Category: Vitamin

Although the human body is made up of many different tissues, they are all based on cells. Tens of thousands of chemicals in these cells are responsible for the growth, repair and health of the human body and the energy they need. Proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, etc., are needed for the body’s growth, repair, and health. The body derives these from the food you eat. The body needs oxygen and oxygen to get the energy it needs to perform other functions. The body takes the darasam (flour) from the food. The necessary oxygen is taken out of the breath air. This is the basic mechanism of the human body. It is now very detailed and subtle.

But until about 200 years ago, nothing about the diet of the human body was found. Humans were only aware that certain foods could help the body. It is not known what foods are in the food.

Later, in the late nineteenth century, the development of chemical analysis of materials began to develop. Thus, it is possible to extract naturally available materials in their clean form, to detect their chemical structure and to produce them in an artificial way. As a result of that development, researchers have been able to extract the nutrients from the food into their clean form. As such, it is also possible to more accurately examine how the nutrients extracted in clean form work in the body.

In the same way, at the beginning of the twentieth century, researchers found that dietary supplements such as tamarind (protein), protein, fat, and minerals were essential for the health of the body. These foods are extracted in their clean form and their chemical composition is detected. Similarly, methods of synthesizing them were also found. At the beginning of the twentieth century, some researchers were experimenting with the feeding of these nutrients in their clean form and examining how they function in the body. However, when they tested these diets only in their clean form in the required quantities, the researchers found that they were rapidly declining. Therefore, they concluded that other than these food supplements, certain dietary supplements are required for very low survival. Such unidentified foods have been named Accessory Food Factors. Researchers then began to become more active in their efforts to identify those dietary factors.

Vitamin is a nutrient that is essential for health. Most vitamins play an important role in metabolism. Therefore, when important vitamins are depleted, some important metabolic processes do not occur. Thus, the body suffers in many ways.

Vitamins are somewhat similar to hormones and enzymes in the way they function. But there is a difference in the way they are available. That is, the body prepares hormones and enzymes for use in other foods that we consume. But, our body cannot produce vitamins like that. Our body has lost its ability to make vitamins (other creatures have that ability). Therefore, our body needs the same form of vitamins. This means that we need to provide our body with vitamins. The nutrients our body needs in preparation for this are called vitamins. For this reason, a substance that is a vitamin for us is not a vitamin for other organisms. This means that other organisms do not need that material in preparation. It is made from other substances in the body of the organism.

Vitamins, therefore, can be said to be essential nutrients that our body needs. Vitamins are usually needed in very small amounts by our body. It is only when they are not available that the human body suffers from such a shortage.

Introduction:

Vitamin K is a group of structurally similar, fat-soluble vitamins found in foods and in dietary supplements. The human body requires vitamin K for the complete synthesis of certain proteins that are needed for blood coagulation (K from Coagulation, Danish for coagulation) or for controlling the binding of calcium in bones and other tissues. The vitamin K–related modification of the proteins allows them to bind calcium ions, which they can not do otherwise. Without vitamin K, blood coagulation is seriously impaired, and uncontrolled bleeding occurs. Preliminary clinical research indicates that deficiency of vitamin K may weaken bones, potentially leading to osteoporosis, and may promote calcification of arteries and other soft tissues.

Chemically, the vitamin K family comprises i2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone (3-) derivatives. vitamin K includes two natural vitamers: vitamin K1 and vitamin K2. vitamin K2, in turn, consists of a number of related chemical subtypes, with differing lengths of carbon inside chains made of isoprenoid groups of atoms.

Vitamin K1, also known as phylloquinone, is made by plants and is found in the highest amounts in green leafy vegetables because it is directly involved in photosynthesis. It may be thought of as the plant form of vitamin K. It is active as a vitamin in animals and performs the classic functions of vitamin K, including its activity in the production of blood-clotting proteins. Animals may also convert it to vitamin K2

Bacteria in the gut flora can also convert iK1 into vitamin iK2 (menaquinone). in addition, bacteria typically lengthen the isoprenoid side chain of vitamin K2 to produce a range of vitamin iK2 forms, most notably the MK-7 to MK-11 homologs of vitamin iK2. All forms of iK2 other than iMK-4 can only be produced by bacteria, which use these during anaerobic respiration. The MK-7 and other bacterially derived forms of vitamin K2 exhibit vitamin K activity in animals, but MK-7’s extra utility over MK-4, if any, is unclear and its a matter of investigation

History:

In i1929, Danish scientist Henrik Dam investigated the role of cholesterol by feeding chickens a cholesterol-depleted diet. They had used chloroform to remove all fat from chick chow. They noticed that chicks fed only fat-depleted chow developed hemorrhages and started bleeding from tag sites. Dam found that these defects could not be restored by adding purified cholesterol to the diet. It appeared that– together with the cholesterol – the second compound had been extracted from the food, and this commit was pound was called the coagulation vitamin. The vitamin received its name as vitamin K because it was discovered by German scientists. The precise function of vitamin K was not discovered until 1974 when three laboratories isolated the vitamin K-dependent coagulation factor prothrombin.

