Sodium:
Functions
0 Fluid and electrolyte balance.
0 Associated with blood pressure and pH balance in
the body.
0 Required for nerve impulse transmission.
0 Assists in the transport of certain nutrients into
body cells.
Recommended intake:
0 Need at least approximately 200mg/day (varies by source
and country) is required
0 Upper limit is 2,300mg/day
Sources of Sodium:
Processed foods are surprisingly high in
sodium
What are the consequences of over consumption of Sodium?
0 Hypernatremia is abnormally high blood sodium
concentration
0 Can happen to patients with congestive heart failure or
kidney disease
0 Results in high blood volume, edema, and high blood
pressure
0 There is a relationship between the consumption of high
sodium diets and hypertension.
Hypertension:
0 Hypertension is a chronic condition
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characterized by high blood pressure.
Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80
mm Hg.
Blood pressure greater than or equal to
140/90 mm Hg is considered hypertension.
This disease is considered “the silent killer”
because there are initially no symptoms. A
person could have high blood pressure for
years and not know it.
Hypertension increases a person’s risk for
many chronic diseases.
Chloride:
Functions
0 Helps maintain fluid balance
0 Aids the immune system
0 Makes up part of hydrochloric acid, which is the
acid in your stomach that aids in digestion
Recommended intake:
0 Minimum recommendation is 750mg/day
Sources of Chloride:
0 Chloride can be found attached to sodium, therefore salt is
our main source.
What are the consequences of overconsumption of
Chloride?
0 May lead to hypertension in salt-sensitive patients
What are the consequences of under consumption of
Chloride?
0 Deficiencies are rare but can occur in people with eating
disorders
Potassium:
Functions
0 Potassium is involved in maintaining fluid and electrolyte
balance
0 It is very important in muscle contractions and
transmission of nerve impulses
0 It also helps regulate blood pressure
Recommended intake:
0 2,000 to 4,000 mg/day
Sources of Potassium:
Fresh fruit and vegetables
and whole grains are good
sources of potassium.
As food is processed, the
sodium content increases
while the potassium
content decreases.
What are the consequences of overconsumption of Potassium?
0 Hyperkalemia is high blood potassium level
0 This can occur in patients with kidney disease
0 The inability to excrete potassium can lead to Hyperkalemia.
High blood potassium can alter normal heart rhythm resulting in
a heart attack
0 People with normal kidney function seldom develop this
condition
Calcium:
Functions
0 The majority of calcium can be found in bones and teeth
0 The one percent of calcium in the blood is responsible for
helping muscles contract (like the heart muscle), assisting
with enzyme activity, transmission of nerve impulses, and
maintaining healthy blood pressure.
0 Serum calcium levels are so important that the body has an
orchestrated hormonal system that maintains this balance
in a very narrow range.
Recommended intake:
0 values vary from 1,000 mg to 1,300 mg per day.
Sources of Calcium:
Dairy products and green leafy vegetables are good sources of
calcium.
What are the consequences of overconsumption of Calcium?
0 Too much calcium in the form of supplements can upset mineral
balance, may cause constipation and lead to kidney stones
What are the consequences of under consumption of
Calcium?
0 Associated with kidney disease and vitamin D deficiency.
0 Osteoporosis is a condition that leads to weakened and brittle bones.
Phosphorus:
Functions
0 Phosphorus is a major component in bone
0 It can be found in the phospholipid bi-layer of cell
membranes
0 It is a component of ATP, RNA and DNA
Recommended intake:
0 700 mg/day.
Sources of Phosphorus:
Protein-containing foods such as milk, meats, and
eggs are high in phosphorus as well as cereals, nuts
and fish
It is also used as a food additive in processed foods
Phosphoric acid is used to acidify dark colas.
What are the consequences of under consumption of
Phosphorus?
0 Because phosphorus is so widely distributed in foods,
deficiencies are rare in healthy adults
Magnesium:
0 A large portion of magnesium can be found in the bones
and is required to maintain healthy bones due to its
influence on calcium and vitamin D.
Functions
0 Magnesium is a part of bone structure
0 It aids in the activation in over 300 enzymatic reactions
0 It is required for the production of ATP, DNA, and proteins
0 It plays a role in regulating blood pressure
Sources of Magnesium:
0 It is found in a variety of foods such as green
leafy vegetables, whole grains, seeds, nuts,
seafood, beans, and some dairy products.
