Trace minerals generic
- essential mineral nutrients
- found in human body in amounts less than 5 gms
- sometimes called microminerals
Iron (Fe++ and Fe+++)
- one of most important/ abundant trace minerals
- cofactor (mineral that works with an enzyme to facilitate a chemical reaction)
- most common nutrient deficiency worldwide
- most iron is contained in 2 body proteins (hemoglobin and myoglobin)
hemoglobin
oxygen carrying protein in erythrocytes (RBC's)
myoglobin
oxygen holding protein in muscle cells
Heme iron
Heme: the iron holding part of hemoglobin and myoglobin proteins
Heme Iron: found only in animal foods (meat, poultry, fish)
- 10% total iron consumed/ day is heme
- 25-35% heme iron is absorbed
Non-heme iron
- found in both plant/ animal foods
- 90% total iron consumed daily is non-heme
- only 10% non-heme iron is absorbed
anemia and iron
- with anemia, individuals absorb more heme and non-heme iron
- iron absorption rate depends on need
non heme iron absorption is enhanced by what?
- MFP factor: factor associated with the digestion of Meat, Fish, Poultry (MFP)
- Vitamin C
- Acids (in food and stomach)
- sugars
Nonheme iron absorption is inhibited by what?
- phytates
- fiber
- oxalates
- calcium
- tannic acid (tea/ coffee)
iron forms
2 irons
- Ferrous iron (reduced state) Fe++
- Ferric iron (oxidized state) Fe +++
Iron chief function
- part of hemoglobin (oxygen carrier in blood)
- part of myoglobin (oxygen holding protein in muscle)
- cellular energy utilization- electron transport chain
foods iron is found in
- red meats, poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, legumes, dried fruit
Iron deficiency symptoms and disease
- iron deficiency= Anemia
- symptoms: blue sclera of eyes, hypochromic/ microcytic RBCs, reduced immunity, reduced work production, weakness/fatigue, reduced cognitive function, increased distractivility, ithing, pale nail beds, concave nails, decreased a
Iron toxicity
- leads to liver damage and transplant
- lethargy, joint pain, organ damage, enlarged liver, death
- as few as 5 iron tablets have killed young children
- hemochromatosis
- hemosiderosis
hemochromatosis
hereditary iron metabolism defect leading to iron deposits in tissues and tissue damage. Most common genetic disorder in the US, affects 1.5 mil
hemosiderosis
long term dietary/supplementary iron overload that leads to deposits of iron storage protein hemosiderin in liver and other tissues
iron and vit c
consuming iron with vitamin c increases the amount of iron absorbed
RBCs in anemic people
are microcytic (small) and hypochromic (pale)
Zinc chief function
- required as a cofactor by >100 enzymes
- metalloenzyme
- associated with insulin
involved in making
- genetic material and proteins
- immune reactions
- transport of vitamin A
- taste perception
- wound healing
- making sperm
- normal fetal development
foods zinc is found in
- protein containing foods
- whole grains
- veggies
Zinc deficiency symptoms
- lowered taste acuity
- lowered wound healing
- growth retardation/ delayed onset of puberty (dwarfism in MIddle Eastern Countries)
- impaired DNA/ protein synthesis
- anorexia
Zinc toxicity symptoms
- anemia
- raised LDL
- lowered HDL
- GI upsets
- renal failure
- heart muscle degeneration
Acrodermatitis enteropathica
rare inherited zinc malabsorption disease that leads to additional severe deficiency symptoms
zinc deficiency in the elderly
- elderly are often zinc deficient because of decreased consumption of protein foods, whole grains and veggies (Expensive foods)
- zinc deficiency can lead to decreased taste acuity and wound healing which leads to even less consumption of good zinc sourc
zinc through the body
- absorbed by intestinal cells and attached to albumin and transferrin and carried through blood
- liver stores excess as metallothionein
- some losses in urine, skin, blood, semen
- pancreas uses zinc to make digestive enzymes and secretes them into dige
zinc deficiency in Middle Eastern Countries
- native middle eastern diets are typically low in high zinc foods (meats) and high in foods containing fiber and phytates which inhibit zinc absorption
- this leads to dwarfism which is only partially reversible
Iodine chief function
- component of thyroid hormones which regulate growth, development, and BMR
- found in iodized salt and seafood
simple goiter
- Iodine deficiency disease
- enlargement of thyroid gland due to iodine deficiency and thyroid gland malfunction
cretinism
- iodine deficiency disease
- congenital disease characterized by mental and physical retardation caused from iodine deficiency during pregnancy
iodine deficiency symptoms
- Goiter (enlargement of the thyroid gland), leads to hypothyroldism which leads to weight gain and slow BMR
- cretinism: severe mental and physicla retardation
Iodine toxicity
enlarged thyroid gland and goiter, just like deficiency symptoms
Selenium chief function
- antioxidant
- helps regulate thyroid hormone
- decreases risk of some cancers
- found in seafood, meat, whole grains
Selenium deficiency symptoms
- predisposition to type of heart disease characterized by cardiac muscle becoming fibrous (Keshan disease).