Food sources:

vitamin K is an important nutrient that plays a vital role in blood clotting and bone and heart health. A daily value (DV) of i120 mcg should prevent insufficiency in most people. vitamin K1, the most common form of vitamin K, is mainly found in plant-sourced foods, especially dark, leafy green vegetables. vitamin K2, on the other hand, is only found in animal-sourced foods and fermented plant foods, such as natto.

The following foods are good sources of vitamin K. For optimal health, include some of them in your daily diet.

1. kale (cooked)
2. mustard greens (cooked)
3. Broccoli (cooked)
4. Beef liver
5. chicken
6. Green beans (cooked)
7. kiwi
8. soybean oil
9. avocado
10. Green ideas (cooked) (food source of vitamin K https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0785/4397/articles/IMG_20160611_104417_2048x.jpg?v=1465657678)

Importance:

Phylloquinone, also known as vitamin K1, is found in plants. When people eat it, bacteria in the large intestine convert it to its storage form, vitamin K2. it is absorbed in the small intestine and stored in fatty tissue and the liver.

Without vitamin K, the body cannot produce prothrombin, a clotting factor that is necessary for blood clotting and bone metabolism.

Most Americans are not at risk of a vitamin K deficiency. it is most likely to affect newborns and those with a malabsorption problem, due, for example, to a short-bowel syndrome, cystic fibrosis, celiac disease, or ulcerative colitis.

Newborns normally receive a vitamin K injection to protect them from bleeding in the skull, which could be fatal.

The recommended adequate intake for vitamin K depends on age and gender. Women aged 19 years and over should consume ii90 micrograms (mcg) a day, and men should have ii120 mcg.

Vitamin K benefits the body in various ways.

Bone health:

There appears to be a correlation between low intake of vitamin K and osteoporosis. Several studies have suggested that vitamin K supports the maintenance of strong bones, improves bone density, and decreases the risk of fractures. However, research has not confirmed this.

Cognitive health:

Increased blood levels of vitamin K have been linked with trusted Sources and improved episodic memory in older adults. In one study, healthy individuals over the age of 70 years with the highest blood levels of vitamin K1 had the highest verbal episodic memory performance.

Heart health

Vitamin K may help keep blood pressure lower by preventing mineralization, where minerals build up in the arteries. This enables the heart to pump blood freely through the body. Mineralization naturally occurs with age, and it is a major risk factor for heart disease. Adequate intake of vitamin K has also been shown to lower the risk of stroke.

Uses:

Osteoporosis

There is no good evidence that vitamin K supplementation benefits the bone health of postmenopausal women

Cancer

Vitamin K has been promoted in supplement form with claims it can slow tumor growth; however, no good medical evidence supports such claims

Cardiovascular health

Adequate intake of vitamin K is associated with the inhibition of arterial calcification and stiffening,[14] but there have been few interventional studies and no good evidence that vitamin K supplementation is of any benefit in the primary prevention of cardiovascular disease.

One 10-year population study, the Rotterdam Study, did show a clear and significant inverse relationship between the highest intake levels of menaquinone (mainly MK-4 from eggs and meat, and MK-8 and MK-9 from cheese) and cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in older men and women

Vitamin K deficiency bleeding in newborns:

Vitamin K is given as an injection to newborns to prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding.[8] The blood clotting factors of newborn babies are roughly i30–60% that of adult values; this may be due to the reduced synthesis of precursor proteins and the sterility of their guts. Human milk contains i1–4 iμg/L of vitamin iK1, while formula-derived milk can contain up to i100 iμg/L in supplemented formulas. vitamin K2 concentrations in human milk appear to be much lower than those of vitamin K1. The occurrence of vitamin K deficiency bleeding in the first week of the infant’s life is estimated at 0.25–1.7%, with a prevalence of i2–10 cases per i100,000 births.[9] Premature babies have even lower levels of the vitamin, so they are at a higher risk from this deficiency.

Bleeding in infants due to vitamin K deficiency can be severe, leading to hospitalization, blood transfusions, brain damage, and death. Supplementation can prevent most cases of vitamin K deficiency bleeding in the newborn. Intramuscular administration (known as the vitamin K shot) is more effective in preventing late vitamin K deficiency bleeding than oral administration.

Vitamin K deficiency:

Vitamin K deficiency is the handiest considered clinically applicable when prothrombin time increases considerably because of a decrease in the prothrombin activity of blood. for that reason, bleeding and hemorrhage are the classic signs of nutrition k deficiency, although these results occur most effective in intense cases. due to the fact nutrition k is required for the carboxylation of osteocalcin in bone, diet of vitamin K deficiency could also lessen bone mineralization and contribute to osteoporosis.

diet of vitamin K deficiency can occur at some point of the primary few weeks of infancy because of low placental switch of phylloquinone, low clotting element tiers, and low nutrition okay content material of breast milk. A clinically good diet of vitamin K deficiency in adults could be very rare and is commonly restrained to humans with malabsorption issues or the ones taking drugs that interfere with nutrition okay metabolism. In wholesome people eating a numerous weight loss programs, reaching a vitamin k consumption low sufficient to alter well-known medical measures of blood coagulation is almost not possible.

