A vitamin is an organic compound required by an organism as a vital nutrient in limited amounts.An organic chemical compound (or related set of compounds) is called a vitamin when it cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities by an organism, and must be obtained from the diet. Thus, the term is conditional both on the circumstances and on the particular organism. For example, ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is a vitamin for humans, but not for most other animals. Supplementation is important for the treatment of certain health problems but there is little evidence of benefit when used by those who are otherwise healthy.
By convention, the term vitamin includes neither other essential nutrients, such as dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, or essential amino acids (which are needed in larger amounts than vitamins) nor the large number of other nutrients that promote health but are otherwise required less often.Thirteen vitamins are universally recognized at present.
Vitamins are classified by their biological and chemical activity, not their structure. Thus, each "vitamin" refers to a number of vitamer compounds that all show the biological activity associated with a particular vitamin. Such a set of chemicals is grouped under an alphabetized vitamin "generic descriptor" title, such as "vitamin A", which includes the compounds retinal, retinol, and four known carotenoids. Vitamers by definition are convertible to the active form of the vitamin in the body, and are sometimes inter-convertible to one another, as well.
Vitamins have diverse biochemical functions. Some, such as vitamin D, have hormone-like functions as regulators of mineral metabolism, or regulators of cell and tissue growth and differentiation (such as some forms of vitamin A). Others function as antioxidants (e.g., vitamin E and sometimes vitamin C). The largest number of vitamins, the B complex vitamins, function as precursors for enzyme cofactors, that help enzymes in their work as catalysts in metabolism. In this role, vitamins may be tightly bound to enzymes as part of prosthetic groups: For example, biotin is part of enzymes involved in making fatty acids. They may also be less tightly bound to enzyme catalysts as coenzymes, detachable molecules that function to carry chemical groups or electrons between molecules. For example, folic acid may carry methyl, formyl, and methylene groups in the cell. Although these roles in assisting enzyme-substrate reactions are vitamins' best-known function, the other vitamin functions are equally important.
Until the mid-1930s, when the first commercial yeast-extract vitamin B complex and semi-synthetic vitamin C supplement tablets were sold, vitamins were obtained solely through food intake, and changes in diet (which, for example, could occur during a particular growing season) usually greatly altered the types and amounts of vitamins ingested. However, vitamins have been produced as commodity chemicals and made widely available as inexpensive semisynthetic and synthetic-source multivitamin dietary and food supplements and additives, since the middle of the 20th century.
Q. What are the sources of Vitamins for our body?
Ans: Vitamins are available to our body by two sources. They are 1) diet, 2) Bacteria present is the intestine. These bacteria synthesis the Vitamins and supply them to the body.
Q. Name the various Vitamins in B.Complex Vitamins?
Ans: B.Complex is the group of several B. Vitamins.
It contains Thaimine(B1)
Riboflavin (B2)
Niacin/Nictonic Acid (B3)
Cyanocobalamin (B12)
Pyridoxine (B6)
Folic Acid
Panto thermic Acid and Biotin.
Q. Mention the disease caused by the deficiency of pyridoxine?
Ans: Dificiency of phyridoxine leads to hyper irritability, anonemia, nausea and vomitings. In Childrens pyridoxine dificiency causes convulsions (fits).
Q. What is the method evolved by the National institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad to prevent blindness in children ?
Ans: National institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad had evolved a method for the prevention of night blindness and loss of vision due to dificiency of vitamin 'A' in children,by giving a large dose of Vitamins 'A' to school Children once in six months.
Q. Mention the water soluble Vitamins and explain any five of them?
Ans: Water soluble Vitamins are
1. Thiamine/B1
2) Riboflavin B2,
3) Niacin/Nictonic Acid B3,
4) Pyridoxine B6,
5) Folic Acid B5,
6) Cyanocobalamin B12,
7) Panto thermic Acid,
8) Biotin,
9) Vitamin C.
Vitamin B1: It is Chemicaly known as Thiamine.
♦ It is necessor for the activity of some of the enzymes of carbohydrates metabilism.
Source of Vitamin B1: It is available in cereals, like Wheat, Oil Seeds like groundnut, milk, meat, fish, Eggs and Vegetables.
Deficiency of Vitamin - B1: Leads to Beri-Beri and loss appetite.
