Minerals in the bodyMinerals in the body

Amani Alghamdi

Slide 1

The MineralsThe Minerals

• Small, naturally occurring, inorganicinorganic,

chemical elements

• Serve as structural components• Serve as structural components

Minerals classification

The minerals present in the body are classified

into:

�Major elements (Macronutrients)

�Trace elements�Trace elements

� Essential trace elements

� Non-essential trace elements

Slide 3

Major vs. TraceMajor vs. Trace

Major minerals� LARGer Quantities (>5g)

• Calcium

• Magnesium

• Phosphorous

Trace Minerals

� SMALLer Quantities (<5g)

• Iron

• Zinc

• Copper

• Fluoride• Phosphorous

• Sodium

• Potassium

• Chloride

• Sulfur

• Fluoride

• Selenium

• Iodine

• Chromium

• Manganese

• Molybdenum

Mineral FunctionsMineral Functions

1. Bone Health

2. Blood Health

3. Fluid Balance3. Fluid Balance

4. Energy Metabolism

5. Antioxidant

Minerals for: Bone HealthMinerals for: Bone Health

Major minerals� LARGEr Quantities

Calcium

Magnesium

Trace Minerals

� SMALLer Quantities

Iron

Zinc

CopperMagnesium

Phosphorous

Sodium

Potassium

Chloride

Sulfur

Copper

Fluoride

Selenium

Iodine

Chromium

Minerals for: Blood Minerals for: Blood HealthHealth

Major minerals� LARGEr Quantities

Calcium

Magnesium

Trace Minerals

� SMALLer Quantities

Iodine

IRONIRONIRONIRON

ZINCZINCZINCZINCMagnesium

Sodium

Potassium

Chloride

Phosphorous

Sulfur

ZINCZINCZINCZINC

COPPERCOPPERCOPPERCOPPER

Fluoride

Selenium

Chromium

Molybdenum

Manganese

Minerals for: Fluid BalanceMinerals for: Fluid Balance

Major minerals� LARGEr Quantities

Calcium

Magnesium

Phosphorous

Trace Minerals

� SMALLer Quantities

Iron

Zinc

CopperPhosphorous

SodiumSodiumSodiumSodium

PotassiumPotassiumPotassiumPotassium

ChlorideChlorideChlorideChloride

Sulfur

Copper

Fluoride

Selenium

Chromium

Minerals for: Energy MetabolismMinerals for: Energy Metabolism

Major minerals� LARGEr Quantities

Calcium

Magnesium

Trace Minerals

� SMALLer Quantities

Iron

Zinc

CopperPhosphorous

Sodium

Potassium

Chloride

SulfurSulfurSulfurSulfur

Copper

Fluoride

Selenium

IodineIodineIodineIodine

ChromiumChromiumChromiumChromium

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/bv.fcgi?rid=stryer.figgrp.1942

Antioxidant Antioxidant -- SeleniumSelenium

• Works with Vitamin E

Calcium� Distribution:

� Most abundant mineral in body – 2% of body weight� Provides structure to bones and teeth

Calcium exists in two forms that have quite

different functions.different functions.

1. 99% of total body calcium is present in the bone and teeth as crystals called hydroxyapatite.

2. 1% of total body calcium is present in body fluid as an ionized form and it has an important part for the physiologic activity.

Slide 11

Functions of CalciumFunctions of Calcium

I. Calcification of bones and teeth.

II. Blood clotting as activator of thrombokinase.

III. It is important for maintenance of the heart

beat.

IV. Regulate the transport of ions across cellIV. Regulate the transport of ions across cell

membranes and it is particularly important in

nerve transmission and muscle contraction.

V. It is cofactor for several enzymes.

Slide 12

Calcium balance

• The skeleton serves as a bank from which the

blood can borrow and return Ca²⁺ as needed.

• Withdrawal and deposition of Ca²⁺ are

regulated by hormones sensitive to blood

⁺

⁺

regulated by hormones sensitive to blood

level of Ca²⁺. These hormones are:

�Parathyroid hormone (PTH)

�Calcitonin: ( Calcium lowering hormone)

Slide 13

Parathyroid hormone (PTH)

• A decrease in the calcium concentration in the

blood stimulates the release of PTH from

parathyroid gland.