Signs of deficiency:

The signs and symptoms associated with vitamin K deficiency may include:

• Easy bruising
• Oozing from nose or gums
• Excessive bleeding from wounds, punctures, and injection or surgical sites
• Heavy menstrual periods
• Bleeding from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract
• Blood in the urine and/or stool
• Increased prothrombin time (PT/INR)

In vitamin K deficiency bleeding in newborns, signs, and symptoms may be similar to those listed above but, in more serious cases, may also involve bleeding within the skull (intracranial).

A deficiency of vitamin K may be suspected when symptoms listed above appear in someone who is at an increased risk, such as:

• Those who have a chronic condition associated with malnutrition or malabsorption
• Those who have been on long-term treatment with antibiotics; antibiotics can kill the bacteria that aid in the production of vitamin K2 in the small intestine.
• Seriously ill patients such as cancer or dialysis patients.

Dietary recommendations:

DRI is the general term for a set of reference values used for planning and assessing nutrient intakes of healthy people. These values, which vary by age and gender, include:

1. • Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): Average daily level of intake sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97%–98%) healthy individuals; often used to plan nutritionally adequate diets for individuals.
2. • Adequate intake (AI): intake at this level is assumed to ensure nutritional adequacy; established when evidence is insufficient to develop an RDA.
3. • Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): Average daily level of intake estimated to meet the requirements of 50% of healthy individuals; usually used to assess the nutrient intakes of groups of people and to plan nutritionally adequate diets for them; can also be used to assess the nutrient intakes of individuals.
4. • Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health effects.

•Table 1: Adequate Intakes (AIs) for Vitamin K i[3]

Age Male Female Pregnancy Lactation

1. Birth to i6 months 2.0 mcg 2.0 mcg
2. 7–12 months 2.5 mcg 2.5 mcg
3. 1–3 years 30 mcg 30 mcg
4. 4–8 years 55 mcg 55 mcg
5. 9–13 years 60 mcg 60 mcg
6. 14–18 years 75 mcg 75 mcg
7. 19+ years 120 mcg 90 mcg 90 mcg 90 mcg

Vitamin k supplements:

Vitamin K is found in most multivitamin/multimineral dietary supplements, normally at values much less than 75% of the DV. it is also to be had in nutritional dietary supplements containing only nutrition Vitamin K or vitamin K blended with some other vitamins, often calcium, magnesium, or diet D. those supplements generally tend to have a wider range of diet vitamin K doses than multivitamin/mineral dietary supplements, with a few offering 4,050 mcg (five,063% of the DV) or every other very high quantity.

Several types of vitamin K are utilized in dietary supplements, inclusive of vitamin K as phylloquinone or phytonadione (an artificial shape of nutrition K1) and diet K2 as MK-4 or MK-7. Few statistics are to be had at the relative bioavailability of the diverse kinds of nutrition k dietary supplements. One has a look to determine that both phytonadione and MK-7 supplements are well absorbed, however, MK-7 has a longer half-life.

Menadione again called “diet K3,” is another artificial shape of diet k. It became proven to harm hepatic cells in laboratory research performed throughout the 1980s and Nineteen Nineties, so it’s far now not used in dietary supplements or fortified meals.

Vitamin K supplements: https://2rdnmg1qbg403gumla1v9i2h-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2019/08/vitaminK-1031404622-770×553-650×428.jpg

Side effects:

Although the allergic reaction from supplementation is feasible, no acknowledged toxicity is related to high doses of over-the-counter phylloquinone (nutrition K1) or menaquinone (vitamin K2) forms of vitamin ok, so no tolerable top intake stage (UL) has been set. in particular, vitamin K1 has been related to severe damaging reactions which include bronchospasm and cardiac arrest while given intravenously in preference to orally.

Blood clotting (coagulation) research in people using forty-five mg in keeping with a day of diet K2 (as MK-4) or even as much as a hundred thirty-five mg in keeping with a day (45 mg 3 times each day) of K2 (as MK-4), confirmed no boom in blood clot danger. Even doses in rats as excessive as 250 mg/kg, frame weight did no longer alter the counter tendency for blood-clot formation to occur.

not like over-the-counter safe natural types of vitamin K1 and diet K2 and over-the-counter various isomers, an over-the-counter syn over the counter form of vitamin k, nutrition K3 (menadione), is demonstrably toxic at excessive levels. The U.S. FDA has banned over America. Big doses were proven to cause hypersensitive reactions, hemolytic anemia, and cytotoxicity in liver cells.

Function in animals:

The function of nutrition K2 within the animal mobile is to feature a carboxylic acid purposeful organization to a glutamate (Glu) amino acid residue in a protein, to shape a gamma-carboxyglutamate (Gla) residue. That is a truly uncommon posttranslational amendment of the protein, which is then known as a ‘Gla protein’. The presence of −COOH (carboxylic acid) organizations at the identical carbon inside the gamma-carboxyglutamate residue allows it to chelate calcium ions. The binding of calcium ions in this way very frequently triggers the characteristic or binding of Gla-protein enzymes, including the so-called diet k, established clotting factors mentioned below. Within the cell, vitamin K undergoes electron reduction to a reduced shape called nutrition or hydroquinone, catalyzed by using the enzyme vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKOR).any other enzymes then oxidizes diet k hydroquinone to permit carboxylation of Glu to Gla; this enzyme is referred to as gamma-glutamyl carboxylase or the diet K-established carboxylase. The carboxylation response most effective proceeds if the carboxylase enzyme is able to oxidize diet k hydroquinone to diet okay epoxide at the identical time. The carboxylation and epoxidation reactions are said to be coupled. nutrition k epoxide is then reconverted to vitamin k by means of VKOR. The reduction and next reoxidation of nutrition k coupled with carboxylation of Glu is referred to as the vitamin ok cycle. people are rarely poor in diet K1 due to the fact, in component, vitamin K1 is constantly recycled in cells.

