BIOL233: Module 9 - Water and Minerals

Electrolytes

Are substances that dissociate into charged particles (ions) when dissolved in water or other solvents and thus become capable of conducting an electrical current

Ferritin

Is a complex of iron and apoferritin that is a major storage form of iron

Fibrin

Is a stringy, insoluble protein that is the final product of the blood-clotting process

Galvanized

Is iron or steel with a thin layer of zinc plated onto it to protect against corrosion

Goiter

Is a chronic enlargement of the thyroid gland, visible as swelling at the front of the neck; usually associated with iodine deficiency

Heat Capacity

Is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by 1 degree Celsius

Heme Iron

Is the iron found in the hemoglobin and myoglobin of animal foods

Hemoglobin

Is the iron protein in the blood that works to transport oxygen

Hydroxyapatite

Is a crystalline mineral compound of calcium and phosphorus that makes up bone

Major Mineral

Is a mineral required in the diet and present in the body in large amounts compared with trace minerals

Myoglobin

Is the oxygen-transporting protein of muscle that resembles blood hemoglobin in function

Nonheme Iron

Is the iron in plants and the iron in animal foods that is not part of hemoglobin and myoglobin

Phytate

Is a phosphorus-containing compound in the outer husks of cereal grains that binds with minerals and inhibits their absorption

Thyroid stimulating hormone

Is a glycoprotein hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland at the base of the brain; plays a primary role in regulating the body’s metabolism by controlling how the thyroid gland functions

Thyroxine

Is an iodine-containing hormone secreted by the thyroid gland to regulate the rate of cell metabolism; known chemically as tetraiodothyronine

Transferrin (T3)

Is a protein synthesized in the liver that transports iron in the blood to the erythroblasts for use in heme synthesis

Triiodothyronine (T4)

Is an iodine-containing thyroid hormone with several times the biologic activity of thyroxine

45-75%

How much of a typical person’s body weight does water make up?

Contains numerous dissolved minerals called electrolytes

What else is in water in the body?

Heat Capacity

Refers to the amount of energy that is required to raise the temperature of any substance by 1 degree celsius

Water has a high heat capacity and therefore, helps to dampen the effects of extreme environmental temperatures on the body

What is the function of heat capacity?

Heat capacity

How are humans able to survive and live in a wide range of temperature environments?

Cooling Ability

Refers to sweating out some of the water plus other things

This perspiration, the sweat itself, evaporates from the skin and it is the actual evaporation of the sweat that helps cool down when it is hot

What is the function of cooling ability?

Participation in Metabolism

In nearly all chemical reactions of metabolism involve water in some manner and water is the solvent for many biologically essential molecules; is also a product or reactant in many biochemical reactions involved in metabolism

pH balance of water is essential to the body’s mechanism to maintain neutral; the body and specifically blood needs to remain around a pH 7 to function properly

What is the function of pH balance?

Serve essential mechanical functions such as shock absorption, lubrication, cleansing, and protection

What is the function of major component of body fluids?

Synovial fluid that allows joints to move smoothly without grinding against each other

What is one example of a major component of body fluids?

Fluid balance is critical for good health meaning keeping intracellular and extracellular fluids constant is important to the body, so enough water and electrolytes must be present

Why is fluid/electrolyte balance critical to health?

Some of these electrolytes have a positive charge and are cations; these cations include sodium and potassium and some of the electrolytes are anions that include chloride and potassium

Which electrolytes are found inside the cell vs. outside the cell?

Potassium and phosphorus

Electrolytes inside the cell are primarily made up of what?

Sodium and chloride

Electrolytes found outside the cell are primarily made up of what?

Cell membranes are selectively permeable but water can move inside and outside the cell freely; it can be transmitted across the membrane through osmosis; water moves from inside the cells to outside the cells to balance out the increased extracellular concentration of sodium

Explain how water flows in and out of the cell to control electrolyte balance.

3.7 L/d

List the AI’s of water for men

2.7 L/d

List the AI’s of water for women

3.0 L/d (they need an increased water intake)

List the AI’s of water for pregnant women

3.8 L/d

List the AI’s of water for lactating women

How much activity and how much sweating you are doing

What factors can help dictate the amount of water you need daily?

Water evaporates and exits in our exhaled air; every time we exhale, we lose some water

How does water loss occur in the lungs?

Water excretion comes thru the GI tract because feces carry water out of the body

How does water loss occur in the GI tract?

Kidneys excrete water through urine

How does water loss occur in the kidney?

The body can lose excess fluids depending on certain types of illness; a lot of GI related illness that have diarrhea, vomiting

What’s another way water loss can occur?

Comes from a combo of drinking water, other beverages that contain water content such as soda, juices, and water in the foods eaten

Where does water intake come from?

Approximately 20% of water needed each day comes from foods

How much water comes from food?

fruits and vegetables

The majority of water or the foods that contain the most water are ____ and _______

The first is increase osmolarity of fluid surrounding osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus, reduced blood volume and pressure, increased angiotensin II, and dryness of mouth and mucous membranes lining esophagus

What are the 4 major stimuli that dictate thirst?

Unreliable guide to avoiding dehydration because by the time we feel thirsty, our body is already at a point where the fluids have become depleted

Is thirst a reliable indicator of dehydration?

Alcohol is a diuretic, coffee is a mild diuretic, and medications that help lower blood pressure or decrease swelling are often diuretics and these can be prescribed to people with too much fluid retention in the body

How do alcohol, caffeine and medications influence water balance?

Diuretic

Is a substance that increases fluid loss through urination; helps your body get rid of extra salt (sodium) and water through your urine

A person who loses the amount of water equal to approximately 20% of their body weight is likely to become comatose and possibly lead to death

What percentage of water equal to body weight can lead to death due to dehydration?

