THE WATER-SOLUBLE

VITAMINS:
Overview of Water-Soluble Vitamins

Dissolve in water

Generally readily excreted

Subject to cooking losses

Function as a coenzyme

Participate in energy metabolism

50-90% of B vitamins are absorbed

Marginal deficiency more common

B Complex Vitamins

Co-enzymes (activate enzymes)

Found in the foods

Single deficiency rare

Act together in metabolism

Metabolic pathways used by protein, carbohydrate, and fat

B Complex Digestion

Broken down from coenzyme form into free vitamins in

the stomach and small intestine

Absorbed, primarily in the small intestine (50%-90%)

Once inside cells, coenzyme forms are resynthesized

No need to ingest coenzyme forms; we can make them

 Water soluble vitamins

Vitamin B Complex is group of Vitamins.

It contains

a) Thiamine B1 e) Cyanocobalamin B12

b) Riboflavin B2 f) Folic acid

c) Niacin - B3 g) Pantothenic acid

d) Pyridoxine B6 h) Biotin
B Complex Primary Functions

Energy metabolism
Thiamin (B-1), Riboflavin (B-2), Niacin (B-3), Pyridoxine (B-6),
Biotin, Pantothenic Acid

Red blood cell synthesis

Folate, B12

Homocysteine metabolism
Folate, B12, B6
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

Polish biochemist Casimir Funk in 1911 obtained vitamin

B1 as a crystalline substance from rice polishings. He

called it 'vitalamine' because it was vital and contained
nitrogen as an amine.

Some food factors active in minute amounts, and

discovered since then, are not amines; yet the term
vitamin is used to describe them.
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
Thiamin is involved in energy metabolism as part of the

coenzyme thiamin pyrophosphate (TPP).

Thiamin Recommendations (1998 RDA)

RDA Men: 1.2 mg/day

RDA Women: 1.1 mg/day

 Thiamin : vitamin form

Pyrimidine ring Thiazole ring

Thiamin pyrophosphate: coenzyme form

Biochemical Functions of B1

Oxidative Decarboxyation Reactions

Pyruvate Dehydrogenase

Pyr+CoA+NAD --> AcCoA+CO2 +NADH

a-keto-glutarate dehydrogenase

aKG+CoA+NAD-->SuccCoA + CO2+NADH

important in CHO/energy metabolism

Biochemical Functions of B1

Transketolation

HMP pathway

Peripheral Nerve Function

TPP

non-cofactor function
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)
Thiamin Deficiency
Deficiency Symptoms
Enlarged heart and possible cardiac failure
Muscular weakness
Apathy, poor short-term memory, confusion,
and irritability
Anorexia and weight loss
Deficiency of Thiamin
Occurs where polished rice is the only staple diet
Beriberi (I cant I cant)
Weakness, nerve degeneration, irritability, poor arm/leg

coordination, loss of nerve transmission

Edema, enlarged heart, heart failure

Symptoms due to poor metabolism of glucose

Depression and weakness can be seen after only 10 days on a

thiamin-free diet
 Wet Beri Beri
symptoms similar to congestive
heart failure
Pitting edema - trunk, limbs, face
labored breathing, tachycardia
rapid deterioration
fatal cirulatory collapse
responds rapidly to B-1
supplements
 Dry Beri-Beri

no edema
progressive wasting
numbing and
weakening of
extremities
chronic infections
Assessment of Thiamin Status

Urinary thiamin excretion

Blood or serum thiamin concentration

erythrocyte transketolase activity

Thiamin (Vitamin B1)

Other Information

Steaming and microwaving are cooking methods that conserve

thiamin.

Thiamin leaches into water with boiling or blanching.

The vitamin is easily destroyed by heat.

 Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Riboflavin is involved in energy metabolism.

Flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine

dinucleotide (FAD) are the coenzyme forms.
Riboflavin Recommendations (1998 RDA)
RDA Men: 1.3 mg/day
RDA Women: 1.1 mg/day
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)

Riboflavin Deficiency and Toxicity

Deficiency Symptoms

Inflamed eyelids, sensitivity to light, and reddening of the cornea

Sore throat and cracks and redness at the corners of the mouth

Painful, smooth and purplish red tongue

Skin lesions covered with greasy scales

Deficiency disease is ariboflavinosis

No reported toxicities
 Deficiency of Riboflavin

Ariboflavinosis

Glossitis, cheilosis, seborrheic dermatitis, stomatitis, eye disorder,

throat disorder, nervous system disorder

Occurs within 2 months

Usually in combination with other deficiencies

DEFICIENCY DISORDERS OF RIBOFLAVIN
Ariboflavinosis
Food Sources of Riboflavin
Milk/products
Enriched grains
Ready to eat cereals
Liver
Oyster
Brewers yeast
Vegetables (asparagus, broccoli, greens)
Sensitive to uv radiation (sunlight)
Stored in paper, opaque plastic containers
Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)
Other information

Easily destroyed by ultraviolet light and

irradiation
Not destroyed by cooking
 Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Niacin is involved in the metabolism of glucose,
fat, and alcohol. I.E. Energy Reaction
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), and
NADP, the phosphate form of NAD, are the
coenzyme forms.
Niacin Recommendations (1998 RDA)

RDA Men: 16 NE/day

RDA Women: 14 NE/day
Upper level of 35 mg/day for adults
Cofactor Forms of Niacin

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide

NAD

nicotinamide-ribose-PP-ribose-adenine

Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Phosphate

NADP

nicotinamide-ribose-PP-(ribose-P)-adenine
 Nicotinic Acid (Plant form)

Nicotinamide (animal form)

(reduced form)
 nicotinamide

adenine

If Phosphate here ->

NADP
Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide
Biochemical Functions of B-3
Oxidation-Reduction Reactions
(NAD/NADH
Dehydrogenases

Electron Transport System

Involved in energy production

Biochemical Functions of B-3

Synthetic Pathways (NADPH)

FA synthesis

Cholesterol synthesis

NEAA synthesis

Purine & Pyrimidine synthesis

Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Niacin Deficiency
A deficiency of niacin results in the disease
pellagra.
Deficiency Symptoms
Diarrhea, abdominal pain, and vomiting
Inflamed, swollen, smooth and bright red tongue
Depression, apathy, fatigue, loss of memory, and
headache
Rash when exposed to sunlight
 Deficiency of Niacin: Pellagra
3 Ds

Dermatitis
scaly dermatitis, sun exposed

Dementia
confused, disoriented

Diarrhea
irritation/inflammation of mucous membranes

Occurs in 50-60 days

Poor appetite, weight loss, weakness

Pellagra
Food Sources of Niacin
Enriched grains, ready to eat cereals
Beef, chicken, turkey, fish
Asparagus, peanuts
Heat stable; little cooking loss
60mg tryptophan can be converted into 1 mg
niacin; meets 50% of our needs
Niacin in corn is bound by a protein
Soaking corn in alkaline solution, like lime water
releases niacin
Assessment of B-3 Status

Urinary excretion of niacin metabolites

N-methyl nicotinamide
2-pyridone
 RDA for Niacin

Niacin Equivalents (NE)

1 NE = 1 mg B-3 = 60 mg TRY

Males Female
19-30 yrs 19-30 yrs
RDA (NE/d) 16 14
EAR (NE/d) 12 11
UL (NE/d) 35 35
NHANES III 25 20
Median intake
Niacin (Vitamin B3)
Other Information
Also called nicotinic acid, nicotinamide, and niacinamide
The amino acid tryptophan is the precursor. (60mg = 1mg niacin)
The vitamin can be lost from foods when is leaches into water.
Resistant to heat