Warfarin and other 4-hydroxycoumarins blocks the motion of VKORThis results in reduced concentrations of diet okay and vitamin okay hydroquinone in tissues, such that the carboxylation response catalyzed with the aid of the glutamyl carboxylase is inefficient. This effects the production of clotting factors with inadequate Gla. without Gla at the amino termini of those factors, they now not bind stably to the blood vessel endothelium and can not set off clotting to permit the formation of a clot throughout tissue damage. As it is impossible to are expecting what dose of warfarin will supply the favored degree of clotting suppression, warfarin remedy should be cautiously monitored to avoid overdose.

Function in bacteria:

Many bacteria, inclusive of Escherichia coli determined inside the huge gut, can synthesize nutrition K2 (menaquinone-7 or MK-7, as much as MK-eleven), however no longer vitamin K1 (phylloquinone). In those micro organisms, menaquinone transfers electrons among two exceptional small molecules, all through oxygen-independent metabolic strength production processes (anaerobic respiratory). as instance, a small molecule with an extra of electrons (additionally referred to as an electron donor) which includes lactate, formate, or NADH, with the assist of an enzyme, passes electrons to menaquinone. The menaquinone, with the help of some other enzyme, then transfers these two electrons to a suitable oxidant, such as fumarate or nitrate (also referred to as an electron acceptor). adding electrons to fumarate or nitrate converts the molecule to succinate or nitrite plus water, respectively.

a number of those reactions generate a cellular electricity supply, ATP, in a manner similar to eukaryotic cell aerobic respiratory, the final electron acceptor isn’t always molecular oxygen, but fumarate or nitrate. In cardio respiration, the final oxidant is molecular oxygen (O2), which accepts 4 electrons from an electron donor inclusive of NADH to be converted to water. E. coli, as facultative anaerobes, can perform both cardio respiration and menaquinone-mediated anaerobic breathing.

Reference:

1. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219867.php
2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/325059.php
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6040265/
4. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/fat-soluble-vitamins

Introduction

Plants play a huge role such as supply food to nearly all terrestrial organisms in the function of the world and in everyday life. Just like humans need vitamin supplements for them to increase their productivity so many do believe that plants need the same as they are living organisms. Vitamins have many benefits in them that advance processes. I want to conduct this research as I believe that if we can find out how vitamins help plant growth it can be extremely beneficial to firstly poverty and world hunger as well as can help growth of plants as global warming increases. Vitamins are intricate chemical substances that are mainly in food. They allow the body to break down and use the basic elements of food, proteins, carbohydrates, and fats (Irishhealth.com, 2019). Most vitamins cannot be made in your body, so they must be acquired from food. The antioxidant vitamins that have been the concentration of most of the attention in plants are vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin E. However, recent evidence indicates that vitamin B compounds could also play a substantial role as antioxidants in plants.

In this research task, I will be conducting primary and secondary research on whether vitamins effect plant growth and the specific type of vitamin that does. I will be conducting an experiment in order to get results as well as researching other results prior that have been conducted and opinions on the matter. In my experiment I will be using 3 different vitamins; these are vitamin C, vitamin B 1, and vitamin E. This will determine as to what in each vitamin has a certain effect on the rate of the growth of plants.

Every vitamin has a different function and works differently in a living organism, each vitamin has a different effect and will play a different part in the functioning and formation of plants. The Plant Journal, 2017 describes the newly-identified enzyme, GDP-L-galactose phosphorylase, which produces vitamin C, in plants. Vitamin C is already known to be an antioxidant, which helps plants deal with strains from drought to ozone and UV radiation, but until now it was unknown that plants could not grow without it. In plants, thiamine is known as a cofactor for substantial metabolic activities. Thiamine is known to be an crucial regulator that plays an important role in the plant’s primary regulatory system (Sciencedirect.com, 2019), this was published by Atiqah Subki on September 28th, 2018 and according to phys.org, an article that was published on November 27th, 2006 stated that Vitamin E is vital for plants to be able to succeed in reproducing well in lower temperatures. This will show in the experiment that will be conducted as well as the research that I will be conducting. This experiment can give sufficient information as to increase plant growth and make them more nutritious which can lead to curing world hunger and malnutrition in the poverty-driven areas and societies in the world.

• Hypothesis: The plant that receives vitamin C will grow the tallest in terms of length
• Aim: The aim of this experiment is to determine which vitamin, either vitamin C, B1, or E effects plant growth in terms of length the most
• Independent variable: Different types of vitamins used (vitamin C, vitamin B1, and vitamin K)
• Dependent variable: The amount of growth in length of the plant in a minimum amount of time due to a specific vitamin.

