Water Soluble Vitamins Overview

Water Soluble Vitamins

• Water-soluble vitamins are crucial for various bodily functions.
• They are generally not stored in the body, so dietary intake is essential.
• The presentation covers key vitamins B1 through B12, along with vitamin C.

Learning Objectives

• List the water-soluble vitamins.
• Classify B vitamins as energy-releasing or hematopoietic (or both).
• Describe the role of each B vitamin's coenzyme form.
• Explain vitamin C's role within the body.
• List diseases associated with water-soluble vitamin deficiencies.

B Vitamins

• Categorized as energy-releasing or hematopoietic.
• Energy-releasing: Thiamin, Riboflavin, Niacin, Pantothenic acid, and Biotin
• Hematopoietic: Folic Acid and B12

Thiamin (B1)

• Coenzyme form: Thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP).
• Key role: Carbohydrate metabolism, nerve impulse transmission.
• Sources: Whole grains, yeast, seeds, vegetables, egg, milk.
• Note: Thiamin is destroyed by excessive cooking.
• Deficiency diseases: Beri-beri, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (common in alcoholics).

Riboflavin (B2)

• Coenzymes: FMN and FAD.
• Key function: Oxidation-reduction reactions (e.g., fatty acid oxidation, TCA cycle).
• Sources: Milk, mushrooms, leafy green vegetables, meat, eggs, yeast, liver.
• Note: UV light degrades riboflavin.
• Deficiency symptoms: Glossitis, cheilosis, angular stomatitis.

Niacin (B3)

• Coenzymes: NAD+ and NADP+.
• Key Roles: Various metabolic pathways (glycolysis, TCA cycle, ETC, cholesterol metabolism, fatty acid oxidation).
• Structure: Nicotinic acid or Niacinamide.
• Synthesized from tryptophan.
• Sources: Yeast, fish, poultry, meat (high protein foods), liver.
• Deficiency disease: Pellagra (3Ds - diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia).

Pyridoxine (B6)

• Coenzyme form: Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP).
• Key roles: Amino acid metabolism, neurotransmitter synthesis, and heme synthesis.
• Deficiency: Neurological symptoms, anemia.

Pantothenic Acid

• Coenzyme form: Coenzyme A (CoA-SH).
• Important coenzyme in metabolic pathways.

Biotin

• Coenzyme form: Biotinyl lysine involved in carboxylation.

Folic Acid

• Coenzyme form: Tetrahydrofolate (FH4).
• Key role: DNA synthesis, cell division(prevents anemia).
• Prevents neural tube defects (Spina bifida, anencephaly) in the developing fetus.
• Sources: Legumes, green leafy vegetables, oranges, orange juice.
• RDA increases during pregnancy and lactation.
• Supplementation common during pregnancy.

B12 (Cobalamins)

• Coenzyme forms: Methylcobalamin, and deoxyadenosyl cobalamin.
• Absorption requires intrinsic factor (protein secreted by stomach cells).
• Stored in the liver.
• Sources: Animal products (liver, fish, eggs, meat, milk, yogurt).
• Vegans may have difficulty in meeting requirements.
• Deficiency: Megaloblastic anemia, pernicious anemia (requires injection), combined degeneration.

Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C)

• Role in collagen formation, wound healing, bone formation,
• Increases iron absorption.
• Antioxidant: Protecting other molecules from oxidation.
• Deficiency disease: Scurvy (bleeding gums, loose teeth, hemorrhages).
• Sources: Citrus fruits, strawberries, bell peppers, green leafy vegetables.
• Note: Vitamin C is unstable and degraded by heating, oxygen, and light.

Explore the essential functions of water-soluble vitamins, including B1 to B12 and vitamin C. This quiz emphasizes dietary needs, the classification of B vitamins, and their health implications. Learn about coenzyme roles and diseases linked to deficiencies.