Biological Sciences
Mineral Deficiency
Mineral deficiency refers to a lack of essential minerals in the body, such as iron, calcium, and zinc, which are necessary for various biological functions. This can lead to health problems and impair normal bodily processes. Common symptoms of mineral deficiency include fatigue, weakness, and impaired immune function. Proper nutrition and dietary choices are important for preventing mineral deficiencies.
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eBook - PDFIntegrative Therapies for Depression
Redefining Models for Assessment, Treatment and Prevention
- James M. Greenblatt, Kelly Brogan, James M. Greenblatt, Kelly Brogan(Authors)
- 2015(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
115 9 Mineral Deficiencies and Depression Evidence-Based Research James M. Greenblatt, MD and Kayla Grossmann, RN INTRODUCTION Minerals are critical for the optimal function of the human body. These nutrients are responsible for many basic roles including fluid balance, enzyme activity, and protein synthesis. Their absence or inadequacy has been found to promote disease states across anatomic systems. A substantial body of research has linked mineral deficiencies to poor brain development, cognitive deficits, and a diversity of psychiatric symptoms. Specifically, it is well-established that several key minerals are necessary to support neurotransmitter systems. This chapter will focus on the influence of individ-ual mineral deficiencies, including those of zinc, magnesium, and lithium, on the pathophysiology of depression. Consequently, trials demonstrating their efficacy as mono- and adjunctive antidepres-sant therapies will also be presented. From this collection of evidence it is clear that maintaining adequate levels of specific minerals is important for modulating depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the mechanisms through which each mineral act are unique and varied, making targeted assessment and supplementation crucial for successful outcomes. MICRONUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES According to the World Health Organization, micronutrient deficiencies affect more than 2 billion people worldwide and lead to severe health complications. 1 Adverse effects have been observed in growth and development, mental and neuromotor performance, immunocompetence, repro-ductive function, and overall morbidity and mortality. 2 Ongoing research is suggesting that CONTENTS Introduction .................................................................................................................................... 115 Micronutrient Deficiencies .............................................................................................................
eBook - PDFMetabolic Issues of Clinical Nutrition
9th Nestlé Nutrition Workshop, Bangkok, November 2003
- S. P. Allison, V. L. W. Go, Allison, Go(Authors)
- 2004(Publication Date)
- S. Karger(Publisher)
The Role of Minerals and Trace Elements in Relation to Long-Term Health and Chronic Disease Alan Shenkin Department of Clinical Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK Introduction By definition, all of the major minerals and essential trace elements are necessary for health, and the range of these elements implies that they are part of all aspects of cellular function. They are involved as structural components, such as calcium or phosphorus in bone, as cofactors for enzyme activity or as an integral part of enzyme or protein structure (metallopro-teins). They influence all metabolic pathways, are part of the antioxidant sys-tems to prevent oxidative damage to cells, and are part of control mechanisms in the cell such as the zinc finger transcription factors. The breadth of this topic is extremely wide, and hence the current discussion will be limited only to nutritional deficiency states and their effects, and to examples selected from three key minerals (calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium), and from the well-established trace elements (iron, zinc, copper, selenium, chromium, molybdenum, manganese, cobalt and iodine). The ‘classical’ way of describing the progressive development of a nutritional deficiency state is shown in figure 1. When dietary supply is inadequate, the body will first mobilize any stores, if available, e.g. calcium will be mobilized from bone. Thereafter there will be an attempt to compensate either by increas-ing absorption from the gut, e.g. for iron, or reducing urinary excretion, e.g. for magnesium or phosphate. If the inadequate supply continues, or if there is no effective homeostatic mechanism, cellular deficiencies will occur which will have a wide range of effects on metabolism, depending on the element and the tissues mainly involved. These cellular effects may be apparent in some change in metabolism, e.g. chromium deficiency and glucose intolerance in type-2 diabetes, or magnesium deficiency and hypocalcemia.
