GROW PROJECT Holly

TOPIC Leading Question: What minerals are in our drinking water? Prior to research: I assume that part of the reason that water is important to drink for humans is because we get certain required minerals from it. Water that comes from direct water sources (i.e. springs, wells, rivers) is better for your body because it is free of chemicals whose purpose is to further purify the water. Because there are more than one type of mineral in drinking water, the affects benefit many different parts of the body.

OBJECTIVES 1)What type of water do we drink? Where does it come from? We drink: Tap water Spring water Distilled water Purified water Filtered water → From here, I wanted to figure out what differences there are in these types of drinking water:  Tap water comes from surface sources (i.e. rivers, lakes) and is filtered- chlorine is added to kill bacteria. When this water is filtered, many of the natural minerals are strained as well as contaminants  Spring water comes from natural springs (from underground that comes to the surface and flows freely). The underground resources protect the water from contaminants (vs. rivers/lakes/oceans that have no natural protector. The minerals in spring water come from the contact with soil.

Water contaminants include a variety of parasites, bacteria and protozoa (unicellular organisms). Contaminated sediments that come in contact with surface water count as a pollutant as well. Contaminated sediments can be storm runoff from industries (pipe leaks, sewer discharge)

OBJECTIVES 2) I decided to focus mainly on the type of drinking water that is richest in minerals and has the highest mineral count. Spring water is naturally clean and contains many minerals → From here, I focused on this question: What are the benefits of drinking this type of water?

OBJECTIVES 3) Researched effects of minerals found in mineral water:  Calcium found in mineral water can help maintain a normal bone density and as a result preventing the development of bone related illnesses  Calcium oxalate causes kidney problems- mineral water rich in calcium and magnesium decrease concentration of calcium oxalate  Has high quantities of silica- strengthens spongy cells between elastin and collagen fibers and slows wrinkle formation (drinking it as well as applying it to your skin- washing/cleansing)  breaks down waste materials in the body and cleanses of toxins  Magnesium in mineral water can help lower blood pressure  Minerals such as potassium and magnesium support heart function

OBJECTIVES 4) I decided to focus more on researching why the specific minerals calcium and magnesium are required for proper bodily functions Calcium cannot be produced in the body so we obtain it by what we consume. Our bone density is classified by how much calcium (and other types of minerals) is in a certain section of our bones. One of my questions was why do we need to keep consuming a certain amount of calcium? How is our body using up this mineral? My research provided this solution: Our body naturally “remodels” our bones. It removes and replaces the calcium in our bones with what we consume in our normal diets. If it removes more than it replaces than our bones gradually get weaker.

Further research: The calcium we obtain is deposited into multiplying bone cells and strengthens development- the stronger the development as a child, the healthier the bones as an adult. Elders may require more calcium because calcium absorption decreases in old age. Can be due to medication or osteoporosis (when bones start to weaken) If other parts of your body aren’t receiving the required amount of calcium then they get it from your bones. Your intestines also require calcium- if you have too much calcium in your blood or the right amount, it absorbs less but if you lack in calcium then it absorbs more. There is a hormone called parathyroid that regulates calcium withdrawals from your bones and keeps the calcium concentration in check.

Magnesium is used in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. This mineral helps the body produce energy and activate enzymes: it is an enzyme cofactor. Nutrients are used in the body for these purposes: sources of energy, parts of the body structure or parts needed for proper body functions Enzyme cofactors (such as magnesium) help regulate the function of enzymes, in turn, also regulating the rate of chemical reactions in the body. Enzymes allow natural reactions in the body to occur without causing any damage to tissues and organs. Enzyme cofactors are needed to regulate the rate of reactions that occur in the body. Magnesium’s function with enzymes is most important to these reactions: Glucose and fat breakdown Production of proteins, enzymes and antioxidants Creation of DNA and RNA Regulation of cholesterol production

Without enzyme cofactors, bodily reactions would spiral out of control There are other cofactors for enzymes like hormones. The difference between hormones and magnesium cofactors is that hormones are produced in the body while magnesium has to be consumed

Conclusion: In my research, I tried to cover the questions Where? Why? And how? I could expand my research to the effects of other types of drinking water. Another subtopic I was interested to research was the quantity of this type of water- how much of the mineral is in spring water? What unit of measure would I use? How much would I have to take (over what period of time) to have these health effects on my body? When I researched enzymes and biochemical reactions, I was trying to get to the root of the effect minerals have in our bodies.