Minerals Flashcards
What is the difference between an organic and an inorganic chemical structure?
Organic contains carbon.
Inorganic does not.
How do we acquire minerals in the body?
They are found in the soil and in order for us to absorb them they must be bound to an organic compound containing carbon.
We get our minerals from plants have obtained it from the soil or indirectly from animals
Define a macro, trace, ultra trace mineral.
Macro minerals ones that we need a lot of… Up to a gram or more per day
Calcium and phosphorus are our most common macro minerals
Trace minerals we need less than 50 mg a day
Iron and zinc are trace
Ultratrace minerals we need less than 1 mg a day
Chromium is ultra trace
How do we absorb minerals?
They enter our body in there ionic state and must be unbound from the organic compound it is joined with, with the help of stomach acid
What can affect the bio availability of a mineral?
- The mineral status of the body because if it doesn’t need it, it will down regulate it.
- Substances present in the food that can inhibit or enhance absorption.
- Other minerals present in the food that might outcompete it.
What are the challenges with mineral supplementation?
Tolerability
Bio availability
Chemical reactivity
Name some common organic and inorganic mineral carriers
Organic: citrate, ascorbate, gluconate, glycinate
Inorganic: oxide, carbonate, sulphide, chloride
Calcium
Which two hormones and which vitamin are needed to keep calcium levels tightly? Regulated in the blood blood?
Parathyroid hormone (PTH)
Vitamin D
Calcitonin
Name three non dairy food sources that are very high in calcium
- Herbs and spices and especially sage
- Nuts and seeds and especially sesame.
- Sardines with little bones
Dark green and cruciferous vegetables such as kale are also very high calcium - about the same as dairy foods
List five functions of calcium
- Bone health - building and preserving mass
- Cell signalling –
- Muscle contraction for the binding of Acton and myosin fibres
- Blood clotting.
- Neurotransmitters – calcium is a cofactor in the conversion of Trytophan to serotonin
Where is calcium absorbed and is it active or passive or both?
Calcium is absorbed in the small intestine and more rapidly in the duodenum due to the acidity of chime entering from the stomach.
Active absorption occurs with vitamin d and requires ATP
Passive absorption occurs without vitamin D
What are the factors that can lead to deficiency in calcium?
Firstly, it is very rare to have calcium deficiency as blood levels are maintained even with inadequate intake of the at the expense of the bones.
Factors that inhibit absorption include low vitamin D status, low stomach acid and other minerals competing
Factors that increase excretion include menopause low oestrogen, a high animal protein diet and medications
Which are the two most plentiful macro minerals in the human body?
Calcium and phosphorus
Name three foods very high magnesium
Basically anything Green because magnesium is in chlorophyll
cacao powder and nuts and seeds are very high.
Whole grains such as amaranth buckwheat
green leaves and beans also
What are the main functions of magnesium?
Energy production. Magnesium is a cofactor required by ATP.
Cell signalling
Blood clotting inhibition (calcium
Does the opposite)
Structure - nines , tooth enamel
Muscle relaxation (calcium
Does the opposite)
Sleep and calming - mg is used as a cofactor for GABA
where is magnesium absorbed in the body?
The small intestine and more specifically in the distal small intestine (Ilium) Include
Which organ in the body is responsible for homeostasis of magnesium?
The kidneys.
As with calcium, serum MG levels do not accurately reflect status because of the bodies drive to keep it in homeostasis in the blood
99% of calcium is in the bones and only one percent in the blood.
99% of magnesium in the cells are only 1% in the blood
What symptoms might point to insufficient magnesium?
The obvious things are poor sleep, muscle cramps and fatigue
Anxiety
Headaches
Also stress and alcohol deplete Mg.
Name three general functions of minerals in the body
Build tissue such as the skeletal system and teeth
Support and Nerve and muscle function
Thyroid health
Supporting immune health
Components of enzymes 
What are two most abundant minerals in the body?
Calcium and phosphorus
mostly found in our bones
Which essential nutrient does zinc compete with for absorption?
Copper - Cu
Zinc supplementation antagonises copper absorption
Name the three highest food sources of zinc
Oysters are highest
Nuts and seeds - pumpkin, sesame
What are three ways to lower phytates in grains, beans, and nuts?
Phytates are really reactive molecules the bind to minerals and make them less available in the body
Soaking
Sprouting
Fermenting
Deactivates phytates making the minerals in those foods much more available to the body
Potassium levels are tightly regulated by which organ?
Kidneys
Is it possible that you can consume too much potassium from food?
No not if it is natural food
What are the main functions of zinc?