eBook - PDF- Carolyn D. Berdanier, Johanna T. Dwyer, David Heber, Carolyn D. Berdanier, Johanna T. Dwyer, David Heber(Authors)
- 2016(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
211 © 2010 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC 13 Trace Mineral Deficiencies Forrest H. Nielsen INTRODUCTION By 1940, the concept of essential nutrients was well estab-lished. They were defined as chemical substances found in food that could not be synthesized by the body to perform functions necessary for life. In the 1960s and 1970s, the stan-dard for essentiality was liberalized for mineral elements because it was hypothesized that diets could not be made low enough in some elements to cause death or interrupt the life cycle (interfere with growth, development, or maturation such that procreation is prevented). Thus, during this time period, an accepted definition of an essential mineral element was one whose dietary deficiency consistently and adversely changed a biological function from optimal, and this change was preventable or reversible by physiological or nutritional amounts of the element. This definition of essentiality became less acceptable when numerous elements were suggested to be essential based on small physiological or biochemical dif-ferences in experimental models fed low and supplemental (some possibly supra nutritional) amounts of the elements. These differences were regularly questioned to be indicative of a suboptimal function and alternatively suggested to be the consequence of a pharmacologic action, a toxic response, or an effect on intestinal organisms. This resulted in the pres-ent conviction that a mineral element cannot be considered essential unless it has a defined biochemical function if its lack cannot be shown to cause death or interrupt the life cycle. However, some elements (e.g., chromium) that do not meet the current definition of essentiality are occasionally still indicated as essential in current literature because they were ingrained as so by using the older definition of essen-tiality in the 1960s and 1970s.
eBook - PDFEssentials of Medical Geology
Impacts of the Natural Environment on Public Health
- (Author)
- 2005(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
Model systems and dose response experi-ments allow measurements of deficiency effects at dif-ferent levels of physiological states and at different stages in the life cycle. Such experiments provide a basis for understanding the roles of nutrients in human physi-ology and the biological consequence of deficiencies. Nutritional deficiencies of certain minerals in soil have resulted in diseases in populations. For example, zinc deficiency in Iran and selenium deficiency (Keshan disease) in China were due to mineral deficiencies in soil. In most western countries, farmers are aware of this problem, and they test the soil every year and add the deficient nutrients before planting their crops. Thus they get better crops and also take care of the nutritional status of the population. Primary nutritional deficiencies are caused by adverse economic conditions, customs, and food choices that 179 Essentials of Medical Geology Copyright © 2005, Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 8 Biological Responses of Elements Monica Nordberg Karolinska Institute M. George Cherian University of Western Ontario limit dietary variety and thus nutrient availability. Con-ditioned (secondary) deficiencies are caused by non-dietary factors, especially illnesses and iatrogenic conditions that interfere with absorption, utilization, or retention of nutrients. In many instances, especially among the poor, combined effects of low intakes and conditioning factors result in deficiency disease. The conditioning factors can also give rise to toxicity. Toxicity can occur either due to high bioavailability of elements or due to interactions of trace elements in the environment. To follow changes in the eco- and bio-logical systems and their relationship to exposure conditions, different forms of monitoring, e.g., environmental and biological, are performed as illus-trated in Table I. These may involve mode of exposure, dose, and effects (see also Chapter 24, this volume).
