Minerals Flashcards
When can mineral deficient occur?
When crops are grown on poor soils
Give examples of macro minerals
- Calcium (Ca)
- Magnesium (Mg)
- Phosphorous (P)
- Sodium (Na)
- Potassium (K)
- Chlorine (Cl)
- Sulphur (S)
Give examples of ‘trace eleements’
- Iron (fe)
- Zinc (Zn)
- Copper (Cu)
- Cobalt (Bo)
- Iodine (I)
- Chromium (Cr)
- Manganese
What is the RNI for macro minerals
more than 100mg/day
What is the RNI for trace elements
Less than 100mg/day
Name the most abundant mineral in humans
Calcium (Ca)
Where is the majority of calcium in the body found?
99% Found in the skeleton
What is the RNI for calcium?
700mg/day
At which stages in your life would you require more chocolate than usual?
- During growth
- Pregnancy
- Lactation
- Post menopause
Give some dietary sources of calcium
- Diary
2. Fortified foods like bread and orange juice
How much calcium is taken up though our diet?
15-45% Is taken up from the diet
From which foods is the dietary uptake of calcium poor?
Calcium in spinach and other leafy veg as they form a complex with oxalic acid
What inhibits calcium uptake and where is it found?
Phytate in some beans/cereals/peas/nuts inhibits Ca uptake
What increases calcium uptake?
Absorption greatly increased by parathyroid hormone and active vitamin D
What is the function of calcium?
- Structural in skeleton
- As an intracellular second messenger (like cAMP)
- Used in transition at synapses
- Muscle contraction
- Needed in blood clotting
What is calcium deficiency due to?
Due to:
1. calcium deficient diet
2 .Secondary D deficiency
3. Malabsorption
What can calcium deficiency cause?
Causes ostemalacia (rickets) Usually caused by secondary deficiency in vitamin D but isn't helped by a calcium poor diet
What oral problems can a calcium deficiency cause?
- Incomplete mineralisation of teeth
- Increased caries risk
- Tooth malformation
- Increased his of periodontal problems
- Increased risk for gingival detachment if calcium consumed is less than 500mg a day
What is an excess of calcium usually caused by?
Caused by hyperparathyroidism
Is it normal to consume too much calcium?
No it is hard for a healthy person to consume too much calcium in a normal diet
What problems are associated with excess calcium?
- Calcium salts deposited in soft tissues
- Renal stones
- Calcified arteries
- arrhythmias,
- weakness
- anorexia,
- constipation
- sluggish nervous response
What is the RNI for phosphorous?
550mg per day
When might you need to consume more phosphorous?
Higher during:
- Growth
- Pregnancy
- Lactation
- Post menopause
Give some dietary sources of phosphorous
Found in most foods (dietary deficiency of phosphorous is rare)
How much phosphorous is taken up though our diet?
50-70% of phosphorous in diet is absorbed
What increases the adsorption of phosphorous
Enhanced by vitamin D
What are the functions of phosphorous?
- Helps with calcium in mineralised tissues
- Is a biological buffer
- Hello in many biomolecules and processes (eg ATP, DNA, RNA)
What is a phosphorous deficiency usually caused by?
Usually die:
- to kidney disfunction
- alumni in antacids
- Total starvation
What effect can a severe phosphorous deficiency have?
- Will affect the functioning of all cells
- Impacts bone metabolism leading o rickets and osteomalacia
- Oral problems
What oral problems can phosphorous deficiency lead to?
1, Incomplete mineralisation of tech
2 .Increased caries
3 Rooth malformation
4. Increased risk of periodontal problem s
What can an excess of phosphorous cause?
- Can lead to disturbances of calcium balance
2. Increased porosity of the skeleton
Is calcium is a trace or macro mineral?
Macro molecule
Is iron a trace of Macro mineral?
Trace
Is phosphorous a trace or macro mineral?
Macro molecule
How much iron is lost and how?
Up to 1mg of iron is lost a day via gastrointestinal tract
Why is the required iron and RNI of iron different?
As iron absorption is not efficient
What is the required iron conc for men and what is the RNI?
Requried: 1mg/day
RNI: 8.7mg/day
Wha is the RNI for women?
14.8 mg/day
Give the 2 forms of iron found in our diet?
- Haem
2. Non haem
Give some dietary sources of haem iron
- Liver
2. Meat
Give some dietary sources of non haem iron
- Green veg
2. Cereals
Which form of iron is absorbed faster?
Haem iron
What is haem iron converted to in the body?
from haemoglobin or myoglobin
Give examples of foods that can help increase the absorption of non-haem iron
- Meat proteins
- Vitamin C
- Alcohol
Give examples of foods that decrease the absorption of non-haem iron
- Tannins
- Calcium
- Polyphenois
- Phytates found in legumes and whole grains
- Oxalate in green leafy veg
Give examples of foods that INHIBIT the absorption of non-haem iron
Some proteins found in soybeans
What causes iron deficiency
- Inadequate dietary intake of iron
2. Blood loss (Menstruation, ulcers etc)
What can iron deficiency lead to?
Anaemia
What is the function of iron?
Involved in many proteins and enzymes like electron transport proteins
What problems can iron cause if It is consumed in excess?
