Last week I talked about to role of vitamins in the body and some healthy sources of food to achieve our RDI of each vitamin. Naturally, this post will be comprised of the dietary minerals that go hand in hand with the vitamin world.
Like vitamins, our body requires certain minerals for various biological processes. Now if you remember your chemistry courses, you'll no doubt immediately go back to the Periodic Table of Elements and become overwhelmed. Luckily, we do not need to eat everything we see on the table, but there are some which are essential, which you will remember means our bodies cannot produce so we must attain them through food.
There are two classification of minerals: Macro and Trace. Although both of these have other aliases I'll stick with these names for this post. Marcominerals are the minerals that we need in larger amounts such as: calcium, potassium and sodium. Trace minerals, as you would expect, are only needed in small amounts to meet are RDI, which include: iron, copper and zinc. Just as having too little or too much of a certain vitamin can have negative side effects on our bodies, the same can be said about minerals, which is why they are generally married to one another when it comes to multi-vitamin supplements.
 |
Don't worry you don't have to memorize this or eat all of these either!
|
MACROMINERALS (Elemental Symbol)
Potassium (K): Potassium helps with our bodies communication system of nerves and muscles. It is a very essential player in cell functions via the Sodium-Potassium Pump (see picture below). A lack of potassium or Hypokalemia, may cause higher blood pressure, muscular weakness and cramps. Too much potassium or Hyperkalemia can have similar side effects. Dark leafy greens, grapes, bananas and carrots are all great sources of potassium.
Sodium (Na): Sodium, which is generally referred to with salt intake (although it is only part of salt's make up) is also important for proper cell functions. It partners with potassium with a very complex system you can take a look at below. Hyponatremia can occur if we do not get enough sodium, which carries symptoms such as; vomiting, headache, fatigue and muscular weakness. Too much sodium can lead to high blood pressure and a laundry list of other medical concerns, which is why it is generally suggested to go easy on salty foods. We get plenty of salt in our foods, but sodium occurs in certain vegetables and milk
 |
Yet another amazing and extremely complex system in our bodies that make us function properly, which
we couldn't achieve without the smallest of resources.
|
Chlorine (Cl): Chlorine, better known as the partner of salt in the form of chloride, plays a role in fluid balance in our body as well as the juices that help with digestion. Too little chloride could cause vomiting and excessive sweating, too much can aid in high blood pressure. Table salt is the most obvious source of chloride as sodium chloride is salts actual name. Olives, tomatoes and celery also contain chloride.
Calcium (Ca): I don't think I need to explain how important calcium is for the body. Healthy bone and teeth own their strength to calcium, but calcium is also responsible for muscle and blood vessel contraction, secreting hormones and enzymes, which helps with the body's internal communication. Healthy amounts of calcium help in the prevention of osteoporosis. Hypocalcaemia, the lack of calcium can lead to many sides effects, since the body stores calcium primarily in the bone and teeth, if we become deficient our bodies will pull it from the stores. This can lead to bone disorders like osteoporosis and potential tooth loss. Too much calcium, Hypercalcaemia can lead to bone pain, abdominal pain and renal (kidney) issues. Dairy products, eggs, green leafy vegetables are the best sources of calcium.
Phosphorus (P): Phosphorus has many roles in the body. It helps with bone and teeth formation, carbohydrate and fat utilization, protein synthesis and of course ATP, remember? (Check out the post here) Phosphorus deficiency may lead to rickets (see last post). Too much phosphorus can cause kidney issues and can also throw off the calcium balances in our body. Red meats, dairy and oats are great sources of phosphorus.
Magnesium (Mg): Magnesium helps muscles relax and contract, transports energy and aids in enzymatic functions. Magnesium is generally removed from our bodies regularly. Too much magnesium could have effects of extremely low blood pressure. Although rare, too little magnesium could cause muscle weakness and sleepiness. Nuts, beans, spinach and tomatoes are great sources of magnesium.
TRACE MINERALS
Zinc (Zn): Zinc helps the immune system fight off bacteria and viruses. Zinc also helps in the production of protein and DNA. Our sense of taste and smell also require zinc. Too much zinc can lead to stomach cramps, loss of apatite and headaches. Too little zinc can have metabolic effects on the body.Eggs, mushrooms and peas are common sources of zinc.
Iron (Fe): Iron produces the proteins hemoglobin (red blood cells) and myoglobin (Muscles), which store and transport oxygen int he body. Anemia is caused from too little iron in the body. Iron toxicity can lead to iron poisoning, which can cause damage to organs. Grains, spinach, tofu and beans and common sources of iron.
Manganese (Mn): Manganese is involved in processing cholesterol, carbohydrates and proteins. Deficiency of manganese can alter glucose levels and potentially seizures and bone demineralization. Too much manganese can have certain neurological effects. Brown rice, pineapple, beans and spinach are all sources of manganese.
Copper (Cu): Copper helps iron form red blood cells as well as aid in healthy immune and nervous systems. Although rare, copper deficiency can have a number of neurological effects Toxicity can damage proteins, lipids and DNA. Mushrooms, spinach and cashews are excellent sources of copper.
Iodine (I): Iodine is important for thyroid hormone synthesis. Iodine deficiency can cause goiter, or swelling of the thyroid gland. Iodine was added to table salt so that Americans could get their RDI with ease. Iodine toxicity is being studied as it's side effects are widely debated. Iodized salt, and eggs possess iodine.
Selenium (Se): Selenium is crucial to the activity of antioxidants in the body. Deficiency (rare) could lead to Keshan Disease. Selenosis is cause from too much selenium and can lead to garlic breath (not joking) GI disorders and neurological disorders. Cod, turkey, garlic and cheeses contain selenium.
As with vitamins, companies will try and pack on many other minerals to show how important their products are. I have listed what I consider to be the major players listed on supplements, but other essential trace minerals include: Molybdenum, Nickel, Chromium, Cobalt and Sulfur. Just like vitamins, we should have no problem getting our RDI of minerals from eating healthy choice of foods each day. Not to beat the drum too much here, but rather than expecting to get our RDI from supplements, try and add a few pieces of fruit or a little more green veggies to your daily intake and you'd be surprised how quickly you can reach the amount you need to stay healthy.
Stay tuned next week for more information about all these multi-vitamins and such. Thank you for reading!
"My failures have been errors in judgment, not of intent" - Ulysses S Grant
Like Regenesis on Facebook
Regenesis Home Page
1.Powers,S. Howley, E. (2007) Exercise Physiology Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance 6th edition (600-610) NY: McGraw Hill
2. Medlineplus (2011) "Minerlas" http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/minerals.html
*I am not a doctor or a licensed physician. I am in no way diagnosing anything and recommend that you speak to your physician before making any medical decisions.
*I am not a registered nutritionist or dietitian. The information presented is for education purposes only.
*I am not a registered nutritionist or dietitian. The information presented is for education purposes only.
No comments:
Post a Comment