MINERAL

Abdullah Firmansah, MD
Dept. of Nutrition
Medical School Padjadjaran University

Introduction
Essential inorganic elements
More stable than vitamins
Major mineral / macromineral : found

larger than 5 gr in the human body or

required more than 100 mg a day
Trace mineral / micromineral : found
less than 5 gr in the human body or
required less than 100 mg a day

MACROMINERAL

SODIUM
Roles in the body:
Major cation of extracellular fluid
Acid-base balance, electrolytes
Nerve transmission
Muscle contraction
Food sources :
Salt almost all foods
Processed foods

Requirements:
115 mg 500 mg
Sodium intake:
US: 3300 mg / day
Asian: 30-40 gr / day
Sodium deficiency:
Vomiting, diarrhea & heavy sweating
hyponatremia
Sodium toxicity:
Edema & hypertension

CHLORIDE

Roles in the body:

Major anion of extracellular fluid
Acid-base balance, electrolytes
Hydrochloric acid gastric juice

Food sources :
Abundant in foods processed foods

Requirements:
Has not been established yet

Chloride deficiency:
Rarely happen
May occur due to vomiting, diarrhea &
heavy sweating

Chloride toxicity:
Rarely occur

POTASSIUM

Roles in the body:

Major cation of intracellular fluid
Acid-base balance, electrolytes
Cell integrity
Nerve transmission & muscle contraction

Food sources :
Fresh foods fruits & vegetables

Requirements:
N/A

Potassium deficiency:
Due to excessive lost : vomiting, diarrhea,
heavy sweating, regular use of certain
drugs (diuretics, steroids & strong laxative)
Development of high blood pressure

Potassium toxicity:
Sudden death

CALCIUM

Roles in the body:

90% in the bones (and teeth) : integral part
of bone structure, attachment points of
muscle & storage
In the body fluids: muscle contraction,
blood clotting, transmission of nerve
impulses, hormones secretion & enzyme
activation

Calcium balance:
Involves system of hormones
(parathormone & calcitonin)& vitamin D
Involves:thyroid & parathyroid gland
intestines, bones & kidneys

Calcium absorption:
30% of calcium ingested
Stomach acidity to keep calcium
soluble
Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption

Adequate Intakes (AI):

Infants
:210-270 mg
Children
:500-800 mg
Adult
:1000-1300 mg

Food sources:
Milk & milk products
Bone of the fish: sardines
Broccoli, turnip greens, bok choy
Processed foods & drinks

Calcium deficiency:
During growing years: decrease mass &
density of the bone.
Osteoporosis

PHOSPHORUS

Roles in the body:

Mineralization of bones & teeth
Part of genetic materials DNA & RNA
In the cells as a major buffer system
Component of cell membranes structure
Involves energy metabolism: ATP
Tranporter: phospholipids

Phophorus recommendations:
Infants
:100-275 mg
Children
:460-500 mg
Adult
:700-1250 mg

Phosphorus sources:
All animal tissues : meat, fish, poultry,
eggs, milk, etc.

MAGNESIUM

Roles in the body:

Influence protein synthesis enzyme
Energy metabolism
Inhibits muscle contraction & blood
clotting
Bone mineralization
Immune system

Magnesium sources:
Green-leafy vegetables, nuts, legumes,
whole grains. Seafood, chocolate, cocoa,
etc.

Magnesium deficiency:
Weakness, confusion.
If extreme: convulsions
In children: growth failure

SULFUR

Roles in the body:

Dietary intake of the sulfur-containing
amino acid methionine is essential for
synthesis of cysteine

MICROMINERAL

IRON

Roles in the body:

Cofactor to enzymes in oxidationreduction reactions, synthesis of amino
acids, hormones & neurotransmitter
Electron-transport-chain proteins
Energy metabolism
Hemoglobin & myoglobin
Heme iron and non-heme iron

Iron absorption & metabolism:

In the stomach: ferric iron
Ferritin receives ferrous iron from GI tract
stores in the mucosal cell of small
intestine
Transferrin brings iron from mucosal cell
to blood
Distributed to muscle, bone marrow, liver,
spleen
Storage: ferritin & hemosiderin
Excreted via GI tract and a tiny amounts
through sweat & urine

Absorption enhancers: vit C

Inhibitors : phytates, fibers, whole-grain,
nuts, calcium, phosphorus, tea, coffee.