eBook - ePubNutraceutical and Functional Food Components
Effects of Innovative Processing Techniques
- Charis M. Galanakis(Author)
- 2016(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
Chapter 5Minerals
Silvina Rosa Drago, UNL, Santa Fe, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina , Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, ArgentinaAbstract
Essential minerals must be incorporated through the diet. They have many functions in the body and if not provided in sufficient amounts, deficiencies are manifested through specific and nonspecific symptoms. However, the amount provided by foods is not always enough to meet nutritional requirements if the bioavailability is low. Bioavailability is defined as the proportion of a nutrient in a food, diet, or dietary supplement that is absorbed and used for normal body functions. In order to become bioavailable, minerals must be absorbable and thus bioaccessible. Mineral bioaccessibility depends on dietary sources and the presence of inhibitors and promoters of absorption. Since low bioavailability mainly concerns iron, zinc, and calcium deficiencies, this chapter focuses on these three minerals. The effects of food processing, consumer trends, and factors related to the host are discussed. Methodologies for measuring bioavailability in humans, methods using laboratory animals, and in vitro methodologies for estimating mineral bioaccessibility are also discussed.Keywords
Bioaccessibility; bioavailability; minerals; iron; zinc; calcium5.1 Introduction
In the 1990s, growing interest in preventing specific micronutrient deficiencies in vulnerable groups was added to previous concerns about caloric-protein malnutrition in developing countries. The International Conference on Nutrition organized by the FAO (1992) emphasized the importance of “hidden hunger” due to deficiencies in micronutrients. Globally, about 2 billion people suffer from a chronic deficiency of micronutrients (WHO, 2008 ). These forms of malnutrition can affect growth, physical and cognitive development of infants, toddlers, and school children, work performance and productivity of adults as well as reproductive functions in women (Muthayya et al., 2013
eBook - PDFPlant Disease: An Advanced Treatise
How Plants Suffer from Disease
- James G. Horsfall(Author)
- 2012(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
III. DISEASES DUE TO Mineral Deficiency Physiological and pathological factors cause diseases involving a disturbed mineral nutrition. Both factors may have a common mechanism of action. Sufficiently severe deficiencies or excesses of essential nutrients may manifest themselves in more or less distinct symptoms. Visible symp-toms, however, are late manifestations of metabolic derangements which occurred long before the effects became apparent. Diagnosis of diseases due to mineral deficiencies is complicated because: (1) reduced growth and quality may occur without being obvious, (2) the same element may induce different symptoms in different plants or under different environ-mental conditions, and (3) similar or identical symptoms may result from deficiencies in different elements. For example, both manganese and iron deficiencies result in a similar chlorosis of foliar tissues in alkaline, moist soils. It is important to determine whether iron or manganese de-ficiency is the problem in each specific situation since treatment of man-ganese-deficient plants with iron further suppresses manganese uptake, and symptoms become even more severe. Multiple deficiencies magnify the problem of diagnosis. Both nitrogen and sulfur deficiencies cause a 7. DISTURBED MINERAL NUTRITION 165 similar chlorosis, and symptoms are relieved only after both elements are available in sufficient quantity. To confuse the diagnostician further, parasites or toxicants may also cause similar symptoms. When an element is deficient, its content in the plant is reduced and tissue testing may be used as a general guide to the nutritional status of the plant. Nutritional disorders and environmental toxicants, as non-parasitic causes of disease, can generally be corrected by supplying the nutrient in an appropriate form or by removing the toxicant. Resistance to this type of disease is manifest as tolerance to the toxicant or greater efficiency in nutrient absorption or utilization.
eBook - PDF- Roksana Khalid(Author)
- 2019(Publication Date)
- Delve Publishing(Publisher)
5.6. THE RIGHT TIME TO CALL THE DOCTOR There are abundant types of symptoms related to mineral deficiencies. Parents need to observe their children closely and report any abnormal symptoms to the pediatrician, for example, weakness, tiredness, anxiety or depression, irritability, skin irritations, dehydration from diarrhea or vomiting, nervousness, and slow development or growth of skills. In addition to providing regular vitamin supplements and a well-balanced diet to avoid any deficiencies, parents should refrain from diagnosing and treating deficiencies on their own without consulting pediatrician at first. 5.6.1. Diagnosis We can measure individual minerals in blood serum, tissue cells, red blood cells, or urine, to make an approximation of the available levels and afterwards determine normal or abnormal status. Since the function of each mineral is strikingly different from others, therefore tests required to confirm their deficiency are also distinctly different from each other. Testing can range from simple/straightforward to extensive. Physicians will first take into account the potential consequences of each type of deficiency and then assess the function of organ systems which get affected by any specific mineral. Besides determining serum phosphorus, calcium, and vitamin D levels, the diagnosis of deficiency of phosphorus and calcium may require taking x-rays of the skeleton. The diagnosis of deficiency of iron will require us to measure levels of iron and investigate anemia by performing blood tests, for instance, a Mineral Deficiencies in Humans, Animals and Plants and Their ... 169 complete blood count (CBC) to find out hemoglobin level, the number of red blood cells, cell maturity (morphology) and red cell volume. A stair-stepping test may be employed for evaluation of stamina, but a blood test is obligatory to diagnose Fe deficiency.
