Minerals
Minerals
Minerals
Minerals
Minerals are inorganic elements found in
small amounts in the body. Inorganic
means that the substance does not contain
carbon.
Minerals
*Remain intact during digestion
*Generally do not change shape or structure when
performing biological functions
*Most minerals absorbed from the diet are in the
form of water-soluble salts
*Are not destroyed by heat, acid, oxygen, or
ultraviolet light
*Mineral bioavailability: Degree to which a
nutrient from food is absorbed and utilized in the
body
Mineral Bioavailability
Minerals
• Two categories:
• macrominerals > 0.005%
• microminerals < 0.005%
• macrominerals are essential at levels of
100mg or more per day for human adults
• microminerals are often referred to as
trace elements
Macrominerals
Ca calcium
P phosphorus
S sulfur
K potassium
Cl chloride
Na sodium
Mg magnesium
Microminerals
F fluorine V vanadium
Zn zinc Sn tin
Cu copper Se selenium
I iodine Mn manganese
Cr chromium Ni nickel
Co cobalt Mo molybdenum
Si silicon
Functions of minerals
• provide a suitable medium for cellular
activity
– permeability of membranes
– irritability of muscles and nerve cells
• play a primary role in osmotic
phenomenon
• involved in acid base-balance
• confer rigidity and hardness to certain
tissues (bones and teeth)
• become part of specialized compounds
Metalloenzymes
Examples of metalloenzymes:
– superoxide dismutase (Zn and Cu)
– carboxypeptidase A (Zn)
– carbonic anhydrase (Zn)
– cytochrome oxidase (Fe and Cu)
– xanthine oxidase (Co and Fe)
Metal-activated ezymes
• Examples of metal-activated enzymes
– creatine kinase (Mg, Mn, Ca or Co)
– glycogen phosphorylase kinase (Ca)
– salivary and pancreatic alpha-amylases (Ca)
The electrolytes
• There are 3 major electrolytes:
– sodium
– potassium
– chloride
Sodium (Na)
• Sodium is the principal cation in
extracellular fluids
• functions include:
• osmotic equilibrium
• acid-base balance
• carbon dioxide transport
• cell membrane permeability
• muscle irritability
Sodium (Na)
• food sources: table salt, salty foods
• absorption and metabolism:
– readily absorbed
– excreted in the urine and sweat
– aldosterone increases reabsorption in renal
tubules
• RDA = Recommended Dietary Allowance
Sodium (Na)
• Sodium supplements:
– usually used to replace sodium and chloride
lost through perspiration during high heat
• Thermotabs
• Slo-salt
• Heatrol
• Lytren solution
• Pedialyte solution
• Gatorade and other sports drinks
Potassium (K)
• Potassium is the principal cation in
intracellular fluid
• functions:
– buffer constituent
– acid-base balance
– water balance
– membrane transport
– neuromuscular irritability
Functions of potassium
Na/K ATPase -pump
Potassium
• Food sources: vegetables, fruit (bananas),
whole grains, meat, milk
• absorption and metabolism:
– readily absorbed (more so than sodium)
– intracellular
– secreted by kidney (also in sweat)
• RDA for adults: 1.5 - 4.5 gm/day
Potassium
• deficiency (hypokalemia)
– causes:
• increased renal excretion (diuretics)
• primary aldosteronism
• severe vomiting and diarrhea
• cutaneous losses via perspiration
– symptoms:
• profound weakness of skeletal muscles (paralysis
and impaired respiration
• weakness of smooth muscles
• cardiac anomalies: Atrioventricular block (AV
block), cardiac arrest
Potassium
• excess (hyperkalemia)
– causes:
• sudden increased intake
• severe tissue trauma and burns
• acute and chronic acidosis
– symptoms:
• weakness and paralysis
• cardiac anomalies (impaired conduction,
fibrillations, cardiac arrest)
Chloride (Cl)
• an essential anion
• closely connected with sodium in foods,
body tissues and fluids and excretions
• readily absorbed along with sodium
• excreted mainly in the kidneys (~ 2% in
feces and ~ 4-5% in perspiration )
• important for osmotic balance, acid-base
balance and in the formation of gastric
HCl
Chloride (Cl)
• Deficiency of chloride:
– hypochloremic alkalosis
– hypovolemia
– pernicious vomiting
– psychomotor disturbances
Calcium (Ca)
• the most abundant of the minerals
• the 5th most abundant element in the body
• needed by all cells
• found in largest amounts in bones (90%)
• found in bone as hydroxyapatite
Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2
• contaminated with sodium, potassium,
magnesium, carbonate and fluoride
Calcium (Ca)
• controlled by parathyroid hormone
(PTH), calcitonin and vitamin D
• maintained at a concentration of 5 mEq/L
in plasma
• about 1/2 is in the ionized form in serum
• the other 1/2 is bound to protein (calcium
citrate complex)
Calcium (Ca)
• function of calcium:
– structural unit of bones and teeth
– contraction and relaxation of muscles
– stabilizes nervous tissue
• low calcium --- irritable nerves --- tetany
• high calcium --- depresses the nervous irritability
– required for blood clotting
– activates various enzymes (glycogen
phosphorylase kinase, salivary and
pancreatic amylase)
Deposition of Ca2+ in bone(mineralization)
and Ca2+ mobilization from bone are
regulated by at least 15 hormones and
hormone like signaling substances. These
mainly influence the maturation and
activity of bone cells.
