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Nutritional Physiology > Minerals > Flashcards

Minerals Flashcards

1
Q

Classification of Minerals

A

Major Minerals:
* larger amounts required
* present in the body in larger amounts than trace minerals

Minor (or trace) minerals:
* smaller amounts required

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2
Q

Are minerals organic or inorganic

A

Minerals are inorganic elements
* they do not contain carbon
* do not combine to form other molecules in the body
* they are stable - cannot be destroyed by heat, air, aid or mixing
* minerals can only be lost from food during cooking through water

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3
Q

Mineral interaction?

A

Minerals interact with each other
* Similar with vitamins, presence or absence of one mineral can affect another
* Can be problematic when mineral supplements are taken in excess

Plays varied roles in the body
* Sodium, chloride, potassium – body’s fluid balance
* Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium - bone growth and health

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4
Q

Calcium

Distribution of Calcium in the body

A
  • most abundant mineral in the body (1.9% of body weight)
  • 99% of calcium exists in the bones
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5
Q

Calcium

Roles of Calcium in the body

A

1. Bone structure and Strength
* calcium salts (hydroxyapatite)
* embedded in collagen fibres

2. Blood clotting
* participates in several steps of the clotting process (prothrombin -> thrombin)

3. nerve transmission
* action potential at a synapse stimulates calcium influx -> releases neurotransmitter

4. Body Fluids

5. Muscle Contraction

6. Hormonal Signals - many hormones act via calmodulin

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6
Q

Calcium

Blood calcium Levels

A
  • Calcitonin helps decrease blood calcium levels
  • Calcitriol helps increase blood calcium levels

Bones aids as a storage bank when blood calcium is high and as a source of calcium when blood calcium is low

  • Blood calcium above normal = calcium rigor
  • Blood calcium below normal = calcium tetany
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7
Q

Calcium

Osteoclasts

A

Break down bone and release calcium into blood

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8
Q

Calcium

Osteoblasts

A

Build new bone using calcium from blood

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9
Q

Calcium

Role of Vitamin D (calcitriol) in calcium balance/regulation

A
  1. increases calcium gut absorption
  2. increases calcium release from bones
  3. increases kidney reabsorption (decreases losses from body)
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10
Q

Calcium

Calcium Regulation by PTH

A

Parathyroid hormone (PTH): principle regulator of extracellular calcium

Low Blood calcium = Increases PTH = Increases osteoclast activity

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11
Q

Calcium

Low calcium intake

A

Low dietary intake → no effect on plasma levels, but may result in bone loss
In children, stunted growth (deficiency)

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12
Q

Calcium

Low calcium intake - osteoporosis

A

Osteoporosis
* ↓bone density through life leading to bone fractures (risk ↑ with age)
* Loss of bone accelerates around menopause in women
* Protection by ensuring highest peak bone mass (PBM) in late adolescence
* PBM strongly influenced by genetics

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13
Q

Calcium

Food Sources of Calcium

A

60% of dietary intake from dairy products
* milk, yoghurt, cheddar cheese, cottage/ricotta
* salmon (+bones), broccoli, spinach

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14
Q

Major Minerals - Phosphorus

Phosphorus

A
  • second most abundant mineral in the body after calcium
  • mainly found in bones and teeth (85%), but also in bodily fluids
  • absorption improved by vitamin D and presence of calcium
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15
Q

Major Minerals - Phosphorus

Roles of Phosphorus

A
  • Essential for bone health (part of hydroxyapatite)
  • DNA and RNA
  • Involved in virtually all biochemical reactions via ATP (energy metabolism)

Phospholipids in cell membrane:
* Major component of cell membranes – control movements and transportation of nutrients

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16
Q

Major Minerals - Phosphorus

Food Sources of Phosphorus

A
  • Dairy products (half of intake)
  • Meat
  • Dried fruit
  • Eggs
  • Cereals
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17
Q

Major Minerals - Phosphorus

Phosphate Toxicity

A

Toxicity (hyperphosphataemia):
Caused by renal disease, hypoparathyroidism,
acute muscle breakdown
* results in Ca-P precipitates, calcification of non-skeletal tissues and organ damage

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18
Q

Major Minerals - Phosphorus

Phosphate Deficiency

A

Deficiency (hypophosphatemia):
▪ Results in rickets/osteomalacia, bone pain, muscle weakness, anorexia, cardiac arrhythmias and even death

19
Q

Major Minerals - Magnesium

Role of Magnesium

A
  • Cofactor in over 300 enzymes in the body
  • Cofactor in the formation and transfer of high-energy phosphate groups (catalyst)
  • Muscle contraction
  • ** supports bone mineralisation**

▪ Interplay between calcium and phosphate in muscle contraction
▪ Regulates heart function, blood pressure and lung function
* Supports immune system

20
Q

Major Minerals - Magnesium

Dietary Sources of Magnesium

A

Vegetables, legumes, seeds and nuts, cereals, seafood
Dairy not a rich source (unlike calcium and phosphorus)
Chocolate, cocoa
water (hard water)

21
Q

Major Minerals - Sulphate

Sulphate

A

Oxidised form of sulphur
* Found in food and water

Roles in stabilising protein structure:
* helps determine the shape of protein molecule and protein structure

Easily found in a variety of foods, therefore, no known deficiency symptoms
* Unless deficiency in protein

22
Q

What minerals are involved with bone health?

