Minerals Flashcards
What are minerals?
Elements that form solid compounds, not bound to carbon (inorganic)
- solid, naturally occurring, inorganic substances
Minerals are classified based on how much of that mineral is required from the diet. What are the two categories?
Major minerals: required in higher amounts from diet
Minor/trace minerals: required in lower amounts from diet
What are basic organic elements?
Carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen
- Found within molecules that make up living things (protein, carbohydrates, lipids)
T/F: minerals typically occur alone, or bound to other inorganic elements
True
What is mineral bioavailability?
Availability and food as well as its propensity to be absorbed and available for use within the body
Minerals are found in both plants and animals but what determines the mineral content?
Mineral content of animals depends on what the animal consumes
- animal products, especially larger animals, are a better source of minerals than plant product products
Mineral content of plants depends on the soil
What are the four compounds that compromise mineral bioavailability?
Phytates, Oxalates, Tannins, Glucosinolates
How do Phytates negatively affect bioavailability?
- found in plant seeds, nuts, legumes, grains
- Impair, iron and zinc absorption
- Phytate levels can be reduced by soaking certain foods overnight (beans) or fermenting them (sourdough bread)
How do Oxalates negatively affect bioavailability?
- found in leafy, green vegetables, nuts, seeds
- bind to minerals, forming compounds that cannot be absorbed
- Impair calcium/iron absorption
- boiling foods can reduce oxalate content
How do Tannins negatively affect bioavailability?
- found in tea, coffee, red wine, legumes
- impair iron absorption
- May reduce disease effects (anti-cancer, antioxidant, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory)
How do Glucosinolates negatively affect bioavailability?
- Found in cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage)
- Compromise iron absorption
How do minerals typically achieve their functions?
Many minerals achieve their functions because they act as cofactors
What are mineral cofactors?
Cofactors are in organic metals that bind to enzymes, activating them, and improving rate of reaction
Why do we require minerals and vitamins from our diet?
To facilitate enzymatic processes necessary for life
- Proteins may require an inorganic cofactor or organic coenzyme substance in their structure to become active
What is the function of mineral calcium?
- Key signalling mineral, contributes to nerve signalling, key intracellular messenger
- required for muscle and heart contraction, gland secretion
Calcium is found where in the body?
- Most abundant mineral in human body
- 99% of body calcium is stored in bones and teeth ==> promotes their structural integrity
What is calcium homeostasis?
Maintaining blood calcium is critically important
- When blood calcium is too high, it can deposit in tissues, hardening and damaging them
Calcium homeostasis: when calcium levels drop, what is released?
When levels drop, Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) is released
Calcium homeostasis: how does Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) restore calcium levels?
1) PTH promotes calcium release from bones by activating bone breaking cells called osteoclasts
2) PTH decreases calcium excretion at kidneys so more is kept within blood and less lost in urine
3) PT promotes activation of vitamin D kidneys => vitamin D, then promotes calcium absorption at small intestine
Calcium homeostasis: one blood calcium is high. What hormone is released?
When blood calcium is high, hormone calcitonin is released
Calcium homeostasis: how does hormone calcitonin decrease calcium levels?
Calcitonin opposes, action of PTH leading to decrease in blood calcium
- impairs osteoclast activity in bone, leading to less being released into blood
- promotes calcium excretion at kidneys and decrease calcium absorption at small intestine
What are food sources of calcium?
Main source of calcium are dairy products
- eggs, canned fish with bones, fortified milk, alternatives, leafy green vegetables
What occurs if we are consistently at a calcium deficit?
Negatively affects our ability to achieve peak bone mass
- increases risk for osteoporosis
Calcium deficiency: what factors increase risk for osteoporosis?
Low vitamin D, physical inactivity, smoking, alcohol consumption, female gender, age, family history
Calcium toxicity: chronically elevated calcium levels can lead to what?
Abdominal/bone pain, mental confusion
- Can progress to the calcification, hardening, of tissues
- can lead to cardiac arrest
- Rarely due to dietary excess, typically due to chronic conditions
What is hydroxyapatite?
- Crystal that contains both calcium and phosphorus
- mineralizes bones and teeth, hardening them, and promoting their strong structure
What are the functions of phosphorus?
- second most abundant mineral (structurally/functionally)
- phospholipids make up cell membrane
- Part of molecule adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
- Part of DNA/RNA sugar phosphate backbone
What are food sources of phosphorous?
Salmon, cheese, milk, eggs, beef, boiled lentils, cashews, potatoes, kidney beans, rice, and oatmeal
Phosphorus deficiency can lead to what?
- abundant in foods so deficiency is rare
- Increase risk for osteoporosis, seizures, coma, anorexia, muscle weakness, anemia, risk of infection
Phosphorus toxicity is rare in healthy individuals, but at high levels can lead to what?
May lead to calcification (hardening) of tissues
What elements are collectively known as electrolytes?
Sodium, potassium, chloride (calcium/magnesium are also electrolytes, but is not their main function)
- involved in body’s electrical activity
What occurs when electrolytes are in water?
In water, the electrolytes become positively/negatively charged ions ==> their movement leads to the creation of an electrical current, facilitating the electrical activity and function of our nerves, heart, muscles
What is the main function of sodium?
Sodium main function is an electrolyte
- primary cation (positively charged ion) found in the extracellular space
How does sodium contribute to fluid balance?
Water moves across a semi permeable membrane to equal out concentration differences
- if there is a lot of sodium on one side of a membrane, water will move towards that sodium to even out difference in concentration ==> fluid balance water water can build up in a tissue, causing it to swell
What are sources of sodium?
- Naturally found in food
- Added during food prep
- Added at table
- Supplements and tap water
- processed foods
What is sodium deficiency called?
Hyponatraemia = caused by excessive vomiting, sweating, diarrhea
Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, irritability, fatigue, loss of appetite, confusion, muscle weakness, and spasm
==> progress to loss of consciousness and coma
Sodium toxicity occurs based on what?
Due to excessive loss of body water which concentrates sodium
Symptoms: thirst, weakness, nausea, and loss of appetite
==> can progress to confusion, muscle twitching, and brain hemorrhages
What is hypertension and risk factors?
Regular consumption of high levels of sodium can lead to hypertension, which is high blood pressure
Risk Factors: age, African heritage, family history, kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, physical inactivity, stress, alcohol use, tobacco smoke, diet
- increases risk for CVD mortality
