🧪 General Principles🟡 High-yieldVitamins

Water-Soluble Vitamins (B and C)

The B-complex vitamins and vitamin C, which dissolve in water, are not stored for long, and mostly act as helpers for enzymes.

Key points

Water-soluble vitamins (the B group and vitamin C) dissolve in water and are mostly not stored in large amounts (vitamin B12 is an exception, stored substantially in the liver), so a regular dietary supply is generally needed.
Most B vitamins work as coenzymes: B1 (thiamine) for carbohydrate breakdown, B2 and B3 for energy reactions, and B6 for handling amino acids.
A lack of thiamine (B1) causes beriberi and, with alcohol misuse, the brain disorder Wernicke-Korsakoff, while a lack of niacin (B3) causes pellagra.
Folate and vitamin B12 are both needed to make DNA, so a lack of either causes a megaloblastic anaemia with abnormally large red cells.
Vitamin B12 lack also damages the nerves of the spinal cord, and folate lack in early pregnancy raises the risk of neural tube defects in the baby.
Vitamin C is needed to build strong collagen, so a lack causes scurvy, with bleeding gums, poor wound healing and easy bruising.

Memory trick

Not stored, so eat them often: B1 beriberi, B3 pellagra, B12/folate megaloblastic anaemia, B12 also hits nerves, folate guards the neural tube, C prevents scurvy.

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🧪 General Principles🟡 High-yieldVitamins

Water-Soluble Vitamins (B and C)

The B-complex vitamins and vitamin C, which dissolve in water, are not stored for long, and mostly act as helpers for enzymes.

Key points

Water-soluble vitamins (the B group and vitamin C) dissolve in water and are mostly not stored in large amounts (vitamin B12 is an exception, stored substantially in the liver), so a regular dietary supply is generally needed.
Most B vitamins work as coenzymes: B1 (thiamine) for carbohydrate breakdown, B2 and B3 for energy reactions, and B6 for handling amino acids.
A lack of thiamine (B1) causes beriberi and, with alcohol misuse, the brain disorder Wernicke-Korsakoff, while a lack of niacin (B3) causes pellagra.
Folate and vitamin B12 are both needed to make DNA, so a lack of either causes a megaloblastic anaemia with abnormally large red cells.
Vitamin B12 lack also damages the nerves of the spinal cord, and folate lack in early pregnancy raises the risk of neural tube defects in the baby.
Vitamin C is needed to build strong collagen, so a lack causes scurvy, with bleeding gums, poor wound healing and easy bruising.

Memory trick

Not stored, so eat them often: B1 beriberi, B3 pellagra, B12/folate megaloblastic anaemia, B12 also hits nerves, folate guards the neural tube, C prevents scurvy.

All of Biochemistry More General Principles