Vitamin B: Sources, types, functions and Signs of deficiency.

Vitamin B is found in a variety of foods such as meat, wholegrains, and fruits. The B-group vitamins do not provide the body with fuel for energy, even though supplement advertisements often claim they do. It is true though that without B-group vitamins the body lacks energy. The body uses energy-yielding nutrients such as carbohydrates, fat and protein for fuel. The B-group vitamins help the body to use that fuel. Other B-group vitamins play necessary roles such as helping cells to multiply by making new DNA.

Vitamin B in food

Even though the B-group vitamins are found in many foods, they are water soluble and delicate. They are easily destroyed, particularly by alcohol and cooking. Food processing can also reduce the amount of B-group vitamins in foods, making white flours, breads and rice less nutritious than their wholegrain counterparts.

The body has a limited capacity to store most of the B-group vitamins (except B12 and folate, which are stored in the liver). A person who has a poor diet for a few months may end up with B-group vitamins deficiency. For this reason, it is important that adequate amounts of these vitamins be eaten regularly as part of a well-balanced, nutritious diet.

Vitamin B supplements

Taking B-group vitamin supplements can sometimes mask deficiencies of other vitamins. It is also important not to self-diagnose a vitamin deficiency because some vitamins can be toxic if taken incorrectly. See your doctor or dietitian for advice.

Types of vitamin B
There are eight types of vitamin B:
thiamin (B1)
riboflavin
niacin
pantothenic acid
biotin
vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
folate (called folic acid when included in supplements)
vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin).

Thiamin (B1)

Thiamin is also known as vitamin B1 and helps to convert glucose into energy and has a role in nerve function.
Good sources of thiamin – include wholemeal cereal grains, seeds (especially sesame seeds), legumes, wheatgerm, nuts, yeast and pork. In Australia, it is mandatory that white and wholemeal flour used for bread is fortified with thiamin.
Thiamin deficiency – is generally found in countries where the dietary staple is white rice. Deficiencies in the Western world are generally caused by excessive alcohol intake and/or a very poor diet. Symptoms include confusion, irritability, poor arm or leg (or both) coordination, lethargy, fatigue and muscle weakness.
‘Wet’ and ‘dry’ beriberi – this is caused by thiamin deficiency and affects the cardiovascular, muscular, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. As well as the above symptoms, a person with ‘dry’ beriberi suffers from a damaged nervous system due to the thiamin deficiency and may have nerve degeneration, nervous tingling throughout the body, poor arm and leg coordination, and deep pain in the calf muscles. Symptoms of ‘wet’ beriberi relate to the cardiovascular system and include an enlarged heart, heart failure and severe oedema (swelling).
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (also called ‘wet brain’) – this is a thiamin-deficiency disease linked to alcohol excess and a thiamin-deficient diet. Alcohol reduces thiamin absorption in the gut and increases its excretion from the kidneys. Symptoms of the disease include involuntary movement of the eyeball, paralysis of the eye muscle, staggering and mental confusion.

Riboflavin (B2)

Riboflavin is primarily involved in energy production and helps vision and skin health.

Good sources of riboflavin – include milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, wholegrain breads and cereals, egg white, leafy green vegetables, meat, yeast, liver and kidney.
Riboflavin deficiency (ariboflavinosis) – is rare and is usually seen along with other B-group vitamin deficiencies. People at risk include those who consume excessive amounts of alcohol and those who do not consume milk or milk products. Symptoms include an inflamed tongue (painful, smooth, purple-red tongue), cracks and redness in the tongue and corners of the mouth, anxiety, inflamed eyelids and sensitivity to light, hair loss, reddening of the cornea and skin rash.

