Types of Fat-Soluble Vitamins

925 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Chapter 11: fat soluble vitamins

Food is the basic necessity for human being to live. Food can be found in anywhere with variety of tastes, texture, colour and physical appearance. Vitamins are the negligible components of food that plays important role in human nutrition. Fat soluble vitamin is one of the types of vitamins in the food. “Fat-soluble vitamins are defined as “vitamins in the various food groups that related to their fat-solubility” (deMan, 1999, p.355).In general, fat-soluble vitamins can be classified into four major categories: vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E and vitamin K (refer to Figure 1 in Appendix 1).

The first type of fat-soluble vitamin is vitamin A. Vitamin A is a group of unsaturated nutritional organic compounds which includes retinol, retinal, retinoic acid, and several provitamins A carotenoids. According to Hickenbottom, Lemke, and Clifford (2002), the vitamin A is derived from beta-carotene which serves as an antioxidant and may help protect against certain cancers and heart disease. Rhodopsin is the photosensitive pigment that present in these nerve cells which is synthesized by vitamin A (Minke & Kirschfeld, 1979). Besides that, vitamin A helps the formation of mucopolysaccharide sulphates which used for cell adhesion, regulation of cell growth and developmental processes (Wolf & Varandani, 1960). Earl (1933) has mentioned that vitamin A is one of the vitamins that help in growth, repairs of body tissues, bone formation and formation of healthy skin and hair. For further information, vitamin A also participates in the synthesis of sex steroids that essential for skeletal development and the maintenance of bone health throughout adult life (Compston,‎ 2001).Vitamin A also play a role at the level of the cellular membrane. There a...

... middle of paper ...

...thesis a family of compound called menaquinones (vitaminK_2). People who do not eat them regularly are likely to be deficient in their intake of vitamin K. Well, it can be prevented by consuming a proper diet. Some people may take easy on this matter and do not care much about their healthy lifestyle, so this may cause to serious blood clotting problem. Besides that, low levels of vitamin K may increase the risk of uncontrolled bleeding and a health care provider might suggest the patients to take vitamin K supplements (Tremblay, n.d.). Hence, vitamin K is very important in helping the blot clot to prevent excessive bleeding.

In conclusion, there are four major types of fat-soluble vitamins and they are differentiated by the biological role, food sources and the deficiency diseases. They are the vital components in the food which important for us to be healthy.

Show More
Related

  • Vitamin B12 Essay

    1359 Words  | 3 Pages

    Vitamin B12 is an essential water soluble vitamin that must be carefully regulated to prevent deficiency related complications in the nervous, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular systems (e). This review begins with a discussion of B12 absorption and role as a cofactor for L-methylmalonyl-CoA mutase and methionine synthase (e). Laboratory findings are interpreted along with associated disease conditions. Finally, assay methods are discussed including blood smear and complete blood count, B12 competitive-binding immunoenzymatic assay, homocysteine tandem mass spectrometry, methylmalonic acid liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry, and the Schilling test.

    Read More

  • Coumadin: Anticoagulant Medication

    984 Words  | 2 Pages

    Coumadin works by inhibiting with how your body uses vitamin K. The metabolism of Coumadin, vitamin K and vitamin K dependant clotting factors take place in your liver. “Coumadin prevents the production of the vitamin K dependent clotting factors and this results in a slower clotting rate.” (National Blood Clot Alliance, 2014)

    Read More

  • Vitamin D And The Bone Disease

    2317 Words  | 5 Pages

    Vitamin D3 (ergocalciferol) originates from 7-dehydrocholesterol, a precursor of cholesterol when synthesized in the skin.3

    Read More

  • Vitamins, Nutrients, and Minerals

    387 Words  | 1 Pages

    When one hears the three words: vitamins, nutrients, and minerals, they think of one thing-being healthy and noticing what your intake is daily. Nutrition is all about vitamins and nutrients. Firstly, vitamins are an organic compound required by the body in small amounts of metabolism, to protect health, and for proper growth of children. Vitamins also assist in the formation of hormones, blood cells, nervous systems chemicals, and genetic material. There are 13 well-identified vitamins. Some examples of the 13 well-identified vitamins are: A, D, E, and K-fat contained foods, B, C-consumed immediately. A well known and commonly used in commercials for orange juice vitamin is vitamin C. Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is important in the synthesis and maintenance of connective tissues. The lack of vitamin C will result in a sickness called scurvy. Scurvy harms the gums, mucous membranes, and the skin. Another well-known vitamin and is also used to commercial to give more information about this beverage is the vitamin in milk. The vitamin in milk is vitamin D. If you do not drink milk and obtain this vitamin, your bones and teeth will become soft and weak. Lacking one or more of the 13 well-identified vitamins will cause sickness and weakness to your body. Secondly, nutrients are how the body assimilates certain compounds. Nutrients are classified in 5 major groups: proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, and minerals. One of the five nutrients is carbohydrate. The carbohydrate group principally consists of sugar, starch, dextrin, cellulose, and glycogen. In more basic terms, carbohydrates are sugars needed by human and other living organisms. Some types of foods that contain carbohydrates would be candies, ice cream, fruit juice, soda, chocolate bars etc. Lastly, vitamins are connected to minerals. Minerals are also a very important part of a healthy person. There are 11 major groups of minerals. They are: calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, and zinc. All these terms look very familiar if one has taken chemistry. These are the elements of our world. One of the more common minerals that most people have heard of is calcium. Calcium also helps with the structure and strength of teeth and bones. Vitamins and minerals work together to help humans maintain a healthy body. For example, vitamin D works with calcium to help for and maintain the strength of teeth and bones.

