UNIT-V

MINERALS
-ARBIANG MK
INTRODUCTION

 Mineral elements are chemical substances found in the body tissues and fluids
 Minerals are present in food as salt e.g. sodium chloride, calcium phosphate and
ferrous sulphate
 Minerals constitute 4% of our body weight
 Minerals do not provide energy but they are essential for growth, repair and
regulation of body fluids and many other functions
 Like vitamins, they are required in small amounts and are vital to the body
 They should be supplied daily as they are excreted through the kidneys, bowel
and skin
Minerals are present in the body as follows
 Components of organic compounds, e.g. haemoglobin contains iron and thyroxin contains Iodine
 As inorganic compounds, e.g. calcium phosphate in bones and teeth
 As free ions in every cell of the body
 In all fluids as soluble salts
CLASSIFICATION OF MINERALS
 Major minerals – required in large amounts of over 100 mg/day, e.g. calcium, phosphorus,
sodium, chlorine, potassium, magnesium and sulphur
 Minor minerals – required in les quantities, less than 100 mg/day, e.g. iron and magnesium
 Trace elements – these are elements required by the body in quantities of less than a few
micrograms to milligrams per day, e.g. iodine, zinc and fluorine
SOME GENERAL FUNCTIONS OF MINERALS ARE
 Minerals form the structural components of bones, teeth, soft tissues, blood and muscles, e.g.
calcium, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium
 They regulate activity of nerves e.g. calcium
 Maintain acid base balance of body fluids e.g. calcium and chlorine
 They control water balance by means of osmotic pressure and permeability of cell membranes, e.g.
sodium and potassium
 They are constituents of vitamins, e.g. thiamine contains sulfur and cyanocobalamin contains
cobalt
 They form part of molecules of hormones and enzymes, e.g. iodine in thyroxine and zinc in insulin
 They activate enzymes
 They regulate cellular oxidation, e.g. iron and manganese
 They are necessary for clotting of blood, e.g. calcium
CALCIUM
• Calcium constitutes 1.5 to 2% of body weight
• The adult’s body contains 1.2kg of calcium of which 99% is present in bones and teeth and
remaining 1% is in soft tissues
• The amount of calcium in the blood is about 10mg/dl
• There is a dynamic equilibrium between the calcium in the blood and that in the skeleton.
This equilibrium is maintained by the interaction of vitamin D, parathyroid hormone and
probably calcitonin

 Absorption
• It is enhanced by vitamin D and decreased by the presence of phytates, oxalates and fatty
acids and fibres in the diet
• Dietary calcium which is not absorbed in the intestines is secreted in the urine
Functions
• Formation of bones and teeth
• It helps in clotting of blood
• It maintains the permeability of the capillary walls
• It regulates the excitability of nerve fibres and nerve centers
• It is essential for production of milk
• It regulates contraction and relaxation of muscles including heart muscles
• It activates a number of enzymes such as pancreatic lipase

In short, the calcium ions control many life processes ranging from muscle contraction to cell
division
Sources of calcium
• Best natural sources of calcium are milk and milk products, eggs and fats
• The cheapest dietary sources are green leafy vegetables, cereals and millets. Ragi is
particularly rich in calcium
• An additional source of calcium is drinking water which provides up to 200mg per day
• Some fruits like sitaphal (custard apple) contain good amount of calcium
Requirements

