The Fat-Soluble Vitamins

The Fat-Soluble The Fat-Soluble VitaminsVitamins

A, D, E, and KA, D, E, and K

The Fat-Soluble The Fat-Soluble VitaminsVitamins

Vitamin A And Vitamin A And Beta-CaroteneBeta-Carotene

• Retinoids and carotenoidsRetinoids and carotenoids– Vitamin A activityVitamin A activity



• Retinol-binding protein (RBP)Retinol-binding protein (RBP)


• Roles in the bodyRoles in the body – Vitamin A in visionVitamin A in vision

• Roles in the bodyRoles in the body– Vitamin A in protein synthesis Vitamin A in protein synthesis

and cell differentiationand cell differentiation


• Roles in the bodyRoles in the body– Vitamin A in reproduction and Vitamin A in reproduction and

growthgrowth– Beta-carotene as an antioxidantBeta-carotene as an antioxidant


• RecommendationsRecommendations– Retinol activity equivalents (RAE)Retinol activity equivalents (RAE)


• Vitamin A in foodsVitamin A in foods– The colors of The colors of

vitamin A foodsvitamin A foods– Vitamin A-poor Vitamin A-poor

fast foodsfast foods– Vitamin A-rich Vitamin A-rich

liverliver

In SummaryIn Summary• Other namesOther names

– RetinolRetinol– RetinalRetinal– Retinoic acidRetinoic acid– Precursors are carotenoids such Precursors are carotenoids such

as beta-caroteneas beta-carotene

• 2001 RDA2001 RDA– Men: 900 Men: 900 g RAE/dayg RAE/day– Women: 700 Women: 700 g RAE/dayg RAE/day

In SummaryIn Summary• Upper level for adults:Upper level for adults:

3000 3000 g/dayg/day• Chief functions in the bodyChief functions in the body

– VisionVision– Maintenance of cornea, epithelial Maintenance of cornea, epithelial

cells, mucous membranes, skincells, mucous membranes, skin– Bone and tooth growthBone and tooth growth– ReproductionReproduction– ImmunityImmunity

In SummaryIn Summary• Significant sourcesSignificant sources

– Retinol: fortified milk, cheese, Retinol: fortified milk, cheese, cream, butter, fortified cream, butter, fortified margarine, eggs, livermargarine, eggs, liver

– Beta-carotene: spinach and other Beta-carotene: spinach and other dark leafy greens; broccoli, deep dark leafy greens; broccoli, deep orange fruits (apricots, orange fruits (apricots, cantaloupe) and vegetables cantaloupe) and vegetables (squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, (squash, carrots, sweet potatoes, pumpkin)pumpkin)

In SummaryIn Summary• Deficiency disease: Deficiency disease:

hypovitaminosis Ahypovitaminosis A• Deficiency symptomsDeficiency symptoms

– Night blindness, corneal drying Night blindness, corneal drying (xerosis), triangular gray spots (xerosis), triangular gray spots on eye (Bitot’s spots), softening on eye (Bitot’s spots), softening of the cornea (keratomalacia), of the cornea (keratomalacia), and corneal degeneration and and corneal degeneration and blindness (xerophthalmia)blindness (xerophthalmia)

In SummaryIn Summary

• Deficiency symptoms Deficiency symptoms (continued)(continued)– Impaired immunity (infections)Impaired immunity (infections)– Plugging of hair follicles with Plugging of hair follicles with

keratin, forming white lumps keratin, forming white lumps (hyperkeratosis)(hyperkeratosis)

Deficiency Symptom: Deficiency Symptom: KeratinizationKeratinization


• Toxicity disease: Toxicity disease: hypervitaminosis Ahypervitaminosis A

• Chronic toxicity symptomsChronic toxicity symptoms– Increased activity of osteoclasts Increased activity of osteoclasts

causing reduced bone densitycausing reduced bone density– Liver abnormalitiesLiver abnormalities– Birth defectsBirth defects


• Acute toxicity symptomsAcute toxicity symptoms– Blurred visionBlurred vision– Nausea, vomiting, vertigoNausea, vomiting, vertigo– Increase of pressure inside skull, Increase of pressure inside skull,

mimicking brain tumormimicking brain tumor– HeadachesHeadaches

Vitamin DVitamin D• Other namesOther names

– CalciferolCalciferol– 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D

(calcitriol)(calcitriol)

– Animal version: vitamin DAnimal version: vitamin D33 or or cholecalciferolcholecalciferol

– Plant version: vitamin DPlant version: vitamin D22 or or ergocalciferolergocalciferol

– Precursor is the body’s own Precursor is the body’s own cholesterolcholesterol

Vitamin DVitamin D

• 1997 adequate intake (AI)1997 adequate intake (AI)– 19-50 years: 5 19-50 years: 5 g/dayg/day– 51-70 years: 10 51-70 years: 10 g/dayg/day– more than 70 years: 15 more than 70 years: 15 g/dayg/day

• Upper level for adults:Upper level for adults:50 50 g/dayg/day

Vitamin DVitamin D

• Chief functions in the bodyChief functions in the body– Mineralization of bones (raises Mineralization of bones (raises

blood calcium and phosphorus blood calcium and phosphorus by increasing absorption from by increasing absorption from digestive tract, withdrawing digestive tract, withdrawing calcium from bones, stimulating calcium from bones, stimulating retention by kidneys)retention by kidneys)

