NUTR 150: Water, Electrolytes, Minerals, and Vitamins Study Guide

Comprehensive flashcards covering water balance, electrolytes, hypertension management, major and trace minerals, and fat- and water-soluble vitamins based on lecture notes and study guides.

Systolic Pressure

The maximum pressure exerted in the arteries during heart contraction.

Diastolic Pressure

The minimum pressure maintained in the arteries during heart relaxation.

Hypertension

Persistently elevated blood pressure levels, categorized clinically as a systolic pressure of $130\,\text{mmHg}$ or higher, or a diastolic pressure of $80\,\text{mmHg}$ or higher.

DASH Eating Plan

Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension; an eating pattern rich in fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products with reduced saturated and total fat, emphasizing potassium, calcium, and magnesium to lower systolic blood pressure by $8-14\,\text{mm Hg}$.

Adequate Intake (AI) for Water

The recommended daily water intake: $3.7\,\text{liters/day}$ for adult men and $2.7\,\text{liters/day}$ for adult women.

Dehydration

A condition occurring when fluid loss exceeds fluid intake, with symptoms including thirst, dry mouth, fatigue, and dizziness.

Hyponatremia

A condition of dangerously low blood sodium levels caused by excessive water intake or dilution, leading to cellular swelling and potential neurological damage.

Post-Exercise Rehydration Rate

The fluid replacement guideline requiring an individual to gradually consume $2\text{ to }3\,\text{cups}$ of fluid for each pound of body weight lost during physical exercise.

Sodium

A major positively charged electrolyte located predominantly outside cells (extracellular fluid) that functions in fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction.

Potassium

A major positively charged electrolyte located predominantly inside cells (intracellular fluid) found in fresh fruits and vegetables that regulates fluid balance, nerve impulses, and muscle contractions.

Chloride

A major negatively charged electrolyte located predominantly outside cells (extracellular fluid) obtained primarily from table salt that assists in maintaining fluid balance.

Low Sodium (Label Descriptor)

A regulated food labeling term signifying that a food contains $140\,\text{mg}$ or less of sodium per reference serving.

Sodium Free (Label Descriptor)

A regulated food labeling term defining a food containing less than $5\,\text{mg}$ of sodium per reference serving.

Intracellular Water

Fluid residing entirely within the cells of the body.

Extracellular Water

Fluid residing outside of the cells, including interstitial fluid and blood plasma.

Osmolarity

The concentration of solute particles per unit volume in a given solution.

Hypothalamus

The brain region that regulates fluid homeostasis by monitoring blood osmolarity and stimulating thirst and hormone release.

Anti-Diuretic Hormone (ADH)

A hormone released in response to elevated blood osmolarity that increases water reabsorption in the kidneys.

Aldosterone

A hormone that regulates blood pressure by promoting sodium and water retention in the kidneys.

Angiotensin

A compound that raises blood pressure by causing vasoconstriction and stimulating renal sodium and water retention.

Major Mineral

An essential mineral required by the human body in amounts greater than $100\,\text{mg/day}$, such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, and sodium.

Trace Mineral

An essential mineral required by the human body in amounts less than $100\,\text{mg/day}$, such as iron, zinc, copper, selenium, and iodine.

Bioavailability

The proportion or percentage of an ingested nutrient that is digested, absorbed, and made available for physiological activity or storage.

Cofactor

A non-protein chemical compound or metallic ion required for the biological activity of an enzyme as a catalyst.

Calcitonin

A thyroid hormone that lowers blood calcium concentrations by inhibiting bone resorption.

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)

A hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands that increases blood calcium levels by stimulating bone resorption, renal calcium reabsorption, and vitamin D activation.

Peak Bone Mass

The maximal amount of bone tissue an individual accumulates during their lifetime, typically attained in the late 20s or early 30s.

Bone Remodeling

A continuous, lifelong physiological process where mature bone tissue is removed from the skeleton by resorption and new bone tissue is formed.

Osteoporosis

A skeletal disorder characterized by compromised bone strength and low bone density, predisposing an individual to an increased risk of bone fractures.

