Understanding Vitamins & Minerals (Office Hours Series)
This series is about understanding what micronutrients actually do before memorizing deficiencies.
Energy production. DNA synthesis. Oxygen transport. Antioxidant defense. Bone signaling. Coagulation.
If you understand the function — the deficiency patterns make sense.
Series Structure
This series progresses in 3 phases:
- Phase 1 — Biochemical Function
- Phase 2 — Functional Grouping
- Phase 3 — Clinical Pattern Recognition
Phase 1 — The Energy & Cofactor Framework
Episode 1 — B Vitamins & the Krebs Cycle
What you’ll understand:
- Why B vitamins are coenzymes
- Where B1, B2, B3, B5 fit into oxidative metabolism
- Why B6 matters for amino acids
- Why B9/B12 are DNA synthesis vitamins
- Why deficiency = high-turnover tissue dysfunction
Phase 2 — Functional Categories
Episode 2 — Fat-Soluble Vitamins (A, D, E, K)
- Vitamin A → gene transcription / vision
- Vitamin D → hormone, calcium signaling
- Vitamin E → antioxidant membrane protection
- Vitamin K → clotting factor activation
Episode 3 — Minerals: Structure, Signaling & Oxygen Transport
- Iron → oxygen binding
- Cobalt → part of B12
- Magnesium → ATP stabilizer
- Zinc → transcription factors
- Copper → redox enzymes
- Iodine → thyroid hormone
- Selenium → antioxidant enzymes
Phase 3 — Clinical Pattern Recognition
Episode 4 — Anemia Framework (Iron vs B9 vs B12)
Episode 5 — Neuropathy Framework (B12 vs B6 vs Copper)
Episode 6 — Bone & Electrolytes (D, Ca, Mg, Phos)
Episode 7 — Refeeding & Alcohol Deficiency Patterns
Episode 8 — Drug-Induced Deficiencies
Functional Map of Vitamins
| Functional Role | Key Nutrients | What Fails When Deficient |
|---|---|---|
| Oxidative metabolism (Krebs / ETC) | B1, B2, B3, B5 | Fatigue, neuropathy |
| DNA synthesis | B9, B12 | Macrocytic anemia |
| Amino acid metabolism | B6 | Neuropathy, anemia |
| Antioxidant | Vitamin E, Selenium | Neuromuscular dysfunction |
| Vision / epithelial health | Vitamin A | Night blindness |
| Bone / calcium regulation | Vitamin D | Osteomalacia |
| Clotting activation | Vitamin K | Elevated INR |
Mineral Function Overview
| Mineral | Core Role | High-Yield Association |
|---|---|---|
| Iron | Hemoglobin oxygen binding | Microcytic anemia |
| Cobalt | Component of B12 | Macrocytic anemia |
| Magnesium | Stabilizes ATP | Refractory hypokalemia |
| Zinc | Enzyme/transcription factor | Poor wound healing |
| Copper | Iron metabolism, myelin | Myelopathy |
| Iodine | Thyroid hormone | Hypothyroidism |
| Selenium | Glutathione peroxidase | Cardiomyopathy (rare) |
Deficiency & Toxicity Snapshot
| Nutrient | Classic Deficiency Pattern | Common Causes | Toxicity Risk |
|---|---|---|---|
| B1 | Wernicke / neuropathy | Alcohol | Rare |
| B3 | Pellagra (3 D's) | Malnutrition | Flushing (high dose) |
| B9 | Macrocytosis | Pregnancy, meds | Masks B12 |
| B12 | Macrocytosis + neuropathy | Metformin, vegan | Rare |
| Vitamin D | Bone pain | Low sun, CKD | Hypercalcemia |
| Vitamin K | Easy bruising | Antibiotics | Rare |
| Iron | Microcytosis | Bleeding | Overload (hemochromatosis) |
| Magnesium | Tetany, low K | Diuretics | Diarrhea |
Deficiency patterns reflect function. High-turnover tissue (bone marrow, GI tract, nervous system) fails first.