Minerals

1. Minerals Presented by Janice Hermann, PhD, RD/LD OCES Adult and Older Adult Nutrition Specialist

2. Minerals • Minerals are important and essential to life. • Minerals are inorganic chemical compounds. • This means that minerals occur in the simplest form, as an atom of a single element.

3. Mineral Storage • Minerals are stored in the body. • Since minerals are stored in the body it is possible to get a toxicity.

4. Functions • Minerals have two general body functions; building and regulating. • Building • Minerals are essential for building bones, teeth and soft tissues.

5. Functions • Regulating • Minerals in body fluids regulate body systems. • Numerous metabolic process in the body require minerals. • Most enzymes need helper molecules. • Minerals function as cofactors that help enzymes to function. Minerals are either part of the enzyme itself or they activate the enzyme.

6. Destroying Minerals • Foods do not need to be handled with special care to prevent destruction of minerals. • However; minerals can be bound by other substances that make it hard for the body to absorb them, and the can be lost in food processing.

7. Minerals • There are 16 minerals known to be essential.  • Other minerals are still being studied to determine whether or not they have an essential role in the body.  • Some minerals are not essential but exist in the food supply and in the body in small amounts. • The body only needs minerals in small amounts; however, it needs them on a regular basis.

8. Major minerals Sodium Chloride Potassium Calcium Phosphorous Magnesium Sufate Trace minerals Iron Zinc Iodine Selenium Copper Manganese Fluoride Chromium Molybdenum Minerals

9. Minerals • Distinction between major and trace minerals • All minerals are vital • Major Minerals • Present, and needed, in larger amounts in the body • Need at least 100 mg per day • More than 5 grams in the body • Trace minerals • Present, and needed, in relatively small amounts in the body • Need less than 100 mg per day • Less than 5 grams in the body

10. Getting The Variety of Minerals • Normally, a well balanced diet based on the USDA Daily Food Plan and a variety of foods will provide enough minerals. • No singe food can supply all the nutrients in the right amount. • A variety of foods is needed to have a healthy diet.

11. Calcium • Recommended Dietary Allowance • Men (19-70 yr): 1,000 mg/day • Men (71+ yr): 1,200 mg/day • Women (19-50 yr): 1,000 mg/day • Women (51+ yr): 1,200 mg/day • Upper Level • Adults (19-50 yr): 2,500 mg/day • Adults (51+ yr): 2,000 mg/day

12. Calcium • Functions • Mineralization of bones and teeth • Muscle contraction and relaxation • Nerve functioning • Blood clotting • Blood pressure

13. Calcium • Food Sources • Milk and dairy products • Dark green-leafy vegetables (bokchoy, broccoli, chard, kale) • Fish with edible bones • Calcium set tofu, legumes

14. Calcium • Deficiency Symptoms • Children: Stunted growth • Adults: Osteoporosis • Toxicity Symptoms • Constipation • Increased risk of kidney stones and poor kidney function • Interfere with absorption of other minerals including iron, magnesium, and zinc

15. Phosphorous • Recommended Dietary Allowance • Adults: 700 mg/day • Upper Level • Adults: 4,000 mg/day (19-70 yr)

16. Phosphorous • Functions • Mineralization of bones and teeth • Part of every cell • Part of DNA and RNA (genetic material) • Part of phospholipids • Functions in energy metabolism • Maintaining acid-base balance.

17. Phosphorous • Food Sources • All animal tissues (meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs) • Deficiency Symptoms • Muscle weakness • Bone pain • Toxicity Symptoms • Calcification of non-skeletal tissues , particularly kidneys

18. Magnesium • Recommended Dietary Allowance • Men (19-30 yr): 400 mg/day • Women (19-30 yr): 310 mg/day • Upper Level • Adults: 350 mg nonfood magnesium/day

19. Magnesium • Functions • Bone mineralization • Building protein • Enzyme action (part of more than 300 enzymes) • Normal muscle contraction • Nerve impulse transmission • Maintenance of teeth • Functioning of immune system

20. Magnesium • Food Sources • Nuts, legumes • Whole grains and whole grain products • Dark-green vegetables • Seafood • Chocolate, cocoa

21. Magnesium • Deficiency Symptoms • Weakness • Confusion • Convulsions and bizarre muscle movements (if extreme) • Hallucinations • Growth failure in children • Toxicity Symptoms • Diarrhea, dehydration (from nonfood sources).

