Minerals
- Created by: Bethany
- Created on: 11-05-14 10:42
Calcium
Sources - dairy, fish with small bones, fortified bread and soy
Functions - bone health, muscular, neurological and endocrine systems, peak bone mass (prevention of osteoporosis), muscle contraction and blood clotting
RNI - 700mg/d
Additional requirements - increase during growth and lactation
Defieciency - rickets, osteoporosis
Toxicity - Calcification
Sodium
Sources - most food, high in manufactured foods, sodium + chloride = salt
Function - maintaince of normal BP and normal function of musle and nerves
RNI - 1600mg/d (often exceeded)
Deficiency - Rare
Toxicity - Increased risk of HTN, oedema, renal disease
Magnesium
Source - most foods
Function - healthy teeth and bones, nerve activities
Deficiency - neuromuscular dysfunction, issue for older adults
Toxicity - rare
Potassium
Source - most foods
Function - electrolyte balance
Deficiency - usually through loss
Toxicity - cardiac arrest
Sulphur
Proteins
No recommendations
No defieciency or toxcity
Phophorus
Sources - red meat, dairy products, fish, poultry, bread, rice, oats
Function - strong bones and teeth, helps release energy from food
RNI - 550mg/d
Deficiency - loss of appetite, fatigue, muscle weakness
Toxicity - diarrhoea, GI distress, taking chronic doses can reducethe amount of Ca in the body (bones are more likely to fracture).
Iron
Sources - meat, liver (haem iron), vegetables, cereals (non-haem iron)
Function - oxygen and electron transportation and storage, co-enzyme
RNI - men 8.7mg/d; women 14.8mg/d
Additional requirmenets - increase during pregnancy, lactation and menstruation
Deficiency - anaemia; fatigue, pale skin
Toxicity - deposited in tissues and can form free radicals
Fluoride
Sources - found widely in the environment, tea, fish, drinking water can be a good course, toothpaste and dental products
Function - formation of strong teeth, increase resistance to tooth decay
Deficiency - dental caries
Toxicity - Mottling and pitting of the teeth, increase bone density, calcification
Zinc
Sources - most foods
Functions - catalytic, structural, regulatory
Deficiency - growth retardation,fatigue
Toxicity - impaired Cu utilisations and impaired Ca absorption
Copper
Sources - Liver, legume, nuts
Functions - Part of many enzymes, bone health
Deficiency - Neutropenia, bone fractures, anaemia
Toxicity - Rare
Iodine
Source - fortified salt, seafood, seaweed
Functions - thyroid hormone synthesis (essential for normal growth and development), particularly foetal development
Deficiency - goitre (pressure on the windpipe, oesophagus and blood supply), hypothyrodydism (sleepiness, coldness, apathy, lack of energy, in pregnancy can cause miscarriages, still births), cretinism (hypothyroid; growth stunted, mental handicap; neurological; brain and neurological system damaged)
Toxicity - rare
Chromium
Source - Meat, liver, yeast, grains
Function - cofactor for insulin
Deficiency - glucose intolerance
Excess - Nausea, diarrhoea
Cobalt
Source - foods of animal origin
Function - part of vitamin B12
Deficiency - Pernicious anaemia
Toxicity - none
Molybdenum
Source - vegetable in alkaline, Mo rich soils
Function - cofactor
Deficiency - decrease urea production
Selenium
Source - Meat, green veg
Function - glutathione peroxidase
Deficiency - Cardio-myopathy
Excess - hair loss, dermatitis
Silicon
Source - green vegetables
Function - bone formation and glycoprotein production
Deficiency - poor growth and collagen formation
Excess - rare
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