MINERAL
Abdullah Firmansah, MD
Dept. of Nutrition
Medical School Padjadjaran University
Introduction
Essential inorganic elements
More stable than vitamins
Major mineral / macromineral : found
larger than 5 gr in the human body or
required more than 100 mg a day
Trace mineral / micromineral : found
less than 5 gr in the human body or
required less than 100 mg a day
MACROMINERAL
SODIUM
Roles in the body:
Major cation of extracellular fluid
Acid-base balance, electrolytes
Nerve transmission
Muscle contraction
Food sources :
Salt almost all foods
Processed foods
Requirements:
115 mg 500 mg
Sodium intake:
US: 3300 mg / day
Asian: 30-40 gr / day
Sodium deficiency:
Vomiting, diarrhea & heavy sweating
hyponatremia
Sodium toxicity:
Edema & hypertension
CHLORIDE
Roles in the body:
Major anion of extracellular fluid
Acid-base balance, electrolytes
Hydrochloric acid gastric juice
Food sources :
Abundant in foods processed foods
Requirements:
Has not been established yet
Chloride deficiency:
Rarely happen
May occur due to vomiting, diarrhea &
heavy sweating
Chloride toxicity:
Rarely occur
POTASSIUM
Roles in the body:
Major cation of intracellular fluid
Acid-base balance, electrolytes
Cell integrity
Nerve transmission & muscle contraction
Food sources :
Fresh foods fruits & vegetables
Requirements:
N/A
Potassium deficiency:
Due to excessive lost : vomiting, diarrhea,
heavy sweating, regular use of certain
drugs (diuretics, steroids & strong laxative)
Development of high blood pressure
Potassium toxicity:
Sudden death
CALCIUM
Roles in the body:
90% in the bones (and teeth) : integral part
of bone structure, attachment points of
muscle & storage
In the body fluids: muscle contraction,
blood clotting, transmission of nerve
impulses, hormones secretion & enzyme
activation
Calcium balance:
Involves system of hormones
(parathormone & calcitonin)& vitamin D
Involves:thyroid & parathyroid gland
intestines, bones & kidneys
Calcium absorption:
30% of calcium ingested
Stomach acidity to keep calcium
soluble
Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption
Adequate Intakes (AI):
Infants
:210-270 mg
Children
:500-800 mg
Adult
:1000-1300 mg
Food sources:
Milk & milk products
Bone of the fish: sardines
Broccoli, turnip greens, bok choy
Processed foods & drinks
Calcium deficiency:
During growing years: decrease mass &
density of the bone.
Osteoporosis
PHOSPHORUS
Roles in the body:
Mineralization of bones & teeth
Part of genetic materials DNA & RNA
In the cells as a major buffer system
Component of cell membranes structure
Involves energy metabolism: ATP
Tranporter: phospholipids
Phophorus recommendations:
Infants
:100-275 mg
Children
:460-500 mg
Adult
:700-1250 mg
Phosphorus sources:
All animal tissues : meat, fish, poultry,
eggs, milk, etc.
MAGNESIUM
Roles in the body:
Influence protein synthesis enzyme
Energy metabolism
Inhibits muscle contraction & blood
clotting
Bone mineralization
Immune system
Magnesium sources:
Green-leafy vegetables, nuts, legumes,
whole grains. Seafood, chocolate, cocoa,
etc.
Magnesium deficiency:
Weakness, confusion.
If extreme: convulsions
In children: growth failure
SULFUR
Roles in the body:
Dietary intake of the sulfur-containing
amino acid methionine is essential for
synthesis of cysteine
MICROMINERAL
IRON
Roles in the body:
Cofactor to enzymes in oxidationreduction reactions, synthesis of amino
acids, hormones & neurotransmitter
Electron-transport-chain proteins
Energy metabolism
Hemoglobin & myoglobin
Heme iron and non-heme iron
Iron absorption & metabolism:
In the stomach: ferric iron
Ferritin receives ferrous iron from GI tract
stores in the mucosal cell of small
intestine
Transferrin brings iron from mucosal cell
to blood
Distributed to muscle, bone marrow, liver,
spleen
Storage: ferritin & hemosiderin
Excreted via GI tract and a tiny amounts
through sweat & urine
Absorption enhancers: vit C
Inhibitors : phytates, fibers, whole-grain,
nuts, calcium, phosphorus, tea, coffee.