Iron recommendation:
Infants
:6-10 mg
Children
:10 mg
Males
:10-12 mg
Females
:10-15 mg
Pregnancy :30mg
Lactation
:15 mg

Iron sources:
Protein-rich foods
Heme iron: animal-derived foods (meat,
fish, poultry, eggs)
Non-heme iron: both animal & plantderived foods (legumes, dried dark greens
& dried fruits)
Iron-enriched foods or fortified

Iron deficiency:
Decrease hemoglobin production
anemia
Weakness, tachycardia

Iron toxicity:
hemochromatosis

ZINC

Roles in the body:

Variety of metabolic processes.
Transcription factors: zinc-finger
synthesis of DNA, RNA, protein, enzyme
Hormone insulin activation
Visual pigments and vit A transport
Growth and development
Reproductive
Wound healing
Immune system

Zinc absorption & metabolism:

15-40% absorbed
Inhibits by fiber and phytates, iron, copper
Transport in blood by albumin
Utilized by almost all organs
Excreted through faeces, smaller losses
occur in urine, hair, sweat, menstrual
fluids, semen.

Food sources:
Oysters, shellfish, beef, red meats,
chicken, egg white.

Zinc recommendations:
10-20 mg per day

Zinc deficiency:
Growth retardation, slow sexual
maturation
Diarrhea, poor appetite
Impair immune respons
Delayed wound healing
Impair vit A metabolism
Impair thyroid function & metabolic rate

Zinc toxicity:
Vomiting, diarrhea, fever, exhaustion

IODINE

Roles in the body:

Influence the hormones released by
thyroid gland (T4 and T3)
Regulate body temperature
Metabolic rate
Reproduction &growth
Blood cell production
Nerve and muscle function

Iodine absorption & metabolism:

Acquired from dietary iodine (as a
compound with other nutrients)
Absorbed as free iodine
Transport by protein 95% and free-iodine
5% (iodide)
Metabolized in the liver
Utilized by thyroid gland
Excreted via urine 150 g a day

Iodine sources:
Seafood
Iodized salt
Dairy products

Iodine recommendations:
Infants
:40-50 g
Children
:70-120 g
Adult
:150 g
Pregnancy :175 g
Lactation
:200 g

Iodine deficiency:
Impair the function of thyroid gland
Growth failure: Cretinism
Enlargement of thyroid gland simple
goiter, weight gain
Impair children development : low IQ

Iodine toxicity:
Enlargement of thyroid gland
Damaging developing infants

SELENIUM

Roles in the body:

Antioxidant enzyme glutathione
peroxidase
Thyroid hormones activation

Selenium sources:
Seafood
Meat, grains

Selenium deficiency:
Heart disease
Cancer

Selenium toxicity:
Vomiting, diarrhea, loss of hair, lessions of
skin and nervous system

COPPER

Roles in the body:

The body contains 100 mg of copper
Constituent of several enzymes
Manufacture collagen & heal wounds
Release of energy

Copper sources:
Seafood
Nuts, seeds, grains, legumes

Copper deficiency & toxicity:

Deficiency is rare, occur in malnourished
children
Toxicity: vomiting, diarrhea

MANGANESE

Roles in the body:

The body contains 20 mg of Mn in
bones, liver, kidneys and pancreas
Cofactor for many enzymes in metabolic
processes
Assist urea synthesis
Prevent lipid peroxidation by free radicals

Manganese sources:
All foods

Manganese deficiency & toxicity:

Deficiency is rare
Toxicity: contaminated environment
brain disease, abnormalities of appearance
and behavior

FLOURIDE

Roles in the body:

Mineralization of bone & teeth

Flouride sources:
Drinking water
Tea
Seafood

Flouride deficiency:
Dental decay

Flouride toxicity:
Vomiting, diarrhea, chest pain, itching

CHROMIUM

Roles in the body:

Activity of insulin hormone

Chromium sources:
Meat
Unrefined foods
Fats, vegetables oil

Chromium deficiency:
Impair glucose metabolism, diabetes-like
condition

MOLYBDENUM

Roles in the body:

Metalloenzymes

Molybdenum sources:
Legumes, cereals, organ meats

Chromium deficiency & toxicity:

Deficiency is rare
Toxicity: enzyme inhibition, gout-like symptoms