Nursing 105

Essentials of Nursing Study Guide

©2018 Achieve Page 13 of 160 Deficiency signs include muscle wasting, edema (swelling), lethargy and depression. Excess can result in heart disease, colon cancer, and osteoporosis. Vitamins Vitamins are organic compounds that cannot be manufactured by the body and are needed to catalyze the metabolic process. Vitamins regulate body processes and are required for metabolism of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Vitamins are needed in very small amounts, and can be obtained in adequate supply with a balanced diet. • Classification and Sources: The fat-soluble vitamins are A, D, E and K. The water-soluble vitamins are C, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B12, Pantothenic acid and biotin. Sources of vitamins are foods and vitamin supplements. • Digestion, Absorption and Storage: Vitamins do not require digestion. Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed into the lymphatic system; water-soluble vitamins are absorbed into the circulatory system. An excess of fat-soluble vitamins is stored in the liver and adipose tissue. Excess water-soluble vitamins are excreted through urine. • Signs of Deficiency and Excess: Vitamin deficiencies commonly afflict alcoholics, the poor, incapacitated elders, clients with serious diseases that affect appetite, mentally retarded persons, and neglected children. Vitamins consumed in excess can be toxic. Protein Proteins are made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen. They are the only nutrient that can build, repair, and maintain body tissues. Daily requirements are determined by size, age, gender, physical and emotional conditions. Daily protein requirement for average adults is 0.8g for each kilogram of weight. Organic substances are composed of amino acids. Essential amino acids are those that cannot be made by the body. Amino acids are essential for tissue growth and maintenance. The amino acids are threonine, leucine, isoleucine, valine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan and histidine. Nonessential amino acids are those that the body makes. These are glycine, alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, praline, hydroxyproline, cysteine, tyrosine, and serine. • Classification and Sources: Complete proteins contain all nine essential amino acids. All animal fats, except for gelatin, are complete. The only plant fat that is complete is soybean. Partially complete proteins are some fish and milk. Incomplete proteins have one or more essential amino acids missing. Complementary proteins are combinations of incomplete proteins that can achieve a balanced ratio of amino acids. • Functions: Proteins provide amino acids necessary for synthesis of body proteins used to build, repair, and maintain body tissues. They assist in regulating fluid balance and are used to build antibodies. Plasma proteins help control water balance between the circulatory system and the surrounding tissues. In the event of insufficient stores of carbohydrates and fats, proteins can be converted into glucose and used for energy. • Digestion, Absorption and Storage: Digestion of protein begins in the mouth, where the enzyme pepsin breaks protein down into smaller units. Most protein is digested in the small intestine, broken down into amino acids for use in the body. • Signs of Deficiency and Excess: