Williams' Basic Nutrition & Diet
Therapy
14th Edition
Chapter 8
Minerals
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1
Nature of
Body Minerals
1. The human body requires a variety of minerals to
perform numerous metabolic tasks.
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2
Nature of Body Minerals (p. 128)

Building blocks of life-4 elements*
◦
◦
◦
◦

Hydrogen
Carbon
Nitrogen
Oxygen
25 elements also are essential to human
life
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3
Classes of Body Minerals
(p. 128)

Classes of body minerals
◦ Major minerals: recommended intake of more than 100 mg/day







Calcium-2% of our total body weight*
Phosphorus
Sodium
Potassium
Magnesium
Chloride
Sulfur
◦ Trace minerals
 18 elements
 Recommended intake of less than 100 mg/day-smaller amounts
needed in the body*
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4
Classes of Body Minerals
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5
Functions of Minerals (p. 129)

Functions of minerals
◦ Building tissue
◦ Activating, regulating, transmitting, and
controlling metabolic processes
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6
Mineral Metabolism (p. 129)

Mineral metabolism
◦ Digestion: minerals do not require much
digestion
◦ Absorption: rate determined by food form,
body need, tissue health
◦ Transport: enter through portal circulation,
bound to proteins
◦ Tissue uptake: controlled by hormones,
excess excreted in urine
◦ Occurrence in the body: basic forms are free
ions and covalently bound
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7
Major Minerals (p. 130)
Calcium
 Phosphorus
 Sodium
 Potassium
 Chloride
 Magnesium
 Sulfur

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8
Calcium (p. 130)

Absorption controlled by 3 factors:
◦ Calcitonin, PTH, vitamin D*

Functions
◦ Bone and tooth formation
◦ Blood clotting-essential for formation of
fibrin*
◦ Muscle and nerve action
◦ Metabolic reactions: absorption of B12,
activation of pancreatic lipase, secretion of
insulin, cell membrane permeability
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9
Calcium (cont’d) (p. 130)


Requirements: 1000 mg/day for men and
women 19 to 50
Deficiency states
◦ Rickets-softening of bones*
◦ Hypocalcemia-may result in tetany*
◦ Osteoporosis


Toxicity symptoms: hypercalcemia
*Food sources
◦ Milk is the major food source
◦ Green vegetables, fish with bones, fortified food
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10
Calcium
*Oxalic acid is a compound that is found
in plants such as spinach and it interferes
with the intestinal absorption of calcium
 *Phytate-found in grains such as wheat
can bind with calcium and interferes with
its intestinal absorption

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reserved.
Calcium (cont’d) (p. 131)
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12
Phosphorus (p. 132)

Functions
◦ Bone and tooth formation
◦ Energy metabolism: oxidation of carbohydrate,
fat, and protein; protein construction; cell
function; genetic inheritance
◦ Acid–base balance-chemical buffer that helps
to maintain the ph homeostasis of body
fluids*
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13
Phosphorus (cont’d) (p. 133)
Requirements: 700 mg/day
 Deficiency states: hypophosphatemia
 Toxicity symptoms
 *Food sources

◦ Milk, milk products, fish, eggs
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14
Sodium (p. 135)

Functions
◦ Water balance-main function*
 Ionized sodium concentration is the major influence
on the volume of body water outside of the cells
(extracellular)
◦ Muscle action
◦ Nutrient absorption
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15
Sodium (cont’d) (p. 136)

Requirements
◦ AI: 1.5 g/day
◦ UL: 2.3 g/day
Deficiency states: hyponatremia
 Toxicity symptoms: salt sensitivity and
hypertension, hypernatremia
 Food sources

◦ Table salt, cured meat, canned soups,
processed food
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16
Potassium (p. 137)

Functions
◦ Water balance
 *major intracellular electrolyte
◦ Metabolic reactions
 Energy production
 Conversion of blood glucose to glycogen
 Synthesis of muscle protein
◦ Muscle action
◦ Insulin release
◦ Blood pressure: role in hypertension
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17
Potassium (cont’d) (p. 137)
Requirements: AI: 4.7 g/day
 Deficiency states: hypokalemia

◦ Likely to develop during clinical situations
such as prolonged vomiting or diarrhea*
Toxicity symptoms: hyperkalemia
 Food sources

◦ Fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains,
fresh meats
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18
Chloride (p. 138)
*Found ECF
 Functions

◦ *Digestion: component of hydrochloric acid
◦ Respiration: chloride shift
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19
Chloride (cont’d) (p. 138)
Requirements: AI: 2.3 g/day
 Deficiency states: through vomiting
 Toxicity symptoms: from severe dehydration
 Food sources: table salt

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20
Magnesium (p. 139)

