Ch. 9: Water and Minerals Flashcards
What is a mineral?
They are essential, inorganic elemets needed in small amounts for function, growth, and maintenance of tissues.
What is the difference between major minerals and trace minerals?
Major minerals are minerals that require 100 milligrams per day, while trace minerals we require less than (or equal to) 100 milligrams per day.
What food source is the richest in minerals?
Animal sources are the richest in minerals and have the best bioavailability
What minerals are commonly fortified in foods?
Iron, iodine, and calcium
What minerals are likely to be deficient?
Calcium, potassium, and magnesium
Where is most of sodium found in the diet?
In processed foods and food preparation
Do people overconsume or underconsume sodium?
In America, we get too much sodium. Public health campaigns often focus on reducing sodium in our diet.
What is the function of sodium in the body?
Helps absorb glucode and some amino acids in small intestine, required for normal nerve and muscle function, and aids in water balance
What effect does excessive sodium have in the body?
It may contribute to obesity, as well as increased risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
What effect does deficient sodium have in the body?
You can get hyponatremia (headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue)
Where is most potassium found in the diet?
In unprocessed foods, such as fruits and vegetables.
Do people underconsume potassium?
Yes; most adults need to increase potassium intake
What is the function of potassium on the body?
Water balance and nerve impulse transmission (similar to sodium)
What effect does excessive potassium have on the body?
Slower heartbeat, which can lead to cardiac arrest and death (Assuming the kidneys are functioning poorly)
What effect does deficent potassium have on the body?
You can get hypokalemia (Loss of appetite, muscle cramps, confusion, constipation)
Where is calcium found in the diet?
Dairy foods mostly, but can also be found in fortified foods and green leafy vegetables
What is bioavailability?
The degree to which an ingested nutrient is digested and absorbed and thus is available to the body.
The body tends to regulate calcium within a narrow range. What happens when blood calcium levels fall too low?
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) is released, which increases blood calcium by releasing calcium from bones and increasing calcium uptake in intestines
What is the function of calcium in the body?
Bone development and maintenance, muscle and nerve function, blood clotting, and cell metabolism
The body tends to regulate calcium within a narrow range. What happens when blood calcium levels goes too high?
Calcitonin production increases, which increases calcium excretion in kidneys
What is bone made of?
Protein fibers, collagen, and minerals (Calcium and phosphorus)
What is the cortical part of bone?
The outer, dense shell of bone
What is the trabecular bone?
It’s the inner, hard, and spongy network in bone. Minerals move in and out of the bone here.
What three types of cells function in bone growth and remodeling?
Osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts
What are the functions of osteoblasts, osteocytes, and osteoclasts?
They all help with bone growth. Osteoblasts help with bone building, osteocytes enable born formation, and osteoclasts help with bone reabsorption
What is the term for low bone density, and how does age effect this?
Osteoporosis; this becomes a bit more common for people at older ages, since we tend to lose bone mass as we age.
Where is iron found in the diet?
Heme iron is found in animal flesh, while nonheme iron is found in vegetables, grains, and supplements
What is the function of iron in the body?
Not only is it an essential part of hemoglobin and myoglobin, but it also participates in oxidation and reduction reactions
What are the three proteins involved with iron absorption?
Ferritin, transferrin, and blood transferrin
How is iron absorbed?
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.
There are two types of iron: heme and nonheme. Which one is better absorbed, and which one makes up most of our daily intake?
Heme iron is better absorbed, while nonheme iron makes up most of our daily intake.
What effect does iron deficiency have on the body?
You can possibly get iron deficiency anemia (pale skin, fatigue upon exertion, poor temperature regulation)
