In my previous article, I explained what vitamins are, Importance of vitamin and the categories under which each vitamin falls. I also explained the fat-soluble vitamins -and their importance and common deficiencies. Today we're going to be looking at the water-soluble vitamins, their food source, and their deficiencies. Before we move to that let's see some differences between fat-soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins in terms of solubility, risk of deficiencies, toxicity, and what happened when they are consumed in excess.
solubility: water-soluble vitamins are dissolvable in water and when they are consumed in excess they're easily excreted out of the body through the urine, while the fat-soluble vitamins are dissolvable in fat and are stored in the liver when consumed in excess.
Risk of deficiency: The water-soluble vitamins have a higher risk of deficiencies i.e they have the tendency to cause deficiency when they're in shortage. Since this vitamin is not in ways stored in the body doesn't have anything to rely on, thus it's easy to develop a deficiency of the water-soluble vitamins while the fat-soluble vitamins have little risk of deficiency since the body can store excess, thus the body does have extra in case of shortage. That's why we need to consume more water-soluble vitamins on daily basis to avoid deficiency.
Risk of toxicity: Water-soluble vitamins have a lower risk of toxicity because excess is not stored they just flush out any excess and do not accumulate to cause any harm to the body. While excess fat-soluble vitamins have a higher risk of toxicity since they are stored in the body and can easily build up to a toxic level in our system.
Examples of water-soluble vitamins include Vitamin B complex ( B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12, and vitamin C. while Examples of fat-soluble vitamins include Vitamin A, D, E, and K.
Getting the fact about the water-soluble vitamins help us to understand how very important they are -as much as the fat-soluble vitamins, the role they play the cell metabolism, and their functions as coenzymes.
WATER-SOLUBLE VITAMINS: Research shows that water-soluble vitamins are carried to the body tissues and not stored, the body uses what it needs and toss out the excess they rarely accumulate to toxic level thus they are prone to deficiency. There are about nine(9) of this vitamin. This vitamin can exist together in similar food sources, however, that can likewise be observed independently in other entire food sources. Water-soluble vitamins must be consumed more on a daily basis, they form coenzymes (the active forms of the vitamin) that help enzymes to participate the various biochemical reaction. Generally, vitamins do not provide energy to the body but they act as coenzymes-they bind with enzymes and assist enzymes with the release of energy, without coenzymes, enzymes cannot function.
A coenzyme activated vitamin) is an organic molecule that binds with the active site of an enzyme before binding with the substrate in a biochemical reaction.
VITAMIN B1: Vitamin B1 is also referred to as thiamine, the activated form i.e its coenzyme is called thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP). This vitamin is required for energy metabolism it helps in the conversation of pyruvic acid to acetyl-CoA (in carbohydrates metabolism and production of energy), this energy is supplied to the heart, nervous system, and generally to the body. Also, help in normal cell growth and functioning. Shortage of this vitamin leads to heart diseases, inflammation of the nerve, muscle paralysis, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), indigestion, constipation, and Beri-Beri. We have two(2) forms of Beri-Beri.
- Wet Beri-Beri affects the cardiovascular system, symptoms of wet Beri-Beri include edema, etc
- Dry Beri-Beri affects the nervous system, symptoms of dry Beri-Beri include emaciation, ophthalmoplegia, Aphonia, etc.
Vitamin B1 can be food in Brown rice, yeast, liver, groundnut, cereals, meat, and beans.
Vitamin B2: Also referred to as Riboflavin, the activated form is Flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD). This vitamin functions in energy metabolism, healthy skin, good vision, red blood cell production, and repair of tissues, important for body growth. Food sources include meat, yogurt, Milk, fortified foods, green vegetables, and cheese. etc Deficiency of this vitamin include inflammation of membranes, cracking of the skin around the corners of the mouth(cheilosis)nose, eyes, glossitis, and dermatitis.
Vitamin B3: Vitamin B3 also referred to as Niacin, has two chemical structures Nicotinic acid and Niacinamide. The two coenzymes- Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) and Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate(NADP) function in metabolic reactions. Vitamin B3 helps in the repair of DNA and also in the production of steroid hormones. Also important in proper body functioning such as the nervous system digestive system, skin cells,s, etc.