• PTH: increase serum Ca²⁺ and decrease serum

phosphorus:

Slide 14

⁺

phosphorus:

• It increase urinary excretion of phosphorous and

decrease urinary excretion of calcium.

• Stimulates release of calcium from bone.

• Increase the synthesis of 1.25 dihydroxy

cholecalciferol form of vitamin D which

increases absorption of calcium from the

intestine.

Calcitonin ( Calcium lowering hormone)

• A rise in the calcium concentration in the blood, stimulates the secretion of the calcitonin by the thyroid gland.

• Calcitonin: decrease serum Ca²⁺ level (opposite PTH) by:

�Decrease withdrawal of Ca²⁺ from bone

Slide 15

⁺

�Decrease withdrawal of Ca²⁺ from bone (dissolution of bone).

�Increase Ca²⁺ excretion by the kidney.

�Inhibit synthesis of 1.25 dihydroxycholecalciferol

Calcium

recommendations

• Calcium recommendations during adolescence

are set high (1300 mg/day) to ensure that the

skeleton will be strong and dense.

• Between the ages of 19-50, recommendations • Between the ages of 19-50, recommendations

are lowered to 1000 mg/day.

• Over 50, the recommendations are raised again

to 1800 mg/day to minimized bone loss.

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Dietary Calcium SourcesDietary Calcium Sources

• Dairy: milk, cheese, yogurt

• Broccoli, dark green vegetables

• Orange juice with calcium• Orange juice with calcium

• Salmon, sardines with the bones

Dietary Calcium SourcesDietary Calcium Sources

• Milk and milk products typically contain more calcium than other food sources

• Milk also contains vitamin D and lactose which can enhance calcium absorption

Dietary Calcium SourcesDietary Calcium Sources

Not Only Milk

Other dairy options:

� Low-fat cheese in a sandwich � Low-fat cheese in a sandwich

� Yogurt dips with vegetables

� Low-fat shredded cheese on soups and salads

� Cottage cheese

Abnormal level of Ca²Abnormal level of Ca²⁺⁺⁺⁺⁺⁺⁺⁺

• May be due to disease of:

�parathyroid,

�kidney �kidney

�disturbed vitamin D level.

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Ca and osteoporosisCa and osteoporosis

• Osteoporosis is a silent thief. It leads to

progressive loss of bone mass that occurs in

the elderly of both sexes but is pronounced in

postmenopausal women (mostly women 45

years or more).years or more).

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It is characterized by

frequent bone fractures,

which are the major

disability among the elderly.

Bone Mass and AgeBone Mass and Age

Bone mass:

• Decreases with age

• Peaks around 30

Ca and osteoporosisCa and osteoporosis

• Patient life-style may influence calcium

metabolism,

immobilized or sedentary individual tends to show

bone loss,bone loss,

while patient that exercise regularly tend to

increase their bone mass.

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Ca and osteoporosisCa and osteoporosis

• Although estrogen replacement is the most

effective prevention of postmenopausal bone

loss, calcium supplementation (often given in

combination with vitamin D). Further reduces

the risk of fracture due to bone loss,the risk of fracture due to bone loss,

particularly in elderly patients

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Rickets

• Rickets is a disorder caused by a

lack of vitamin D, calcium, or

phosphate.

• It leads to softening and

weakening of the bones.weakening of the bones.

• There is low serum and urinary

calcium and phosphorus level.

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Phosphorous

� Distribution:

� Second most abundant mineral in the body

� Critical role in bone formation

� Gives bones and teeth strength and rigidity

Slide 26

Functions of

phosphorous:

• Enters in formation in bones and teeth.

• Formation of high energy compounds as ATP.

• Enters in the structure of nucleotides and nucleic acids (genetic material).

• It is important for the biosynthesis of phospholipids • It is important for the biosynthesis of phospholipids present in cell membrane.

• It is in carbohydrate metabolism as hexose ester (glc-6-P and Fr-6-P).

• It is acts as buffer to maintain the acid-base balance of cellular fluid.

• Enter the formation of coenzymes as NADP.

Mosby items and derived items © 2006 by Mosby, Inc. Slide 27

Sources of phosphorous

� Milk and milk products

� Proteins as meat and fish products.

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