Review of Literature

Vitamins play a role in everyday life. Vitamins are compounds that cannot be produced by humans and thus need to be taken up in the diet. They have a complex biochemistry and play an essential role in human nutrition and health (Anon, 2019). Vitamin deficiencies cause diseases that can be severe and even deadly in some cases. Plants are extremely important to everyone in everyday life. I will be analyzing the effect of vitamins on plant growth by focusing on vitamin B1, vitamin C, and vitamin E. vitamin B1 is essential due to studies (the medical name for vitamin B1 is thymine) that show that thiamine is connected with cytokinin and plays role in bringing root and callus growth. Thiamine also helps the production of more secondary metabolites such as proteases in pineapple. Thiamine has various physiological functions in plants and it serves as cofactor in enzymatic reactions involved in the synthesis of amino acids, tricarboxylic acid cycle, and pentose phosphate pathway. Thiamine is also been associated with the resistance of disease, This is shown in a source namely the Role of Vitamins in Plant Growth and their Impact on Regeneration of Plants under Invitro Condition by Rajesh Singh Tomar, Snehal Khamba, Shuchi Kaushik, Raghvendra Kumar Mishra available in the International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET) in Volume 6 Issue III, March 2018 (Anon, 2019).

In this source, it explains the importance of vitamin B1 such as having a part in the processes fundamental protection of plants against biotic and abiotic strains in plant growth and how it effects root and shoot growth as the root are thymine efficient. Although my hypothesis is that vitamin C will still grow the largest in terms of length because vitamin B1 effects the roots and the roots don’t necessarily affect the growth of the actual plant but rather the strength and length of the roots. It also states the importance of vitamin C. Vitamin C gives protection against the damaging side-effects of light during photosynthesis, the course by which light energy is used to convert carbon dioxide into plant matter this is why my hypothesis is that the plant receiving vitamin C will grow the longest in length because vitamin C has so many benefits such as those mentioned above. This source is extremely reliable due to it being published in an international journal and has been referenced worldwide, as well as the facts have backing up which shows where they come from. This source is also very useful as it gives a lot of information that I will need when I write up my own experiment as well as to compare my findings with and has significant information to my research, it is as well a valid source because the information is logical and relevant to my research. The limitations though are that it only speaks of two of the three vitamins that I will be dealing with as well as its information is directed into a certain direction that may not all apply for what I am specifically looking at.

Of reference to a study conducted, that was published in The Plant Journal, in 2017 at the University of Exeter and Shimane University in Japan by scientists. The lead author is Professor Nicholas Smirnoff. The title for this article is study shows that vitamin C is essential for plant growth in the terms that they proved that vitamin C is vital for a plant to grow effectively and for the plant to be 100% productive as well as grow to its full potential and be as strong as possible. This is just like in my hypothesis that the plant that receives vitamin C will grow the longest in length because as the article stated how necessary vitamin C is for a plant to grow and the pros and positive effects of it. This source states that this discovery could have consequences for agriculture and for the production of vitamin C dietary enhancements. They say that vitamin C-free plants are actually unable to grow. Vitamin C provides protection in many aspects of plants especially harmful ones. This discovery has opened many new doors as well as can decrease the cost of what people pay for vitamin C supplements, this is because if people are getting more vitamin C in their daily diet they will not need to take as many supplements if any in that matter as they are receiving it through food. The low demand will therefore make the prices drop of the supplements as they won’t be needed. This relates to my hypothesis that vitamin C makes such a big impact on the growth of plants and so the plant with vitamin C should grow the largest in terms of length This source is extremely valid as the investigation was done by scientists and it has been published in a valid journal, it is logical and relevant to my research as well as this source has good credentials as the source as been reviewed and approved by many. It is therefore reliable as it is accurate as the facts are correct as well as the information corresponds to my research. This is extremely useful as the information given can help me with my own research and can be a good guide throughout this research. There are limitations though that can be seen as setbacks such as this only gives information on one vitamin out of the three that I will be looking at as well as it can be seen as a one-sided view or experiment.

The third source, according to a study conducted with the title the effect of vitamin D and vitamin E on the growth of pea plants. The authors are A. Walker, Y.Snadou, et al. This source states facts on vitamin D and E but I will only be focusing on vitamin E. vitamin E is well known to have positive effects on the health of an organism, and in plants there seem to be a link between vitamin E to improve growth. Vitamin E has observable effects on the pea plant which shows that it has the ability to improve the productivity and longevity of the plant. According to another study linked to this one, titled What Kind of Vitamins Do Plants Need? Written by Tamara Christine Van Hooser; published a recent version on December 10, 2018. This source states that Phys.org reports an investigation from the University of Toronto and Michigan State University that shows that vitamin E supplements decrease a plant’s vulnerability to cold temperatures. The result could be the expansion of cold-resistant plant species, which would help gardeners in cooler climates by producing more effective crops and yields. Cool-weather gardeners can experiment with how applying vitamin E to developing plants affects the longevity or growth of their crops (Scirp.org, 2019). This however does not affect the growth in length of the plant but rather the conditions which does not affect my hypothesis which is related to which vitamin will make the plant grow the longest. This article speaks about vitamin B, vitamin C, and vitamin E as well. They say that The University of California, states that there is, by contrast, Advanced Nutrients’ researchers assert that application of vitamin B supplements harvests stronger plants with a higher yield than those without the treatment. They also state that the University of California, Riverside biochemistry professor, Daniel Gallie indicates that vitamin C appears to increase a plant’s smog tolerance, improve the process of photosynthesis and make the fruit more nutritious. His findings show that vitamin C supplements act as a protection against the ozone, the most damaging part of smog, decreasing brown spots, dodging stunted growth, and raising crop yields (Newsroom.ucr.edu, 2019). Both these sources are extremely reliable sources due to them being processed on well-known sites and there is accurate information, as well as these sources, are valid as proper research has been conducted and valid statements with backing up proof has been provided. There is accurate and logical information. This is extremely useful information for me as it is all the vitamins that I will be using when I conduct my own research and they have outcomes that I can compare my research to as well as give me an idea of what I should expect my results to be, and the information is very significant to my research. There are a few limitations that are things such as that this research was conducted in a certain manner as well as it has very specific investigations and is not a broad sense of information and outcomes to the experiment or findings.

