Vitamins &

MineralsCree Vickers & Jennifer WayGeorgia Southern Dietetic

Interns

What is a Vitamin?○ Organic substances made by

plants and animals

○ Helps the body perform specific functions such as growth and development and maintaining overall health

Types of Vitamins○ Fat-Soluble

○ vitamins that are dissolvable in dietary fat

○ Water-Soluble○ vitamins that are dissolvable in

water prior to absorption

Fat-Soluble

○Vitamin A○Vitamin D○Vitamin E○Vitamin K

Vitamin

Function Sources Deficiencies

SkinVision

Yellow, orange fruits

Dark leafy greensCantaloupes, liver, carrots, fortified

skim milk, apricots, sweet

potatoes

Night blindness, corneal damage, and/or dry, scaly

skin

Function Sources Deficiencies

Important for calcium and phosphorus metabolism

sunlight, egg yolk, fortified milk, mushrooms, salmon, tuna

Rickets in childrenOsteomalacia in

adults

Vitamin

Function Sources Deficiencies

Antioxidant Whole GrainsGreen Vegetables

AlmondsVegetable oils

Hemolytic Anemia

Vitamin

Function Sources Deficiencies

Helps in blood clotting and

calcium metabolism

Green leafy vegetables

SpinachKale

CabbageBroccoli

Hemorrhages

Vitamin

Water Soluble○ B12○ Folic Acid○ Vitamin C

○ B6○ Pantothenic Acid○ Biotin○ Thiamin○ Riboflavin○ Niacin

Vitamin

Function Sources Deficiencies

Helps in the formation of red

blood cells Helps DNA regulation

Liver and Kidney MeatMilk

Cheese Eggs Fish

Macrocytic Megaloblastic

Anemia Pernicious Anemia

Function Sources Deficiencies

DNA synthesisForms RBC in bone marrow

Prevents neural tube defects

Fortified dried cereal

Liver and Kidney Green leafy vegetables

Citrus fruits Lentils and beans

Macrocytic Megaloblastic

Anemia Diarrhea Fatigue

Neural tube defects in infants

Function Sources Deficiencies

Collagen formation

Wound healing Aids in non-heme iron absorption

Promotes healthy immune system

Citrus fruits Potatoes Papaya

Dark green/yellow vegetables

Scurvy Poor wound

healing Bleeding in gums

Petechiae

Vitamin

http://youtube.com/v/audgTg1vyl0

What is a Mineral?

○ Inorganic elements that come from the earth such as soil and water that come from the plants.

○ Animals and humans absorb minerals from the plants they eat

○ Helps the body perform specific functions such as growth and development and maintaining overall health

Types of Minerals○ Macrominerals

○ minerals that our bodies needs in higher amounts

○ Trace Minerals○ minerals that our bodies needs in

smaller amounts

Macrominerals○ Calcium○ Magnesium○ Potassium○ Phosphorus

○ Chloride○ Sulfur ○ Sodium

Calcium

Function Sources Deficiencies

Blood clotting, cardiac function,

nerve transmission,

smooth muscle contractility

Dairy productsLeafy vegetables

Legumes

Hypocalcemia leads to tenany

Magnesium Function Sources Deficiencies

Helps in protein and fatty acid

synthesis

Most food items, especially bread

and milk

Tremors (rare)

Potassium Function Sources Deficiencies

Muscle contraction

Regulates fluid and mineral

balance Maintain normal blood pressure

Fruits and vegetablesBananasOrangesPapaya

PotatoesTomatoes

BeansCarrots

Hypokalaemia

Phosphorus

Function Sources Deficiencies

Transport of fat through blood

stream, bones, and teeth

MeatsMilk

PoultryEggsFish

CheeseBeans, lentils, nuts

Rare

○ Iodine○ Fluoride○ Selenium○ Manganes

e○ Chromium○ Cobalt○ Choline

Trace Minerals○ Zinc○ Iron○ Copper

Zinc Function Sources Deficiencies

Increases taste acuity

Enhance insulin action

MeatsLiverEggsFish

Reduced immune function

Poor wound healing Alopecia

Hypogeusia

Iron Function Sources Deficiencies

Carries oxygen to various parts of

the body

Heme iron: animals foods,

meats, fish, poultry

Non-heme: cereals, vegetables

Fatigue, anemia, spoon-shaped nails

Copper

Function Sources Deficiencies

Hemoglobin synthesis and aids in iron absorption

LiverKidney

Shellfish

Microcytic Anemia (rare)

Neutropenia Wilson’s Disease

http://youtube.com/v/v9wBF60-Wj8

Supplements● If an individual maintains a healthy balanced diet,

supplements are not necessary● Supplements can be used if:

○ an individual has a certain illness that inhibits absorption of certain vitamins and minerals or

○ an individual is not consuming enough of a certain food group

● The use of supplements should always be followed by a doctor’s recommendations

Multivitamins ● Multivitamins

○ though a multivitamin is not necessarily necessary, it will not harm you but a doctor’s recommendation should always be followed

○ extremely beneficial for pregnant women

● Even if you use supplements or multivitamins, you should still follow a healthy balanced diet to receive proper nutrition

Summary ● Vitamin: organic substances made by plants and

animals that helps the body perform specific functions ○ Water Soluble: B vitamins, folic acid, vitamin C ○ Fat Soluble: Vitamins A,D,E,K

● Mineral: inorganic elements that come from the earth that helps the body perform specific functions○ Macrominerals: calcium, magnesium,

potassium, phosphorus ○ Trace minerals: zinc, copper iron

● Even if you use supplements or multivitamins, you should still follow a healthy balanced diet to receive proper nutrition

Questions?

Referenceshttp://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/vitamins/http://www.eatright.org/resource/food/vitamins-and-supplements/types-of-vitamins-and-nutrients/potassiumInman’s Review of Dietetics (2013)