2. MINERALS IN HUMAN HEALTH

3. Learning Objectives Importance of Minerals in human.
Basis of Classification
Minerals with a role in human health
Major Dietary Sources.

4. Human body is mainly composed of elements
Carbon, Oxygen, Hydrogen & Nitrogen .
Minerals make 4% of body weight / tissue but are very important as these execute many important functions.

5. Definition
Minerals may be defined as the inorganic elements required for:
Building up of body
Regulation of body fluids Osmolality
Discrete body functions.
Minerals are required in trace / small quantities but are of vital importance

6. Functions
Help maintain fluid & electrolytes balance & osmotic pressure.
Contraction of muscles and response of nerves to stimuli.
As such are dynamic and vital part of delicate balance of life.

7. Important Functions Minerals form hard tissue such as bones / teeth
Some minerals are found in soft tissues
These maintain normal muscular activity

8. Important Functions Act as catalyst in enzyme systems
Integral part of organic compounds.
Have a role in hormones
Play a role in energy transfer and O2 transport

9. Elements / Minerals found in Human system

10. Classification Minerals are divided into two groups
Macrominerals/ Major elements
Required by the body in amounts > 100 mg/day
Microminerals/ trace elements.
Required by the body in amounts 100 mg/day.

11. DIETARY SOURCES Main source: Fruits, vegetables and cereals
Certain foods are particularly rich in their mineral contents
e.g. milk  Ca++ and Phosphorous.

12. MAJOR ELEMENTS Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium
Sodium, Potassium, Chloride and
Sulfur

13. Essential trace elements
Iron, Iodine
Cobalt, Copper
Manganese, Molybdenum
Sulfur, Selenium and
Zinc
(ICMS)2 Z

14. Possibly essential trace
Nickel,
Tin,
Vanadium
(NTV)
Abundant in Soil and water.
reach human beings through water food chain.

15. Non essential elements
Aluminum,
Boron,
Cadmium,
lead
Mercury
Germanium
(ABC LMG)

16. Role of Calcium in Health of Bones

17. Learning Outcomes Distribution in the body Dietary sources
Daily Requirements
Absorption / Excretion
Factors affecting Calcium Absorption

18. At.No.20 Calcium At .Wt 40

19. BONES AND SKELETON
Higher animals have an internal frame work – endoskeleton
Skeleton is made almost entirely of a hard, rigid tissue – bone
Bone consists like other living tissues of living cells suspended in an inert ground substance

20. GROUND SUBSTANCE OF BONES is
The determining factor of bone characteristic properties
Network of protein fibers with insoluble mineral salts Mostly phosphate of calcium.
Responsible for hardness of bone

21. BONE GROWTH Bone grows by the activity of osteoblasts.
These have enzyme which separates Insoluble calcium phosphate from soluble phosphate in blood by precipitation
Osteoblast will do their work only if the essential elements of bones are present in diet in reasonable quantity.
Of course the dietary minerals will have to be absorbed properly which depends on many factors.

22. Distribution More than 99% of calcium is in bones and teeth
Ca++ in bone constantly exchanged with that of interstitial fluid.
0.03% of Total Body calcium in blood
Normal Serum / plasma contains 9 – 11 mg/dl
RBCs contain very little Ca++
Regulated by PTH, Vit - D3 and calcitonin

23. In plasma Ca++ occurs in two forms
Non diffusible
3.4 – 4.4 mg/dl
Combined with plasma proteins (Albumin)
Not dialyzable
Low in hypoproteinemia

24. In plasma Ca++ occurs in two forms
Diffusible
Ionized
5.45 – 6.23 mg/dl
Physiologically active
 Hyperparathyroidism
 Hypoparathyroidism
If level drops to 4.3 mg/dl Tetany occurs