MINERALS

                                                         MINERALS

Introduction :-

                       Minerals are inorganic homogenous solid substances that obtained from the earth. They are also found in the human body and are found in the food in the form of minerals. Salts in much smaller quantities than the macronutrients or energy producing food factors and belong to the group of micro-nutrients along with the vitamins.  these  are required for growth and repair and regulation of all the vital functions of the body .

CLASSIFICATION :-

1.       Macro minerals

Ø  Calcium

Ø  Sodium

Ø  Potassium

Ø  Phosphorus

2.       Micro minerals

Ø  Iron

Ø  Sulfur

Ø  Magnesium

3.       Trace elements

                       These are again divided in two

a)      Definitely essential trace elements

Ø  Iodine

Ø  Zinc

Ø  Copper

b)      Probable essential trace elements

Ø  Fluorine

Ø  Boron

Ø  Tin

Ø  Silicon

MACRO MINERALS :

                       Minerals essential at the levels of 100 mg /day or more for adult humans include calcium sodium etc.

                                             CALCIUM

Of all the minerals present in the body calcium is found In largest amount . almost 99% of the total calcium is found in the teeth and bones the remainder  1 % of calcium in the circulatory system helps in blood clotting .

Daily requirement:-

Adult 400 to 500 mg . during pregnancy and lactation it goes up to one gm. Per day

Dietary source: -

Ø  Milk and milk products

Ø  Green leafy vegetables

Ø  Oil seeds

Ø  Coconut

Ø  Fish

Ø  Eggs

Ø  Fruits (apple )

 Function :-

Ø  Formation of bones and teeth

Ø  To maintain teeth sparkle

Ø  Helping in blood clotting

Ø  Helpful in absorption of vitamin B 12

Absorption :-

                 Calcium is absorbed mainly in the part of the duodenum . usually only 20 to 30 % of ingested calcium and sometimes as little as 10 % is absorbed . most of the ingested calcium (65 to 75 % ) is excreted in the stools and urine .

Deficiencies :-

Ø  Delayed in blood clotting

Ø  Rickets

Ø  Lack of development

Ø  Weakness of bones and teeth

Ø  Hyperthyroidism

     PHOSPHOURS

Phosphorus is found in all cells. it accounts for about 1% of total body weight . the adult serum phosphate level is normally ranges from 2.5mg/dl to 5 mg/dl .

Sources :-

Ø  Milk

Ø  Eggs

Ø  Meat

Ø  Fish

Ø  Vegetables

Functions :-

Ø  Helps for the formation of teeth and bones along with calcium and magnesium

Ø  Help in fat, protein and carbohydrate  metabolism

Absorption :-

              It is absorbed in the jejunum of the small intestine. Absorption is regulated by calcium and vitamin D

Excretion :-

                 Phosphorus is excreted  through the kidneys

Deficiencies :-

Ø  Weakness of bones

Ø  Tooth decay

Over consumption :-

                     Over consumption of phosphorus is called as hyperphosphatemia  is usually seen in chronic renal failure where in reduced renal function results in increased sensitivity to large dietary loads of phosphorus .

                                            SODIUM

Sodium is one of the mineral salt that is available in large quantities in the human body sodium  is the basic element of food . something which lands special taste to the diet .

Daily requirement :-

                        10 to 15 gms depends on the climate and type of work

Source :-

1.       Low sodium :

Ø  Chapattis

Ø  Fruits

Ø  Cabbage

Ø  Cauliflower

Ø  Tomatoes

Ø  Peas

Ø  Onion

Ø  Nuts

Ø  Sugar

2.       Moderate sodium :

Ø  Corn flakes

Ø  Leafy vegetables

Ø  Carrot

Ø  Radish

Ø  Milk

Ø  Curds

Ø  Fish

3.       High sodium :

Ø  Bread

Ø  Biscuits

Ø  Cakes

Ø  Butter

Ø  Pastries

Ø  Pickle

Ø  Salted snacks

Function :-

Ø  Helps to maintain water balance (outside the cells )

Ø  Muscle irritability ( helps in transmitting impulses along the nerve and muscle membranes )

Absorption :-

                   Sodium absorbed in intestines

Excretion :-

              Elimination of sodium is done through stools. Condition such diarrhea there is too much loss of sodium salt.

