Difference between revisions of "Vitamins"

From Marspedia
Jump to: navigation, search
 
(11 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
'''Vitamins''' play a vital part in [[human]] metabolism. Some are produced by the human body itself, others must be regularly ingested via [[food]]. However, the bodies of some [[:category:animals|animals]] can produce vitamins that the human body can not produce. This page wants to find out how to meet the human requirements for vitamins in a [[colony]] on [[Mars]].
+
'''Vitamins''' play a vital part in [[human]] metabolism. Some are produced by the human body itself, others must be regularly ingested via [[food]]. However, the bodies of some [[:category:animals|animals]] can produce vitamins that the human body cannot produce. This page explores how to meet the human requirements for vitamins in a [[colony]] on [[Mars]].
 +
 
 +
__NOTOC__
 +
 
 +
Vitamins are classified according to the following list : A, B<sub>1</sub> to B<sub>12</sub>, C, D<sub>1</sub> to D<sub>5</sub>, E, K.
 +
 
 +
==Foods that contain vitamins==
  
==Food that contains much vitamins==
 
 
*[[Fruit]]
 
*[[Fruit]]
 
*[[Vegetable]]
 
*[[Vegetable]]
Line 7: Line 12:
 
*[[Algae]]
 
*[[Algae]]
  
==Food that contains little vitamins==
+
==Foods that contains few vitamins==
 +
 
 
*Cereals
 
*Cereals
 
*Noodles
 
*Noodles
 
*[[Potatoes]]
 
*[[Potatoes]]
These sorts of food are good for [[carbohydrate]] intake, nevertheless.
+
 
 +
These foods provide [[carbohydrate]] for energy needs, but do not have high vitamin contents.
  
 
==Vitamin A==
 
==Vitamin A==
 
This vitamin is required for maintaining the skin and mucus linings. It is available in [[meat]](especially liver), cheese, eggs, oily fish and milk. Due to [[energy]] restrictions on Mars this kind of food can not be easily produced.
 
This vitamin is required for maintaining the skin and mucus linings. It is available in [[meat]](especially liver), cheese, eggs, oily fish and milk. Due to [[energy]] restrictions on Mars this kind of food can not be easily produced.
 +
 +
Recommended consumption varies according to age and condition from 0,6 mg/day to 1,3 mg/day or at most 0,5 grams per year.  The entire yearly supply for a 1000 person settlement would be 0,5 kg.
  
 
==Vitamin B6==
 
==Vitamin B6==
Line 20: Line 29:
  
 
==Vitamin B12==
 
==Vitamin B12==
This vitamin is needed to process folic acid. It can be found in meat and algae. The latter can be grown on Mars in algaculture.
+
This vitamin is needed to process folic acid. It can be found in meat and algae. The latter can be grown on Mars in aquaculture.
 +
 
 +
==Vitamin C==
 +
Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, can be produced with agricultural products or synthesized from glucose.
  
==Artificial vitamins==
+
Recommended consumption is 90 mg/day, or about 33 grams per year.  The entire yearly supply for a 1000 person settlement would be 33 kg.
Many vitamins can be produced artificially on an industrial scale, but with current knowledge an adequate supply with all vital vitamins seems not possible on an artificial basis. Natural food is inevitable, even in a colony on Mars.
+
 
 +
==Vitamin D==
 +
Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin through exposure to UV light.  Vitamin D is mostly produced from biological sources, and biological production would be required for Mars.  A 15 minutes exposure to ultraviolet lighting, 3 times a week, should be sufficient to produce the required vitamin D for humans.  A tolerable intake is about 20-50 ug/day.  So less than 0,5g per year.  The entire yearly supply for a 1000 person settlement would be 0,05 kg.
 +
 
 +
==Vitamin E==
 +
Vitamin E is produced from biological sources.
 +
 
 +
Recommended consumption is 7-15 mg/day, or about 5 grams per year.  The entire yearly supply for a 1000 person settlement would be 5 kg.
 +
 
