Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

● Digestion
○ In plant foods, thiamine is in a free nonphosphorylated form
○ In animal products, it is phosphorylated
○ Intestinal phosphatase hydrolyzes the phosphates
● Absorption​:
○ occurs in the jejunum and ileum
○ both active and passive (high intake)
○ ThTr2 and ThTr1 are transporters- exchange Thiamin for H+
● Transport
○ blood through enterocyte with the help of ThTr1, facilitated diffusion
● Metabolism
○ Mostly metabolized in liver, but also in brain, muscle & kidneys
● Functions
○ Plays roles as coenzyme and noncoenzyme
○ Involved in branched-chain amino acid metabolism- maple syrup disease
○ TPP is require to convert pyruvate to acetyl CoA
● Interactions
○ Alcohol block transporters of thiamin
○ Blueberries, betel nuts, tea, and coffee inhibit absorption
● RDA
○ Male: 1.2 mg
○ Female: 1.1 mg
● Toxicity
○ Rare that a toxicity will occur (100 x RDA)
■ May have high amount in IV or IM
● Assessment
○ Measure the activity of transketolase in red blood cells
● Sources
○ Lean pork, pecans, lentils, peas
Structures:
Krebs Cycle

Vitamin B2 Riboflavin
● Digestion
○ Riboflavin in food must be “freed” before absorption, hydrochloric acid
breaks apart molecules
● Absorption
○ Occurs in the jejunum
○ In the enterocyte, riboflavin is phosphorylated into flavokinase and FAD
then distributed throughout the body
● Metabolism
○ Synthesized by hormones: ACTH, aldosterone, and thyroid hormones
● Transport
○ Transported to liver for conversion to FMN and FAD by flavokinase and
FAD synthase
● Functions
○ Act a coenzymes for many oxidative enzyme systems
 ○ Role in the electron transport chain
○ Aid in vitamin B6 metabolism
● Interactions
○ Negatively interacts with alcohol
● RDA
○ Men: 1.3 mg
○ Women: 1.1 mg
● Toxicity
○ No known toxicity
● Assessment
○ Measure activity of erythrocyte glutathione reductase
○ Measure urinary excretion rate
● Sources
○ Milk (dairy), eggs, liver, legumes
Structures:
FMN FAD

Riboflavin
Vitamin B3
● Digestion
○ Digestion is required of NAD and NADP
■ NADP is broken down by the enzyme pyrophosphatase
■ NAD is broken down by the enzyme glycohydrolase
● Absorption
○ Occurs in the jejunum and duodenum
● Metabolism
○ Tryptophan is converted into niacin with the help of cofactors
○ Excess niacin and tryptophan is converted back to NAD in the liver, then
stored in small amounts
● Transport
○ Transported through blood (plasma)
● Functions
○ Over 400 enzymes require niacin coenzyme
○ Help with redox reactions
● Interactions
○ Statins- rhabdomyolysis
○ Sulfinpyrazone- reduce uric acid clearance
○ Oral contraceptives- increase conversion from tryptophan
● RDA
○ Males: 16mg/day
○ Females: 14mg/day
● Toxicity
○ +35mg
● Assessment
○ Measure the output level in urine, excretion of niacin metabolites
○ Erythrocyte NAD concentrations
○ Erythrocyte NAD to NADP ratio
● Sources
○ Beef liver, tuna, salmon, peanut butter
Structures:
Pathways:
Redox pathway

Biosynthesis Pathway
Vitamin C
● Digestion
○ Not required
● Absorption
○ Occurs in ileum through facilitated diffusion
● Transport
○ Transported freely in the blood
● Metabolism
○ Metabolized through oxidation, hydrolysis and decarboxylation reaction
● Functions
○ Collagen synthesis
○ Aids in carnitine formation
○ Production of neurotransmitters
○ Serves as water-soluble antioxidant
● Interactions
○ Iron, positive interaction
○ Negatively interacts with chemo medicine
○ Dehydroascorbic acids (oxidative form) compete with glucose
● RDA
○ Males: 90mg
○ Females: 75mg
● Assessment
○ Measure WBC, needs to be .08 mg/dL=deficiency
○ Can do physical assessment
● Toxicity
○ Intake above UL of 2000 mg (2g)
● Sources
○ Oranges, lemons, papaya, strawberries, bell pepper
● Main points from Vitamin C review paper
○ Vitamin C deficiency can be overlooked due to similar symptoms to other
diseases/illnesses
○ Vitamin C plays a large role in collagen synthesis, patient was losing blood
in the bones
○ The patient's hemoglobin molecules were too small and could not carry
the iron it needed to
Biosynthesis of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Collagen Synthesis