Minerals Flashcards
(142 cards)
General properties of minerals
Inorganic
Retain chemical identity
Not destroyed by heat, air, acid, light
Classified as: macro, micro trace, ultra-trace
Major minerals
Ca, P, Mg, Na, K, Cl, S
Trace Minerals
Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, I, Se, Cr, F, Mo
Factors that influence mineral absorption
Not all can be absorbed Can compete for absorption sites Presence of vitamins Animal products are better absorbed Presence of binders and dietary fiber
General Functions of Minerals
Energy Metabolism (cofactors) Components of body compounds (RBCs, B12, bones, stomach acid, thyroid hormone) Water balance Transmission of nerve impulses Muscle contraction Growth and development
Risk for mineral deficiencies in the US
prolonged dietary inadequacies
decreased absorption
Calcium, Iron, and Zinc
Mineral Toxicity
Easy to reach UL and beyond especially with trace minerals (Fe, Cu, Zn, Se)
Too much can interfere with one another
Calcium absorption
Requires acidic environment (pH < 6) and depends on active Vit D
What protein binds with calcium?
Calbindin (turned on by Vit D)
What increases calcium absorption?
Acidic conditions in food (ex: OJ fortified with Ca)
Presence of Vit D
Lactose, glucose, Increased need (esp pregnancy)
Certain hormones (estrogen, growth hormone, PTH)
What decreases calcium absorption
Fiber, phytates, oxalates High P intake, excessive Fe, Zn Vit D deficiency Increased GI motility Steatorrhea (unabsorbed fat) Certain medications (thyroxin, cortisones, ANTACIDS) Increased urinary excretion Aging Gender Menopause
Organs and hormones involved in Calcium homeostatis
Thyroid, parathyroid (calcitonin, PTH)
Intestines
Kidneys
Bones
Calcium homeostasis: rising blood Ca
signals the thyroid to secrete calcitonin to inhibit activation of Vit D and prevents Ca reabsorption in the kidneys, limits absorption in the intestines, inhibits osteoclasts from breaking down bone
Calcium homeostasis: Falling blood Ca
signals the parathyroid glands to secrete parathormone: stimulates activation of Vit D. Together hey stimulate calcium reabsorption in the kidneys and enhances Ca absorption in intestines, stimulate osteoclast cells to break down bone to release Ca into blood
Osteoclasts
CUT Ca from bone: release calcium from bone, reabsorbed into blood, bone eroded
Osteoblasts
BUILD Ca into bone: secrete collagen matrix, bone mineral, promote bone formation
Ca Functions
Bone Development and Maintenance Blood clotting Nerve impulse transmission Muscle contraction (Cell Metabolism)
Bone structure: mineralization
Calcium is part of a crystal that is laid down on collagen. The more crystal the stronger the structure of the bone: HYDROXYAPATITE. This is what is released by osteoclasts.
Bone Mass
More bone mass in areas under higher stress
Peak bone mass reached between the age of 20-30
Bone loss begins in mid-adulthood
Significant loss at menopause
How to build higher bone mass
adequate diet healthy body weight normal menses weight bearing PA moderate intakes of protein, P, Na, Caffeine non-smoker lower the use of certain medications
Calcium and Blood clotting
Vit K–> gla proteins–>binds Ca
Prothrombin–> thrombin
Formation of fibrin
Ca and transmission of nerve impulses
Nerve impulse arrives and stimulates Ca influx –>releases neurotransmitters –> carries impulse across synapse to target cell
Muscle Contraction and Ca
Skeletal muscle stimulated by nerve impulse –> Ca ions released from intracellular stores within muscle cells –> ca and ATP allow contractile proteins to slide along each other
Ca deficiency
Osteoporosis
Osteopenia
stunted growth in children
tetany: uncontrolled muscle contraction, muslce plain, spasms, parathesia