22. Chloride • Adequate Intake • 2,300 mg/day (19-50 yr) • 2,000 mg/day (51-70 yr) • 1,800 mg/day (> 70 yr) • Upper Limit • Adults: 3,600 mg/day

23. Chloride • Functions • Maintains normal fluid balance • Maintains normal electrolyte balance • Part of hydrochloric acid in the stomach necessary for protein digestion

24. Chloride • Food Sources • Table salt (sodium chloride) • Soy sauce and other condiments • Large amounts in processed foods • Moderate amounts in meats, milks, eggs

25. Chloride • Deficiency Symptoms • Does not occur under normal circumstances • Toxicity Symptoms • Vomiting

26. Potassium • Adequate Intake • Adults: 4,700 mg/day • Functions • Maintains normal fluid and electrolyte balance • Facilitates many reactions • Supports cell integrity • Assists in nerve impulse transmission • Helps with muscle contraction • Role with blood pressure

27. Potassium • Food Sources • All whole foods: meats, milk, fruits, vegetables, grains and legumes

28. Potassium • Deficiency Symptoms • Irregular heartbeat • Muscle weakness • Glucose intolerance • Toxicity Symptoms • Muscle weakness • Vomiting • If given in a vein can stop the heart

29. Sodium • Adequate Intake • 1,500 mg/day (19-50 yr) • 1,300 mg/day (51-70 yr) • 1,200 mg/day (>70 yr) • Upper Level • Adults 2,300 mg/day

30. Sodium • Functions • Maintains normal fluid balance and thus blood pressure • Maintains normal electrolyte balance • Assists in nerve impulse transmission • Assists with muscle contractions

31. Sodium • Food Sources • Table salt (sodium chloride) • Soy sauce and other condiments • Large amounts in processed foods • Moderate amounts in meats, milks, breads, and vegetables

32. Sodium • Deficiency Symptoms • Muscle cramps • Mental apathy • Loss of appetite loss • Toxicity Symptoms • Fluid retention and swelling (edema), high blood pressure (hypertension).

33. Chromium • Adequate Intake • Men: 35 µg/day • Women: 25 µg/day • Functions • Enhances insulin action and may improve glucose tolerance. • Food Sources • Meats (especially liver), whole grains and brewer’s yeast

34. Chromium • Deficiency • Diabetes like condition • Toxicity • None reported

35. Copper • Recommended Dietary Allowance • Adults: 900 µg/day • Upper Level • Adults: 10,000 µg/day (10 mg/day)

36. Copper • Functions • Necessary for the absorption and use of iron in the formation of hemoglobin • Component of several enzymes • Helps release energy from food • Helps form collagen

37. Copper • Food Sources • Seafood • Nuts, seeds, legumes • Whole grains • Deficiency Symptoms • Anemia, bone abnormalities • Toxicity Symptoms • Liver damage

38. Fluoride • Adequate Intake • Men: 4 mg/day • Women: 3 mg/day • Upper Level • 10 mg/day

39. Fluoride • Functions • Maintains health of bones and teeth • Helps make teeth resistant to decay • Food Sources • Fluoridated water • Tea • Seafood

40. Fluoride • Deficiency Symptoms • Weakened tooth enamel, susceptibility to tooth decay • Toxicity • Fluorosis (pitting and discoloration of teeth)

41. Iodine • Recommended Dietary Allowance • Adults: 150 µg/day • Upper Level • 1,100 µg/day

42. Iodine • Functions • A component of two thyroid hormones which help regulate growth, development and the metabolic rate • Food Sources • Iodized table salt, seafood, bread, dairy products, plants grown in iodine-rich soil and animals fed those plants

43. Iodine • Deficiency Disease • Simple goiter, cretinism • Deficiency Symptoms • Underactive thyroid gland • Goiter • Cretinism: mental and physical retardation in infants • Toxicity Symptoms • Decreased thyroid activity, goiter.

44. Iron • Recommended Dietary Allowance • Men: 8 mg/day • Women: 18 mg/day (19-50 yr) • Women: 8 mg/day (51+) • Upper Level • Adults: 45 mg/day

45. Iron • Functions • Part of the protein hemoglobin, which carries oxygen in the blood • Part of the protein myoglobin in muscles, which makes oxygen available for muscle contraction • Necessary for the utilization of energy as part of the cells’ metabolic machinery

46. Iron • Food Sources • Iron from animal foods is called heme iron. Heme iron is better absorbed. • Animal foods include liver, red meats, poultry, pork, fish, egg yolk, shellfish • Iron from plant foods is called non-heme iron. Non-heme iron is not absorbed as easily as heme iron. • Plant foods include legumes, peanuts, nuts, enriched and whole grain breads and cereals, dried fruits, green leafy vegetables • Combining non-heme iron with heme iron or having a food rich in vitamin C at the same meal helps absorb non-heme iron.

47. Iron • Deficiency Symptoms • Anemia, weakness, fatigue, headaches • Impaired work performance and cognitive function • Impaired immunity • Pale skin, nail-beds, mucous membranes and palm creases • Concave nails • Inability to regulate body temperature (reduced resistance to cold temperatures) • Pica

48. Iron • Toxicity Symptoms • Gastrointestinal distress • Hemochromatosis (iron overload): infections, fatigue, joint pain, skin pigmentation, organ damage. • Iron overload can cause death by accidental poisoning in children. Children should not take adult level iron supplements.

49. Manganese • Adequate Intake • Men: 2.3 mg/day • Women: 1.8 mg/day • Upper Level • Adults: 11 mg/day

50. Manganese • Functions • Cofactor for many enzymes. • Bone formation. • Food Sources • Nuts • Whole grains • Leafy vegetables • Tea