Iron is toxic and is transported in blood bound to transferrin
Where is iron stored?
Iron is stored and bound to ferritin bone marrow and spleen and haemosiderin in liver.
In a 70kg man how much iron is carried in blood in transferrin?
3-4mg
In a 70kg man how much iron is in red blood cells?
2500mg
In a 70kg man how much iron is in myoglobin and various enzymes?
399mg
In a 70kg man how much iron is stored in ferritin ?
1000mg
In a 70kg man how much iron is lost per day?
1mg
In a 70kg man how much iron is gained from the diet?
1mg
How are iron levels controlled?
Via adsorption as theres no specific route by which iron is excreted
Why is excess iron toxic?
As iron will e deposited in the issues which disrupts function (free radical damage)
How has the highest risk of developing heart disease?
Post menopausal women have higher risk of heart disease than premenopausal
women
Is iodine a trace macro mineral?
Trace element
What is the RNI for iodine?
140micro grams per day
Give some dietary sources of iodine
- Sea food
2. Dairy products
What is the function of iodine?
- Synthesis of thyroid hormones by thyroid gland
- Control metabolic rate
- eSSENTIAL FOR BRAIN DEVELOPMENT INE ARLY LIFE
What can iodine deficiency cause?
- Causes reduced synthesis of thyroid hormones
- Goitre in children and adults
- Mental retardation in neonates
What is the RNI of sodium?
1.6mg per day
What is the GDA of sodium set at?
6g per day
Where does most dietary sodium come from?
Salt
What are the main function software sodium?
- It is the main cation in extracellular fluid
- Controls ECF volume
- Na+ gradient is used to transport molecules
- Neuromuscular transmission
What is sodium deficiency due to?
- Vomiting
- diarrhoea
- Diuretics
- Addison’s disease
- Renal problems
What can sodium ions cause?
Can cause water loss and decreased plasma volume
Can lead to circulatory failure an collapse
What can excess sodium lead to?
Plays a role in hypertension in sensitive individuals
What is the RNI of potassium?
3.5g per day
What are the functions of potassium?
- It is the main cation in intracellular fluid
- Neuromuscular transmission
- Renal acid/base control
What is potassium deficiency due to?
- Vomiting
- Diarrhoea,
- Diuretics
- steroid use,
- Renal problems.
What can Potassium deficiency lead to?
Potassium loss causes: arrhythmias
neuromuscular weakness
What can an excess in potassium lead to?
Hyperkalemia which requires immediate treatment
What is the RNI for chloride?
2.5mg per day
Give some dietary sources off chloride
- Meat
- Sea food
- Eggs
- Salt
What is chloride deficiency associated with?
It is rare and usually associated with sodium loss
What is the function of chloride in the body?
It is a major anion in the body
Is copper a trace or macro mineral?
Trace element
What is the RNI for copper?
1.2mg per day
Give some dietary sources of copper
- Liver
- Shell fish
- Nuts
- Legumes
- Whole grain
What is the function os copper in the body?
It is required as a cofactor for may enzymes for example:
- Cytochrome oxidase (electron transport chain)
- Lysyl oxidase (cross links in collagen)
- Proteins associated with iron absorption
- Enzymes associate with synthesis of melanin
- Oxidant enzymes
What can inhibit the absorption of copper?
Too much zinc, vitamin C or antacids cn inhibit absorption
What are some symptoms of copper deficiency?
- Tissue fragility
- Fragile bones
- Ruptured aorta
- Diminished skin pigment
- Neurological disorders
When can copper be an excess in the body?
In people suffering from Wilson’s disease which impairs copper excretion in BILE
What can happen to someone suffering from Wilson’s disease
Copper can accumulate in the brain and liver causing severe damage like rings in the eyes
What is the RNI or magnesium?
270mg per day
What is the function of magnesium?
- It plays a major role in bone biology
- It is a cofactor for more than 30 enzymes
- Involved in blood clotting
- Activation of vitamin D
- DNA and RNA synthesis
- nerve transmission
- Muscle contraction
What does Mg stabilise?
Stabilises ATP
In whom is magnesium deficiency common in
Alcoholics
What can magnesium deficiency cause?
Causes:
- neuromuscular spasms
- Arrhythmia
- Increased heart rate
- Increased fragility of bone
- Gingival problems
When is excess magnesium due to?
Due to medication
What can excess magnesium cause?
- Diarrhoea
- Nausea
- Cramping
Is zinc a trace or macro mineral?
A trace mineral
What are the functions of zinc in the body?
- It is a co facto involved in metabolism and DNA and protein synthesis
- Forms zinc fingers which are involved in transcription factors that interact with DNA
What can zinc deficiency lead to?
- Decreased DNA and protein synthesis wihich retards growth
- Delayed wound healing
- Compromised immunity
- Delays onset of puberty
- . Impais sense of taste and smell
Give some dietary sources of chromium?
- Whole grains
- Potatoes
- Oysters
- Livers
- Seafood
- Cheese
- Chicken
- Neat
What are the functions of chromium?
Improves insulin function by increasing insulin binding to cells, insulin receptors summer and phosphorylation
In whom is chromium deficiency common in?
People who eat just refined/ processed food