Provitamin: Difference between revisions
Created page with "{{Short description|Substances animals can metabolize into vitamins}} A '''provitamin''' is a substance that may be converted within the body to a vitamin. The term '''previtamin''' is a synonym. The term "provitamin" is used when it is desirable to label a substance with little or no vitamin activity, but which can be converted to an active form by normal metabolic processes. ==Example== Some provitamins are: * "Provitamin A" is a name for Beta-C..." |
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Some provitamins are: | Some provitamins are: | ||
* "Provitamin A" is a name for [[Beta-Carotene|β-carotene]], | * "Provitamin A" is a name for [[Beta-Carotene|β-carotene]], which has only about 1/6 the [[biological activity]] of [[retinol]] ([[vitamin A]]); the body uses an [[enzyme]] to convert β-carotene to retinol. In other contexts, both β-carotene and retinol are simply considered to be different forms ([[vitamer]]s) of vitamin A. | ||
* "Provitamin B5" is a name for [[panthenol]], which may be converted in the body to vitamin B<sub>5</sub> ([[pantothenic acid]]). | * "Provitamin B5" is a name for [[panthenol]], which may be converted in the body to vitamin B<sub>5</sub> ([[pantothenic acid]]). | ||
* [[Menadione]] is a synthetic provitamin of [[vitamin K]]. | * [[Menadione]] is a synthetic provitamin of [[vitamin K]]. | ||