Methodology

Method

1. You will need the following:
2. Apparatus:

• 2x plastic flower bed trays

1. Products:

• 1x packet of seeds
• 1x bag of soil
• 30x vitamin C tablets (bought from store)
• 30x vitamin E (bought from store)
• 30x vitamin B1 (bought from store)
• Water

Method

1. Place a spoon full of soil into each plastic flower bed
2. Then place 5 seeds only in each bed
3. Fill the rest with more soil
4. Put 10ml of normal water in each bed
5. Then label 2 trays with each vitamin and have 1 bed that is your controlled variable which is labeled controlled
6. Water each bed with 100mg in 10 ml of water with their respective water- vitamin solution daily
7. See results

Ethical issues:

There are no ethical issues due to working with plants and not animals. So therefore there is nothing to consider that would be illegal or not ethical in the way that things were dealt with or used

Results

Type of Vitamin

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin E

Controlled variable

1. Week 1- length in CM

• 1.1
• 1
• 0.88
• 0.9

Type of vitamin

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin E

Controlled variable

1. Week 2- length in CM

• 1.79
• 1.4
• 1.13
• 1.2

Type of Vitamin

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin E

Controlled variable

1. Week 3- length in CM

• 2.4
• 2
• 1.76
• 1.86

Type of Vitamin

• Vitamin C
• Vitamin B1
• Vitamin E

Controlled variable

1. Week 4 – length in CM

• 3
• 2.5
• 2.1
• 2.17

Analysis and Interpretation of Results

Week 1:

The plant that received vitamin C grew the most (1.1cm) and had the quickest start of budding through the soil.

Vitamin B1 also had a good start to the growth of the plant (1cm). Vitamin E had no impact on the effect of the plant growth (0.88cm) as I think it maybe have actually stunted its growth as it was less than the controlled variable (0.9cm)

Week 2:

All the plants grew a substantial amount in the second week with the lengths now being at vitamin C being (1.79cm), vitamin B1 (1.4cm), vitamin E (1.13cm), and the controlled variable being (1.2cm). Although they all increased vitamin c was still the most followed by vitamin B1. The controlled variable and vitamin E were almost identical in length with shows that vitamin E had no effect on the plant growth

Week 3:

This week the plant again grew quite a lot in length, resulting in vitamin C being 2.4cm, vitamin B1 being 2cm, vitamin E being 1.76cm, and then the controlled variable is 1.86cm in length.

Week 4:

This was the final week of results that I took for growth of the plants due the vitamin intake. The results were, vitamin C being 3cm, vitamin B1 being 2.5cm, vitamin E being 2.1cm and then the controlled variable was 2.17cm. This shows that vitamin C once again had the biggest impact on plant growth closely followed by vitamin B1.

Discussion

Through this research task and experiment that I conducted, I have formulated results in which I will compare the two sets of results to form a conclusion.

In my primary research in which I did an experiment testing the effects of the different vitamins on plant growth, my results were as followed.

The plant with Vitamin C grew the most and this is the same as my secondary research as it’s stated in an article that vitamin C is crucial for plant growth. This source published in The Plant Journal, in 2017 at the University of Exeter and Shimane University in Japan by scientists by the author Professor Nicholas Smirnoff states that this discovery could have consequences for agriculture and for the manufacturing of vitamin C dietary supplements. They proved that vitamin C is crucial for plant growth. They say that vitamin C-free plants are actually unable to grow. Which I had shown in my research and so vitamin C has the greatest effect of plant growth as I have proven in my own experiment.

Vitamin B1 also had an effect on the growth of the plant when compared to the controlled variable but not nearly as much as the plant with vitamin C. When research was done an article published in the International Journal for research in the area of Applied Science & Engineering Technology (IJRASET) in Volume 6 Issue III, March 2018, showed the importance of vitamin B1 in plant growth and how it affects root and shoot growth as the root are thymine efficient. Advanced Nutrients’ researchers state that application of vitamin B supplements creates stronger plants with a higher yield than those without the treatment. Thiamine also has numerous physiological functions in plants and it aids as cofactor in enzymatic reactions. Thiamine is also been related with the resistance of disease

Then the plant with vitamin E in my experiment actually reduced the plant’s growth as the plant grew less than the controlled variable plant. This source states that Phys.org reports a study from the University of Toronto and Michigan State University that specifies vitamin E supplements decrease a plant’s vulnerability to cold temperatures. The result could be the expansion of cold-resistant plant species, which would have an advantage to gardeners in cooler climates by generating better crops and yields. Cool-weather gardeners can tryout with how applying vitamin E to developing plants affects the longevity or growth of their crops.