Niacin (B3)

Niacin is essential for the body to convert carbohydrates, fat and alcohol into energy. It helps maintain skin health and supports the nervous and digestive systems. Unlike other B-group vitamins, niacin is very heat stable and little is lost in cooking.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) :Health Benefits, Side effects and Sources

Vitamin C, also called L-ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin that are naturally found in fresh fruits and vegetables, Good sources include citrus, red and green peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, and greens. Some juices and cereals have added vitamin C and Some animals can make their own vitamin C.
Vitamin C is required for the biosynthesis of collagen, L-carnitine, and certain neurotransmitters; vitamin C is also involved in protein metabolism Vitamin C is also an important physiological antioxidant and has been shown to regenerate other antioxidants within the body, including alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E). Ongoing research is examining whether vitamin C, by limiting the damaging effects of free radicals through its antioxidant activity, might help prevent or delay the development of certain cancers, cardiovascular disease, and other diseases in which oxidative stress plays a causal role. In addition to its biosynthetic and antioxidant functions, vitamin C plays an important role in immune function  and improves the absorption of nonheme iron, the form of iron present in plant-based foods. Insufficient vitamin C intake causes scurvy, which is characterized by fatigue or lassitude, widespread connective tissue weakness, and capillary fragility.

Oral vitamin C produces tissue and plasma concentrations that the body tightly controls. Approximately 70%–90% of vitamin C is absorbed at moderate intakes of 30–180 mg/day. However, at doses above 1 g/day, absorption falls to less than 50% and absorbed, unmetabolized ascorbic acid is excreted in the urine.

Health Benefits of Vitamin C

Vitamin C’s immuno-protective, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antibacterial roles are well-known. It works as the co-factor for a number of enzymes (including collagen synthesis) and as a water-soluble antioxidant. Researchers prize vitamin C because it benefits numerous conditions including cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.

These are several of the reasons you want an optimal dose of vitamin C. Vitamin C plays multiple roles to support and maintain health. Vitamin C is important for:

• keeping your skin, bones and connective tissue healthy
• helping wounds heal
• helping prevent infections
• helping you absorb iron from your food.

Side effects of over dose of vitamin c 

 The daily recommended dietary allowances (RDAs) are: 90 mg for men and 75 mg for women; Pregnancy and Lactation: age 18 or younger, 115 mg; ages 19 to 50 years 120 mg. People who use tobacco should take an additional 35 mg per day. Do not take more than the following amounts of vitamin C: 1800 mg per day for adolescents and pregnant and breast-feeding women 14 to 18 years, and 2000 mg per day for adults and pregnant and lactating women.
When taken at appropriate doses, oral vitamin C supplements are generally considered safe. Side effects tend to be dose-related. Oral vitamin C supplements can cause:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Heartburn
• Inflammation that might damage the esophagus (esophagitis)
• A blockage that keeps food or liquid from passing through your small intestine or large intestine (intestinal obstruction)
• Stomach cramps
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Sleepiness
• Diarrhea
• Insomnia
• Skin flushing

In some people, oral use of vitamin C can cause kidney stones. Long-term use of oral vitamin C supplements over 2,000 milligrams a day increases the risk of significant side effects.

Tell your doctor that you're taking vitamin C supplements before having any medical tests. High levels of vitamin C might interfere with the results of certain tests, such as stool tests for occult blood or glucose screening tests.

What are Carbohydrates? Classification, Structures and Functions.

What are Carbohydrates?

carbohydrate is a combination of the “hydrates of carbon”. They are also known as “Saccharides” which is a derivation of the Greek word “Sakcharon” meaning sugar. The definition of carbohydrates in chemistry is as follows:
“Optically active polyhydroxy aldehydes or polyhydroxy ketones or substances which give these on hydrolysis are termed as carbohydrates”.

"carbohydrates or glucids are polyhydroxylated aldehydes or ketones, their derivatives and polymers

It is a group of organic compounds occurring in living tissues and foods in the form of starch, cellulose, and sugars. The ratio of oxygen and hydrogen in carbohydrates is the same as in water i.e. 2:1. It typically breaks down in the animal body to release energy.

Most of carbohydrates are present with a cyclic structure in nature, as a consequence of internal linkages between the carbonyl carbon (of the aldehyde or ketone group) with one of the hydroxyl groups in the same molecule.

Carbohydrates Formula

The general formula for carbohydrates is Cx(H2O)y.