Heme Iron

Iron bound to hemoglobin and myoglobin in meat, fish, and poultry that exhibits high bioavailability and is absorbed far more efficiently than non-heme iron.

Non-Heme Iron

Plant-derived and fortified iron whose absorption is enhanced by vitamin C and inhibited by substances like phytates, tannins, and calcium.

Ferritin

An intracellular protein complex that stores iron and releases it in a controlled manner depending on the body's needs.

Hemochromatosis

A genetic metabolic disorder of iron overload where excessive iron accumulation damages the liver, heart, joints, and pancreas.

Therapeutic Phlebotomy

The clinical procedure of routinely removing blood from the body to lower systemic iron levels in patients diagnosed with hemochromatosis.

Pica

A behavioral symptom characterized by an abnormal craving and consumption of non-food substances (such as clay, dirt, or ice), frequently associated with iron deficiency.

Zinc

A trace mineral essential for DNA/RNA synthesis, cellular growth, and immune defense, whose absorption is hindered by phytates found in unleavened bread.

Goiter

An abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland resulting from compensatory tissue growth due to chronic iodine deficiency.

Cretinism

A severe congenital condition characterized by irreversible physical stunting and intellectual disability resulting from maternal iodine deficiency during pregnancy.

Fluorosis

A condition characterized by permanent discoloration or mottling of tooth enamel caused by excessive fluoride intake during tooth development.

Carotenoids

Provitamin forms of vitamin A found in yellow, orange, and dark green plant tissues that can safely convert to active vitamin A, though high intakes can turn the skin orange.

Retinoids

Preformed, active forms of vitamin A found in animal foods like liver and fish oil, capable of producing birth defects and liver damage when ingested in excessive amounts.

Night Blindness

An early ocular manifestation of vitamin A deficiency marked by an impaired ability of the eyes to adapt to dim light or darkness.

Xerophthalmia

An advanced, severe manifestation of vitamin A deficiency leading to abnormal dryness, corneal ulceration, and permanent blindness.

Rickets

A pediatric vitamin D deficiency disease characterized by impaired bone mineralization, leading to soft bones and skeletal malformations.

Osteomalacia

An adult condition caused by vitamin D deficiency, characterized by poor mineralization of existing bone matrix resulting in soft, painful bones.

Vitamin K

A fat-soluble vitamin essential for synthesis of blood clotting proteins and bone metabolism, synthesized partly by gut bacteria, which directly opposes anticoagulant drugs like warfarin.

Beri-Beri

A deficiency disease caused by a lack of thiamin (vitamin B-1), resulting in severe peripheral nerve damage, cardiovascular failure, and muscle wasting.

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

An acute and chronic neuropsychiatric condition linked to thiamin (vitamin B-1) deficiency, typically seen in individuals with chronic alcohol abuse.

Pellagra

A nutritional deficiency disease caused by a lack of niacin (vitamin B-3) or its precursor tryptophan, characterized by the 4 D's: dermatitis, diarrhea, dementia, and death.

Avidin

A glycoprotein present in raw egg whites that binds tightly to biotin (vitamin B-7), inhibiting its absorption until denatured by cooking.

Intrinsic Factor

A transport glycoprotein secreted by stomach parietal cells required for the proper binding and absorption of vitamin B-12 in the small intestine.

Macrocytic Anemia

An anemia characterized by abnormally enlarged red blood cells resulting from impaired DNA replication during cell division, caused by folate or vitamin B-12 deficiency.

Microcytic Anemia

An anemia characterized by small, pale red blood cells, commonly resulting from inadequate hemoglobin production due to iron or vitamin B-6 deficiency.

Pernicious Anemia

An autoimmune form of macrocytic anemia caused by a failure of intrinsic factor production, leading to the malabsorption of vitamin B-12.

Spina Bifida

A neural tube defect resulting from failure of the embryonic spinal cord and backbone to close completely, strongly linked to maternal folate deficiency.

Scurvy

A collagen disorder caused by vitamin C deficiency, manifesting as impaired wound healing, loose teeth, capillary fragility, and connective tissue breakdown.

Grain Enrichment

The federal fortification practice of restoring nutrients lost during cereal grain milling by adding back iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and folic acid.