Nutrition Module 9

Electrolytes

minerals and compounds that carry an electrical charge when dissolved in body fluids like blood, sweat, and urine

Ferritin

Stores iron safely

Fibrin

a tough, fibrous protein that plays a central role in blood clotting

Galvanized

To stimulate or excite

Goiter

when your thyroid gland grows larger than its typical size; causes a visible bulge

Heat capacity

the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of an entire object or system by 1 degree Celsius (or 1 Kelvin)

Heme iron

a form of dietary iron found exclusively in animal-derived foods containing animal tissue

hemoglobin

an iron-rich protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to the rest of your body and helps return carbon dioxide back to the lungs

Hydroxyapatite

a naturally occurring calcium phosphate mineral

Major mineral

an essential dietary mineral that the human body requires in relatively large amounts

Myoglobin

a small, iron- and oxygen-binding protein found in the skeletal and cardiac (heart) muscles of vertebrates

Nonheme iron

a type of dietary iron found in plant-based foods

Phytate

a natural compound found in plant seeds, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and oilseeds

Thyroid stimulating hormone

a glycoprotein hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland that controls the function of the thyroid gland

Thyroxine

primary hormone secreted by the thyroid gland in the neck

Transferrin

a protein produced by your liver that acts as the primary transport system for iron in your blood plasma

triiodothyronine

a vital hormone produced and released by the butterfly-shaped thyroid gland in your neck

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

Water makes up about 50% to 60% of an average adult's body weight.

What else is in water in the body?

Contains numerous dissolved minerals called electrolytes

List the functions of water

1. Heat capacity

2. Cooling ability

3. Participation in metabolism

4. pH balance

5. Major component of body fluids

Why is fluid/electrolyte balance critical to health?

it maintains the body's internal stability (homeostasis) and allows cells, tissues, and major organ systems to function properly

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

• inside-

  • Potassium

  • Magnesium

  • Phosphate

  • Proteins

• Outside-

  • Sodium

  • Chloride

  • Bicarbonate

  • Calcium

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

Osmosis

• movement of water through a semipermeable membrane from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher solute concentration

List the AI’s of water for men, women, pregnant women and lactating women

• Men = 3.7 L/d

• Women = 2.7 L/d

• Pregnancy = 3.0 L/d 

• Lactation = 3.8 L/d

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

• exercise and physical activity

• Climate and weather

• Health and illness

• Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Summarize the ways in which you can lose water

• Urination

• Sweating and skin evaporation

• Respiration

• Feces excretion

Where does water intake come from?

• beverages

• Food

• Metabolic water

How do the kidneys help to maintain water balance in the body?

Adjust amount and concentration of urine in response to hydration status

What are the four major stimuli that dictate thirst?

1. Increased blood osmolarity

2. Decreased blood volume

3. Decreased blood pressure (angiotensin II)

4. Dryness of mouth and throat

Is thirst a reliable indicator of dehydration?

NO

How do alcohol, caffeine and medications influence water balance?

They all act as diuretics (make you pee more)

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

15-20%

What are the first symptoms of dehydration?

• fatigue

• Headache

• Dark urine with strong odor

Which populations are especially vulnerable to dehydration?

Older adults and infants

How is dehydration treated?

restoring lost fluids and electrolytes based on the severity of the condition and the patient's symptoms

What causes water intoxication?

drinking more water than the kidneys can process

What are the symptoms of water intoxication?

• headache

• Confusion

• Nausea

• Fatigue

How do minerals differ from vitamins and other nutrients?

Minerals are inorganic elements, while vitamins are organic compounds

Explain the difference between major and trace minerals

Major minerals are needed in amounts of 100 mg or more per day, while trace minerals are needed in amounts of less than 100 mg per day

What are the overall functions of minerals?

• catalytic activity of enzymes

• Structural functions

What are the major minerals?

• sodium

• Potassium

• Chloride

• Phosphorus

• Magnesium

• Sulfur

List sodium…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- processed and convenience foods

• Major functions-

  • fluid balance

  • Regulates blood pressure and volume

  • Transmit nerve impulses

• Dietary recommendations- 2300 mgs/day

• Risks for deficiency- N/A

• Risks of toxicity- hypertension (high blood pressure)

List potassium…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- unprocessed (healthy) foods

• Major functions-

  • Assists muscle contraction

  • Helps transmit nerve impulses

  • Regulates blood pressure

• Dietary recommendations- 4700 mg/day

• Risks for deficiency- contributes to bone loss and kidney stones

• Risks of toxicity- high potassium can slow heart

List chloride…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- table salt

• Major functions-

  • Fluid and eletrolyte balance

  • pH balance

• Dietary recommendations- 2300 mg/day

• Risks for deficiency- excessive sweating

• Risks of toxicity- high blood pressure**

List phosphorus…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- meat, milk, and eggs

• Major functions- critical in bone structure (like calcium)

• Dietary recommendations- 700mg per day

• Risks for deficiency- rarely seen

• Risks of toxicity- N/A

List magnesium…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- plants

• Major functions- participates in 300 enzyme-driven reactions

• Dietary recommendations- N/A

• Risks for deficiency- hypomagnesemia (hypo= below)

• Risks of toxicity- hypermagnesemia (hyper= over)

List sulfur…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- typical diets (all foods)

• Major functions- protein and amino acid synthesis

• Dietary recommendations- N/A

• Risks for deficiency- unknown

• Risks of toxicity- none

Explain sodium’s relationship with the development of hypertension

Causes water retention, which increases the volume of blood circulating through your blood vessels

Explain potassium’s relationship with the improvement of hypertension

Promotes the excretion of excess sodium, relaxing blood vessel walls, and lowering overall blood volume

Why are trace minerals important?