Reproduction, particularly male
Endocrine… It is needed for T4 to T3 conversion
Cell proliferation and therefore involved with wound healing, acne, cancer, Burns
Sensory functions – taste and smell, supports vision
Immunity and antioxidant
Digestion
“It’s possible to consume too much potassium from food” — true or false?
False
It is difficult to have potassium toxicity because it is so tightly regulated and cannot occur from overeating potassium rich foods but excessive supplementation or kidney disease can lead to toxicity
Table salt restriction is a key intervention for which condition?
Hypertension because where there is salt there is water. This creates pressure on the blood vessels.
Excessive salt intake can also contribute to coronary artery disease, gastric cancer, osteoporosis and asthma.
In addition to reducing salt intake, increasing potassium intake will have a profound effect on reducing blood pressure.
Which mineral is a component of haemoglobin and binds to O2?
Iron - Haemoglobin has 4 binding sites for iron. Each iron atom binds to one oxygen atom.
1 single eryhthrocite has 280 million HB molecules and therefore over a million iron atoms.
Describe the association between iron and vitamin C.
There are two types of dietary iron
(i) Haem - animal; meats, poultry and fish. Clams are highest.
(ii) Non-haem - plant and animals. 90% of a typical diet is non haem. High sources are grains, legumes, dark green vegetables, nuts and seeds
The absorption of non haem iron is enhanced by vitamin C. It can improve the bioavailability of non haem iron by 60%. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to your non-haem rich food.
And calcium and phosphorus [dairy] inhibit non haem absorption.
“Humans are able to excrete iron when levels are high” – true or false?
False. The only way humans have to excrete iron is through blood loss.
There is no physiological mechanism for iron excretion and therefore it is a risk of toxicity. Humans cannot excrete iron and, therefore, iron levels in the body are regulated by the amount absorbed in the intestine. i.e., the higher the level in tissues the lower the gut absorption.
Non Haem him iron absorption is down regulated when iron levels in the body are high but Haem iron is absorbed more efficiently and the body has less control over how much it absorbs.
This can lead to iron overload which can be very harmful for several reasons:
- it is a pro oxidant and can cause oxidative damage
- Iron is a bacterial growth factor and can caused increased infection rates
- excess Iron can accumulate in the organs such as the brain and the liver
Describe TWO key functions for selenium in the body.
Antioxidant: It is a co-factor of glutathione peroxidase which is an important enzyme antioxidant in the body that protects cells from free radical damage.
Thyroid Hormones: Conversion of T4 to T3
Immunity: T-Lymphocyte proliferation and activity and antibody production
Male fertility
What is the primary role for iodine in the body?
Thyroid health: To make thyroid hormones.
Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormones which regulate the metabolic rate of all cells in the body. T4 is named because it had 4 iodine atoms and T3 has 3
Which food source do we find the most iodine?
The ocean is the earth’s main source of iodine. Food sources therefore are:
- sea vegetables which are an excellent source
- ocean fish such as cod
- shellfish such as scallops.
We also find iodine in eggs and dairy due to fortification of animal feed because there are small amounts available to them through the soil.
Name TWO minerals required for collagen formation
- Sulphur for structural functions in cartilage
- Manganese activates an enzyme for collagen formations.
- Copper
List THREE types of food high in sulphur.
Alliums – smelly veg such as garlic, onions, shallots, leeks and chives
Cruciferous veg – broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, bressule sprouts
Eggs and dairy
Protein foods - meat, poultry, fish and seafood.
What is the key therapeutic use for chromium? Explain how this works.
Blood sugar regulation/restoring insulin sensitivity, particularly in individuals with type 2 diabetes or those with insulin resistance.
Chromium enhances the action of insulin, a hormone critical for regulating blood sugar.
Chromium binds to a small protein called chromodulin, which activates the insulin receptor and helps increase the sensitivity of cells to insulin, making them more responsive to the hormone.
This mineral is a very important part of the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxide
Selenium
Name three factors which increase excretion of calcium
High salt diet
High caffeine intake
Menopause due to low oestrogen
Is selenium best absorbed from plant sources or animal sources or a combination of the two?
Plant sources
What are four signs of iron deficiency?
Pallor
Hair loss
Tachycardia (high heart rate)
Nail spooning
Is intestinal absorption of manganese
Average - 50-69%
Low - 20 %
Very Low - 1-5 %
Very Low - 1-5 %
What supplement can reduce manganese absorption?
Iodine
What can inhibit iron absorption from plants?
-Tea and coffee
- Calcium and phosphorus, i.e. dairy
- Phytates
