin C
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Functions:
- Helps in the formation of collagen, a vital protein found in skin, bones, and blood vessels.
- Strengthens blood vessels.
- Maintains healthy teeth and gums.
- Protects cells from aging by keeping skin healthy.
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Sources: Citrus fruits, tomatoes, and vegetables.
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Deficiency: Scurvy
- Symptoms: Pain in joints and muscles, bleeding gums, skin ulcers, and poor wound healing.
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Properties:
- Water-soluble, meaning it cannot be stored in the body.
- Easily destroyed by heat, canning, and exposure to air.
- Refrigeration helps preserve vitamin C content to a certain extent.
Testing for Vitamin C (DCPIP)
- Vitamin C is not a carbohydrate, fat, or protein.
- It can be detected using a blue solution called DCPIP.
- DCPIP loses its color when mixed with vitamin C.
- This test works because Vitamin C reacts with DCPIP, causing it to change from blue to colorless.
Vitamin D
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Sources: Butter, egg yolk, fish liver oil, and sunlight.
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Functions:
- Helps the body absorb calcium and phosphorus.
- These minerals are essential for building strong bones and teeth.
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Deficiency:
- Rickets: (in children) Soft, bent, and deformed bones.
- Osteomalacia: (in adults) Fragile bones.
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Properties:
- Fat-soluble, allowing it to be stored in the body (liver).
Importance of Water
- Major component of cytoplasm.
- Essential for metabolic reactions.
- Transports digested food.
- Dissolves gases for exchange.
- Transports excretory products.
- Secretes sweat to regulate body temperature.
- Dissolves enzymes and hormones.
Fiber
- Source: Cereals, grains, bread, and vegetables.
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Functions:
- Stimulates peristalsis in the intestine, helping to move food through the gut.
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Deficiency:
- Constipation and colon cancer, as less fiber leads to reduced peristalsis.
Iron
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Sources: Red meat, spinach, and liver.
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Functions:
- Essential for the formation of hemoglobin in red blood cells.
- Hemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen to all body cells, vital for respiration.
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Deficiency: Anemia
- Symptoms: Rapid tiredness, shortness of breath (due to a lack of oxygen carrying hemoglobin), pale skin.
Calcium
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Sources: Milk, dairy products, and bread.
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Functions:
- Forms strong bones and teeth.
- Necessary for blood clotting.
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Deficiency:
- Weak bones and teeth.
- Poor blood clotting.
- Uncontrolled muscle contractions (spasms).
- Rickets (in children) and osteomalacia (in adults).
Vitamin C
- Vitamin C helps the formation of collagen, a protein found in skin, bones and blood vessels.
- Vitamin C strengthens blood vessels, keeps teeth and gums healthy and protects cells from aging by maintaining healthy skin.
- Good sources of Vitamin C include citrus fruits, tomatoes, and vegetables.
- Deficiency in Vitamin C can cause scurvy, characterized by pain in joints and muscles, bleeding gums, skin ulcers and poor wound healing.
- Vitamin C is water soluble and cannot be stored within the body.
- Exposure to heat, canning, grating, and mincing can destroy Vitamin C in food.
- Refrigeration helps preserve vitamin C in food, but only to a certain extent.
Testing for Vitamin C
- Vitamin C is not a carbohydrate, fat or protein.
- DCPIP (a blue solution) is used to test for Vitamin C.
- DCPIP loses its blue color when mixed with vitamin C.
- Lemon juice, rich in vitamin C, can be used to demonstrate the change in DCPIP from blue to colorless.
Vitamin D
- Vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which are necessary for bone and teeth formation.
- Sources of Vitamin D include butter, egg yolk, fish liver oil, and sunlight.
- Vitamin D deficiency in children can lead to rickets, characterized by soft, bent, and deformed bones.
- Vitamin D deficiency in adults may cause osteomalacia, also known as fragile bones.
- Vitamin D is fat soluble and can be stored in the body, specifically in the liver.
- Sunlight exposure is important for vitamin D synthesis in the body.
- Sailors are prone to scurvy because they often consume stored or canned food which lacks Vitamin C.
Importance of Water
- Water is a major component of the cytoplasm.
- It facilitates metabolic reactions, transports digested food, dissolves gases for exchange, carries excretory products, regulates body temperature through sweat secretion, and dissolves enzymes and hormones.
Fibers
- Dietary fibers are found in cereals, grains, bread, and vegetables.
- Fibers stimulate peristalsis, the muscle contractions that move food through the digestive tract.
- Fiber deficiency can lead to constipation and colon cancer due to reduced peristalsis.
Iron
- Iron is found in red meat, spinach, and liver.
- It plays a crucial role in the formation of hemoglobin within red blood cells.
- Hemoglobin carries oxygen, essential for respiration, to all body cells.
- Iron deficiency causes anemia, characterized by rapid tiredness and shortness of breath due to lack of oxygen transport.
- Other symptoms of iron deficiency include pale skin and fatigue.
Calcium
- Calcium is found in milk, dairy products, and bread.
- It is crucial for bones and teeth, blood clotting, and muscle contractions.
- Calcium deficiency can lead to weak bones and teeth, poor blood clotting, uncontrollable muscle contractions, rickets (in children), and osteomalacia (in adults).
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Description
Test your knowledge about the functions, sources, and deficiencies of Vitamin C and D. This quiz also covers the DCPIP method for detecting Vitamin C and its properties. Challenge yourself to see how well you understand these important vitamins!
