Biochemistry: Vitamins and Minerals — Detailed Treatise

Biochemistry · Basic Sciences

How it begins

Vitamins are low molecular weight, structurally heterogeneous organic compounds, required in very small quantities (micrograms to milligrams daily) for the maintenance of essential metabolic functions, and which the human body cannot synthesize in sufficient quantities—or cannot synthesize at all—so they must be provided by the diet. This operational definition distinguishes…

What it covers

1. Table of contents
2. 1. General introduction: concept, classification and biochemical principles
3. · Biochemical classification of vitamins
4. · General biochemical function
5. 2. Fat-soluble vitamins
6. · 2.1 Vitamin A (Retinol and carotenoids)
7. · 2.2 Vitamin D (Calciferols)
8. · 2.3 Vitamin E (Tocopherols and tocotrienols)
9. · 2.4 Vitamin K (Phylloquinone, menaquinones)
10. 3. Water-soluble vitamins
11. · 3.1 Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)
12. · 3.2 Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
13. · 3.3 Vitamin B3 (Niacin, nicotinic acid/nicotinamide)
14. · 3.4 Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid)
15. · 3.5 Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
16. · 3.6 Vitamin B7 (Biotin, vitamin H)
17. · 3.7 Vitamin B9 (Folic acid / Folate)
18. · 3.8 Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin)
19. · 3.9 Vitamin C (Ascorbic acid)
20. 4. Major minerals (macroelements)
21. · 4.1 Calcium (Ca²⁺)
22. · 4.2 Phosphorus (P, phosphate HPO 4 ²⁻/H 2 PO 4 ⁻)
23. · 4.3 Magnesium (Mg²⁺)
24. · 4.4 Sodium, potassium and chlorine (main electrolytes)
25. 5. Trace elements (microelements)
26. · 5.1 Iron (Fe)
27. · 5.2 Zinc (Zn²⁺)
28. · 5.3 Copper (Cu)
29. · 5.4 Iodine (I⁻)
30. · 5.5 Selenium (Se)
31. · 5.6 Other relevant trace elements
32. 6. Interactions, antagonisms and synergies
33. 7. Biochemical evaluation of nutritional status
34. 8. Final clinical-biochemical synthesis