Chemically, carbohydrates are defined as optically active polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones or the compounds which produce units of such type on hydrolysis. Carbohydrates are also called saccharides which is a Greek word and it means sugar because almost all the carbohydrates have a sweet taste.

Sources of Carbohydrates

We know carbohydrates are an important part of any humans diet. Some common sources of carbohydrates are:

Potatoes
Maze
Milk
Popcorn
Bread

Classification of Carbohydrates

The different types of carbohydrates can be classified on the basis of their behavior on hydrolysis. They are mainly classified into three groups:

• Monosaccharides
• Disaccharides
• Polysaccharides    

Monosaccharides

Monosaccharide carbohydrates are those carbohydrates that cannot be hydrolyzed further to give simpler  thatis Monosaccharides are formed by a single molecule. It means that when hydrolyzed they can not release simpler molecules units of polyhydroxy aldehyde or ketone. If a monosaccharide contains an aldehyde group then it is called aldose and on the other hand, if it contains keto group then it is called as a ketose.  Examples of this group of carbohydrates are glucose, ribose and fructose, among others.

Proteins: Classifications Properties and Functions

Proteins are complex, organic compounds composed of many amino acids linked together through peptide bonds and cross-linked between chains by sulfhydryl bonds, hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces.Protein, highly complex substance that is present in all living organisms. There is a greater diversity of chemical composition in proteins than in any other group of biologically active compounds. The proteins in the various animal and plant cells confer on these tissues their biological specificity.Proteins are of great nutritional value and are directly involved in the chemical processes essential for life. 

Classification of proteins

Proteins can be classified as:

• Simple proteins. On hydrolysis they yield only the amino acids and occasional small carbohydrate compounds. Examples are: albumins, globulins, glutelins, albuminoids, histones and protamines.

1. Conjugated proteins. These are simple proteins combined with some non-protein material in the body. Examples are: nucleoproteins, glycoproteins, phosphoproteins, haemoglobins and lecithoproteins. Glycoproteins

They are proteins that covalently bind one or more carbohydrate units to the polypeptide backbone.
Typically, the branches consist of not more than 15-20 carbohydrate units, where you can find arabinose, fucose (6-deoxygalactose), galactose, glucose, mannose, N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc, or NAG), and N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac or NANA).
Examples of glycoproteins are:
glycophorin, the best known among erythrocyte membrane glycoproteins;

fibronectin
 They  anchors cells to the extracellular matrix through interactions on one side with collagen or other fibrous proteins, while on the other side with cell membranes;
all blood plasma proteins, except albumin;
immunoglobulins or antibodies.

Chromoproteins

They are proteins that contain colored  prosthetic groups. Typical examples are:
hemoglobin and myoglobin, which bind, respectively, one and four heme groups;
chlorophylls, which bind a porphyrin ring with a magnesium atom at its centre;
rhodopsins, which bind retinal.



Phosphoproteins
They are proteins that bind phosphoric acid to serine and threonine residues.
Generally, they have a structural function, such as tooth dentin, or reserve function, such as milk caseins (alpha, beta, gamma and delta), and egg yolk phosvitin.

All to know about Vitamin A

Vitamin A is the name of a group of fat-soluble retinoids, including retinol, retinal, and retinyl esters. it is involved in immune function, vision, reproduction, and cellular communication.  Vitamin A is critical for vision as an essential component of rhodopsin, a protein that absorbs light in the retinal receptors, and because it supports the normal differentiation and functioning of the conjunctival membranes and cornea. 
Vitamin A also supports cell growth and differentiation, playing a critical role in the normal formation and maintenance of the heart, lungs, kidneys, and other organs.

They’re essential for many processes in your body, including maintaining healthy vision, ensuring the normal function of your immune system and organs and aiding the proper growth and development of babies in the womb.

How much quantity of  vitamin A do I need?

