Answers
Describe how B vitamins assist with energy metabolism. help breakdown of carbs, fat,
and protein for energy
Justify the statement: "It is better to get vitamins from food than from supplements."
Supplements have no caloric value, therefore do not provide us with the energy that food
does. Also it is easier to get toxic levels from supplements.
Identify valid reasons that some individuals require vitamin supplements. Their diet does
not provide the vitamin (ex. B12 can only be found in animal products so vegans need
supplement) or their body lacks the necessary compound to absorb the vitamin (ex. B12
deficiency can be caused by lacking intrinsic factor the compound needed for absorption so these
people take different supplements that allow b12 to be absorbed ), pregnancy
Describe the definition, function, and food sources of antioxidant vitamins. Help to
prevent free radicals. Available in vitamins A, C, and E.
,Vitamins Essential, noncaloric nutrients that are needed in tiny amounts in the diet and
help drive cellular processes.
Precursors, provitamins The process by which immature cells are stimulated to mature
and gain the ability to perform functions characteristic of their cell type.
Beta-carotene An orange pigment with antioxidant activity; a vitamin A precursor made
by plants and stored in human fat tissue.
Night blindness Slow recovery of vision after exposure to flashes of bright light at night;
an early symptom of vitamin A deficiency.
Macular degeneration A common, progressive loss of function of the part of the retina that
is most crucial to focused vision. This degeneration often leads to blindness.
Keratinization Accumulation of keratin in a tissue; a sign of vitamin A deficiency.
Xerophthalmia Progressive hardening of the cornea of the eye in advanced vitamin A
deficiency that can lead to blindness (xero means "dry; opthalm means "eye").
,Rickets: Vitamin D deficiency in kids; characterized by abnormal growth of bone and
manifested in bowed legs or knock-knees, outward-bowed chest, and knobs on the ribs.
Osteomalacia Vitamin D deficiency in adults; characterized by an overabundance of
unmineralized bone protein. Symptoms include bending of the spine and bowing of the legs.
Osteoporosis A reduction of the bone mass of older persons in which the bones become
porous and fragile (osteo means "bones"; poros means "porous"); also known as adult bone loss.
Free radicals Atoms or molecules with one or more unpaired electrons that make the atom
or molecule unstable and highly reactive.
Pro-oxidant A compound that triggers reactions involving oxygen.
Scurvy The vitamin C-deficiency disease.
Coenzyme A small molecules that works with an enzyme to promote the enzyme's
activity. Many coenzymes have B vitamins as part of their structure (co means "with").
, Beriberi The thiamin-deficiency disease; characterized by loss of sensation in the hands
and feet, muscular weakness, advancing paralysis, and abnormal heart action.
Pellagra A niacin-deficiency disease (pellis means "skin"; agra means "rough").
Symptoms include the "4 D's": diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and, ultimately, death.
Neural tube defects A group of nervous system abnormalities caused by interruption of the
normal early development of the neural tube.
Intrinsic factor A factor found inside a system. The intrinsic factor necessary to prevent
pernicious anemia is now known to be a compound that helps in the absorption of vitamin B12.
Pernicious anemia A vitamin B12-deficiency disease, caused by lack of intrinsic factor
and characterized by large, immature red blood cells and damage to the nervous system
(pernicious means "highly injurious or destructive").
A person who is fasting will have a ______ Basal Metabolic Rate compared to normal.
lower