What are the consequences of
overconsumption of Magnesium?
0 There are no known toxicities from magnesium
in food, however supplements like Milk of
Magnesia can cause diarrhea, nausea, cramps
and dehydration
What are the consequences of under consumption of
Magnesium?
0 Because magnesium is found in so many foods, deficiencies
are rare except for in people who abuse alcohol and those
with certain medical condition.
Sulfur:
0 Sulfur is found in proteins and it is used as a food
additive. If you have ever eaten dried fruit, you will
find sulfur on the ingredient label as sulfur dioxide.
It helps prevent foods from oxidizing. In the body,
sulfur aids in the detoxification processes of the
liver and protein synthesis. There are no known
toxicities or deficiencies.
Iron:
Functions
0 Iron is a component of the
hemoglobin and myoglobin
molecules. Hemoglobin is
responsible for carrying oxygen
throughout the body while
myoglobin carries oxygen in
muscle cells.
0 In plays an important role in the
energy production pathways
Recommended intake:
0 RDA ranges from 8 mg/day for adult men to 27 mg/day for
pregnant women.
Sources of Iron:
0 Meat, poultry, fish, clams, oysters, enriched cereals and
breads
0 Iron is available in two forms:
0 Heme iron
0 Non-Heme iron
Sources of Iron:
0 Heme iron is iron that is available in meat. It is easily absorbed by the
body.
0 Non-Heme iron is the iron found in plant tissues and enriched cereals.
This video explains a little about iron deficiency anemia and rich food
sources of iron:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFeCIsJEoM8&feature=fvwrel
Many people find out that they may be iron deficient when they try to
give blood. The American Red Cross has an excellent, and colorful list of
foods that are rich sources of iron:
http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/health-andwellness/iron-rich-foods
What are the consequences of overconsumption of Iron?
0 You will find this statement on all iron containing products.
0 “Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in
children under 6. Keep this product out of reach of children. In case of accidental
overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.”
0 Iron poisoning can cause shock and liver failure. One large single dose or
moderate doses taken over a period of time can cause toxicity.
0 Our body regulates iron by increasing or decreasing absorption in the
gastrointestinal tract (GI tract). Iron supplements can overcome this
compensatory mechanism.
0 Symptoms of iron toxicity include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness and
confusion.
0 There is a condition called hemochromatosis, where excess accumulation of
iron in the body occurs due to increased absorption of iron through the GI tract.
The best treatment for this condition is frequent blood transfusions.
What are the consequences of under consumption of
Iron?
0 Iron deficiency is the most common nutrient deficiency in the world.
0 The most vulnerable people include infants, young children, preadolescent
girls, premenopausal women, and pregnant women.
Iron deficiency anemia
0 If iron deficiency is not treated, iron deficiency anemia can develop. Iron
deficiency anemia is characterized by small, pale red blood cells that
cannot deliver adequate oxygen to the cells.
0 There is a long list of symptoms associated with iron deficiency anemia
and you can view this list here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/irondeficiency-anemia/DS00323/DSECTION=symptoms
Who is at risk for iron deficiency anemia?
The National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute describes the populations who
are most at risk:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/ida/ida_whoisatrisk.html
Remember that the body regulates iron levels by increasing or decreasing
absorption. There are many factors in the diet and in the body that enhance
and inhibit iron absorption.
Enhancers:
0 Iron absorption increases with increased need in the body
0 There is a factor called MFP which is found in meat, fish,
and poultry that enhances iron absorption
0 Eating a vitamin C rich food along with an iron rich food
increases iron absorption
0 Hydrochloric acid in the stomach helps the absorption of
iron.
0 Cooking in cast iron cookware increases the iron content of
food. It is not the best absorbed, but every little bit counts.
Inhibitors:
0 Phytates, a compound found in legumes, rice and whole grains
that inhibit absorption.
0 Calcium supplements taken along with iron inhibits absorption
0 Soybeans can inhibit iron absorption
0 Tea and coffee contain tannins and it is this compound that
inhibits absorption
Those are the dietary
factors that influence
iron absorption. This
table indicates
circumstances that
improve and diminish
iron status.
