Trace Minerals I Flashcards
Essential inorganic elements that are required in maintaining the normal functions in our body
Minerals
Important in bone health, growth and development, blood formation, and clotting and nerve impulses
Minerals
The essential minerals can be further divided into which 2 categories?
Major and trace minerals
Major minerals are required in amounts of more than
100 mg per day
Required in amounts of less than 100 mg per day
Trace minerals
Are typically the richest source of minerals and have the best bioavailability
Seafood
Nutritional status and the amount of mineral stored in the body will influence how much is
Absorbed
Often times compete with eachother for absorption in the GI tract
Minerals
Compete for the same protein carriers during absorption
Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+
The bioavailability of minerals can also be reduced if the minerals are attached to binders such as
Oxalates or Phyates
An example of this is the oxylate that binds calcium in
Spinach
Is technically high in calcium but is a poor calcium source because of its high oxylate content
Spinach
Also bind and inhibit the bodies absorption of minerals
Phyates in plants and polyphenols in tea and coffee
Enhances the absoprtion of iron from plant foods
Vitamin C
Animal protein from meat, fish, and poultry enhances
Zn absorption
What are the 6 major trace elements we need to know?
Iron, zinc, copper, selenium, fluoride, iodine
Found in the highest amount in meat, fish, poultry, eggs dried peas, and beans
Iron
Whe menses and monthly blood loss have ceased, the RDA of iron for men and women is
Identical
The oxidized form of iron is
Ferric Iron (Fe3+)
The average adult body contains about
3-4g of iron
Free iron is very
Toxic
Iron is transported in circulation bound to
Transferrin
Approximately 70% of iron is in red blood cells as part of the
Heme in hemoglobin
What percentage of iron is bound to myoglobin in the heart and skeletal muscle?
5%
The rest of the iron is stored in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow as
Ferritin
When iron concentrations become abnormally high, liver converts ferritin into another storage protein called
-protects body from damage due to excess iron
Hemosiderin
Most commonly found in macrophages and is especially abundant in situations following hemorrhage, suggesting that it is related to phagocytosis of red blood cells and hemoglobin
Hemosiderin
What are the two forms of dietary iron found in food?
Heme and non-heme iron
Absorbed slowly and not affected by dietary consumption
Heme iron
The larger portion of iron consumption is from
Non-heme iron
Sources of non-heme iron include both
PLant and animal sources
Absorbed at a much slower rate
Non-heme iron
Only foods derived from animal flesh provide
-better absorbed
Heme iron
What are the two general types of factors affecting iron absorption?
Enhancing and inhibiting factors
Increased demands in periods of growth such as pregnancy and weight training results in
Increased iron absorption
Non-heme iron absorption is accelerated with the presence of animal proteins. Specifically by a protein called
Meat protein factor
Although there is no iron absorption in the stomach, increasing the acidity converts iron from
Fe3+ to Fe2+
Fe2+ is the form of iron that is
Absorbed by duodenum
The body suppresses the supply of iron during
Infection
The presence of antacids and PPis has what effect on iron absorption?
Inhibitory