The nutritional relationship between mineral elements and vitamins

Mineral elements and vitamins are some of the less abundant but essential components in the diet. They have different biochemical and structural functions. These components are very important for maintaining the normal function of the animal body.

1. Vitamin D and calcium and phosphorus.

Calcium is an important mineral to promote the calcification of bones and teeth and ensure the normal development of bones. It is also the main component of eggshell. It also has the ability to maintain the normal excitability and contractile function of neuromuscles and promote blood clotting. Phosphorus is the main component of bones and teeth, and also maintains the normal structure and function of cell membranes. It can form phospholipid, which is an important component of biofilms and is involved in the transport and storage of fat in the body and energy storage. It is also a component of DNA and RNA. Calcium and phosphorus are absorbed into the blood mainly by simple diffusion and active transport from the small intestine. The rumen of ruminants can absorb small amounts of phosphorus. Under the action of liver and kidney hydroxylase, vitamin D is converted into 1α, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, which is transported to the small intestine through the blood, and can stimulate the small intestinal mucosa to synthesize calcium binding protein. Calcium binding protein can specifically bind with calcium and promote the active absorption of calcium and passive absorption of phosphorus.

2. B vitamins and sulfur.

Sulfur, a component of biotin and thiamine, is essential for the digestion of cellulose by animal gastrointestinal microorganisms and the synthesis of B vitamins using non-protein nitrogen. As a biotin component, sulfur plays an important role in lipid metabolism and as a thiamine component in carbohydrate metabolism.

3. Vitamin A and iron.

Vitamin A has an effect on iron absorption. Vitamin A deficiency is associated with iron metabolism disorder. Adding vitamin A can improve blood indicators of iron status. Roodenburg (1996) found that feeding VA-free diets could reduce iron concentrations in spleen and femur with sufficient iron, and this effect increased with the increase of VA deficiency. VA is essential for erythrocyte production, and it has been reported that severe deficiency of VA can lead to abnormalities in RNA metabolism and protein synthesis, resulting in dysplasia of blood cells, and subsequently anemia.

4. Vitamin A and zinc.

Both vitamin A and retinol-binding protein (RBP) are synthesized in liver parenchymal cells. Holo-rbp is formed after the combination of vitamin A and retinol-binding protein, which is secreted into the blood and plays a physiological role. Zinc affects the transport process of vitamin A by affecting the synthesis of RBP. On the one hand, the liver synthesis and secretion of retinol-binding protein (RBP) must involve zinc, which may act as a cofactor of enzymes necessary for RBP synthesis. [1]

5. Vitamin E and Selenium.

VE is a non-specific biological antioxidant. VE binds to cell membrane to protect cells from free radical attack and peroxidation damage, while selenium blocks free radical damage to the body through GSH-Px, and selenium is an essential component of GSH-Px. VE and selenium have complementary effects in preventing peroxidation damage. Working together to protect the integrity of the plasma membrane structure. When dietary VE is insufficient, it is easy to appear selenium deficiency symptoms, and only when selenium is sufficient, VE can work in body tissues. In the case of insufficient selenium, although VE is sufficient, there will be excessive peroxide and unsaturated lipid chemical reaction and damage cells. In the case of critical deficiency of either VE or selenium, it can be overcome by supplemting the other. But if one of the two supplies is below a critical level, an excess of the other does not prevent the occurrence of clinical symptoms. So, in production

In practice, when adding selenium to feed, VE should be added simultaneously. Selenium is an essential trace element for animals. Selenium is closely related to VE, and its nutritional effects are similar, but they cannot completely replace each other. [2]

6. Vitamin B12 and cobalt.

Vitamin B12 is one of the most complex and only contains the metallic element cobalt, also known as cobalamin. Vitamin B12 is converted into two active forms of deoxycobalamin and cobalamin in the liver, which participate in a variety of metabolic activities in the body. Deoxycobalamin is A coenzyme of methylmalonyl-coA mutase, which is involved in the tautomization of malonic acid and succinic acid and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Cobalamin is a coenzyme of methyltransferase involved in the synthesis of methionine, choline, purine and pyrimidine. Many other enzyme systems also contain cobalamin.