Ch. 9: Water and Minerals

Question 1

What is a mineral?

Answer 1

They are essential, inorganic elemets needed in small amounts for function, growth, and maintenance of tissues.

Question 2

What is the difference between major minerals and trace minerals?

Answer 2

Major minerals are minerals that require 100 milligrams per day, while trace minerals we require less than (or equal to) 100 milligrams per day.

Question 3

What food source is the richest in minerals?

Answer 3

Animal sources are the richest in minerals and have the best bioavailability

Question 4

What minerals are commonly fortified in foods?

Answer 4

Iron, iodine, and calcium

Question 5

What minerals are likely to be deficient?

Answer 5

Calcium, potassium, and magnesium

Question 6

Where is most of sodium found in the diet?

Answer 6

In processed foods and food preparation

Question 7

Do people overconsume or underconsume sodium?

Answer 7

In America, we get too much sodium. Public health campaigns often focus on reducing sodium in our diet.

Question 8

What is the function of sodium in the body?

Answer 8

Helps absorb glucode and some amino acids in small intestine, required for normal nerve and muscle function, and aids in water balance

Question 9

What effect does excessive sodium have in the body?

Answer 9

It may contribute to obesity, as well as increased risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.

Question 10

What effect does deficient sodium have in the body?

Answer 10

You can get hyponatremia (headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue)

Question 11

Where is most potassium found in the diet?

Answer 11

In unprocessed foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

Question 12

Do people underconsume potassium?

Answer 12

Yes; most adults need to increase potassium intake

Question 13

What is the function of potassium on the body?

Answer 13

Water balance and nerve impulse transmission (similar to sodium)

Question 14

What effect does excessive potassium have on the body?

Answer 14

Slower heartbeat, which can lead to cardiac arrest and death (Assuming the kidneys are functioning poorly)

Question 15

What effect does deficent potassium have on the body?

Answer 15

You can get hypokalemia (Loss of appetite, muscle cramps, confusion, constipation)

Question 16

Where is calcium found in the diet?

Answer 16

Dairy foods mostly, but can also be found in fortified foods and green leafy vegetables

Question 17

What is bioavailability?

Answer 17

The degree to which an ingested nutrient is digested and absorbed and thus is available to the body.

Question 18

The body tends to regulate calcium within a narrow range. What happens when blood calcium levels fall too low?

Answer 18

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is released, which increases blood calcium by releasing calcium from bones and increasing calcium uptake in intestines

Question 19

What is the function of calcium in the body?

Answer 19

Bone development and maintenance, muscle and nerve function, blood clotting, and cell metabolism

Question 20

The body tends to regulate calcium within a narrow range. What happens when blood calcium levels goes too high?

Answer 20

Calcitonin production increases, which increases calcium excretion in kidneys

Question 21

What is bone made of?

Answer 21

Protein fibers, collagen, and minerals (Calcium and phosphorus)

Question 22

What is the cortical part of bone?

Answer 22

The outer, dense shell of bone

Question 23

What is the trabecular bone?

Answer 23

It’s the inner, hard, and spongy network in bone. Minerals move in and out of the bone here.

Question 24

What three types of cells function in bone growth and remodeling?

Answer 24

Osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts

Question 25

What are the functions of osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts?

Answer 25

They all help with bone growth. Osteoblasts help with bone building, osteocytes enable born formation, and osteoclasts help with bone reabsorption

Question 26

What is the term for low bone density, and how does age effect this?

Answer 26

Osteoporosis; this becomes a bit more common for people at older ages, since we tend to lose bone mass as we age.

Question 27

Where is iron found in the diet?

Answer 27

Heme iron is found in animal flesh, while nonheme iron is found in vegetables, grains, and supplements

Question 28

What is the function of iron in the body?

Answer 28

Not only is it an essential part of hemoglobin and myoglobin, but it also participates in oxidation and reduction reactions

Question 29

What are the three proteins involved with iron absorption?

Answer 29

Ferritin, transferrin, and blood transferrin

Question 30

How is iron absorbed?

Answer 30

Ferritin receives iron from food and stores it in the mucosal cells of the small intestine. When iron is needed, transferrin and blood transferrin help transport it to the rest of the body.

Question 31

There are two types of iron: heme and nonheme. Which one is better absorbed, and which one makes up most of our daily intake?

Answer 31

Heme iron is better absorbed, while nonheme iron makes up most of our daily intake.

Question 32

What effect does iron deficiency have on the body?

Answer 32

You can possibly get iron deficiency anemia (pale skin, fatigue upon exertion, poor temperature regulation)