The body needs them in small amounts to maintain normal body functions and good health

Overall, what can occur with trace mineral deficiencies?

impair oxygen transport, immune function, antioxidant defenses, nerve signaling, and hormone production

What are the trace minerals?

• iron

• Zinc

• Selenium

• Iodine

• Copper

• Manganese

• Floruide

• Chromium

• Molybdenum

List iron…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- animal products (heme iron) and plant foods (non-heme)

• Major functions-

  • Oxygen transport as part of hemoglobin and myoglobin

  • Cofactor for enzymes

• Dietary recommendations- 8-18 mg/day

• Risks for deficiency- iron deficiency

  • Stages

    • Iron depletion

    • Depletion of functional and transport iron

    • Anemia

• Risks of toxicity- cause death

List zinc…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- abundant in protein (red meat and seafood)

• Major functions-

  • Repair mineral

  • Cell replication

  • Immune response

• Dietary recommendations- 8-11mg per day

• Risks for deficiency- poor growth and delayed development

• Risks of toxicity- rare

List selenium…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- Brazil nuts (plant foods)

• Major functions- antioxidant and thyroid metabolism

• Dietary recommendations- 55 mcg/day

• Risks for deficiency-

  • Keshan disease

  • Kashin-Beck disease

  • Cretinism

• Risks of toxicity- brittle hair and nails

List iodine…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary source- seafood

• Major functions- thyroid hormone production

• Dietary recommendations- 150 mcg/day

• Risks for deficiency-

  • goiter (enlarged thyroid gland)

  • Cretinism- mental retardation

• Toxicity- goiter

List copper…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- organ meats, shellfish, nuts, legumes

Major functions- Helps body use iron, form red blood cells, and build connective tissue

• Dietary recommendations- 900 mcg

• Risks for deficiency- rare

• Risks for toxicity- none

List manganese…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- tea, nuts, cereal, and some fruit

• Major functions- nutrient metabolism

• Dietary recommendations- 1.8 mg (women), 2.3 mg (men)

• Risks for deficiency- suboptimal manganese status

• Risks of toxicity- air pollutants

List fluoride…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- fluoridated water

• Major functions- bone and tooth mineralization

• Dietary recommendations- 3-4 mg/day

• Risks for deficiency- cavities and enamel weakness

• Risks of toxicity- fluorosis (excessive fluoride intake)

List chromium…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- broccoli, whole grains, lean meats

• Major functions- enhances effects of insulin; glucose metabolism

• Dietary recommendations- 35 mcg/day

• Risks for deficiency- none

• Risks of toxicity- only seen in relation to industrial settings

List molybdenum…

• dietary sources

• Major functions

• Dietary recommendations

• Risks for deficiency

• Risks of toxicity

• dietary sources- peas, beans, breakfast cereals

• Major functions- helps your body break down toxins and waste products

• Dietary recommendations- 45 mcg

• Risks of deficiency- none

• Risks of toxicity- none

What is unique about iron deficiency?

it is the most common nutritional deficiency in the entire world

Define hemochromatosis and it’s relationship with iron absorption

a medical condition where the body absorbs and stores too much iron from food

what controls iron levels?

Hepcidin

iron’s three potential fates once in a cell

1. Used by the cell itself

2. Released into blood and carried to other tissues by transferrin

3. Stored as ferritin

What is the primary determinant for iron absorption?

Iron status

Compare and contrast heme and nonheme iron in terms of what food sources they’re found in and how absorbable they are

• heme iron-

  • Animal foods

  • High absorption rate

• Non-heme iron-

  • Plant foods

  • Low absorption rate

Explain vegetarian's relationship with iron

Vegetarians need to pay closer attention to iron intake because plant-based iron is less easily absorbed by the body than iron from animal products

How is iron carried through the blood?

bound to a specialized plasma protein called transferrin

How is iron stored in the body?

ferritin and hemosiderin

List at least two factors that can inhibit iron absorption and two factors that can enhance iron absorption

1. Inhibit iron absorption

   1. Calcium

   2. Tannins

2. Enhance iron absorption

   1. Vitamin C

   2. Meat, fish, and poultry

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

• comes from aged or damaged red blood cells

• Transport via transferrin

Outline the three stages of iron deficiency including the name of the stage and its associated functional implications

1. Iron depletion- iron stores in the liver and other tissues decrease

2. Depletion of functional and transport iron- not enough iron is available to make red blood cells normally

3. Anemia- iron levels are too low to produce enough healthy hemoglobin

Summarize how zinc is regulated in the body

• Absorption: Small intestine absorbs zinc.

• Storage: No large zinc stores; regular intake is needed.

• Excretion: Excess zinc is mainly lost in feces.

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

Supports immune function

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

to strengthen developing primary and permanent teeth and prevent early childhood tooth decay

Explain the relationship between fluoride and dental caries (tooth decay)

• strengthening tooth enamel

• stopping mineral loss

• slowing down cavity-causing bacteria

what is a diuretic?

anything that increases urine production and output

How can a megadose of one mineral lead to a deficiency of another mineral?

Competition for a transporter in the GI tract limits absorption of the other mineral

Copper

part of enzymes that act as antioxidants and electron transport chain proteins

Iodine

forms part of thyroid hormones T3 and T4, which regulate basal metabolic rate and body temperature

Selenium

part of the glutathione peroxidase family of antioxidant enzymes

Zinc

part of proteins that regulate gene expression