The Minerals & Supplementation Chapters 11 & 12

The Minerals – An Overview  Major vs. trace minerals  Variation in amounts needed  Inorganic elements  Always retain chemical identity  Cannot be destroyed by heat, air, acid, or mixing  Water-soluble  Can leach out into cooking liquid

The Minerals Major –Sodium –Chloride –Potassium –Calcium –Phosphorus –Magnesium Trace –Iron –Zinc –Iodine –Selenium –Copper –Manganese –Fluoride –Chromium –Molybdenum

Additional Trace Minerals  Research is difficult  Small quantities in body and foods  Large amounts can be toxic  Human deficiencies are unknown  Nickel  Silicon  Vanadium  Cobalt  Boron  Arsenic

Bioavailability  Varies  Binders in food and beverages: phytates, tannins, oxalate, fiber  Nutrient interactions  Presence of other minerals  Calcium and Fe, Zn, Mg, P  Zinc supplementation and copper  Copper status and iron utilization  Vitamin C

Vitamin & Mineral Supplements  Taken as dietary or health insurance  Most of the time, costly but harmless practice, but…  Can be harmful to health  Mostly self-prescribed  May be recommended by health care provider  Improving food choices is preferred course of action whenever possible

Arguments for Supplements  Correct overt deficiencies  Therapeutic doses can be 2-10 times RDA or AI  Requires professional guidance  Support increased nutrient needs  Certain stages of life  Improve nutrition status  Improve body defenses  Reduce disease risks

Who needs supplements?  Specific nutrient deficiencies  Low energy intakes  Vegans and older adults with atrophic gastritis  Certain medications  Certain stages of life cycle  Little sun exposure or dark skin  Medical conditions or medications that interfere with nutrients in body

Arguments Against Supplements  Toxicity  Supplement users are more likely to have excessive intakes  Issues with children  Potentially life-threatening misinformation  No guarantee of supplement effectiveness  Unknown needs  “Ideal” supplements

Arguments Against Supplements  False sense of security  Other invalid reasons  Today’s health problems  Overnutrition  Poor lifestyle choices  Bioavailability and antagonistic actions  Nutrients may interfere with one another’s action  Make dietary modifications first  What do foods have to offer that supplements don’t?

Selecting Supplements  Follow directions carefully  Start with single, balanced vitamin- mineral supplement  U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP) logo  Logo assurances: identity, strength, quality, and purity  Two basic questions  Form  Contents

Potentially Misleading Claims  Organic or natural vitamins  High potency claims  Marketing strategy  Fake vitamins and “essential” compounds  “Green” pills  Stress relief  Internet advertising: not regulated  Cost: store brands vs. premium

Regulation of Supplements  Food and Drug Administration (FDA)  Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994  Intended to enable consumers to make informed choices  Same general labeling requirements as foods  Net effect: deregulation of supplement industry