Vitamins were first discovered in 1921
- Casamir Runk coined the term vitamin
	- Vita = life
	- Amine = a type of nitrogen containing substance
	- The first discovered vitamin was thiamin
- There are 13 known vitamins, plus 5 vitamin like substances
- It is unlikely that any new vitamins will be discovered - (babies and sick people can live on synthetic liquid diet?)
- A vitamin is a complex organic compound that regulates certain metabolic processes
	- Cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by the body
	- Occurs naturally in foods
	- Deficiency disorder occurs if substance is missing from the body
	- They do not provide any energy
- Vitamins are organic, but they differ from macronutrients:
	- **Not metabolized for energy**
	- Present in small amounts in foods
	- Required in milligram and microgram amounts
- Because vitamins are organic
	- They are subject to heat degradation
	- Exposure to excessive heat, alkaline substances, light, and air can destroy certain vitamins
	- **Water soluble vitamins can leach out of food and dissolve in cooking water**
# Fat Soluble Vitamins
- Fat soluble vitamins are **K, A, D, E**
	- Found in lipid portions of the body
	- Associate with lipids in the body
	- **Digested and absorbed with fats
	- Stored in the body
	- Can cause toxicity

| Nutrient                  | Function                                                                                                                                 | Deficiency                                                                                                                                                      | Toxicity                                                                                                            | Sources                                                                                                            | Other Info                                                                                                                                                     |
| ------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Vitamin A (Retinol)       | - Vision (Retina + Cornea)<br>- Growth and Reproduction<br>- Immune Function<br>- Epithelial (Skin)<br>- Cells<br>- Bone<br>- Remodeling | - Night Blindness (Nycatlopia)<br>- Xerophthalmia<br>- Dry Eyes -> Blindness<br>- Poor Growth<br>- Dry Skin or Tissue<br>- ^ Causes increased risk of infection | - Carotenemia (Orange colored skin)<br>- Birth defects<br>- Bone fractures<br>- Liver damage<br>- Nausea / Vomiting | - Vegetables: Yellow, orange, or dark green (pumpkin, squash, carrots, spinach)<br>- Milk and Dairy Products       | - Retinol's precursor is beta-carotene (antioxidant)<br>- Helps with wound healing                                                                             |
| Vitamin D (Calciferol)    | - Calcium Absorption<br>- Bone Strength<br>- Blood Calcium Levels<br>- Supports Immune Function<br>- Reduces Inflammation                | - Rickets (children)<br>- Osteomalacia (Adults)<br>- Osteoporosis (Elderly)<br>- Decreased immune function<br>- Decreased growth                                | - Hypercalcemia (Calcium deposits in soft tissue, Weakness, Nausea/Vomiting)<br>- Kidney Stones                     | - Milk and Dairy Products<br>- Fish (Salmon, Tuna)<br>- Breakfast Cereals<br>- Sunlight or UV Light                | - Often referred to as the sunshine vitamin<br>- Acts as a hormone (interacts with para-thyroid hormone and calcitonin)                                        |
| Vitamin E (Tocopherol)    | - Antioxidant<br>- Wound healing<br>- Cell Membranes<br>- Supports immune function                                                       | - Hemolysis of red blood cells<br>- Anemia<br>- Reduced muscular coordination                                                                                   | Supplements can interfere with vitamin K metabolism and cause uncontrolled bleeding                                 | - Vegetable oils<br>- Nuts or Seeds<br>- Wheat germ<br>- Green leafy veggies<br>- Breakfast Cereals                | - Doesn't increase sexual performance, prevent aging, or cure Parkinson's disease (despite claims)                                                             |
| Vitamin K (Phylloquinone) | - Blood clotting<br>- Bone health                                                                                                        | - Hemorrhaging or Hemorrhagic Disease (Excessive bleeding or internal bleeding)<br>- Increased risk of hip failure                                              | Not common                                                                                                          | - Green leafy veggies (spinach, kale, et cetera)<br>- Beans and soybeans<br>- Vegetable Oils<br>- Healthy GI tract | - 50% of needed amount can be synthesized in the GI tract<br>- Babies are given a shot at birth<br>- Interacts with blood clotting meds (coumadin or warfarin) |

Dairy products are typically fortified with vitamins A and D.
# Water soluble vitamins
- Water soluble vitamins are the **B-vitamins**: thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B-6, pantothenic acid, folate, biotin, vitamin B-12, and **vitamin C**.
	- They dissolve in water
	- **Very limited amounts are stored** with the exception of B-12
	- **Kidneys will filter out excess water soluble vitamins**
	- Less likely to be toxic

# Oxidization
- An *oxidizing agent* is a substance that removes electrons from atoms or molecules
- A *free radical* is a substance (C, H, O) with an unpaired electron
	- Highly reactive, damages and destroys molecules
- **Antioxidants (Vitamin E, C)** are substances that **give up electrons to free radicals to protect cells**

# Vitamin Intake
**Bioavailability** is the amount of a vitamin available for use in the body
- Factors that affect how available a vitamin is include:
	- How long it takes the vitamin to pass through the intestinal tract
	- Certain health conditions that affect the absorption of facts
	- By cooking with a little bit of fat, you better absorb fat soluble vitamins from that meal.
- Natural sources of vitamins typically provide higher availability
It's important to preserve the vitamin content of food, ways to do so include:
- Avoid decaying, wilting, or bruised fruits or vegetables
- Fresh produce should refrigerated at high humidity, away from the open air
- Exposure to excessive heat, alkaline (salty) substances, light, and air can all reduce the vitamin content of food
- **Vegetables should be cooked in small amounts of water, using quick cook methods**

# Water Soluble Vitamins
Water soluble vitamins dissolve in watery components of food and the body. Most excess water soluble vitamins are filtered through the kidneys and eliminated in urine, whereas fat soluble vitamins are stored in large amounts.

| Vitamin | Major Functions in the body | Adult RDA/AI | Good Sources | Deficiency Signs and Symptoms | Major Toxicity Signs and Symptoms |
| ------- | --------------------------- | ------------ | ------------ | ----------------------------- | --------------------------------- |
|         |                             |              |              |                               |                                   |