Human Nutrition Assignment 11 PDF

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Summary

This course examines the basic concepts of human nutrition and their application to the needs of human beings throughout the life cycle. Discussion of factors affecting food practices and attitudes is included....

Description

1.

List all fat soluble vitamins, its main function in the body, its deficiency symptoms, its toxicity symptoms (if applicable) and significant food sources. Vitamin A (retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid) Main function in the body- Vitamin A from plants promotes clear vision by maintaining clear corneas and converts light into nerve impulses. Vitamin A from animal foods supports fetus development during pregnancy and stimulates cell growth in skin as well as inhibits cell growth in tumors. Deficiency symptoms- Mostly occurring in developing countries, vitamin A deficiencies result in death and blindness/night blindness by the millions each year and also the development of measles and keratinization of the skin. Toxicity symptoms- Too much vitamin A and you can develop a yellow or orange skin tone and, more seriously, weaker bones and birth defects during pregnancy. Significant food sources- Generally, with a balanced diet you will obtain the right amount of vitamin A, but if you are lacking in it, it is good to have foods both plant derived and animal derived such as liver, fish liver oils, milk, eggs, dark leafy greens, rich yellow or deep orange vegetables and fruit. Vitamin D (Sunlight, D2, and D3) Main function in the body- Vitamin in its active form is a hormone that travels through the bloodstream and triggers a mineral making response for bone growth and maintenance throughout the body. Vitamin D in the muscle cells also encourages growth during adolescence and maintaining strength in adults. It also plays an important role in defending against infectious diseases by triggering a fighting response from your immune system. As if that wasn’t enough importance to bring to light, vitamin D is also thought to protect against heart disease, type 2 diabetes, inflammation, brain disorders, muscular degeneration, hypertension, and some cancers. Deficiency symptoms- Many people don’t get enough vitamin D but aren’t considered deficient. Deficiency in this vitamin have symptoms such as; Rickets, a bone growth impairments and skeletal abnormalities. Osteomalacia, a painful bone softening disease. Weak muscles and bones in darker complexioned people living in northern regions and increased likelihood of fracturing when falling in the elderly. Toxicity symptoms- Having too much vitamin D can raise your blood calcium, which can form stones in soft tissue, usually the kidneys. It can also harden in the blood vessels and can be deadly in the major arteries of the brain, heart, and lungs. Significant food sources- Assuming you get enough time outside in the sun, you will be provided with enough vitamin D, but the best food source to find it in is in fortified milk.

Vitamin E Main function in the body- Vitamin E have unique antioxidant and anti-inflammatory roles that better protect you against serious diseases like cancer, osteoporosis, diabetes, heart disease, and neurological disorders.

Deficiency symptoms- It is uncommon to be vitamin E deficient but in the event that you become deficient, the symptoms would be red blood cells breaking and spilling their contents as the polyunsaturated fatty acids in their membranes become oxidized (erythrocyte hemolysis) and is seen in premature infants that were birthed before the transfer from mother to child of vitamin E occurs. When deficient for a really long time, the affects are much more drastic and include genetic disorders and neuromuscular dysfunction. Toxicity symptoms- The liver does a good job of regulating vitamin E concentrations, but extremely high doses can lead to hemorrhaging. Significant food sources- The best sources of vitamin E are from vegetable oils and products derived from them like margarine and salad dressings. Vitamin K Main function in the body- The main function of vitamin K is blood clotting which can be a huge factor in life or death. It also aids in bone building and may be associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, some cancers, and all-cause mortality. Deficiency symptoms- A deficiency in vitamin K can lead to excessive bleeding when injured which can be fatal. Toxicity symptoms- Toxicity isn’t common and no adverse effects were ever recorded from taking high doses. Significant food sources- Most green vegetables are high in vitamin K as well as vegetable oils like soybean oil and canola oil. 2.

What is a vitamin precursor, please provide an example? Humans are able to produce some vitamins from precursors we consume for instance, vitamin A can be synthesized by the consumption of beta-carotene and vitamin B3 is also synthesized using the consumed tryptophan.

3.

How is vitamin D unique among the fat soluble vitamins? Vitamin D is very different from the other fat-soluble vitamins because it is able to synthesize in the body with the help of sunlight instead of certain aspects of the foods we eat.

4.

What fat soluble vitamins act as antioxidants? Define antioxidant. Bother vitamin A and vitamin E act as antioxidants in the body. An antioxidant inhibits oxidation which basically means it counteracts the deterioration of stored foods. The vitamins, A(betacarotene) and E, that act like antioxidants help remove oxidizing agents within us that are potentially damaging.

5.

How is vitamin K unique from the other fat soluble vitamins? Vitamin K is unique because it gives blood the ability to clot to prevent bleeding out. When the muscle tissue and blood becomes exposed to the outside world, any person with a healthy intake of vitamin K (most people) will notice, assuming the exposed area isn’t insanely large, that the blood with congeal and form a gross scab to protect your insides. This helps keep a barrier between the outside world filled with germs and toxins and the fragile inside of our bodies as well as keeping us from bleeding out and dying....