“the b vitamins”
DESCRIPTION
“The B Vitamins”. Why plural? There are eight. What do they do?. Each B vitamin activates a different enzyme, so they have lots of different jobs. Bs do not supply us with energy. “They do help us metabolize carbs, lipids, and amino acids.” - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
“The B Vitamins”
Why plural? There are eight.
What do they do?
• Each B vitamin activates a different enzyme, so they have lots of different jobs.
• Bs do not supply us with energy.
• “They do help us metabolize carbs, lipids, and amino acids.”
• So even though they don’t directly contain energy, they help us get it.
• The B vitamins help us use the energy in food.
“B Deficiencies”
• “Lack of energy”
• “nausea”
• “irritability/depression”
• “loss of appetite/weight”
• “loss of limb control”
• ….and about a hundred others!
• In children, full recovery may be impossible.
• In the case of a thiamin deficiency in childhood, permanent brain damage can result.
“Individual B Vitamins”
• Thiamin• Riboflavin• Niacin• Folate
• B6 and B12
• Biotin• Pantothenic acid
• Tender• Romance• Never• Fails• With 6 or 12• Beautiful• Pearls.
“Thiamin”• “found on nerve cell membranes”
• “So muscles depend on it greatly”
• Deficiency: beriberi spread in Asia when rice was cleaned of outer husk
• “alcohol impairs absorption”
• When alcohol abuse causes thiamin deficiency, symptoms are similar to the abuse:
• Apathy, irritability, mental confusion, staggering walk
• Found in many nutritious foods
• Keep empty calories to a minimum, you’ll be okay.
“Riboflavin”
• “in enriched breads, cereals, pasta, dairy, veggies, meats”
• So again, deficiency is rare in the U.S.
• “symptoms: cracks at corners of mouth, hypersensitivity to light”
“Niacin”
• Deficiency: pellagra• Killed hundreds of thousands in the
South and Midwest in the 1900s• “pellagra: 4 D’s: diarrhea, dermatitis,
dementia, death”• Still occurs in people living in urban
slums, particularly with alcohol addiction
• When sufferers are exposed to light, skin darkens and flakes away, as seen here.
Toxicity
• niacin flush: dilation of capillaries of skin with intense, painful tingling
• Sometimes used as a drug in large amounts to improve blood lipids
• Should only be done under doctor’s supervision to prevent:
• Low blood pressure, liver injury, vision loss
“Folate”• “Helps to synthesize (make) DNA when
new cells form”
• Deficiency symptoms:–anemia, abnormal digestive function,
impaired immunity
• May also elevate risk of cervical cancer (in women with HPV), breast cancer (women who drink), and pancreatic cancer.
• Most likely to interact with drugs:
• Constant users of aspirin and antacids may interfere with folate
• “Consumption of folate during pregnancy can prevent neural tube defects.”
Food Sources
• Folate comes from foliage:
• leafy greens, uncooked veggies and fruits, eggs
• Folate anemia:
“Vitamin B12”
• “codependent with folate”
• “by itself, maintains sheaths that protect nerve fibers”
• Deficiency: anemia
• “Comes from animal meat”
• So vegetarians must be cautious
• (Dairy, fortified cereals and soy)
“Vitamin B6”
• “Over 100 body roles”
• Convert one kind of amino acid to another, less abundant one
• Important roles in blood hemoglobin
• Releasing stored glucose from glycogen
• Development of brain and nervous system
Loads of Symptoms
• Deficiency: weakness, insomnia, convulsions, greasy dermatitis
• Possibly also heart disease
• Some take supplements for carpal tunnel and insomnia, but research shows this is ineffective.
Toxicity
• Unlikely from food consumption:
• One capsule can contain 2 g
• It would take almost 3,000 bananas, 1,600 liver portions, or 3,800 chicken breasts for that!
“Biotin and Pantothenic Acid”
• biotin: important for metabolism, gene expression
• pantothenic acid: allows release of energy from food
• Eating normal diets does not put you at risk for deficiency.