Vitamin B2: It is other wise known as Riboflavin.
♦ It is essential for oxidation - reduction reactions
Sources: It is available in milk, Eggs, liver, kidney and green leafy vegetables.
Deficiency: This Vitamin leads Glossitis, cracking of month at angles.
Vitamin B3: It is otherwise known as Niacin or Nicotinic Acid. Niacin is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Sources: It is available is Kidney's, Liver, meat, poultry, fish, leagunes and groundnut.
Deficiency: Leads to pellagra. It is askin disease.
Vitamin B6: It is chemically known as pyridoxine.
♦ It plays important role in the metabolism of amino Acids.
Sources of B6: It is available in milk, liver, meat, Egg Yolk, Fish, Whole grain cereals, legumes and Vegetables.
Dificiency: Leads to anaemia, Hyper irritability, disorders of nervous system.
Folic Acid/B5: It is required for the synthesis of Nucleic Acids (DNA+RNA) and also required for the development of Blood Cells in the bone marrow.
Source of B5: It is available in liver, meat, Eggs, milk, fruits, cereals and leafy vegetables.
Deficiency: Anaemia, Diarrhea, loss of Lencoaytes.
Vitamin B12: It also known as Cyanocobalamine.
♦ It has an important role in the metabolism of nucleic acids and in protein synthesis. It is not available in ready made food.
Deficiency: Vitamin B12 leads to permicious anaemia.
Q. Write brief not on Vitamin C.
Ans: Vitamin -C: It is also known as Ascarbic Acid. Vitamin C plays an important role in issue oxidation reactions and is required for the formation of collagen.
♦ Collagen is required for the formation of blood vesses, connective tissue, cartilage and dentin of teeth
♦ Vitamin C also helps in the absorptian and storage of iron. It is also helps in healing of wounds and fractures of bones.
Sources of Vitatamin-C: It is present in fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes and germinoting pulses. Citrus fruits and Indian gooseberry (Amla) are the richest sources of Vitamin.
Deficiency: It leads to a disease calle "SCURVY" in this disease the gums swell and start bleeding.
Q. Mention fat soluble Vitamins and explain them, Vitamin A, D, E and K are the fat
soluble Vitamins.
Ans:
Vitamin-A: It is otherwise known as Retinol. It is required for normal vision. It helps in the production of pigments such as Rhodopsin of rods and Idopsin of cones.
Sources: It is available is liver, Eggs, butter whole milk, fish, meat, cod liver oil and Shark liver oil, spinach, amaranthus, carrots, tomato, pumpkin, papaya and mango.
Deficiency: Leads to night blindness, xeropthatmia rupture of cornea, scale formation on skin.
Vitamin-D: It is chemically known as calceferol. It helps is the absorption of calcium and phosphyorus by the intestive and their depositian in the bone. It also required for the normal growth of bones.
Sources: Liver, Egg Yolk, butter, Cod liver oil and Shark liver oil.
Deficiency: Leads to Rickets (Such as knowk knees, bow legs, deformed pelvin)
Vitamin-E: It is chemically known as Tocoberol. It is ohterwise known as anti sterility Vitamin. This vitamin is required for the normal functioning of sex organs.
Sources: It is present in fruits, vegetables, germinating seeds, meat, Egg Yolk and Sunlflower oil, Cotton seed oil etc.
Dificiency: Leads to steritity in males, abortions in females, reduced life span of R.B.C.
Vitamin- K: It is chemically known as phillo quinone. It is required for blood cogulation.
Source: This Vitamin present in green leafy vegetables and milk.
Deficiency: Leads to delay in blood clothing.
Fill in the blanks:
1. Vitamin B1 is also called Thiamine
2. Deficiency of Vitamin C causes a disease called Scurvey
3. When rice is polished or repeatedly washed Vitamin B1 Vitamin is lost from it
4. The Vitamin that prevents stability is males in Vitamin E/Tocoferol
5. Rickes is caused due to deficiency of Vitamin D.
6. The Vitamin that is highly sensitive to heat is called Vitamin-C
7. The Vitamin requried for coagulation of blood is Vitamin K
8. Deficiency of pantothermic acid results in burning of feet
9. The Vitamin that plays an important role in the metabolism of nuclic acids is Cyanocobalamine
10.Pellagra is caused by due to deficiency of B3 Vitamin
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