eBook - ePub- Tony J. Cunha(Author)
- 2012(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
Methods of processing, the source of the mineral, the temperature involved, solvents used, and many other factors can affect the availability of mineral elements from various mineral salts. For example, iron carbonate can vary considerably in availability. Companies using it as a source of iron run tests to make sure their product is highly available. Processing methods also affect the palatability of mineral salts.XV. FUNCTIONS OF MINERALS AND EFFECTS OF DEFICIENCY
Minerals are necessary for life and perform many important functions in the body. They are necessary for proper bone and teeth formation and maintenance. Minerals also serve the body in many other ways. Almost every process of the animal body depends for proper functioning on one or more of the mineral elements. Minerals are very important for growth, reproduction, and lactation.A deficiency of minerals in the diet may cause any of the following symptoms: reduced appetite, poor weight gains, soft or brittle bones, stiffness or malformed joints, goiter, unthrifty looking animals, failure to come in heat regularly or to reproduce, poor milk production, weak or dead young, poor use of feed, and eventually death. Other deficiency signs will be specifically discussed for the different mineral elements later in this chapter.XVI. THE MINERAL CONTENT OF THE ANIMAL BODY
Approximately 80% of the phosphorus and 99% of the calcium in the body are present in the bones and teeth. Calcium and phosphorus make up about 50% of the ash of the body. For the most part, these two mineral elements occur combined with each other in the body. An inadequate supply of either one in the diet will limit the utilization of the other.Table 6.1 shows data on the mineral composition of the whole body of the horse (3 ). The information indicates that the calcium to phosphorus ratio in the whole body is about 2 to 1 on a fat-free basis. The fat-free dry matter of the horse is about 25% of the empty body weight, which, in turn, is about 92% of the full body weight (3
eBook - ePubWheat and Rice in Disease Prevention and Health
Benefits, risks and mechanisms of whole grains in health promotion
- Ronald Ross Watson, Victor R Preedy, Sherma Zibadi, Victor R. Preedy(Authors)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- Academic Press(Publisher)
Sugars, totalg0.41MINERALSCalcium, Camg34Iron, Femg3.60Magnesium, Mgmg137Phosphorus, Pmg357Potassium, Kmg363Sodium, Namg2Zinc, Znmg2.60Nutrient values and weights are for edible portion. Source: USDA Nutrient Database.Mineral Requirements and Consequences of Deficiency
Micronutrient malnutrition is a serious threat to the health and productivity of more than 2 billion people worldwide, even though it is preventable to a large extent.28 Humans require at least 22 mineral elements for their wellbeing.29 –31It is estimated that over 60% of the world’s 6 billion people are iron deficient, over 30% are zinc deficient, 30% are iodine deficient, and 15% are selenium deficient, in addition to calcium, magnesium, and copper deficiencies.32 –36These account for about 7.3% of the global burden of disease,37 resulting in learning disabilities, reduced work capacity, serious illnesses, and even death.38 Women and children are more vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies because of their added requirements for reproduction and growth, respectively.39 Malnutrition, related to calcium, iron, zinc, and copper, may lead to several physiological–pathological disorders.40 In pregnant women, deficiencies of iron, zinc, and folic acid have been shown to increase risk of low birth weight, pregnancy complications, and birth defects.41Calcium
Calcium serves as a second messenger in nearly every biological process, stabilizes many proteins, and when deficient is associated with a large number of diseases and disorders.42 It is required for critical biological functions such as nerve conduction, muscle contraction, cell adhesiveness, mitosis, blood coagulation, glandular secretion, and structural support of the skeleton. An adequate intake of calcium reduces the risk of osteoporosis, hypertension, and, possibly, colon cancer. As a result of its expanding role in health, calcium has been designated as a “super nutrient”.43
eBook - PDF- Yashwant Vishnupant Pathak, Jayant N. Lokhande(Authors)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