Age groups Amount

Infants 500mg
Children below 10 years 400mg
10 – 15 years 600mg
Adolescents 500mg
Average adult man and women 400-500mg
Pregnant and Lactating women 1000mg
Deficiency of calcium
 Osteoporosis: a condition in which bones become porous due to lack of calcium. This
increased susceptibility to fractures. This is often seen in post menopausal women and
can be controlled by weight bearing exercises, calcium supplements and hormone therapy
 Tetany: a decreased in serum calcium level give rise to condition called as tetany. The
symptoms of tetany are severe muscular spasm, especially of hands and feet. Twitching
of facial muscles is also observed
 Osteomalacia: Osteomalacia is a disease characterized by the softening of the bones
 caused by impaired bone metabolism primarily due to inadequate levels of available 
phosphate, calcium, and vitamin D, or because of resorption of calcium
 Rickets: Rickets is the softening and weakening of bones in children, usually because of
an extreme and prolonged vitamin D deficiency
PHOSPHORUS
 It is an essential mineral for the formation of bones, teeth and cell metabolism.
 An adult body contains 400 to 700 gm of phosphorus and phosphates
 It comprises of 10% of total body weight
 It occurs along with calcium in human nutrition
 Phosphorus is present in the body in combination of organic and inorganic compounds
 Inorganic phosphorus is present as calcium phosphate in bones and teeth, as sodium and
potassium phosphates in body fluids and in soft tissues
 The organic compounds containing phosphorus and phospholipids, nucleic acids and
nucleoproteins, hexose phosphates and glycerophosphates, adenosine triphosphate and
adenosine diphosphates
FUNCTIONS
 Formation of bones and teeth along with calcium and magnesium
 As phospholipids, they regulate the absorption and transport of fats
 Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) are necessary for storing and
releasing energy according to body needs
 As a coenzyme, it is concerned with oxidation of carbohydrates, fats and proteins
 Phospholipids are the constituents of cell membrane, thus regulate the transport of solutes into
and out of the cells
 Phosphorus containing lipoproteins facilitates the transport of fats in the circulation
 Inorganic phospholipids in the body fluids constitute an important buffer system in the
regulation of body neutrality
SOURCES OF PHOSPHORUS
 Meat, milk, eggs, and fish
 Whole grain cereals, pulses, nuts and oil seeds also contain good amount of phosphorus
ABSORPTION AND STORAGE
 Phosphorus is absorbed in the small intestines as inorganic phosphates
 Organic phosphates is hydrolyzed to inorganic phosphate before absorption
 Phosphorus present in animals food, such as milk, meat and eggs is absorbed to a greater extent
than that present in cereals in legumes
 The inorganic phosphorus level in the blood is 2.5 to 4 percent
REQUIREMENTS
 Expert group suggested that intake of phosphorus should be at least equal to calcium and for
infants it should be twice as for calcium
DEFICIENCY
 Deficiency symptoms are similar to calcium deficiency
MAGNESIUM
• It is a constituent of bones and is present in all body cells
• An average human body contains about 25g of magnesium
• About half of this quantity is present in bones in combination with phosphorus and carbonate, chiefly
at the surface of the bones and one-fifth of the total is in soft tissues
• Extracellular fluids account for about 2% of the body’s magnesium
• Normal concentration of magnesium in the blood serum is 2.3 mg/dl
FUNCTIONS
• It is essential for all living cells
• It is essential for normal metabolism of potassium and calcium
• It is also essential for skeletal structure
• It involved in protein synthesis
• It regulate the nerve impulses and muscle contraction and relaxation along with calcium, sodium and
potassium
 REQUIREMENT

Age group Requirement in mg

Infants 50-70
Toddlers 150
More than 5 years 250
Adult man 350
Adult women 300
Pregnant and Lactating mothers 450
DEFICIENCY
• Its deficiency occurs in chronic alcoholic, cirrhosis of liver, PEM and malabsorption
syndrome
 Depression
 Muscular weakness
 Tremors
 Vertigo
 Delirium
 Liability to convulsions
• High intake of magnesium salts have shown symptoms of
 Extreme thirst
 Feeling of excessive warmth
 drowsiness
SODIUM CHLORIDE
• NaCl or common salt is a daily ingredient in our diet
• Sodium is found in all body fluids
• The adult body contains 100g of sodium which is present in the ECF of the body
• Sodium is excreted from the body in the urine and sweat
FUNCTIONS
• It regulates the acid-base balance of the body
• It maintains fluid balance and normal osmotic pressure between ICF and ECF compartments
• Sodium ions play a special role in originating and maintaining heart rate
• It maintains normal irritability nerves and helps in muscle contraction
SOURCES
• Milk
• Egg
• Meat
• Poultry
• Green leafy vegetables
• Bengal gram
• Beet root
• Coffee, tea
• Nuts and raisins
 REQUIREMENTS

Age groups Requirement

Children 5-10 g
Adolescents 10-20 g
Pregnancy 10g
Lactation 15g
Heavy worker 20-25g
Average adults 15-20g
DEFICIENCY
• Results in weakness and muscle cramps
EXCESS INTAKE OF SODIUM
• Predisposes to edema and hypertension
POTASSIUM
• It is present as the major electrolyte in body cells
• The adult human body contains about 250g of potassium
FUNCTIONS
• It regulates acid base balance like sodium
• It regulates the osmotic pressure of the cells
• It helps in transmitting nerve impulses and contraction of muscle tissues
DAILY REQUIREMENT
• Has not been determined accurately
SOURCES
• All cereals, grains and green vegetables contain 300-600 mg of potassium
• Lentil contains 400mg
• Spinach 550mg
• Dry peas contain 980mg
• Other sources are carrot, radish, sweet potatoes, raisins, almond, groundnut and sea coconut
about 700 mg
• Coffee, tea and cocoa are the richest sources as they contain 1500-2000 mg
DEFICIENCY
• Leads to weakness and muscular cramps
IRON
• Adult human body contains 3-4 g or iron, of which 70% is present in the blood as circulating
iron and the rest as storage iron
• Each gram of hemoglobin contains about 3.34 mg of iron
FUNCTIONS
• The central function of iron is oxygen transport and cell respiration
• It is essential part of several oxidative enzymes
• It is necessary for formation of hemoglobin, brain development, regulation of body
temperature and muscle activity
• It facilitate the complete oxidation of carbohydrates, proteins and fats within the cell and
release of energy for performing physical work
 DAILY REQUIREMENT