Deficiencies :-

Ø  Tiredness

Ø  Difficulty in breathing

Ø  Mental fatigue

Ø  Muscle cramps

Over consumption :-

                           High salt diet increases the blood pressure

                             POTASSIUM

Potassium is mineral element found in combination with other elements in the body . it helps to relaxes cardiac muscles

Daily requirement :-

                                A normal healthy adult requires 2 to 5 gms  of potassium per day and  because it is found in almost all the food stuffs . so no need to use any specific food .

Source :-

Ø  Fresh vegetables such as carrot, spinach, coriander leaves and lemon etc.

Ø  Fresh or dried fruits as amla , orange , banana, apple , papaya and nuts etc.

Ø  Animal food  like milk, fresh fish etc.

Function :-

Ø  It plays an important role in the conduction of nerve impulses

Ø  It is essential for growth and building of tissues

Ø  It is essential for relaxes cardiac muscles

Ø  It is essential  for synthesis of glycogen

Absorption :-

                    It is absorbed in small intestines . but also circulates in gastrointestinal secretion having earlier been absorbed in the digestive process

Excretion :-

                  Renal excretion is the principal route for the potassium loss

Deficiencies :-

Ø  Weakness

Ø  Muscular paralysis

Ø  Hypertension

Over consumption :-

Ø  Sever dehydration

Ø  Renal failure

Ø  Breathing difficulty

                                   CHLORINE

Chlorine is found in all the body cells. It is also found in the red blood cells. In normal serum levels range from  340 mg to 370 mg / l .

Sources :-

Ø  Salt

Ø  Animal product

Function :-

Ø  It helps to activate other enzyme

Ø  It helps in digestion process

Absorption :-

                  It absorbed in the small intestine

Excretion :-

               Excretion occurs through kidneys only a small amount lost through stools

Deficiency :-

Ø  Vomiting

Ø  Diarrhea

MICROMINERALS

                                       IRON

Iron is an essential nutrient  responsible for the formation of hemoglobin of the red blood cells and plays an important role in the transport the oxygen .  in the most of the developing countries include India the diet is very much deficient in iron . Anemia is the most  widely prevalent  of all the deficiency disease reported in human nutrition .

Daily requirement :-

Ø  Infant ------  1 mg

Ø  Boys -------- 20 -25 mg

Ø  Girls ---------30 -35 mg

Ø  Adult (male)-------24 mg

Ø  Pregnancy ---------40 mg

Ø  Lactation ----------32 mg

Sources :-

Ø  Beans

Ø  Green leafy vegetable

Ø  Banana

Ø  Some spices example jeera

Ø  Meat

Ø  Fish

Ø  Egg

Function :-

Ø  Formation of  hemoglobin

Ø  Help in transport of oxygen

Ø  Development of brain

Ø  Regulation of body temperature

Ø  Cell respiration

Absorption and transport :-

                          Hemoglobin in the red blood cells in the tissue cells are vital for the transport of oxygen to the cell and storage within cells. Iron is oxidized and bound with plasma, in duodenum and jejunum. It is transported by blood as transferrin to the storage sites in bone marrow for hemoglobin synthesis . iron is the stored in the liver to the draw upon whenever needed for hemoglobin in RBCs and also for general  body metabolism . in the liver it is stored in a less soluble form .

Excretion :-

                     Only small amounts of iron are lost by renal excretion. But only surgery or heavy menstrual flow and gastrointestinal disease could lead to losses of  iron from body  .

Deficiencies :-

Ø  Nutritional anemia

Ø  Hemorrhagic anemia

Ø  Mal absorption  anemia

Over consumption :-

                          Exercise accumulation of iron in the body occur due to inadequate excretion of iron . it is a dangerous condition that can damage liver, heart, pancreas and other organs.

                                       SULPHUR

It is found in all the cells of body . the plasma sulphur levels range from 50 mmol/l to 150 mmol/ l

Dietary source :-

Ø  Eggs

Ø  Meat

Ø  Cheese

Ø  Milk

Ø  Fish

Ø  Nuts

Function :-

Ø  It helps the body to resist bacteria

Ø  It helps to clean the blood

Ø  It helps to synthesis protein

Absorption :-

                  It absorbed in the intestine and goes directly in to the portal blood circulation

Excretion :-

                It excreted in the urine

Deficiency :-

Ø  Renal calculi

Ø  Cystinuria

                                    MAGNASIUM

It is a white essential mineral and present in all the living cells of the body especially in bones and teeth.

