Lecture 11: Vitamins and Minerals

Minerals (nutrients)

elements absorbed and utilized by the body (that are not carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen)

What are minerals often found in the body as?

They are found as ions, which are any atoms with a charge positive or negative

Salt

a crystalline structure of ions.

Cofactors

Minerals are often cofactors, which is a non protein compound that helps an enzyme function.

Major Minerals

Sodium, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium.

Sodium

Gained through salt, it makes food taste good and can become addictive.

Why is sodium important?

Sodium is crucial for neuron activity because it creates the electrical charge in your nerves. It balances the sodium and potassium.

Movement of Water

water moves across a membrane that allows water but not salt.

Water moves from ___________ to _________ concentration

Low salt concentration to high salt concentration, which balances everything out.

Functions of Sodium In The Blood

Higher sodium leads to water entering the blood vessels, which helps maintain blood pressure. As a result, the heart needs to beat faster and harder.

Excess salt contributes to ________

chronic high blood pressure

High sodium diets correlate to what?

chronic high blood pressure and heart disease

Ways to regulate salt intake

Cook for yourself, drink water, and increase salt content ONLY IF you have low blood pressure.

Calcium Phosphate

makes up the mineral composition of your bones, used to signal for muscles to move.

Sources of Calcium

dairy, tofu, greens like kale and spinach

Phosphorus

has an acid-base balance, is a nucleotide (monomer of nucleic acid)

Potassium

Works with sodium to facilitate nerve function. Is an acid-base and is involved in water balance.

Magnesium

a mineral that is an important cofactor.

Trace Minerals

minerals that in total make up less than 1% of body composition.

Examples of Trace Minerals

Iron, Chlorine, Iodine, Zinc

Iron (Fe)

Required for life, carries oxygen in the bloodstream. Uses an iron-centric molecule (heme, or hemoglobin) to do this.

Hemoglobin

four protein structures working together with heme.

Iron Deficiency

Not enough iron means not enough hemoglobin, which means it cannot carry oxygen properly.

Symptoms of Iron Deficiency

pale skin, fatigue, dizziness, pica, hair loss, and eventually death

Iron deficiency can be caused by:

blood loss, pregnancy, poor diet, parasites

Heme Food sources of Iron

red meat and poultry. Easy to absorb and use the iron.

Non-heme food sources of iron

beans, lentils, leafy greens. Hard to absorb.

Chlorine (trace mineral)

stomach acid that helps control water flow in the large intestine.

Iodine (trace mineral)

used in the thyroid, can lead to an enlarged thyroid forming, major sources include iodized salt and seafood.

Electrolytes

the sum of all ions in a liquid

Vitamins

organic molecules that regulate metabolic function in an organism in small quantities

Function of Vitamins

regulate metabolism, cell signalling and protect against free radicals (electrons without a pair that are unstable)

How are vitamins obtained for animals?

Only by food

What is the only vitamin the body can produce?

Vitamin D. The body takes UVB from the sun to synthesize it.

Water Soluble Vitamins

All B vitamins, Vitamin C, and Vitamin PP (niacin). Extra vitamins are excreted by urine.

Fat Soluble

Vitamins A, D, E, K.

Where are extra fat soluble vitamins stored?

fat cells, which makes it dangerous in large amounts.

Vitamin B

Vitamin B is essential for energy production and development, as well as red blood cell production. Vitamin B is WATER-SOLUBLE.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C maintains cells, produces new cells, and helps repair tissue. Vitamin C is WATER SOLUBLE

Vitamin A

Vitamin A helps with eyesight and tissue maintenance. Vitamin A is FAT SOLUBLE.

Vitamin Posioning

Can occur when consuming too much of a specific vitamin, much more common in fat-soluble vitamins.

Hypervitaminosis

Vitamin A poisoning. Usually from eating the liver of cold-weather animals like seals, or from excessive supplements. Causes nausea, vomiting, hair loss, blurred vision, etc.

Antioxidant

helps protect the body from neutralizing free radicals: molecules with unpaired electrons that can cause cell damage.

Formation of Free Radicals

smoking, excessive sun exposure, air pollution, and nuclear exposure all lead to free radicals.

What vitamins are antioxidants?

Vitamins A, C, and E

Multivitamins/Vitamin Supplements

All needed vitamins/minerals are provided through varied diets. Most supplements will be excreted via urine. Supplements can be a scam.