Age Requirement in mg
Infant 1mg/kg body weight
1-12 years 15-20
13-18 boys 25
13-18 girls 35
Men 28
Women 30
Pregnancy 40
Lactation 30
SOURCES
• The heam iron is found in flesh food only, like liver meat, fish and poultry
• Non heam iron is tightly bound to organic molecules. These are of vegetable origin, e.g.
cereals, green leafy vegetables, legumes, oilseeds, dried fruits and jaggery
DEFICIENCY
• Anemia
S/S are
 Reduced hemoglobin i.e. less than 9g percentage
 General fatigue, pallor skin, breathlessness
 Edema on the ankles
 Growth retardation in children
• Reduce resistance to infection
IODINE
• It is required for synthesis of thyroid hormone
• An adult body contains 50mg of iodine
FUNCTIONS
• It is essential for synthesis of T3 and T4 hormones
• As a constituent of thyroxine, it regulates the rate of oxidation in the cell and determine the rate
of metabolism
• It is essential for physical and mental growth
SOURCES
• Best source are seafood
• Meat, ,ilk, fresh water vegetables and cereals
• The important dietary source is iodized salt. One tsp salt provides 95mg of iodine
• 95% iodine comes from food eaten and remaining from drinking water
 REQUIREMENTS
Age Requirement in mg
Infants 40-50
Children 2-10 years 100-120
Above 10 years and adults 150
Pregnant and lactating mothers 170-200

DEFICIENCY
• Goitre: if intake of iodine is inadequate, the stores of thyroxin are gradually depleted and the
thyroid gland enlarges in an attempt to produce the necessary thyroxin
• Cretinism: occurs in infants when the pregnant women are severely depleted in iodine. This is
a severe condition characterized by a low BMR, muscular flabbiness, weakness, dry skin,
enlarged tongue, thick lips and severe mental retardation
• Increased rate of spontaneous abortions and stillbirths
• Neurological cretinism include deafness and mutism
FLUORINE
• Fluorine is the most abundant element in nature
• About 90% of fluorine in the body is found in bones and teeth
FUNCTION
• Essential for normal mineralization of bones and formation of dental enamel
REQUIREMENTS
• The recommended level of fluorides in drinking water in the country is accepted as 0.5
mg/L
SOURCES
• Drinking water
• Sea fish, eggs, cheese, milk, and tea
DEFICIENCY
• Results in dental caries
EXCESS OF FLUORINE
• Dental fluorosis- enamel becomes dull and chalky, white patches on the surfaces of the
teeth
• Skeletal fluorosis- increase hyper calcification of the bone of the spine, pelvis and limbs.
Such persons are crippled and cannot perform simple daily tasks, such as bending,
squatting etc
Other traced elements
ZINC
• It is a component of many enzymes
• It is present in small amount in many tissues
• Bones, teeth, pancreas contains slightly higher amount than any other tissues
• Whole blood contain 0.7mg/100ml and plasma 0.1mg/100ml
• The average adult contains 1.4-2.3 g of zinc
FUNCTIONS
• It is essential for synthesis of insulin by the pancreas and for immunity function
• It is a constituent of many enzymes
REQUIREMENT
• Adults : 15mg
• Infants : 3-5mg
• Children : 10-15 mg
• Pregnant and lactating mothers : 20-25 mg
SOURCES
• Meat, milk, fish, vegetables
DEFICIENCY
• Growth failure
• Sexual infantilism in adolescents
• Delayed wound healing
• Loss of taste
COPPER
• It is a constituent of several enzymes and is found as a complex in some proteins in the
blood
• The healthy adult human body contains about 100-150 mg of copper
DAILY REQUIREMENT
• Adults : 2.2 mg/ day
• Pregnancy and lactation : 3mg/ day
DEFICIENCY
• Copper deficiency is likely to occur in infants as anemia who are fed exclusively on milk
diet
• Deficiency is also seen in patients with nephrosis, PEM
• Neutropenia is the abnormality of copper deficiency
EXCESS
• Hypercupremia may result from eating food prepared in copper cooking vessels
• It may be associated with several acute and chronic infections such as leukemia,
Hodgkin’s disease, hyperthyroidism and myocardial infarction
COBALT
• It occurs in small amount in all tissues, highest concentration occurring in liver and kidneys
• Most of the cobalt is present in vitamin B12
• There is no evidence as yet of cobalt deficiency in human
CHROMIUM
• Plays an important role in carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism
• Total body content is less than 6mg
• Chromium deficiency is characterized by impaired growth and disturbances in glucose, lipid
and protein metabolism
• The exact requirement is not known