This course explores the role of vitamins and minerals in maintaining cellular health through biochemical and physiological mechanisms. Topics provide an in-depth view of specific vitamins and minerals as well as effective ways to translate this information toward efforts for prevention of chronic disease. Students will also learn through hands-on projects that include the creation of a video case study about the symptoms of vitamin deficiencies or toxicities.
In this course, students will:
- Gain an in-depth understanding of micronutrient metabolism.
- Expand upon previous knowledge to allow for well-informed micronutrient recommendations.
- Learn the tools to interpret new micronutrient literature.
- Understand digestion, absorption, and transport of each micronutrient, as well as the interplay between micronutrients.
- Develop the ability to identify both deficiency and toxicity symptoms of each micronutrient, and determine how these may occur.
Course objectives:
- Explain the mechanism of digestion and absorption for each micronutrient.
- Assess the primary roles of each micronutrient and their respective metabolic pathway.
- Recognize and describe deficiency and toxicity symptoms associated with each micronutrient.
- Recommend dietary changes to sufficiently meet micronutrient requirements.
- Critically evaluate research to inform micronutrient understanding.
Topics covered include:
- Introduction to vitamins and minerals: Water-soluble vitamins
- Water-soluble vitamins folate, B12, and B6
- Fat-soluble vitamins A and D
- Fat-soluble vitamins E and K
- Major minerals
- Water and electrolytes
- Essential trace and ultra-trace minerals
- Non-essential trace and ultra-trace minerals
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