Question

Which of the following is NOT a general characteristic of the fat-soluble vitamins?

Answer 1

Answer: a. Excesses are eliminated from the kidneys.

Explanation:

A fat-soluble vitamin can be dissolved in fats and oils. They are absorbed along with fats in the diet from the intestinal lumen using the same mechanisms used for absorption of lipids. Upon absorption, these vitamins enter the lymph vessels before making they go into the bloodstream. In most cases, fat-soluble vitamins must be coupled with a protein in order to be transported through the organism. This means they are solubilized and transported by carrier proteins to exert their actions.

By last, since fat-soluble vitamins can not be dissolved in water, they are not readily excreted. So they can accumulate in fatty tissues to toxic levels if taken in excess.