Magnesium present in the blood in 2.3 to 100 ml of blood serum .

Sources :-

a)      Rice source :-

Ø  Soybean

Ø  Nuts

Ø  Spices are rice

b)      Good source :-

Ø  Spinach

Ø  Corn

c)       Fair source :-

Ø  Liver

Ø  Fresh peas

Function :-

Ø  It is essential for all the living cells

Ø  Magnesium along with calcium, sodium and potassium is needed for the transporting of nerve impulses .

Ø  It is essential for the proper functioning  especially brain and spinal cord

Ø  It is essential for the normal metabolism of calcium and potassium

Absorption :-

                   Magnesium absorbed throughout small intestine high levels of dietary  calcium, phosphorus and protein stop absorption from intestine

Deficiency :-

                   Deficiency of magnesium does not occurs as it is found almost all food stuff . deficiency of magnesium occurs in patient with sever diarrhea and cirrhosis of liver in alcoholics

                              TRACE ELEMENTS

IODINE :-

           Iodine can be found in the muscles , thyroid gland and skin etc. the body of the average adult contain about 15 to 20 mg of iodine . during pregnancy and for lactating women it will increase

Source :-

a)      Rice source :-

Ø  Sea fish

Ø  Sea salt

Ø  Vegetables

b)      Good source :-

Ø  Egg yolk

Ø  Fish

Ø  Liver

Ø  Oil

Ø  Meat

Ø  Milk

Ø  Iodized salt

Function :-

Ø  Essential for the normal growing physical and mental development of all humans

Ø  Iodine prevents the formation of goiter

Ø  Iodine is essential for the proper function of the thyroid gland and in the formation of its hormones

Absorption : -

                    Iodine is stored in the thyroid where it is used for synthesis of iodotyrosine  (T3) and thyroxine when needed. The hormone is degraded in targeted cell and in the liver and iodine is conserved if needed .

Excretion :-

                  Excretion through urine will be there and small amounts in the stools .

Deficiency :-

Ø  Hypothyroidism

Ø  Goitre

Ø  Cretinism

Over consumption :-

Ø  Goitre

Ø  Hyperthyroidism

Ø  Frequent diarrhea

Ø  Weight loss

Ø  Restlessness and hot sweats etc.

                              ZINC

Zinc Is an essential trace mineral element which is present in all the living tissues of the body . the average adult body contains 1.4 to 2.3 gm. Of zinc .

Sources :-

1.       Animal source :-

Ø  Milk

Ø  Egg

Ø  Fish

Ø  Meat

Ø  Sea food

2.       Plant source :-

Ø  Rice

Ø  Peas

Ø  Beans

Ø  Bread etc.

Function :-

Ø  It play an important role in growth and normal functioning of the tissue cells .

Ø  Zinc helps in wound healing

Ø  It pays a role in the maintain of normal taste

Ø  It is required for the immunity function

Absorption :-

                  It is observed mostly in the upper jejunum in small intestine

Excretion :-

                 Zinc is excreted mainly through stools

Deficiency :-

Ø  Loss of taste

Ø  Loss of hunger

Ø  Anemia

Ø  Delay in wound healing

Ø  Zinc deficiency during pregnancy may be lead to developmental  disorders in the child

Over consumption :-

Ø  Nausea

Ø  Vomiting

Ø  Diarrhea

                                        FLUOROIDE

About 96% of fluoride in the body is found in bones and teeth. It is found in the drinking water. In India the quantity of fluoride in the drinking water  must be 0.5 to 0.8 mg/ lit of water .

Source :-

Ø  Tea

Ø  Soil

Ø  Foods such as sea foods

Function :-

Ø  It is essential from the formation of teeth enamel

Ø  It prevents the decay of the teeth

Ø  Essential for bones

Absorption :-

                   Fluoride absorbed in small intestine. Absorption of fluoride is reduced by  calcium and sodium. Fats on other hand increase the rate of absorption up to 80% .

Excretion :-

                    Excretion through the urine

Deficiency :-

Ø  Dental carries or tooth decay

Over consumption :-

Ø  Dental fluorosis

Ø  Skeletal fluorosis