    Read More

  • Everything You Need to Know about Vitamins

    2022 Words  | 5 Pages

    The 13 well-identified vitamins are classified according to their ability to be absorbed in fat or water. The fat-soluble vitamins-A, D, E, and K-are generally consumed along with fat-containing foods, and because they can be stored in the body's fat, they do not have to be consumed every day. The water-soluble vitamins-the eight B vitamins and vitamin C-cannot be stored and must be consumed frequently, preferably every day (with the exception of some B vitamins, as noted below).

    Read More

  • Vitamin D and Athletic Performance

    1485 Words  | 3 Pages

    Heaney RP. The vitamin D requirement in health and disease. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2005;97(1-2):13-19.

    Read More

  • The Function Of Vitamin A: What Is Vitamin A?

    1508 Words  | 4 Pages

    Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that is greatly needed by the retina of the human eyes. It’s very vital for the enhancement of color and low-light vision. It’s also a generic term for related compounds such as retinal and retinol. The vitamin also has alternative names such as Retinol, Retinoic acid, Cartenoids and Retinal.

    Read More

  • Vitamin C Content in Fruit Juices

    1793 Words  | 4 Pages

    Vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid is needed for growth and maintenance of healthy tissues, especially skin, blood vessels, bones, gums, teeth. Vitamin C aids in resistance against infection and healing of wounds. It also helps the body absorb iron from food. Vitamin C can be found in green vegetables, potatoes, tomatoes and citrus fruits such as oranges and lemon. A lack of vitamin C can cause scurvy, iron deficiency and poor wound healing. A healthy diet should include a high amount of vitamin C because the human body cannot produce its own vitamin C.

    Read More

  • Fish Oil Is Beneficial For Children And Adults

    838 Words  | 2 Pages

    The omega-3 fatty acids, popularly referred to as fish oil, are considered unsaturated fats. Science differentiates between unsaturated and saturated fats quite clearly. One fact that separates the two is the temperature at which melting occurs. Saturated fats melt at a higher temperature than unsaturated fats. The science behind fatty acids is rather complex; carboxylic acids with long hydrocarbon chains are the building blocks of saturated and unsaturated fats. This is important to the human body for many reasons; one reason being unsaturated fats do not cause plaque build-up in arteries like saturated fats due to their molecular structure in the human blood stream.

    Read More

  • Vitamin D Essay

    642 Words  | 2 Pages

    Vitamin D can often be obtained with two different methods. The main method is the conversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin into Vitamin D3 via sun exposure to absorb ultraviolet B radiation with a wavelength of 290-315nm (Holick 2007). The other method, is through consumption in diets through plants in the form of Vitamin D2; or fatty fishes, supplements or fortified vitamin D products in the form of Vitamin D3 (Lavie, Lee & Milani 2011). Vitamin D undergoes hydroxylation twice; first with the enzyme 25-hydroxylase to form 25-hydroxyvitamin D (Calcidiol) (Al Mheid et al. 2013). Then, Calcidiol is converted to the most active form of Vitamin D, 1,25-dihidroxyvitamin D Hormone (Calcitriol) with the help of renal 1--hydroxylase in the kidney (Al Mheid et al. 2013). Vitamin D2 and D3 are relatively similar since share the same hydroxylation pathway to produce Calcitriol (Tripkovic 2013), however, D3 has shown to have a greater influence on Calcidiol levels and thus more effective in maintaining Vitamin D health (Heaney et al. 2011).

    Read More

  • Vitamins Facts

    1407 Words  | 3 Pages

    Vitamins, a group of organic substances required in our diets in small amounts for growth and nutrition, are usually found in foodstuffs or taken as supplements. Yet vitamins probably present a wider gap between myth and reality in the layman's understanding than almost any other area of our diet. Surveys have found that while a majority of Americans do take vitamin supplements on a regular or occasional basis for reason of health concerns, there exists enormous confusion about the actual purpose and benefits of this practice ("Use of Vitamin and Mineral Supplements in the United States," 1990:161). Most people have a recognition that Vitamin C prevents scurvy, that Vitamin A is found in fish-liver oils, or that Vitamin D is found in dairy products; many people believe that Vitamin E preserves youth and prevents sterility, or that Vitamin C can present colds and cancer. Beyond this, however, there is still considerable ignorance and widespread myth.

    Read More

  • Essay On Macronutrients

    815 Words  | 2 Pages

    Saturated fats come from animal sources like steak, hamburger and pork. Unsaturated fats are derived from plants. There are also trans fats that are considered poison for the body. They raise the bad cholesterol in your body, and should never be included in a healthy diet. There are also fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6 that are good for a healthy body.

    Read More

  • Lipids and their Importance

    646 Words  | 2 Pages

    Fatty acids are another type of lipid. The common feature of fatty acids is that they are all esters of moderate to long chain fatty acids. Two polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic and linoleic, are designated "essential" because their absence in the human diet has been associated with health problems, such as scaly skin, stunted growth and increased dehydration. These acids are also precursors to the prostaglandins, a family of physiologically potent lipids present in minute amounts in most body tissues.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Balance Diet

    1512 Words  | 4 Pages

    These vitamins are fat soluble, which means they can only be absorbed with the help of fat.

    Read More

  • Essay On Vitamin E

    974 Words  | 2 Pages

    Vitamin E is the general classification for a group of eight fat-soluble compounds of tocopherols and tocotrienols. Vitamin E functions primarily as an antioxidant, but also has other roles in the body [1].

    Read More

More about Types of Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Open Document