Fatigue, headache, and dark urine with a strong odor

What are the 1st symptoms of dehydration?

Older adults and infants

Which populations are especially vulnerable to dehydration?

Water consumption

How is dehydration treated?

Rapid consumption of large quantities of fluids that greatly exceed the kidneys maximal excretion rate of approximately 0.7-1 liters of water per hour

What causes water intoxication?

Headaches and confusion are the first indications but depending on the severity, it can lead to seizures and death

What are the symptoms of water intoxication?

Minerals are inorganic or non-organic compounds that provide critical functions to the body but they are not destroyed by heat, light, acidity, or alkalinity, which is how they differ from vitamins and they do not provide any type of energy, just like vitamins

How do minerals differ from vitamins and other nutrients?

Major minerals have to be consumed more than 100 mg per day and trace minerals have to be consumed less than 100 mg per day

Explain the difference between major and trace minerals.

They play a critical role in maintaining fluid balance, blood pH, nerve transmission, and muscle function

What are the overall functions of minerals?

High sodium intake is a risk factor for hypertension

Explain sodium’s relationship with the development of hypertension.

If people with hypertension at a diet rich in potassium containing foods, which mostly consists of fruits and vegetables, their blood pressure often improves

Explain potassium’s relationship with the improvement of hypertension.

They are critical to body functions including metabolic pathways and are essential for the growth and normal functioning of the immune system as well; they often act as cofactors for enzymes

Why are trace minerals important?

Can lead to delayed sexual maturation, poor growth, faulty immune system, tooth decay, and altered hormone function

Overall, what can occur with trace mineral deficiencies?

Is the only mineral deficiency that is common to industrialized countries

What is unique about iron deficiency?

Hemochromatosis

Is an inherited disorder and it is a disease of excess iron absorption

If it is not detected early, it can lead to severe organ damage and cause premature death

What is hemochromatosis’ relationship with iron absorption?

Body controls iron levels by regulating intestinal absorption

What controls iron levels?

Used by the cell itself, released into blood and carried to other tissues by transferrin, and stored as ferritin

What are iron’s three potential fates once in a cell?

Body’s iron status

What is the primary determinant for iron absorption?

Animal

What is the food source (or origin) for heme iron?

More absorptive (direct absorption)

How absorbable is heme iron?

Vegetable

What is the food source (or origin) for nonheme iron?

Absorption through vitamin A, vitamin C, and Y beta-carotene

How absorbable is non-heme iron?

Heme

Is heme or non-heme part of hemoglobin and myoglobin?

Non-heme

Is heme or non-heme NOT part of hemoglobin and myoglobin?

Vegetarians absorb less dietary iron, especially heme iron that comes from meat sources; they may need more dietary iron and may end up having to take supplementation

What is vegetarian’s relationship with iron?

Transferrin is the protein that carries iron through the blood and helps distribute it throughout the body

How is iron carried through the blood?

Gets stored as ferritin

How is iron stored in the body?

Oxalate and phytate

List at least two factors that can inhibit iron absorption

Vitamin C and meat

List at least two factors that can enhance iron absorption

Routine destruction of old RBC will release iron and this recycled iron can be used to build new RBC

Where does recycled iron come from in the body and how is it used?

Iron depletion, depletion of functional and transport iron, and anemia

What are the 3 stages of iron deficiency?

Iron Depletion

The biochemical sign is decreased ferritin and is a minimal iron deficiency state which means there are no functional implications yet

Depletion of functional and transport iron

Is the stage between iron depletion and anemia; decreased transferrin saturation and increased erythrocyte protoporphyrin; impairs the function of iron requiring enzymes needed for aerobic; decreased function performance

Can see a decrease in physical performance; the person feels fatigued and are unable to do any physical activities as they normally would

What do you observe in the Depletion of functional and transport iron stage?

Anemia

Is a severe form of iron deficiency defined by insufficient or defective RBC populations and low hemoglobin levels; known for its small pale RBC; symptoms vary according to severity and how quickly the iron defiant ___ develops

Depending on what is causing the anemia, this can be treated through diet changes or iron supplementation

How can anemia be treated?

Increases during times of increased need and phytate inhibits absorption; circulates bound to protein and there are no stores in body

How is zinc regulated in the body?

Phytate

What inhibits zinc absorption?

If zinc and vitamin C work together they are thought to inhibit viral replication but it is not proven; zinc is thought to treat the common cold by inhibiting viral replication

Explain zinc’s potential relationship with helping to prevent/treat the common cold.

Dental caries are the most common chronic disease in children

Why is fluoride supplementation recommended for children starting at 6 months?

Fluoride helps with bone mineralization, which helps strengthen bone, and in turn teeth as well; can help protect teeth

Explain the relationship between fluoride and dental caries

processed and convenience foods

What are the dietary sources of sodium?

Mineral in fluid balance; regulates body fluid, blood pressure, and pH

What are the major functions of sodium?

Recommended to be reduced to 23000 milligrams per day

What are the dietary recommendations of sodium?

Not intaking enough salt while intaking a large amount of water, such as in athletes

What are the risks for deficiency of sodium?

African American individuals, those with hypertension, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, adults 50+

What are the risks of toxicity for sodium?

Unprocessed foods, meat, fish, poultry, and dairy products

What are the dietary sources for potassium?

Mineral in fluid balance; can improve hypertension, assists muscle contractions, helps to transmit nerve impulses, and regulates blood pressure

What are the major functions for potassium?

4700 milligrams pr day, with African Americans benefiting from intaking more

What are the dietary recommendations for potassium?