A

Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium

23
Q

Trace Minerals

Iron

A
  • iron is an essential nutrient
  • found in small amounts in every cell
24
Q

Trace Minerals

Haem Iron vs Non-haem Iron

A

Haem (haemoglobin and myoglobin) iron vs Non-haem iron
▪ Haem iron found in animal foods is better absorbed than non-haem

25
# Trace Minerals What are **two states** of **Iron** in the body?
**Ferrous iron** (Fe2+) vs **Ferric iron** (Fe3+) ▪ **Ferrous** is better **absorbed** (ferric is virtually insoluble) *** Vitamin C enhances absorption** by **converting ferric Fe to ferrous Fe** (vitamin C is thus ‘oxidised’)
26
# Trace Minerals Functions of Iron - Haemoglobin
**Haemoglobin** in red blood cells ▪ Transport oxygen and carbon dioxide
27
# Trace Minerals Functions of Iron - Myoglobin
**Myoglobin** in muscle cells (acts as an oxygen reservoir) * Electron transport chain: iron acts as an electron carrier * Immune function
28
# Trace Minerals Iron Absorption Factors - What decreases absorption?
* **Phytates** (cereals, legumes, nuts) * **Oxalate** (in leafy vegetable) * Excess in Zn, Ca, Mn * High Iron stores * Polyphenols (tea, coffee, red wine)
29
# Trace Minerals Storage of Iron
**Transferrin** - major blood transporter of iron **Ferritin** in the intestinal cells and tissues (mostly liver) for short-term storage **Haemosiderin** - insoluble iron-storage protein in the liver (to deal with iron overload) * As iron stores increases, transferrin is saturated and iron absorption decreases
30
# Trace Minerals Storage of Iron continued.
**Storage**: 70% in RBCs and myoglobin (in muscle) and the rest in liver, bone marrow, and spleen * No method for excretion except for blood loss, gut losses, and in pregnancy
31
# Trace Minerals Iron-deficiency: **Anaemia**
**Anaemia**: decreased levels of haemoglobin leads to reduced production of RBCs and oxygen capcaity **Symptoms**: * paleness * brittle nails * fatigue * difficulty breathing * poor growth * impaired cognition * reduced immune function
32
# Trace Minerals Causes of Iron deficiency
Dietary factors: * low iron, haem iron * low vitamin C * excess phytate * excess tea/coffee * Fad diets
33
# Trace Minerals Stages of Iron Deficiency
1. Iron stores diminish (decrease in ferritin-bound iron) 2. transport iron decreases 3. haemoglobin production decreases
34
# Trace Minerals Treatment of Iron deficiency
* **medicinal forms** of iron supplements e.g., ferrous sulphate * **well balanced diet** * possivle **intravenous** or **intra-muscular iron** of oral iron is porrly absorbed.
35
# Trace Minerals Food Sources of Iron
Haem iron: * red meat * chicken * fish * enriched grains * fortified cereal * * green, leafy vegeatables Milk is a poor source
36
# Trace Minerals Toxicity of Iron
**Haemochromatosis**: ▪ Over-absorb iron: iron deposits which can lead to organ damage, diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis ▪ Treatment by frequent ‘bleeding’ General Toxicity: * can be serious, especially for children * diarrhoea, constipation, nausea, abdominal pain
37
# Trace Minerals - Zinc Zinc Role
Cofactor to many enzymes – more than 100 enzymes Zinc plays many different roles in the body: * Synthesis of nucleic acids * transport of Vitamin A * pancreatic digestive enzymes synthesis * Wound healing * immune function (WBC production) * Blood clotting * Insulin function * sense of smell and taste
38
# Trace Minerals - Zinc Absorption of Zinc
Absorption monitored by **metallothionein** * **Binds and regulates the release of zinc in intestinal cells** * Presence of phytates (and fibre) decrease absorption * Calcium supplements decrease zinc absorption * **Transported in blood by protein albumin and transferrin**
39
# Trace Minerals - Zinc Deficiency of Zinc
* Poor growth – children * Reduced sense of smell and taste * Delayed wound healing * Hair loss * Lack of appetite * Impaired pancreatic function*
40
# Trace Minerals - Zinc Toxicity of Zinc
* Inhibits copper absorption ( metallothionein – binds more copper) * decreases HDL, increases LDL - increases risk of heart disease * Diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, vomiting * Depressed immune function
41
# Trace Minerals Food Sources of Zinc
* meat and poultry * shell fish - e.g., oyster and crab * dairy foods * legumes
42
# Trace Minerals - Iodine Iodine Role
Plays key role in **thyroid hormones** ▪ Basal metabolic rate ▪ Production of body heat energy ▪ Growth ▪ Reproduction ▪ Nerve and muscle function
43
# Trace Minerals - Iodine Deficiency of Iodine
* **Growth of the thyroid gland** (**goitre**) * Drop in metabolic rate * Harmful during pregnancy (results in mental retardation) * Consumption of **goitrogens** (raw turnips, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, broccoli) inhibits iodide metabolism – inactivated by heat
44
# Trace Minerals - Iodine Food Sources of Iodine
* Iodised salt – In Aus/NZ food labels indicates whether salt are iodised * Saltwater fish, seafood, seaweed

Nutritional Physiology (5 decks)

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