Minerals

1. Minerals Kylie, Jewels, Steven, Wes, Matt

2. Function • Minerals are the spark plugs of life because they are required to activate thousands of enzyme reactions within the body • Minerals have two main functions in the body, some minerals are responsible for building the structures in the body like bones, and teeth • Minerals also help to regulate bodily processes

3. Subcategories/ Types of Minerals • Trace Minerals are the ones that you need in small quantities, usually less than 100 mg a day, for healthy living • Examples of trace minerals are Zinc, Iron, Manganese, and Copper • Macro Minerals are their opposite, they are needed in larger quantities to sustain normal functions • Examples of Macro Minerals are Calcium, Potassium, Sodium and Iodine

4. Health Concerns • There are many concerns with taking too little or too many minerals • A few Examples of minerals are: Calcium, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, iodine, and selenium.

5. Calcium • Symptoms of taking too much or too little calcium are: • Taking 1500 to 4000 milligrams of calcium a day can cause bloating, nausea, and constipation. • Doses higher than 4,000 milligrams a day may be linked to kidney damage. • Taking not enough calcium can cause a child’s bones and teeth not to grow strong and straight. • Adult’s bones become weak when not taking enough calcium.

6. Magnesium • High amounts of magnesiumare safe for healthy people. • People with kidney disease that take too much magnesium can cause weak muscles, breathing difficulty, and heart attack.

7. Iron • Overdosing on iron supplements can cause death; for adults, the dose is estimated to be 200 to 250 milligrams of iron per kilogram of weight • Not taking enough iron can cause shortage of haemoglobin which will make you tired and feel weak • Being deficient in iron can also cause a decrease in intellectual performance

8. Zinc • Extremely high doses of zinc may cause symptoms of zinc poisoning which involve: vomiting, irritation of the stomach lining and may interfere with your immune system • A good supply of zinc is crucial for making testosterone and healthy sperm. Men who don’t get enough zinc may be temporarily infertile • Not taking enough Zinc can make you lose your appetite and taste for food • It may also weaken your immune system

9. Iodine • Overdoses of iodine cause goiters, consuming high amounts of iodine causes your thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones making your throat to swell • A more severe deficiency early in ones life can cause physical and mental retardation.

10. Selenium • More than 5 milligrams of selenium a day can cause fragile nails, hair loss, and perspiration with a garlic scent • Taking extremely high amounts of Selenium causes people to suffer from selenium intoxication, fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea, and nerve damage. • Having not enough selenium can cause muscle pain or weakness, to protect against selenium problems, people should take a good amount of vitamin E.

11. Interesting Facts • Some interesting facts about minerals are: • If you get just the right amount then this will help you live a healthy lifestyle. • Too much or too little of minerals can cause serious effects http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkHH8qvk4ac

12. Related Foods • Calcium you can find in milk, yogurt and other dairy products • Iron you can find in cereal, meat, beans and fish • Zinc is found in cereals and some vegetables • Magnesium is found in green vegetables-spinach is a great source of magnesium • Fish, shellfish, red meat, grains, eggs, chicken, liver, and garlic are all good sources of selenium • Fish are good sources of Iodine