Quasi-vitamins

Kvazivitamini su spojevi koji se ne smatraju vitaminima u pravom smislu, no za pojedine životinjske vrste ili pod određenim uvjetima mogu ispunjavati kriterij vitamina. Kod ljudi se najčešće sintetiziraju u tijelu ili nisu od esencijalne važnosti ukoliko njihov deficit ne uzrokuje ozbiljnija zdravstvena stanja. U ovu skupinu ubrajaju se različiti spojevi koji pozitivno djeluju na ljudsko zdravlje. Flavonoidi se ne mogu sintetizirati u ljudskom tijelu, no imaju dobra antioksidativna svojstva pa sprječavaju štetne oksidacijske procese, preveniraju kardiovaskularna oboljenja, smanjuju krvni tlak i LDL-kolesterol. Lipoična kiselina smanjuje simptome dijabetske neuropatije te ima dobra antioksidativna djelovanja zbog kojih se povezuje s prevencijom bolesti povezanih sa oksidativnim stresom. Ubikinon (koezim Q10) ima antioksidativno djelovanje, pomaže u regulaciju krvnog tlaka kod hipertenzije, oporavku oboljelih od raka, a pozitivne učinke pokazuje i kod smanjenja simptoma nekih neurodegenerativnih bolesti. Kolin ima bitne uloge u metabolizmu masti te pridonosi smanjenju rizika obolijevanja od kardiovaskularnih bolesti pa njegov veći deficit može uzrokovati ozbiljne bolesti jetre i bubrega te kardiovaskularne bolesti. Karnitin pokazuje pozitivne učinke u povećanju izdržljivosti kod srčanih bolesnika, smanjuje simptome hemodijalize, a smatra se i da smanjuje kognitivno propadanje kod oboljelih od Alzheimerove bolesti. Uz njih, u kvazivitamine se svrstavaju i ne-provitaminski karotenoidi, mio-inozitol, orotska kiselina, p-aminobezojeva kiselina te pirolokinolin kinon. Za većinu navedenih učinaka, a osobito za pretpostavljena djelovanja potrebna su daljnja istraživanja.Quasi vitamins are compounds that are not considered vitamins in the true sense, but for certain animal species or under certain conditions can meet the vitamin criterion. Human body usually can synthesize them or they do not have essential significance if their deficiency does not cause any serious health condition. This group includes various compounds that positively affect human health. Flavonoids can not be synthesized in the human body, but they have good antioxidant properties so they prevent oxidative processes, also cardiovascular disease, reduce blood pressure and LDL cholesterol. Lipoic acid reduces the symptoms of diabetic neuropathy and has good antioxidant effects due to which is related with the prevention of diseases associated with oxidative stress. Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10) has antioxidant activity, helps regulate blood pressure in hypertension, cancer recovery, and has positive effects in reducing the symptoms of some neurodegenerative diseases. Colin plays an important role in fat metabolism and contributes to reducing the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, so its higher deficit can cause severe liver and kidney diseases and also cardiovascular diseases. Carnitine indicates positive effects in increasing cardiac endurance, reduces hemodialysis symptoms, and is also considered to reduce cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease. Often studied quasi-vitamins are also non-provitamin A carotenoids, mio-inositol, orotic acid, paminobenzoic acid and pyroloquinoline quinone. Further research is needed for most of the mentioned effects, especially for the assumed ones