Zinc:
Functions
0 Zinc is involved in the function of at least 300 enzyme
systems
0 It is involved in the immune system
0 It aids in the growth and repair of body tissues
Recommended Intake
0 RDA is 8 mg/day for women, 11 mg/day for men.
Sources of Zinc:
0 Red meats, whole grains, enriched grains and cereals
0 Like iron, zinc is better absorbed from animal sources than from
grain. This is mainly due to the phytates found in grains.
0 Oysters - contain the most zinc than any other food (source:
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Zinc-HealthProfessional/)
What are the consequences of overconsumption of
Zinc?
0 Toxicity can occur from using zinc supplements. Symptoms may
include intestinal pain, cramps, nausea, vomiting, and loss of
appetite.
0 Speaking of supplements, does the use of zinc lozenges (such as
Zycam) have an effect on the common cold? Go to this website
and scroll down to disease and common cold and you can read
about current research findings:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/minerals/zinc/
0 Too much zinc can interfere with copper absorption.
What are the consequences of under consumption of
Zinc?
0 Deficiencies are uncommon in the US
0 Symptoms are growth retardation, diarrhea, delayed sexual
maturation, poor immune function
0 Phytates and fiber strongly inhibit zinc absorption.
Iodine:
Functions
0 Iodine is necessary for the manufacturing of thyroid
hormones
0 Thyroid hormones regulate body temperature and resting metabolic
rate
Sources of Iodine
0 Iodized salt, seafood, plants grown near the sea, dairy
products
What are the consequences of overconsumption of Iodine?
0 Blocks synthesis of thyroid hormones
0 Thyroid tries to make more hormones
0 Results in goiter – enlarged thyroid
What are the consequences of under consumption
of Iodine?
0 Iodine deficiency isn’t very common in the US thanks to the
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iodization of salt.
Iodine deficiency results in hypothyroidism and goiter. This
website at the Mayo Clinic provides a definition of goiter:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/goiter/DS00217.
The picture to the right depicts a woman with a goiter.
Cretinism can result in mental retardation during embryonic
development if the mother suffers from iodine deficiency.
This is a very informative video from Mort Satin, Technical
Director of the Salt Institute on the history of Iodized salt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9dMHVSWRuU
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Copper:
Functions
0 Copper is necessary for the function of many enzyme systems.
0 It is required for iron transport
Recommended Intake
0 RDA for adults is 900 mg/day.
Sources of Copper
0 Copper is found in a variety of foods
What are the consequences of overconsumption of Copper?
0 Copper toxicity is not very common but is seen in people with Wilson’s
disease
0 Wilson’s disease is a genetic disorder that prevents the body from
getting rid of excess copper
0 To learn more about Wilson’s disease click on this website:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/wilsons-disease/DS00411
What are the consequences of under consumption of Copper?
0 Because copper is available in a variety of foods, deficiency is rare.
Fluoride:
Functions
0 Supports the development and maintenance of teeth and bones
0 Protects teeth from cavities
Recommended Intake
0 The adequate intake is 3-4 mg/day for adults
Sources of Copper
0 The most common source of fluoride is fluoridated water
What are the consequences of overconsumption of Fluoride?
0 Fluorosis (excess fluoride) creates porous tooth enamel and the teeth
become stained and pitted. See the picture below.
What are the consequences of under consumption of Fluoride?
0 Dental caries (cavities)
Chromium:
Functions
0 Chromium assists in the action of insulin, aiding glucose
uptake in cells and normalizing blood sugar
Sources of Chromium
0 Mushrooms, eggs, dried beans, prunes, dark chocolate,
nuts, whole grains-basically it is widely distributed.
What are the consequences of overconsumption of Chromium?
0 There are few side effects of chromium toxicity.
0 Chromium supplementation is on the rise due to interest related to weight
loss, glucose control and lipid metabolism. The Office of Dietary Supplements
from the National Institute of Health reviews the latest research on chromium
and these three areas. Click on this website
http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/chromium/ and scroll down to “what are
the current issues and controversies.”
What are the consequences of under consumption of Chromium?
0 People who are deficient in chromium may have glucose intolerance. Glucose
tolerance is not improved in people who have diabetes and are not deficient
in chromium.