* At the same time, it promotes the development
of osteoblasts . Osteoporosis, which mainly occurs
in women following the menopause, is based on a
reduction in estrogen levels. Estrogens normally
inhibit the stimulation of osteoclast differentiation
by osteoblasts. If the effects of estrogen decline,
the osteoclasts predominate and excess bone
removal occurs.
Calcium (Ca)
• Calcium absorption:
– variable due to insoluble salts:
• phosphate
• carbonate
• oxalate
• phytate
• sulfate
– also forms calcium soaps with fatty acids
• absorption is enhanced by:
• acid pH
• vitamin D
• lactose
• lysine and glycine
Calcium (Ca)
• Excretion:
– urine and feces
– enhanced by lack of vitamin D and ingestion
of large quantities of proteins (acid urine)
• RDA
– adult: 800 mg/day
– pregnacy and lactation: 1200 mg/day
Calcium supplements
• calcium gluconate: 9%
• calcium lactate 13%
• calcium carbonate 40%
• dibasic calcium phosphate 30%
• calcium glucobionate 6%
• calcium chloride 27.2%
• calcium levulinate 13%
Phosphorus
• Phosphorus is the second most abundant
mineral in the body (22% of total mineral
content; 80% is structural – insoluble apatite in
bone and teeth)
• 20% is very active metabolically:
• High energy phosphate compounds
• Nucleic acids
• Phospholipids
• Phosphoproteins
• Coenzymes (vitamins)
Phosphorus
• RDA for phosphorus is established on the basis
of a 1:1 relationship with calcium
– Adults: 800 mg/day
– Pregnancy and lactation: 1200 mg/day
• Phosphorus deficiency (hypophosphatemia)
• Not common
• May be associated with total parenteral nutrition (TPN)
without sufficient phosphates; give either sodium or
potassium phosphate
Functions of phosphorus
Magnesium (Mg)
• second most plentiful cation in
intracellular fluids
• ~50% of total amount in bone
• ~45% in muscle and nervous tissue
• ~ 5% in extracellular fluids
• blood plasma magnesium : ~ 2 mEq/L
Magnesium (Mg)
• Functions:
a. enzyme systems
– cofactor of all enzymes involved in
phosphate transfer reactions that use ATP
and other nucleotide triphosphates
– phosphatases
– pyrophosphatases
Magnesium (Mg)
b. CNS(Central Nervous System)
– hypomagnesemia ---- cns irritability,
disorientation, psychotic behavior,
convulsions
c. neuromuscular system:
– magnesium has a direct depressant effect on
skeletal muscle
– magnesium also causes a decrease in
Acetylcholine (Ach) release at motor end
plate (used in treatment of eclamptic
seizures)
Magnesium
• Abnormally low concentrations of Mg in
the extracellular fluid ---- increased Ach
release ---- increased muscle excitability
(tetany)
• food sources: all green plants
(chlorophyll); meats
• RDA: 350 mg/day
– pregnancy and lactation: 450 mg