2.1.12.3 Zinc toxicity Patients with acute zinc toxicity can present with nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and headaches. The long-term intake of 150–450 mg of zinc per day has been associated with chronic effects, such as low copper status, altered iron function, reduced immune function, and reduced levels of high-density lipoproteins (19). Table 2 .2 Possible Molecular Biological Functions of Metals and Minerals Elements Function Calcium Cell membrane potential maintenance Iron Transport medium Magnesium Energy metabolism; RNA and DNA synthesis Phosphorus Repair of cells and cell signaling Potassium Osmotic pressure homeostasis at cell membrane Sodium Fluid and electrolyte balance Chromium Carbohydrate and lipid metabolism Copper Redox reactions in cell processes Manganese Activation of enzymes as cofactor Selenium Enzymatic reactions through proteins Sulfur Protein formation Zinc Immune function and enzymatic reactions 30 Handbook of Metallonutraceuticals 2.2 Potential functional modes of metals and minerals The various biological action pathways of macroelements, microelements, and trace elements can be postulated from their physiological descriptions ( Table 2.2 ). 2.3 Conclusion Metal and mineral nutrients are instrumental in facilitating biological reactions in the body; hence, they are frequently referred to as biocatalysts . They can serve as facilitators in the conduction of electrical impulses in the body due to their presence in the nerve synaptic spaces. Metal and mineral nutrients help to maintain the blood pH and transport of other nutrients within the body. Their presence and participation are essential for the proper assimilation of vitamins, food, and drugs. In addition, they are also involved in the cellular transport mechanism, wherein they regulate the entry and detoxification of chemicals from the cells.
eBook - ePubAdult Malnutrition
Diagnosis and Treatment
- Jennifer Doley, Mary J. Marian, Jennifer Doley, Mary J. Marian(Authors)
- 2022(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
10 Trace Mineral Deficiencies – Diagnosis and Treatment Kavitha Krishnan and Julianne WernerDOI: 10.1201/9781003177586-10Contents- I. Introduction
- II. Iron
- III. Zinc
- IV. Iodine
- V. Selenium
- VI. Copper
- VII. Manganese
- VIII. Trace Elements and Parenteral Nutrition
- IX. Conclusion
I Introduction
Minerals are essential to all forms of metabolism, and include both electrolytes and trace elements (or trace minerals), which are usually defined as minerals that are required for adults in amounts of 1 to 100 mg/day.1 Increased demand, reduced intake, reduced absorption or altered metabolism may cause trace element deficiencies.2 Minerals are found naturally in multiple food sources, listed in Table 10.1 . See Table 10.2
eBook - PDF- Marie Boyle(Author)
- 2022(Publication Date)
- Cengage Learning EMEA(Publisher)
In other respects, minerals are different from vitamins. Whereas vitamins are organic compounds, minerals are inorganic compounds that occur naturally in the Earth’s crust. As with other areas of research in human nutrition, many questions related to mineral metabolism remain unanswered. Scientists continue to study the biochemical functions of Ask Yourself . . . Which of the following statements about nutrition are true, and which are false? For each false statement, what is true? 1. Water accounts for about 60 percent of an adult’s body weight. 2. Sodium is bad for the body and should be avoided. 3. When a person becomes deficient in iron, the very first symptom to appear is anemia. 4. Osteoporosis is a disease that can affect men and women at any age. Answers found on page 240 Learning Objectives 8.1 Differentiate between the two classifications of minerals. 8.2 Identify the major roles, deficiency symptoms, and food sources for the minerals needed for maintaining healthy bones. 8.3 Identify the major roles, deficiency symptoms, and food sources for the trace minerals iron and zinc. 8.4 Identify the minerals essential for energy metabolism, and list food sources for each. 8.5 Identify other major roles, deficiency symptoms, and food sources of the minerals that function as electrolytes in the body. 8.6 Describe risk factors for high blood pressure and dietary strategies for reducing sodium intake. 8.7 Describe factors associated with the development of osteoporosis, and list strategies for prevention. The pleasure of eating . . . is of all times, all ages, all conditions. . . . Because it may be enjoyed with other enjoyments, and even console us for their absence. . . . Because its impressions are more durable and more dependent on our will. . . . Because in eating we experience a certain indescribably keen sensation of pleasure, by what we eat we repair the losses we have sustained, and prolong life.
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