Vitamins.

Nota:

• vitamins are synthetically prepaired and are reffered to as micronutrients.

1. vitamins are organic compounds which occur naturally in many foods.
2. vitamins are essential in the diet as most vitamins cannot be synthesised in the body.
3. Each vitamin has its own specific function.
   1. Deficiency can occur if the diet is lacking in a particular vitamin.
      1. Scurvey can develop due to a deficiency in vitamin c
         1. Fat soluble Vitamis
            1. found in foods from animal sources vitamin A/retanol
            2. Beta-carotene/pro-vitamin A found in plant foods
   2. Classification of Vitamins.
      1. Water Soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body so they must be included reguarly in the diet
         1. water soluble vitamins are B,C
      2. Fat soluble vitamins can be stored in the body for several months
         1. Fat soluble vitamins A,D,E,K
            1. HYPERVITAMINOSIS
               1. Occurs if a diet consists of too much vitamin A or D
                  1. The excess accmulates in teh liver causeing hypervitaminosis
                     1. it is a very rare condition and can occure due to the over use of dietary supplements e.g cod liver oil.
                        1. sytmptoms of hypervitaminosis A include pain in the bones, enlaged liver ,hair loss and even death.
                           1. Hypervitaminosis D causes vomiting, weight loss kidney damage and also death.