Vitamin DVitamin D

• Significant sourcesSignificant sources– Synthesized in the body with the Synthesized in the body with the

help of sunlighthelp of sunlight– Fortified milk, margarine, butter, Fortified milk, margarine, butter,

cereals, and chocolate mixescereals, and chocolate mixes– Veal, beef, egg yolks, liver, fatty Veal, beef, egg yolks, liver, fatty

fish (herring, salmon, sardines) fish (herring, salmon, sardines) and their oilsand their oils

Vitamin DVitamin D

• Deficiency Deficiency diseasesdiseases– RicketsRickets– OsteomalaciaOsteomalacia

Vitamin DVitamin D• Deficiency symptoms: rickets Deficiency symptoms: rickets

in childrenin children– Inadequate calcification, Inadequate calcification,

resulting in misshapen bones resulting in misshapen bones (bowing of legs)(bowing of legs)

– Enlargement of ends of long Enlargement of ends of long bones (knees, wrists)bones (knees, wrists)

– Deformities of ribs (bowed, with Deformities of ribs (bowed, with beads or knobs)beads or knobs)


in children (continued)in children (continued)– Delayed closing of fontanel, Delayed closing of fontanel,

resulting in rapid enlargement of resulting in rapid enlargement of headhead


in children (continued)in children (continued)– Lax muscles resulting in Lax muscles resulting in

protrusion of abdomenprotrusion of abdomen– Muscle spasmsMuscle spasms

• Deficiency symptoms: Deficiency symptoms: osteomalacia in adultsosteomalacia in adults– Loss of calcium, resulting in soft, Loss of calcium, resulting in soft,

flexible, brittle, and deformed flexible, brittle, and deformed bonesbones

Vitamin DVitamin D

• Deficiency symptoms: Deficiency symptoms: osteomalacia in adults (cont.)osteomalacia in adults (cont.)– Progressive weaknessProgressive weakness– Pain in pelvis, lower back, and Pain in pelvis, lower back, and

legslegs

• Toxicity disease: Toxicity disease: hypervitaminosis Dhypervitaminosis D

Vitamin DVitamin D

• Toxicity symptomsToxicity symptoms– Elevated blood calciumElevated blood calcium– Calcification of soft tissues Calcification of soft tissues

(blood vessels, kidneys, heart, (blood vessels, kidneys, heart, lungs, tissues around joints)lungs, tissues around joints)

– Frequent urinationFrequent urination

Vitamin EVitamin E• Other name: alpha-tocopherolOther name: alpha-tocopherol• 2000 RDA2000 RDA

– Adults: 15 mg/dayAdults: 15 mg/day

• Upper level for adults:Upper level for adults:

1000 mg/day1000 mg/day• Chief function in the bodyChief function in the body

– Antioxidant (stabilization of cell Antioxidant (stabilization of cell membranes, regulation of oxidation membranes, regulation of oxidation reactions, protection of reactions, protection of polyunsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin A)vitamin A)

Vitamin EVitamin E

Vitamin EVitamin E• Significant sourcesSignificant sources

– Polyunsaturated Polyunsaturated plant oils plant oils (margarine, salad (margarine, salad dressings, dressings, shortenings)shortenings)

– Leafy green Leafy green vegetables, wheat vegetables, wheat germ, whole grains, germ, whole grains, liver, egg yolks, liver, egg yolks, nuts, seedsnuts, seeds

Vitamin EVitamin E• Easily destroyed by heat and Easily destroyed by heat and

oxygenoxygen• Deficiency symptomsDeficiency symptoms

– Red blood cell breakageRed blood cell breakage– Nerve damageNerve damage

• Toxicity symptomsToxicity symptoms– Augments the effects of Augments the effects of

anticlotting medicationanticlotting medication

Vitamin KVitamin K• Other namesOther names

– PhylloquinonePhylloquinone– MenaquinoneMenaquinone– MenadioneMenadione– NaphthoquinoneNaphthoquinone

• 2001 AI2001 AI– Men: 120 Men: 120 g/dayg/day– Women: 90 Women: 90 g/dayg/day

Vitamin KVitamin K• Chief functions in the bodyChief functions in the body

– Synthesis of blood-clotting Synthesis of blood-clotting proteins and bone proteins that proteins and bone proteins that regulate blood calciumregulate blood calcium

Vitamin KVitamin K• Significant Significant

sourcessources– Bacterial Bacterial

synthesis in the synthesis in the digestive tractdigestive tract

– LiverLiver– Leafy green Leafy green

vegetables, vegetables, cabbage-type cabbage-type vegetablesvegetables

– MilkMilk

Vitamin KVitamin K

• Deficiency symptomsDeficiency symptoms– HemorrhagingHemorrhaging

• Toxicity symptomsToxicity symptoms– None knownNone known

The Fat-Soluble The Fat-Soluble Vitamins - Vitamins -

In SummaryIn Summary• Interactions with each otherInteractions with each other

• Interactions with mineralsInteractions with minerals

Antioxidant Nutrients Antioxidant Nutrients In Disease PreventionIn Disease Prevention

• Free radicals and diseaseFree radicals and disease– Oxidative stressOxidative stress

• Defending against free radicalsDefending against free radicals– Oxidants and antioxidantsOxidants and antioxidants



• Defending against cancerDefending against cancer

• Defending against cardiovascular Defending against cardiovascular diseasedisease


• Foods, supplements, or both?Foods, supplements, or both?– ProoxidantsProoxidants

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The Fat-Soluble Vitamins