Question

4) List one example of a Mineral and another example of a vitamin that are antioxidants

5) List one example of a Mineral and another example of a vitamin that are important for our immune system

6) What are the teratogens? Please list two examples of food items that should be avoided during pregnancy.

7) What is Bio availability ? Please list two examples of increased bio availability and another two examples of decreased bio availability.

Answer 1

4) Antioxidants are found in certain foods which may prevent the damage caused by free radicals by neutralising them. The examples of minerals are copper, zinc and selenium. The antioxidants vitamins are vitamin C and vitamin E which are found in colourful fruits.

5) Zinc Selenium, vitamin C and vitamin E are needed for the healthy immune system. Vitamin C helps to prevent infections or shorten their stay. Vitamin E is powerful antioxidant that helps your body to fight off infection. Selenium have powerful effect on the immune system being important for fighting infections. Zinc is needed for the production of new immune system cells.

6) Teratogens are environmental agents such as drugs, viruses, lack of nutrients and physical or chemical elements that upon contact with embryo/fetus can cause congential anomalies,generating permanent functional or morphological changes in the newborn. It can cause a birth defect in a child.

The food items which are avoided during pregnancy are

• Mercury in some types of fish- shark and swordfish
• uncooked or partially cooked meat- there is a risk of causing viral or bacterial contamination which can cause food poisoning.
• Avoid alcohol consumption

7) Bioavailability refers to the extent a substance or drug becomes completely available to its intended biological destinations. It is a measure of the rate and fraction of the intial dose of a drug that sucessfully reaches either, the site of action or the bodily fluid .

Administering a substance directly into the bloodstream (for example,via a drip) ensures that it will have the full effect. Other methods such as taking a tablet orally, are less intrusive but also less effective., For example ,stomach acid can destroy beneficial substances before they reach the blood stream. The another factor which leads to reduced bio-avaiability are interactions with other substances in your system. For example, calcium supplements make absorption of iron more difficult.