 +
==Vitamin K==
 +
[[w:Vitamin_K|Vitamin K]] is a group of structurally similar, fat-soluble vitamins that the human body requires for complete synthesis of certain proteins that are prerequisites for blood coagulation (K from ''Koagulation'', German for "coagulation") and which the body also needs for controlling binding of calcium in bones and other tissues.
 +
 
 +
Recommended consumption is 90-120 ug/day, or about 0,1 grams per year.  The entire yearly supply for a 1000 person settlement would be 0,1 kg.
 +
 
 +
==Artificial production of vitamins==
 +
Some vitamins can be produced artificially on an industrial scale, but with current knowledge an adequate supply of all vitamins seems not to be possible on an artificial basis. Natural food is inevitable, even for a martian settlement.
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
 +
 
*[http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/nutritionessentials/vitaminsandminerals/ Food Standards Agency: Vitamins and minerals]
 
*[http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthydiet/nutritionessentials/vitaminsandminerals/ Food Standards Agency: Vitamins and minerals]
  
 
[[Category:Diet and Nutrition]]
 
[[Category:Diet and Nutrition]]
 
{{stub}}
 

Latest revision as of 09:45, 10 November 2022

Vitamins play a vital part in human metabolism. Some are produced by the human body itself, others must be regularly ingested via food. However, the bodies of some animals can produce vitamins that the human body cannot produce. This page explores how to meet the human requirements for vitamins in a colony on Mars.


Vitamins are classified according to the following list : A, B1 to B12, C, D1 to D5, E, K.

Foods that contain vitamins

Foods that contains few vitamins

These foods provide carbohydrate for energy needs, but do not have high vitamin contents.

Vitamin A

This vitamin is required for maintaining the skin and mucus linings. It is available in meat(especially liver), cheese, eggs, oily fish and milk. Due to energy restrictions on Mars this kind of food can not be easily produced.

Recommended consumption varies according to age and condition from 0,6 mg/day to 1,3 mg/day or at most 0,5 grams per year. The entire yearly supply for a 1000 person settlement would be 0,5 kg.

Vitamin B6

This vitamin is required by the human body to produce blood and to manage the energy processes of proteins and carbohydrates. It is available in pork, chicken, turkey, cod, but also in whole cereals, vegetables, soy beans and peanuts. Due to the availability in herbal food the demand for the Martian settlers can be met by agricultural production methods.

Vitamin B12

This vitamin is needed to process folic acid. It can be found in meat and algae. The latter can be grown on Mars in aquaculture.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C, or ascorbic acid, can be produced with agricultural products or synthesized from glucose.

Recommended consumption is 90 mg/day, or about 33 grams per year. The entire yearly supply for a 1000 person settlement would be 33 kg.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is synthesized in the skin through exposure to UV light. Vitamin D is mostly produced from biological sources, and biological production would be required for Mars. A 15 minutes exposure to ultraviolet lighting, 3 times a week, should be sufficient to produce the required vitamin D for humans. A tolerable intake is about 20-50 ug/day. So less than 0,5g per year. The entire yearly supply for a 1000 person settlement would be 0,05 kg.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is produced from biological sources.

Recommended consumption is 7-15 mg/day, or about 5 grams per year. The entire yearly supply for a 1000 person settlement would be 5 kg.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K is a group of structurally similar, fat-soluble vitamins that the human body requires for complete synthesis of certain proteins that are prerequisites for blood coagulation (K from Koagulation, German for "coagulation") and which the body also needs for controlling binding of calcium in bones and other tissues.

Recommended consumption is 90-120 ug/day, or about 0,1 grams per year. The entire yearly supply for a 1000 person settlement would be 0,1 kg.

Artificial production of vitamins

Some vitamins can be produced artificially on an industrial scale, but with current knowledge an adequate supply of all vitamins seems not to be possible on an artificial basis. Natural food is inevitable, even for a martian settlement.

External links