- Keshan disease can be prevented by consuming an adequate amount of selenium
Selenium toxicity symptoms
- GI disorders
- loss of hair and nails
- skin lesions
- nervous system disorders
Copper chief function
- metalloenyzme (part of several enzymes)
- necessary for iron absorption and use of iron in hemoglobin formation (catalyzes oxidation of ferrous iron to ferric iron)
- found in seafood, whole grains, seeds, legumes
Copper deficiency symptoms
- anemia
- bone abnormalities
copper toxicity symptoms
- vomiting
- liver damage
Menkes Disease
- genetic disorder that affects coppers status
- intestinal cells absorb copper, but cannot release copper into circulation. This leads to life threatening copper deficiency
Wilson's disease
- genetic disorder that affects coppers status
- copper accumulates in the liver and brain which leads to life threatening toxicity
- controlled by reducing copper intake, using chelating agents (penicillimine) and taking zinc supplements to interfere wit
Manganese chief function
- Metalloenzyme (cofactor for several enzymes)
- found in nuts, whole grains, leafy veggies
Manganese deficiency symptoms and toxicity symptoms
Deficiency: in experimental animals= poor growth, nervous system disorders, reproductive abnormalities
Toxicity: nervous system disorders
Manganese and miners
- miners who inhale large quantities of manganese on the job over long periods of time show symptoms of a brain disease, along with abnormalities in appearance and behavior
Fluoride chief functions
- involved in bone and tooth formation
- helps make teeth decay resistant by forming crystalline deposits in bones and teeth
- fluroapatite is a stabilized form of fluoride in bones and teeth.
foods fluoride is found in
fluoridated drinking water, tea, seafood
fluoride deficiency symptoms and toxicity symptoms
deficiency symptoms: suceptibility to tooth decay
toxicity: fluorosis (discoloration and pitting of tooth enamel caused by excessive fluoride during tooth development), nausea, chest pain, itching, vomiting
Chromium chief function
- associated with insulin
- required for the release of energy from glucose
- found in meat, refined foods, fats, vegetable oils
chromium deficiency and toxicity symptoms
deficiency: diabetes like condition marked by an inability to use glucose normally
toxicity: none reported
Molybdenum
- cofactor for several enzymes (metalloenzyme)
- found in legumes cereals, organs meats
- no deficiency or toxicity symptoms
Nickel function
cofactor for several enzymes (metalloenzyme)
silicon function
bone and collagen formation
vanadium function
necessary for growth, bone development, normal reproduction
cobalt function
key mineral in Vit B12
boron function
may play a role in brain activities
contaminant minerals
heavy metals
- mercury, lead
Lead
- enters food supply in soil, water, pollution
lead poisoning
- lead competes with iron in heme structure and hemoglobin can't transport oxygen
- lead competes with calcium in the brain and the brain can't function properly
symptoms of lead poisoning in kids
- learning disabilities
- low IQ
- iron deficiency anemia
- sleep disturbances
- nervous system disorders
- seizures
- poor coordination
- impaired hearing
symptoms of lead poisoning in adults
- hypertension
- reproduction complications
- kidney failure