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Nutrition For Life

Essential Minerals and there use in the Human Body

Minerals are an essential component of the human diet, and must be obtained from our diet since the human body can’t produce them. Traditionally, plants have been a major dietary source of minerals for humans, however, since topsoil has become depleted of nutrients due to poor farming practices, today’s plants are not always a reliable source of minerals.
Minerals can be divided into two general families: macro minerals and trace minerals. Macro minerals are present in the body in relatively large quantities. Included in this family are potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Trace minerals are required in smaller amounts (micrograms to milligrams) and this family includes iron, iodine, zinc, chromium, vanadium, selenium, manganese, molybdenum, silicon and copper.

Each mineral plays a unique role in the body and each is essential to the proper physiological execution and regulation of numerous biochemical systems. Processes such as muscle contraction, nerve conduction, cellular energy metabolism, protein synthesis, hormone regulation and immune system function are all supported by minerals. Minerals are found in all our bodily tissues and fluids and they exert much of their function by acting as integral components of enzymes.

Here is a list of some of the most important minerals for the human body:

1) Calcium – The most abundant mineral in the body, is most notable for its structural role in the bone development and maintenance. A deficiency in this mineral leads to bone related disorders, namely osteoporosis and increased risk of fracture.

2) Zinc –Is involved in the synthesis and stabilization of proteins, DNA and RNA, as well as playing a structural role in membranes. Zinc also helps regulate gene transcription and is absolutely required for normal sperm production, fetal growth and embryonic development. A mild deficiency in zinc has been associated with many diseases, including diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, inflammatory bowel disease, and
malabsorption syndromes. Mild but chronic zinc deficiency can cause stunted growth in children, impaired immune function and night blindness.

3) Selenium – This trace mineral in conjuction with vitamen E, appears to prevent oxidative and free radical damage to various cell structures. Low blood levels of selenium have been correlated with an increase in coronary artery disease and certain cancers.

4) Copper – Plays a role in iron metabolism, melanin synthesis, central nervous system function, the synthesis of elastin and collagen and the scavenging of free radicals. Clinical manifestations of Copper deficiency include loss pigmentation in the skin and hair, neurological disturbances, decreased numbers of white blood cells and anemia.

5) Chromium – Its primary function in humans is to aid insulin action. It has an impact on carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism. Hyperglycemia or impaired glucose tolerance is observed in a chromium-deficient state together with elevated plasma-free fatty acid concentration and neuropathy.

6) Iron - This trace mineral participates in redox reactions within a number of proteins such as hemoglobin, myoglobin, and cytochrome enzymes. Easy fatigability often develops as an early symptom of iron deficiency. In Children, mild deficiency is ossociated with behavioural disturbances and poor school performance. Anemia arrises due to impaired utilization of iron and is therefore a conditioned form of iron deficiency. Women require more iron than men, due to increased losses during menstruation and while pregnant women are lactating.

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