Chapter 8: Minerals Flashcards
What are minerals? What differentiates them from vitamins?
Calculating Photos Magnetize Sully
Minerals are important for making sure the body’s cells are functioning properly. They help the body convert food into energy (metabolism), create new blood cells, and maintain healthy skin cells, brain cells, and other body tissues.
- essential nutrients for the attainment of optimal health and vigor.
- inorganic elements needed for many physiological functions and commonly organized as electrolytes, major minerals, and minor minerals.
Major minerals are needed in large amounts, comparatively, and minor minerals in smaller levels. Electrolytes are minerals that have the ability to carry an electric charge. The difference between minerals and electrolytes are the amount that is needed.
Vitamins are needed in much higher levels compared to minerals. Minerals are typically needed in levels as small as micrograms.
List the major minerals along with their roles and DRIs.
Calcium is one of the well-known minerals. An average adult contains around 1,200 grams of this mineral. 99 percent of this is in the bones as calcium phosphate. Calcium is also found in free ionic form in the body. Some of the essential roles include building bones, strength of these bones, transmitting nerve impulses, maintenance of a regular heartbeat, the contraction of muscles, cell membrane permeability, and blood clotting. The DRI for this mineral is 200 – 1,300 mg per day for children 0 – 13, and then 1,00 mg per day for adult males and females. Females over 50 should get 1,200 mg per day.
Phosphorous is found in the bone also. It is found at a 1:2 ratio to calcium. It is also going to be involved in many similar reaction and processes. It is the second most abundant mineral within our bodies. Phosphorous is used as phosphate ions for many things. It is involved in processes like energy storage, metabolization of fats, metabolization of carbs, the formation of ATP, and enzyme activity. The DRI for phosphorous is 1,200 mg per day for children under 18 and pregnant females. For adults over 19 it is just 700 mg per day.
Most of the body’s magnesium is found in the bones, muscles, and soft tissues. Magnesium plays a role in more than 300 biochemical reactions of the body and it is a major factor in the growth of bones and their strength. It also has roles in muscle and nerve function, activation of enzymes, assistance for calcium and potassium uptake, and regulation of blood glucose levels, and is involved in glycolysis. The DRI for this mineral is 240 mg per day for people over 13 years of age. Adult females need 320 mg per day, and males need 420 mg per day.
Sulfur is derived from essential amino acids of cysteine and methionine. It is a major enzyme cofactor. MET is not stored in the body, so we need to take it in daily for proper nutrition. Sulfur is used in the body for oxidative reactions on a cellular level and helps the body to fight free radicals and reactive oxygen species. The DRI for sulfur is 22 mg per kg for youth 2 – 12 and 13 mg per kg for adults. Infants younger than 4 months need around 58 mg per kg of weight.
What are the three electrolytes?
The three electrolytes are Sodium, Chloride, and Potassium.
What is the function of potassium?
i. Intracellular cation
ii. Fluid balance
iii. Nerve transmission and muscle contraction
iv. Glycogen formation
v. blood pressure control and kidney health
What is the function of chloride?
i. Extracellular anion
ii. Maintain proper blood volume and pH
iii. Control of fluid balance
What is the function of sodium?
i. Extracellular cation
ii. Regulation of osmolality
iii. Regulation of body fluid balance
iv. Active transport across cell membranes
v. Uptake of some nutrients in intestines
vi. Muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmission
what are the electrolytes and what do electrolytes do?
sodium, chloride, potassium.
Electrolytes regulate fluid balance, blood pressure, blodd pH, and muscle contraction
