Vitamins

This single-source reference draws together the current knowledge of the vitamins' biological properties in the context of human nutrition. Vitamins are co-enzymes, antioxidants or precursors of hormones and are therefore involved in a great many biochemical and physiological processes. They play a vital role in the maintenance of health, and there is evidence that dietary sources of vitamins have beneficial effects in the prevention of heart-related diseases, bone diseases and possibly cancer. Following introductory chapters on historical and nutritional aspects of vitamins, the next four chapters cover relevant and detailed aspects of physiology and functional anatomy, biochemistry, immunology and the regulation of protein synthesis by nuclear hormone receptors. These background chapters, supported by a glossary of terms, provide the scientific principles upon which vitamin functions are based. The following thirteen chapters deal with each vitamin in turn. Subject areas include chemical structure, intestinal absorption, transport, metabolism, biochemical and physiological actions, immunoregulatory properties, deficiency-related diseases and potential toxicity. An extensive bibliography refers the reader to the original research literature. Vitamins is aimed at nutritionists, biochemists, physiologists and physicians whether they be researchers, teachers or students. Food scientists, food technologists and many others working in the health professions will also find much of use and interest in the book. The inclusion of the theoretical principles in the background chapters makes the book an ideal starting point for those working outside the area who need a solid overview of the subject.

Auteur

George F. M. Ball is the author of Vitamins: Their Role in the Human Body, published by Wiley.

Contenu
Foreword xiii

Preface xv

1 Historical Events Leading to the Establishment of Vitamins 1

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Early studies of nutritionally related diseases 2

1.3 Experiments on formulated diets 6

1.4 Naming of the vitamins 7

Further reading 7

References 7

2 Nutritional Aspects of Vitamins 8

2.1 Definition and classification of vitamins 8

2.2 Nutritional vitamin deficiency 8

2.3 Stability and bioavailability of vitamins 10

2.4 Vitamin requirements 11

Further reading 11

References 11

3 Background Physiology and Functional Anatomy 12

3.1 Movement of solutes across cell membranes and epithelia 13

3.2 The bloodbrain, bloodcerebrospinal fl uid and placental barriers 26

3.3 Functional anatomy of the small and large intestine, liver and kidney 29

3.4 Digestion and absorption 36

3.5 Glucose transport 39

3.6 Digestion, absorption and transport of dietary fat 44

3.7 Neural and endocrine communication systems 47

3.8 Structure of bone and its growth and development 55

3.9 Cell proliferation 62

Further reading 64

References 64

4 Background Biochemistry 67

4.1 Major degradation pathways in which B-group vitamins are involved as coenzymes 68

4.2 Amino acid utilization 71

4.3 Defences against free radicals and other reactive species 75

4.4 Haemostasis 76

4.5 Atherosclerosis 80

Further reading 90

References 90

5 Background Immunology 94

5.1 General features of the immune system 94

5.2 Innate immunity 95

5.3 Inflammation 101

5.4 Acquired immunity 103

5.5 Cytokines 106

5.6 Hypersensitivity 107

5.7 Immune suppression 108

5.8 Neuroendocrine modulation of immune responses 108

Further reading 108

References 108

6 The Genetic Control of Protein Synthesis and its Regulation by Nuclear Hormone Receptors 110

6.1 Functional structure of DNA 110

6.2 Role of RNA in protein synthesis 113

6.3 Gene expression 116

6.4 Mutation and polymorphism 116

6.5 Basal transcription 118

6.6 Regulated transcription 120

6.7 Jun, Fos and the AP-1 complex 125

6.8 Nuclear hormone receptors as regulators of protein synthesis 126

Further reading 131

References 131

7 Vitamin A: Retinoids and Carotenoids 133

7.1 Historical overview 134

7.2 Chemistry and biological functions 134

7.3 Dietary sources 136

7.4 Absorption, transport and metabolism 136

7.5 Nutritional factors that influence vitamin A status 150

7.6 The role of vitamin A in vision 151

7.7 Retinoids as regulators of gene expression 155

7.8 Effects of vitamin A on the immune system 171

7.9 Role of vitamin A in bone metabolism and embryonic development 174

7.10 Vitamin A and cancer 176

7.11 Vitamin A deficiency and toxicity 178

Further reading 180

References 180

8 Vitamin D 188

8.1 Historical overview 189

8.2 Chemistry and biological functions 190

8.3 Dietary sources 191

8.4 Cutaneous synthesis, intestinal absorption, transport and metabolism 191

8.5 Molecular action of the vitamin D hormones 198

8.6 Calcium and phosphate homeostasis 208

8.7 Immunoregulatory properties 218

8.8 Effects of vitamin D on insulin secretion 221

8.9 Vitamin D-related diseases 221

8.10 Therapeutic applications of vitamin D analogues 222

8.11 Toxicity 223

8.12 Dietary requirement 224

Further reading 224

References 224 **9 Vitamin E 234&lt...