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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.

Quick Links

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

→ Open Episode 1 Page

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

→ Open Episode 2 Page

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

→ Open Episode 3 Page

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

→ Clinical Episodes Index

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.