Vitamins & Minerals In Childhood

Kelompok 6

Nurul Hafizah Haya (14120120334)

Nurafika Novitasari (14120120315)

V i t a m i n s

Vitamis are organic compounds that occur naturally in plants

and animals and are not synthesized by the body in adequate amounts to meet

physicologic needs

Classified into 2 groups

Water soluble

Fat soluble

Water SolubleB

B6 (Pyrodixine)

B1 (Thiamin)

B12 (Cobalamin)

B2 (Riboflavin)

Folic Acid

B3 (Niacin)

C (Ascorbic Acid)

B vitamins work together in the body by maintaining healthy

nerves, skin, hair, eyes, liver and mouth and by preserving good

muscle tone in the gastrointenstinal

Thiamin was the first B vitamin to be discovered, in the 1920s, and it plays an essential role in metabolism of carbohydrates, a major source of energy in our cells. As daily intake of

complex and simple carbohydrates increases, the need for thiamin increases as extra carbohydrates use more

thiamin.

Deficiency of thiaminBeri beri :Classic thiamin deficiency disease that’s affects the gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, and peripheral nervous system and is usually confined to alcoholics

Riboflavin plays an important role in the oxidation of amino acids, synthesis of fatty acids, and oxidation of glucose and thyroid hormone metabolism, processes that influence

metabolism and energy pro- duction.

An increased need for riboflavin is associated with tissue damage, including from burns,

surgery, injuries, fever, and malignancies. The blood, too, requires riboflavin, a deficiency of

which can lead to vitamin B2 anemia

Niacin is a coenzyme in many important biochemical

reactions involved in maintaining healthy skin,

properly functioning gastrointestinal tract and central nervous system, and metabolism of lipids (Hendler & Rorvik, 2001).

Because of niacin’s role in the metabolism of fats, much of its use involves the treatment of elevated cholesterol. There is strong evidence that the onset of atherosclerosis occurs in childhood. Identifying and

treating children and adolescents at risk for

hypercholesterolemia should lead to a decrease in adult atherosclerotic disease.

Niacin deficiency• PellagraIs a nutritional wasting disease attributable to a combined deficiency of essential amino acid trytophan and niacin (nicotinic acid)

Vitamin b6 (P y r I d o x I n e)

Pyridoxine is one of the most essential and widely used vitamins in the body.Vitamin B6 is needed for proper growth and maintenance of almost all of our body structures and func- tions. One of the many systems dependent on vitamin B6 is the nervous system. Pyridoxine is necessary for the production of serotonin and other neurotransmitters in the brain. Infants fed formulas low in vitamin B6 have been reported to suffer from epileptic-like convulsions, weight loss, nervous irritability, and stomach disorders (Libermann & Branning, 1997).

Deficiency

Deficiency can cause anemia and depression of immune system responses.

Symptoms of vitamin B6 deficiency are dermatitis of the nose, eyes, and mouth; acne; cheilosis; stomatitis; and glossitis.

Deficiency symptoms also include alteration of the nervous system, depression, confusion, dizziness, in- somnia, irritability, nervousness, and convulsions.

Cobalamin is a coenzyme in a methyl transfer reaction that converts homocysteine to methionine, which is later converted to L-methylmalonyl-coenzyme A to succinyl-coenzyme A

Deficiency in infancy presents as failure to thrive, developmental delay, progressive neurologic disorders, or hematologic changes. Symptoms may be evident as early as 3 to 4 months of age but are often nonspecific and difficult to diagnose. Because the age at onset and the duration of neurologic symptoms may contribute to the development of long-term symptoms, early diagnosis and treatment are important for vitamin B12–deficient children

Folic AcidLike vitamin B12, folic acid is needed for formation of red blood cells. Without adequate amounts of folic acid, specific types of anemia result, characterized by oversized red blood cells. Symptoms of deficiency are irritability, weakness, sleep difficulty, and pallor. When testing for anemia it is imperative to use diagnostic tests to distinguish vitamin B12 anemia from folic acid anemia. If folic acid is supplemented when a child is deficient in vitamin B12, severe vitamin B12 deficiency will develop, because the body needs vitamin B12 to use folic acid. The reverse, severe folic acid deficiency, occurs if vitamin B12 is given to a child deficient in folic acid.

Vitamin C

As An Antioxidant

preventing free radical damagefor growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body

deficiency• Vitamin c deficiencySymptoms are often subtle and difficult to diagnose, with early signs being listless- ness, weakness, irritability, vague muscle and joint pain, and weight loss. Late symptoms of deficiency include bleeding gums, gingivitis, loosening of teeth, and fatigue.