The amount of vitamin A you need depends on your age and reproductive status. Recommended intakes for vitamin A for people aged 14 years and older range between 700 and 900 micrograms (mcg) of retinol activity equivalents (RAE) per day. Recommended intakes for women who are nursing range between 1,200 and 1,300 RAE. Lower values are recommended for infants and children younger than 14.

For adults and children aged 4 years and older, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has established a vitamin A Daily Value (DV) of 5,000 IU from a varied diet of both plant and animal foods. DVs are not recommended intakes; they don’t vary by age and sex, for example. But trying to reach 100% of the DV each day, on average, is useful to help you get enough vitamin A

What foods provide vitamin A?

Vitamin A is found naturally in many foods and is added to some foods, such as milk and cereal. You can get recommended amounts of vitamin A by eating a variety of foods, including the following:

• Beef liver and other organ meats (but these foods are also high in cholesterol, so limit the amount you eat).
• Some types of fish, such as salmon.
• Green leafy vegetables and other green, orange, and yellow vegetables, such as broccoli, carrots, and squash.
• Fruits, including cantaloupe, apricots, and mangos.
• Dairy products, which are among the major sources of vitamin A for Americans.
• Fortified breakfast cereals.

Heart Attack: Preventions, Causes and Treatment

Heart attack occurs when the flow of blood to the heart is blocked. The blockage is most often a buildup of fat, cholesterol and other substances, which form a plaque in the arteries that feed the heart (coronary arteries).

During a heart attack, the blood supply that normally nourishes the heart with oxygen is cut off and the heart muscle begins to die. Heart attacks — also called myocardial infarctions — are very common in the United States. In fact, it’s estimated that one happens every 40 seconds.

Some people who are having a heart attack have warning signs, while others show no signs. Some symptoms that many people report are:

• chest pain
• upper body pain
• sweating
• nausea
• fatigue
• trouble breathing

A heart attack is a serious medical emergency. Seek immediate medical attention if you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms that could signal a heart attack.

Diagnosis

A diagnosis of a heart attack is made by a doctor after they perform a physical exam and review your medical history. Your doctor will likely conduct an electrocardiogram (ECG) to monitor your heart’s electrical activity.

They should also take a sample of your blood or perform other tests to see if there’s evidence of heart muscle damage.

Causes

There are a few cardiac conditions that can cause heart attacks. One of the most common causes is plaque buildup in the arteries (atherosclerosis) that prevents blood from getting to the heart muscle.

Heart attacks can also be caused by blood clots or a torn blood vessel. Less commonly, a heart attack is caused by a blood vessel spasm.

Symptoms

Symptoms for a heart attack may include:

• chest pain or discomfort
• nausea
• sweating
• lightheadedness or dizziness
• fatigue

There are many more symptoms that can occur during a heart attack, and symptoms can differ between men and women.

Risk factors

A number of factors can put you at risk for a heart attack. Some factors you can’t change, such as age and family history. Other factors, called modifiable risk factors, are ones you canchange.

Risk factors that you can’t change include:

Age. If you’re over age 65, your risk for having a heart attack is greater.

Sex. Men are more at risk than women.

Malaria: Causes, Preventions and Treatment

Malaria is typically found in tropical and subtropical climates where the parasites can live. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that, in 2016, there were an estimated 216 million cases of malaria in 91 countries.

Malaria is a life-threatening disease. It’s typically transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the Plasmodium parasite. When this mosquito bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream.

Once the parasites are inside your body, they travel to the liver, where they mature. After several days, the mature parasites enter the bloodstream and begin to infect red blood cells.

Within 48 to 72 hours, the parasites inside the red blood cells multiply, causing the infected cells to burst open.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report 1,700 casesof malaria annually. Most cases of malaria develop in people who travel to countries where malaria is more common.

The parasites continue to infect red blood cells, resulting in symptoms that occur in cycles that last two to three days at a time.

In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report 1,700 casesof malaria annually. Most cases of malaria develop in people who travel to countries where malaria is more common.

How is malaria diagnosed?

Your doctor will be able to diagnose malaria. During your appointment, your doctor will review your health history, including any recent travel to tropical climates. A physical exam will also be performed.