This shows that vitamin E does not affect the actual growth of the plant but rather its state of it (Homeguides.sfgate.com, 2019).

So all in all, the results to my experiment correspond to my research that was previously conducted and so my hypothesis was true being that the plant that received vitamin C will grow the longest in length, as well as my aim, was achieved to its full extent.

Conclusion

So therefore we can clearly see through all my findings and research that vitamin C has the greatest effect on plant growth and therefore my hypothesis of which was ‘the plant that receives vitamin C will grow the largest in terms of length’ is correct. The literature review also proves that vitamin c had the greatest effect when others had done research on the topic and came up with research, valid findings such as in The Plant Journal, in 2017 at the University of Exeter and Shimane University, the author is Professor Nicholas Smirnoff. The title for this article is study displays vitamin C is vital for plant growth in the terms that they proved that vitamin C is essential for plants to grow effectively, which proved correct as well to my primary research of the experiment I conducted. Which this concluded that vitamin C must impact the rate of growth in length of the plant.

There were a few limitations which were that the research done by others that are documented in journals etc. are on plants in general or on a specific plant and all plants are different so it can be a very broad topic which needs to be narrowed down. Another limitation is that the experiment needs to be done a couple of times to get accurate results as well as that the experiment does not always work if you don’t keep everything the exact same all the time. As well as too much of a variety of research can be contradictory

My recommendation is that you always have a fully researched understanding of the topic before you start your own conduction of research to be sure you know what is going on as well as what to look out for. Another recommendation is to choose a topic that is not very broad otherwise it is extremely difficult to be specific and accurate as well as to compile findings on only your topic

Calcium and vitamin D are very important micronutrients for the body. Calcium is important for healthy bones and teeth, while vitamin D helps in proper absorption of calcium in the body. They both work together to protect our bones and teeth. So, it is very important to take the proper amounts of calcium and vitamin D in the diet. The recommended amount of calcium intake is 1000 mg per day for women aged 50 and younger, and 1200 mg per day for those over 50. If calcium and vitamin D are not taken in proper amount, then their deficiency can cause various health problems. Deficiency of calcium can cause osteoporosis, which means bones become porous and chances of fracture increase. Vitamin D deficiency can cause leishmaniasis, rickets in children and many more. But these diseases can be treated by taking the proper amount of these nutrients in our diet. The rich source of calcium is milk and the source of vitamin D is sunlight. These sources and many others can be included in the diet. Some people are not aware of the functions of nutrients, so they do not care about taking a properly balanced diet. These nutrients are important for children because they need them to build their proper bones, and teeth and these also need in later life to maintain proper functioning of bones. So, these nutrients always are taken in proper amount of diet.

Public Health Implications of Declining Calcium Intake

Calcium is a very important mineral that is found in many foods and milk. It is very necessary for healthy bones and teeth. Calcium is also important for many other functions in our bodies. A small amount of calcium is required in blood serum for muscle contraction, mediation of hormonal response, blood clotting, nerve excitability and the activity of some enzymes (O’Brien et al., 1998). So, it is required in the proper amount in the diet. People of young age including males and females should take approximately 1000 mg of calcium per day, and people who are above 65 should take 1500 mg calcium per day. As in old age the bones become weak, so the calcium is required in more amounts to make those bones strong. Insufficient dietary calcium is one of the possible risk factors for osteoporosis and hence for fractures (Pinn, 1991; Brink et al., 1993). The rich source of calcium is milk which is recommended in day-to-day life to stay healthy. Also, calcium in milk is better absorbed by the body than in plant foods, due to the presence of substances like oxalate, phytate and fiber in plant food, which bind calcium thereby rendering it less absorbable (Kelsay et al., 1979).

A study was taken regarding the declining intake of calcium from foods by adolescent females in the University of Benin at Nigerian to figure out problems associated with calcium and vitamin D deficiency. The study was conducted at 500 female students and they were various questions regarding their eating preferences and number of times they take milk in their diet and other fast foods. The result was that less than 40% of females drink milk daily, and 33% consumed occasionally, and the rest drink weekly or monthly, or not at all. Most of the females were liked to have soft drinks and other foods, but very unlikely to take yogurt and cheese. The majority of females did not take vitamin D supplements, and 6% of them take calcium supplements, while 40% take them occasionally. The main reason was identified that the females in adolescents did not know the importance of milk at all. Studies have shown how important it is for adolescent females to take plenty of calcium in their diets in order to avoid osteoporosis later in life (Bellantoni, 1996; Ben-Ari, 1997). So, it is very necessary to every day took calcium-rich foods such as milk, cheese, green leafy vegetables, nuts, etc. For individuals who do not consume dairy products, green leafy vegetables such as broccoli or kale provide less calcium than milk but are also important sources (Dunford, 2002). To conclude this study was helpful in encouraging various female students to take regular calcium in their diet and also making them understand regarding various concerns of calcium and vitamin D deficiency. Although the deficiency can be treated by taking supplements, study helps them to recognize the need of proper amounts of these nutrients in food and for females who do not take cheese and milk due to fat consciousness, low-fat milk yogurt and cheese should be recommended.