Functions
◦ *General metabolism: necessary catalyst for
~300+ reactions in cells
◦ *Protein synthesis: activates amino acids, role
in synthesis and maintenance of DNA
◦ *Muscle action-conduction of nerve impulses
that stimulate muscle contraction
◦ Basal metabolic rate: influences secretion of
thyroxine
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21
Magnesium (cont’d) (p. 139)
Requirements: ~300 to 400 mg/day
 Deficiency states: hypomagnesemia, rare
with balanced diet
 Toxicity symptoms: excessive supplements
may produce GI symptoms
 Food sources

◦ Nuts, soybeans, cocoa, seafood, peas, green
vegetables
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22
Sulfur (p. 140)


Part of the amino acids cysteine and
methionine*
Functions
◦ Hair, skin, nails

General metabolic functions
◦ High-energy bond
◦ Transfer energy


Vitamin structure: component of thiamin and
biotin
Collagen structure-important in the building
of connective tissue*
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23
Sulfur (cont’d) (p. 140)
Requirements: not stated, obtained
through amino acids methionine and
cysteine
 Deficiency states: not reported
 Toxicity symptoms: unlikely
 Food sources: animal proteins

◦ Meat, nuts, soy, fish, cheese, eggs
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24
Trace Minerals
4. A mixed diet of varied foods and adequate energy
value is the best source of the minerals necessary for
health.
5. Of the total amount of minerals a person consumes,
only a relatively limited amount is available to the body.
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25
Trace Minerals (p. 140)
Iron
 Iodine
 Zinc
 Selenium
 Fluoride
 Copper
 Manganese
 Chromium
 Molybdenum
 Other essential trace minerals

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26
Iron (p. 140)

Functions
◦ *Hemoglobin synthesis
◦ General metabolism:





Proper glucose metabolism
Antibody production
Drug detoxification in the liver
Collagen and purine synthesis
*Conversion of carotene to vitamin A
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27
Iron (cont’d) (p. 140)

Requirements
◦ 8 to 11 mg/day for males
◦ 8 to 18 mg/day for females


*Deficiency states: anemia
Toxicity symptoms
◦ Overdose from supplements
◦ Hemochromatosis

Food sources
◦ Heme
◦ Nonheme
◦ *body absorbs iron more easily when it is taken
along with vitamin C
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28
Iodine (p. 144)
Functions: participation in thyroid gland’s
synthesis of thyroxine
◦ T3 and T4*
 Requirements: 150 mcg/day

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29
Iodine (cont’d) (p. 145)
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30
Iodine (cont’d) (p. 145)

Deficiency states
◦
◦
◦
◦
*Goiter
Cretinism
Hypothyroidism
Hyperthyroidism
Toxicity symptoms
 *Food sources

◦ Iodized table salt, seafood; depends on soil
content
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Zinc (p. 146)
Important during growth periods such as
pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood and
adolescence*
 Functions

◦ Enzyme constituent
◦ Immune system
◦ Other functions

Requirements
◦ 11 mg/day for males
◦ 8 mg/day for females
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32
Zinc (cont’d) (p. 147)

Deficiency states
◦ Poor wound healing
◦ Impaired taste and smell
◦ *acrodermatitis
 Rare autosomal recessive disorder that results in
severe zinc deficiency and death
Toxicity symptoms
 Food sources

◦ Meat, seafood, legumes, whole grains
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33
Selenium (p. 148)

Functions
◦ Aids in protection from free radicals

Requirements
◦ RDA: 55 mcg/day
Deficiency states
 Toxicity symptoms
 *Food sources

◦ Seafood, kidney, liver; depends on soil content
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34
Fluoride, Copper, Manganese
(p. 149)

Fluoride
◦ *Functions by preventing dental caries
◦ Exceeding UL may cause fluorosis

Copper
◦ *“Iron twin”
◦ Metabolized similar to iron and is a
component of cell enzymes*

Manganese
◦ Inhalation toxicity
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35
Chromium, Molybdenum, Other
Essential Trace Minerals (p. 150)

Chromium
◦ Previously thought to reduce insulin
resistance

Molybdenum
◦ Inadequate dietary intake improbable

Other essential trace minerals
◦ Aluminum, arsenic, boron, nickel, silicon, tin,
vanadium
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36
Manganese

Function
◦ Component of cell enzymes
Toxicity
accumulates in the liver and CNS
produces neuromuscular symptoms similar to
Parkinsons disease*
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Mineral Depletion

*diuretics
◦ Deplete sodium and potassium
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Mineral Supplementation (p. 151)

Life cycle needs
◦ Pregnancy and lactation: for both fetus and
mother
◦ Adolescence: rapid bone growth
◦ Adulthood: postmenopausal women

Clinical needs
◦ Iron-deficiency anemia
◦ Zinc deficiency
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