GIS1012 Lifecycle Nutrition

Topic 12: Minerals 1

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What Are Minerals?
 Inorganic elements essential to the nutrition of
humans
 Fourteen minerals are essential to body function
• Play several key roles in overall health and well
being
- Help chemical reactions take place in cells
- Help muscles contract
- Keep the heart beating
 Two groups
• Major minerals
• Trace minerals

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What Are Minerals?
 Major minerals
• Need to consume > 100 milligrams per day
• At least 5 grams of the mineral in the body
• Calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphorus,
magnesium, and sulfur

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What Are Minerals?
 Trace minerals
• Need to consume > 20 milligrams per day
• The body contains less than 5 grams total
• Iron, zinc, copper, selenium, chromium, iodide,
manganese, molybdenum, and fluoride

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The Minerals in Your Body

Figure 12.1
Minerals
 Do not contain carbon
 Contain only atoms of the same element
 Are most often found
• As individual ions
• In organic compounds

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Minerals
 Remain intact during digestion
 Generally do not change shape or structure when
performing biological functions
 Most minerals absorbed from the diet are in the form
of water-soluble salts
 Are not destroyed by heat, acid, oxygen, or ultraviolet
light
 Mineral bioavailability: Degree to which a nutrient
from food is absorbed and utilized in the body

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Mineral Bioavailability
Mineral Balance
 Body maintains tight control over mineral balance
• GI tract
 Regulates absorption from food based on the
body’s need
 Minerals in gastric juices and that slough-off
intestinal cells are either excreted in the feces or
reabsorbed through the large intestine
• Kidneys
 Excretes excess and reabsorbs the minerals when
the body needs them

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Mineral Functions
 Minerals work together to perform important
functions in the body
• Fluid and electrolyte balance
• Blood formation
• Building healthy bones
• Maintaining a healthy immune system

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Minerals Help Maintain Fluid Balance
 Minerals play a key role in fluid balance in the cells
• Extracellular minerals – sodium and chloride
• Intracellular mineral – potassium with the help of
calcium, magnesium, and sulfur

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Mineral Participate as Cofactors
 Cofactor – substance that helps catalyze a reaction
 Minerals serve as cofactors in
• Antioxidant systems
• Energy production
• Muscle contraction
• Nerve transmission

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Minerals Make Up Bones and Teeth
 Minerals make up the crystalline structure
(hydroxyapatite) that gives strength to bones and teeth
• Major minerals
- Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium
• Trace mineral
- Flouride

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Minerals Can Be Toxic
 If ingested in high amounts, minerals can be toxic;
however, mineral toxicity is rare
 Toxicity most often seen with
• Large amounts of supplements
• Certain conditions that interfere with the body’s
adaptive abilities
 Toxicity not generally seen from excess dietary intake

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Quick Review
 Minerals
• Inorganic nutrients
• Are classified as either major or trace base on amount
found in the body and the amount needed daily
• Bioavailability is based on nutritional status and
mineral binding
• Play a vital role in numerous body functions
- Bone and blood health
- Fluid balance
- Cofactors in energy production and muscle
contraction
- Nerve transmission

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Quick Review Continued
 Mineral toxicity
• Rare
- Most people do not ingest overly high amount
from food
- Body adjusts absorption and excretion
• Occurs with ingestion of high doses of supplements

• Energy Pathways 08 - Vitamins & Minerals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1O5nerisrU

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