Food includes cereals, milk, meat eggs, fish, green vegetables, fruit, broccoli, etc. Shortage of these vitamins in the body leads to heart diseases, anemia, pellagra, and symptoms of 4Ds(including Dermatitis, Dementia Diarrhoea, and eventually Death)
Vitamin B5: Vitamin B5 is also referred to as Pantothenic acid, the activated form of this vitamin is a coenzyme, the coenzymes synthesis acetyl-CoA which help to convert carbohydrates, protein, and fat to energy during metabolism, important in maintaining healthy skin, formation of the blood cells and biosynthesis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Pantothenic acid is widely found in animal products such as milk, eggs, meat, and plant products such as avocado, cereals, nuts, etc. Deficiency of pantothenic acid includes inflammation of the skin, and disorder of the nervous system and gut. Deficiency is very rare since they are found in almost every food.
Vitamin B6: there are three (3) forms of vitamin BY pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxal. The active form of pyridoxine is pyridoxine phosphate(PLP), a coenzyme in amino acid metabolism. Important for the brain, nerves, and skin development, also important for the production of red blood cells and insulin and synthesis of antibodies in support of the immune system. We originally said that water-soluble vitamins are not stored in our body but these vitamins are stored in the muscles tissues. Pyridoxine is found in certain food such as bananas, oat, fish, peanut, pork, egg, yeast, and cereals. Deficiency of pyridoxine includes Anaemia, Diarrhoea, neurological problems ( eg Depression, mental confusion, etc), inflammation of the skin, and seizures. cheilosis and paresthesia.
Vitamin B7 or Vitamin H: is referred to as Biotin. Biotin is important in the metabolism pathway since it synthesizes a coenzyme that helps to convert pyruvate to oxaloacetate, also help in breaking down amino acids and fatty acids, and in the process of gluconeogenesis(glucose synthesis) and fatty acid synthesis. Important for healthy skin, and also needed to convert tryptophan to niacin. Vitamin H is found in food sources like bananas, eggs, milk, cereals, nuts, etc.
The deficiency of vitamin H causes loss of hair, dermatitis, enteritis, and red rashes on the face.
Vitamin B9 or Vitamin M: known as folacin or folic acid, synthesis coenzyme tetrahydrofolate (THF), its function is to activate vitamin B12, synthesize DNA, synthesize the production of red blood cells, promote healthy cell division, regenerate methionine from homocysteine and in development of the brain and spinal cord in pregnancy. Deficiency of folate increases the risk of neural tube birth defect, Anaemia, and hyperhomocysteinemia.
Foods containing folic acid include green leafy vegetables, beans, fortified cereal, fruit, peanut, and liver.
Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is also referred to as Cyanocobalamin, it is important for the normal functioning of the nervous system (i.e it helps to maintain the myelin sheath), important in the conversion of homocysteine to methionine, also important for normal cell division, formation of red blood cells and in the synthesis of DNA and importance of red blood cells formation. The functioning structure of vitamin B12 is methylcobalamin. Deficiency of vitamin B12 symptoms include Nerve damage, pernicious anemia, Alzheimer's disease, hearing loss, and canker sores.
Food sources of Vitamin B12 include meat, cheese, egg, and milk. etc.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is referred to as ascorbic acid, required for healthy connective tissues, bones, and dentine; may help to resist infection. Vitamin C is important in collagen formation. An important antioxidant crucial for proper body functioning and for the immune system is also important for wound healing. Food sources include Fresh citrus fruit, pawpaw, guava, fresh leafy green vegetables, and strawberry. Deficiency symptoms include scurvy (swelling of joints and gums, loosening of teeth, hemorrhage of the skin and membranes).
Vitamin B is very important in the synthesis of coenzyme, this coenzyme helps in biochemical reactions such as the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and protein, also assists in building red blood cells, and protects the nervous system. Ascorbic acid helps in healing wounds and improves the immune system. Vitamins are essential for the proper functioning of the body.
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