Water and Minerals

Water and Minerals Zeina Ghossoub El-Aswad, MSc. Water and Minerals

Definitions • Minerals: Naturally occurring inorganic homogeneous substances; chemical elements • Major minerals: Essential mineral nutrients found in the human body in amounts larger than 5 grams • Trace minerals: Essentials in less than 5 g Water and Minerals

Water • Carries nutrients throughout the body • Cleanses the blood of waste • Serves as the solvent for minerals, vitamins, amino acids, glucose, and other small molecules • Acts as a lubricant around joints Water and Minerals

Water • Actively participates in many chemical reactions • Serves as a shock absorber inside the eyes, spinal cord, joints, and amniotic sac surround the fetus in the womb • Aids in maintaining the body’s temperature Water and Minerals

Water Balance • Water recommendations and sources • Water needs vary greatly • Under normal conditions, adults need between 1 and 1.5 ml of water from all sources for each calorie spent in the day • A 2000 cal diet means 2-3 L per day • Food also contain water, at different % Water and Minerals

The Major Minerals • Calcium • Chloride • Magnesium • Phosphorous • Potassium • Sodium • Sulfur Water and Minerals

Calcium • The most abundant mineral in the body • Calcium and phosphorous are needed for bone formation • Nearly all of the body’s calcium (99%) is stored in the bone • It is an integral part of bone structure • Serves as a bank that releases calcium in the blood when needed, and absorbs it when in excess Water and Minerals

Calcium • In body fluids • It is particularly important in nerve transmission • Allows secretion of hormones, digestive enzymes, and neurotransmitters • Essential for muscle contraction and therefore for the heart beat Water and Minerals

Calcium Water and Minerals

Osteoporosis • Wide spread • A calcium-poor diet during the growing years may prevent someone from reaching peak bone mass (the highest attainable bone density for an individual developed during the first three decades of life) Water and Minerals

Osteoporosis • When in need, you are not stimulated to eat more calcium. The body absorbs it from bone • Calcium absorption depends on need • Bones in osteoporosis become brittle and fragile Water and Minerals

Calcium Recommendations Water and Minerals

Phosphorous • Second most abundant mineral in the body • 85 % is found combined with calcium • The concentration in the blood is less than 1/2 of calcium • Very critical to life and widespread functions Water and Minerals

Phosphorous Water and Minerals

Magnesium • Only about 30 grams is present in the entire body, 1/2 in bone • Most of the rest is in liver, muscles, heart and soft tissues • Affects muscle contractions, bone build up and many enzymatic reactions Water and Minerals

Magnesium Water and Minerals

Sodium • The chief ion used to maintain the volume of fluids outside the cells • Helps maintain acid-base balance • Essential to muscle contraction and nerve transmission Water and Minerals

Sodium • Sodium deficiency is harmful, but few diets lack sodium • Usually, the problem with salt is too much of it! • Absorption of salt is done freely • Kidneys maintain most of the salt balance in our body, with the help of hormones and other compounds Water and Minerals

Sodium Water and Minerals

Sodium • Increased amounts of salt correlate with increased frequency of HTN • HTN can be “salt-sensitive” and “non-salt sensitive” Water and Minerals

Sodium Water and Minerals

Potassium Plays a major role in maintaining fluid balance, cell integrity and electrolyte balance • Critical in maintaining the heart beat Water and Minerals

Potassium Water and Minerals

Potassium • Table 8-11, p 298 Water and Minerals

Chloride • Table 8-11, p 298, 299 Water and Minerals

Sulfur Water and Minerals

The Trace Minerals Water and Minerals

Iodine • Needed in very very small amounts • Part of thyroxin, the thyroid hormone needed for many vital functions in our body • When its levels are low, the thyroid gland cells enlarge to entrap as much iodine as possible, sometimes making a lump or goiter Water and Minerals

Iodine • Iodine deficiency results in sluggishness and weight gain • Cretinism: severe mental and physical retardation of an infant caused by the mother’s iodine deficiency during pregnancy Water and Minerals

Iodine • Recommended intake: 150 micrograms • Toxic level is over 2000 micrograms • Fast foods have a lot of iodine • Dairy products have iodine added to them for disinfection Water and Minerals

Iodine Water and Minerals

Iron • Every living cell, plant or animal, contains iron • Iron’s actions are very tightly controlled, else it would be damaging to the body Water and Minerals

Iron • Iron helps cells utilize oxygen • Helps enzymes in energy pathways to use oxygen • Needed to make new cells, amino acids, hormones and neurotransmitters • The liver stores iron that is needed for RBC synthesis Water and Minerals

Iron Water and Minerals

Iron • Deficiency • Low dietary intakes or more losses than gains • Iron deficiency means body stores are depleted • Iron deficiency anemia means anemia due to severe deficiency in iron stores Water and Minerals

Iron Water and Minerals

Zinc • Works with proteins in every organ • Make parts of the cells’ genetic material • Make heme in hemoglobin • Help the pancreas with its digestive functions • Help metabolize CHO, proteins and fats Water and Minerals

Zinc Water and Minerals

Selenium Water and Minerals

Fluoride, Chromium and Copper Water and Minerals

Water and Minerals