Fat Soluble

Vitamin A

Vitamin D

Vitamin E

Vitamin K

Vita

min a eye

growth and maintenance of epithelial tissue

protection from cardiovascular disease and

cancer

reproduction

immune system function

Vitamin D• Vitamin D is not truly a vitamin and can be described as a steroid hormone because it does not need to be supplied from a source outside the body. Now recognized as the “sunshine vitamin,” it is a hormone produced in the body by the photoconversion of 7-dehydrocholesterol in the skin. With adequate expo- sure to solar ultraviolet B radiation (290 to 320 nm), no dietary supplement is needed (Mughal, 2002).

deficiencyRickets has been reported in children with chronic problems of lipid malabsorption and in those receiving long-term anticonvulsant therapies. Rickets can also be secondary to disorders of the gut, pancreas, liver, kidney, or metabolism; however, it is most likely due to nutrient deprivation not only of vitamin D but also of calcium and phosphorus

Vitamin e• antioxidant and anticarcinogen• to protect vitamin A and C from oxidation

Vitamin KVitamin K is also essential for development of normal bone density during childhood and is thought to be important in preventing the development of osteoporosis in later life. There has been relatively little research emphasis on the effect of vitamin K on bone health during childhood. Better vitamin K sta- tus is associated with lower levels of markers of bone resorption and bone formation, suggesting a lower rate of bone turnover. There is a need for randomized supplementation trials to better under- stand the role of vitamin K on bone acquisition in growing children

Inorganic elements not produced by plants and animals and primarily stored in bone and muscle tissues.

MINERAL

Minerals

Macro minerals• Calcium , phosphorus, magnesiumTrace minerals• Iron, potassium, copper, zinc, selenium, iodine, chromium

CalciumCalcium is an essential mineral with a wide range of biological roles. Apart from being a major constituent of bones and teeth, calcium is crucial for muscle contraction and relaxation, transmission of nerve im- pulses, the beating of the heart, blood coagulation, glandular secretion, and the maintenance of immune function.

Calcium is also used to activate enzymes involved in fat and protein digestion and production of energy. Calcium also aids in the absorption of many nutrients, especially vitamin B12. Studies have also shown potential anticarcinogenic, antihypertensive, and hypocholesterolemia activity

Phosphorus• Phosphorus is an essential macromineral that plays a pivotal role in the structure and function of the body. Phosphorus is essential for the process of bone mineralization and makes up the structure of the bone. Phosphorus in the form of phospholipids makes up the structure of cellular membranes

Phosphorus deficiency states are usually a result of malabsorption syndromes and diseases causing renal tubular losses of phosphorus. In addition, those with malnutrition and critically ill patients, such as those being treated for diabetic ketoacidosis, are at risk for phosphorus deficiency and phosphorus im- balance. The so-called refeeding syndrome can cause hypophosphatemia, which may be life threaten- ing.

MagnesiumMagnesium is an essential mineral involved with over 300 metabolic reactions. It is necessary for every major biological process, including the production of cellular energy and the synthesis of nucleic acids and proteins.

Magnesium deficiency is associated with the pathogenesis of numerous serious disorders, notably is- chemic heart disease, congestive heart failure, sudden cardiac death, diabetes, and hypertension.

Iron Iron is an essential trace mineral that is involved in the entire process of respiration due to its role in the synthesis of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood. In addition to its fundamental roles in energy production, iron is involved in DNA synthesis and may also play roles in normal brain develop- ment and in immune function.

• Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world, with approximately 25% of the world’s population being deficient. Iron deficiency anemia is most common in chil- dren between ages 1 and 3 years, with a prevalence of approximately 9%. Over the past two decades there has been an overall decrease in prevalence of iron deficiency anemia.

PotassiumPotassium is an essential micromineral that is important in the transmission of nerve impulses; contraction of the cardiac, smooth, and skeletal muscles; production of energy; and synthesis of nucleic acids. Its antihypertensive properties were first identified in 1928. Evidence suggests that high intakes of potassium also protect against strokes and cardiovascular disease

Copper• Copper is required for normal infant development, red and white blood cell maturation, iron transport, bone strength, cholesterol metabolism, myocardial contractility, brain development, and immune function.

Premature and small-for-gestational-age infants who are born with low Cu stores can exhibit signs of Cu deficiency, including neutropenia, normocytic hypochromic anemia, osteopenia, pathologic bone fractures, depigmentation of the skin and hair, and distended blood vessels.

Zinc• Zinc is an essential nutrient that because of its fundamental role in many aspects of cellular metabolism is critical for normal immune function and physical growth.

Zinc is critically involved in several biological mechanisms related to growth, including protein synthesis, gene expression, and hormonal regula- tion. Zinc is a trace mineral that is involved with RNA and DNA synthesis and is critical to cellular growth, differentiation, and metabolism.

SeleniumSelenium is a trace mineral involved in the regulation of thyroid hormone metabolism, healthy im- mune function, antioxidant activity, and prevention of coronary artery disease. Recognition of selenium’s importance in the diet has long been impeded by fear of its toxicity and potential carcinogenic effects

iodineIodine is required for the production of thyroid hormones, which are necessary for normal brain devel- opment and cognition. Iodine deficiency is the main cause of potentially preventable mental deficit in childhood and causes goiter and hypothyroidism in people of all ages.

Environmental iodine deficiency causes a wide spectrum of devastating mental and physical disorders, collectively described as iodine deficiency disorders, which are a major public health problem all over the world (Chandra, Tripathy, Ghosh, Debnath, & Mukhopadhyay, 2005).

Chromium• Chromium is believed to be an essential trace mineral in human nutrition. Evidence suggests that it plays an important role in normal carbohydrate metabolism. The mechanism of chromium’s possible glucose regulatory activity is not well understood. It has also been suggested that chromium may decrease hepatic extraction of insulin and improve glucose tolerance.