Iron recommendation:
Infants
:6-10 mg
Children
:10 mg
Males
:10-12 mg
Females
:10-15 mg
Pregnancy :30mg
Lactation
:15 mg
Iron sources:
Protein-rich foods
Heme iron: animal-derived foods (meat,
fish, poultry, eggs)
Non-heme iron: both animal & plantderived foods (legumes, dried dark greens
& dried fruits)
Iron-enriched foods or fortified
Iron deficiency:
Decrease hemoglobin production
anemia
Weakness, tachycardia
Iron toxicity:
hemochromatosis
ZINC
Roles in the body:
Variety of metabolic processes.
Transcription factors: zinc-finger
synthesis of DNA, RNA, protein, enzyme
Hormone insulin activation
Visual pigments and vit A transport
Growth and development
Reproductive
Wound healing
Immune system
Zinc absorption & metabolism:
15-40% absorbed
Inhibits by fiber and phytates, iron, copper
Transport in blood by albumin
Utilized by almost all organs
Excreted through faeces, smaller losses
occur in urine, hair, sweat, menstrual
fluids, semen.
Food sources:
Oysters, shellfish, beef, red meats,
chicken, egg white.
Zinc recommendations:
10-20 mg per day
Zinc deficiency:
Growth retardation, slow sexual
maturation
Diarrhea, poor appetite
Impair immune respons
Delayed wound healing
Impair vit A metabolism
Impair thyroid function & metabolic rate
Zinc toxicity:
Vomiting, diarrhea, fever, exhaustion
IODINE
Roles in the body:
Influence the hormones released by
thyroid gland (T4 and T3)
Regulate body temperature
Metabolic rate
Reproduction &growth
Blood cell production
Nerve and muscle function
Iodine absorption & metabolism:
Acquired from dietary iodine (as a
compound with other nutrients)
Absorbed as free iodine
Transport by protein 95% and free-iodine
5% (iodide)
Metabolized in the liver
Utilized by thyroid gland
Excreted via urine 150 g a day
Iodine sources:
Seafood
Iodized salt
Dairy products
Iodine recommendations:
Infants
:40-50 g
Children
:70-120 g
Adult
:150 g
Pregnancy :175 g
Lactation
:200 g
Iodine deficiency:
Impair the function of thyroid gland
Growth failure: Cretinism
Enlargement of thyroid gland simple
goiter, weight gain
Impair children development : low IQ
Iodine toxicity:
Enlargement of thyroid gland
Damaging developing infants
SELENIUM
Roles in the body:
Antioxidant enzyme glutathione
peroxidase
Thyroid hormones activation
Selenium sources:
Seafood
Meat, grains
Selenium deficiency:
Heart disease
Cancer
Selenium toxicity:
Vomiting, diarrhea, loss of hair, lessions of
skin and nervous system
COPPER
Roles in the body:
The body contains 100 mg of copper
Constituent of several enzymes
Manufacture collagen & heal wounds
Release of energy
Copper sources:
Seafood
Nuts, seeds, grains, legumes
Copper deficiency & toxicity:
Deficiency is rare, occur in malnourished
children
Toxicity: vomiting, diarrhea
MANGANESE
Roles in the body:
The body contains 20 mg of Mn in
bones, liver, kidneys and pancreas
Cofactor for many enzymes in metabolic
processes
Assist urea synthesis
Prevent lipid peroxidation by free radicals
Manganese sources:
All foods
Manganese deficiency & toxicity:
Deficiency is rare
Toxicity: contaminated environment
brain disease, abnormalities of appearance
and behavior
FLOURIDE
Roles in the body:
Mineralization of bone & teeth
Flouride sources:
Drinking water
Tea
Seafood
Flouride deficiency:
Dental decay
Flouride toxicity:
Vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, itching
CHROMIUM
Roles in the body:
Activity of insulin hormone
Chromium sources:
Meat
Unrefined foods
Fats, vegetables oil
Chromium deficiency:
Impair glucose metabolism, diabetes-like
condition
MOLYBDENUM
Roles in the body:
Metalloenzymes
Molybdenum sources:
Legumes, cereals, organ meats
Chromium deficiency & toxicity:
Deficiency is rare
Toxicity: enzyme inhibition, gout-like symptoms