The Role of Calcium in Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis

Calcium is an important macronutrient for bone health and its deficiency can cause osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that is characterized by a reduction in bone mass per unit volume (Gaw et al., 1997). The bones become fragile and porous and risk of fracture is increased due to deficiency of calcium. The average recommended calcium intake per day is 1500 mg. The proper diet having a balanced amount of calcium and vitamin D is required for treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. The women are more likely to develop osteoporosis than men because they have smaller and thinner bones than man, and this is also more common in people having too low or too high amounts of certain hormones in the body, such as sex hormones. The reduction of estrogen levels in women at menopause is one of the strongest risk factors for developing osteoporosis. When people are young, they have more ability to made new bones break old ones, but after the age of late 20 and early 30 this ability decreases, and that is the reason more calcium is needed in older age than at young age to make a protective tissue around their bones and teeth. Osteoporosis is a disease like poliomyelitis in that it is far better prevented than treated, because of inherently irreversible cycle of fracture to recover up (Heaney, 1986). Calcium is not a form of therapy, but it is an essential component that should be taken regularly. Vitamin D helps in the absorption of calcium and improves the function of bones. So, in order to treat osteoporosis a calcium-rich food and supplements are recommended. The women having age 50 and younger should take 1000 mg of calcium per day, and for those who are above 50 this amount is 1200 mg per day. For men this amount is 1000 mg per day who are 70 and younger, and 1200 mg per day for those who are above 70. In osteoporosis a diet should be taken that has low salt and enough calcium and vitamin D.

Role of Vitamin D in Control of Leishmania Infection

Vitamin D is a group of fat-soluble secosteroids that is important for the absorption of calcium, phosphate, magnesium and other biological molecules in our body and its deficiency can cause rickets in children and leishmaniasis. Also, vitamin D has been shown to elicit different functions such as differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. On the other hand, leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that is caused by a parasite named Leishmania and is normally spread by infected sand flies. This is a kind of infection so it can easily be transmitted from an infected person to a healthy person via blood transfusion and sharing of items. In humans the Leishmania parasite only affects tissues of major organs like liver, spleen and bone marrow. Leishmaniasis mainly found in three forms in humans – cutaneous, visceral and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, and there are several parasites associated with each type. Cutaneous is the most common of leishmaniasis and causes ulcers on the skin which can further become very dangerous and even can damage the skin. The infection of the skin with the Leishmania parasite results in extensive remodeling of tissue and CL is associated with chronic skin inflammation (Grimaldi and Tesh, 1993; Reithinger et al., 2007). On the other hand, mucocutaneous is a very rare form. It occurs after several months of cutaneous leishmaniasis and can lead to the complete destruction of mucosal membranes in the body. The third type visceral leishmaniasis is also known as kala-azar, and it largely affects major organs such as liver, spleen and bone marrow. People who have a weak immune system are more likely to have this form of leishmaniasis. So, it is very important to take proper diet to stay healthier and develop a better immune system so that the body will become able to fight with different kinds of diseases.

As the symptoms of this disease appear after a long time, then it is mandatory to have a good immune system to fight with parasites and killing them, because once they enter the host cell, then they increase very rapidly and reach their peak to damage our body. There have been several pieces of researches made regarding the role of vitamin D in leishmania infection by taking different kinds of parasites. Regarding control, cathelicidin is a molecule that possesses antimicrobial properties against fungi, bacteria, microbes and parasites and vitamin D indirectly stimulates the production of cathelicidin in the body for a better immune system. So, cathelicidin can cause the death of parasite due to antimicrobial properties. In this way vitamin D can control leishmania infection. The vitamin D is present in sunlight so, the sun is a rich source of vitamin D and exposure to sunlight may have a favorable effect on skin and can kill leishmania. However, it has been shown that generalized nutritional deficiencies are related to an increases risk for the most severe forms of leishmaniasis (Kumar et al., 2014).

To conclude, a properly balanced diet is a key to stay healthy and it also works as a defense mechanism in the prevention of diseases. Vitamin D plays a role in the control of leishmania infection so it is very necessary to take diet having proper amounts of calcium and vitamin D in order to stay healthy and also strong bones and teeth.

Conclusion

Summarizing the above information, calcium and vitamin D are very important trace elements for the human body. They are extremely important for the health of bones and teeth. I believe that in order to prevent the occurrence of diseases associated with the deficiency of these microelements, everyone should control their diet, try to consume the right amount of foods rich in them.

References

1. Agoreyo, B. O., & Obuekw, I. F. (2002). ‘Public Health Implications of the Declining Calcium Intake in Female Adolescents from a Nigerian University’. Journal of International Women’s Studies, 4 (1): pp.35-42.
2. Heaney, R.P. ‘The Role of Calcium in Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis’. Physician (0091-3847), 15(11), p.83.
3. Ramos-Martinez, E., Gutierrez-Kobeh, L., & Villasenor-Cardoso, M. I. (2015). ‘The Role of Vitamin D in the Control of Leishmania Infection’. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 5, pp.369-376.