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Major and trace Minerals

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Major Minerals

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What Are Minerals?

◼ Inorganic elements needed by the body as structural
components and regulators of body processes.
◼ Not destroyed by heat, oxygen, or acid.
◼ Major minerals: needed > 100 mg/day or present >
0.01% of body weight
◼ Trace minerals: needed  100 mg/day or present 
0.01% of body weight

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The Minerals - An Overview

Minerals in the Modern Diet

◼ Found in all food
groups naturally
◼ Processing and
refining can affect
mineral contents
of foods
◼ Dietary
supplements may
also be beneficial
sources for some
people.

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Bioavailability of Minerals
◼ Absorption of specific minerals differ according to composition
of the diet, nutritional status and life stage of the consumer.
◼ Substances present in the GI tract at the same time also affect
bioavailability.
❑ Some enhance absorption (example - pH)

❑ Binders that can reduce absorption such as

➢ Phytic acid (phytate) (found in whole grains, bran, and soy

products- binds calcium, zinc, iron and magnesium)
➢ Tannins (found in tea and some grains can interfere with iron
absorption)
➢ Oxalates (found in spinach, rhubarb, beet greens, and
chocolate, have been found to interfere with calcium and iron
absorption.

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Calcium—in the Diet

◼ The main
source is dairy
products
◼ Small fish,
legumes and
some green
vegetables are
good sources
◼ Added to some
fortified foods

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Calcium—in the Body

◼ Accounts for 1-2% of adult body weight
❑ Over 99% is found in bones and teeth
❑ The remaining 1% is found in intracellular and
extracellular fluid, and has vital roles in
◼ Nerve transmission
◼ Muscle contraction
◼ Blood pressure regulation
◼ Release of hormones

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Calcium Deficiency and Toxicity

◼ Deficiency ◼ Toxicity
❑ No short-term
symptoms related to
loss of calcium from
bone
❑ Low intake during bone
formation results in a
lower peak bone mass
❑ Low intake during adult
years increases the
rate of bone loss
❑ Elevated blood calcium
levels can cause many
symptoms
❑ Too much calcium from
supplements promote
formation of kidney
stones
❑ High calcium intake
interferes with
bioavailability of other
minerals

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Osteoporosis: Cause and Health Impact

◼ Caused by a loss in both the protein matrix and the
mineral deposits of bone, resulting in a decrease in
total amount of bone
◼ A major public health problem around the world

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Preventing and Treating Osteoporosis

◼ Maximizing dietary calcium
❑ To achieve a high peak bone mass
❑ To compensate for age- and hormone-related bone
loss later in life
◼ Ensuring an adequate vitamin D intake
◼ Maintaining an active lifestyle
◼ Treatments include drugs (bisphosphonates)
and hormones

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Phosphorus—in the Diet

◼ Widely distributed

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Phosphorus—in the Diet

◼ Phosphorus is more widely distributed in the diet than calcium.
◼ Most often found in combination with oxygen as phosphate
◼ Inorganic phosphate is phosphorus combined with oxygen.
◼ Inorganic phosphate can join with other molecules as a phosphate
group.
◼ Extremely important in the body.

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Phosphorus Deficiency
◼ Deficiency
❑ Rare
❑ Most common in premature infants, vegans,
alcoholics, and the elderly, and people who have
chronic diarrhea and overuse aluminum-
containing antacids, which prevents absorption
❑ Can lead to bone loss, weakness and loss of
appetite

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Magnesium—in the Diet

◼ Found in leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds,
bananas, and whole grains
◼ Processed foods are poor sources

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Magnesium—in the Body

◼ About 50% to 60% is in the bone
◼ The 2nd most abundant positively charged
intracellular ion (after potassium)
◼ The kidneys regulates the blood levels of
magnesium

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Magnesium Deficiency and Toxicity

◼ Deficiency ◼ Toxicity
❑ Rare ❑ No adverse effect from
dietary magnesium
❑ May occur in those
with alcoholism, ❑ May occur from
malnutrition, and concentrated sources
certain diseases and such as drugs and
medications supplements
❑ May occur in people
with impaired kidney
function
❑ UL: 350 mg from
nonfood source

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Sulfur
◼ In the diet
❑ Found in organic molecules, and in some
inorganic food preservatives

◼ In the body
❑ Part of sulfur-containing amino acids, vitamins,
and ions

◼ No recommended intake
◼ No deficiencies are known when protein
needs are met

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A Summary of Major Minerals

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The Trace Elements

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Iron (Fe)—in the Diet

◼ Available in both
plant and animal
sources.
◼ Animal products -
Heme iron: part of
chemical complex
found in protein
such as hemoglobin
in blood and
myoglobin in muscle.
◼ Nonheme iron: in
plant foods and
contamination from
cooking utensils

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Iron—in the Body

◼ Functions of iron
❑ Delivery of oxygen to cells as a component of
two oxygen-carrying proteins hemoglobin and
myoglobin
❑ Energy production as part of several proteins
involved in the citric cycle and electron
transport chain.
❑ Involve in normal immune function and drug
metabolism
❑ A part of the enzyme catalase which protects
the cell from oxidative damage
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Iron Deficiency
◼ Symptoms of iron deficiency anemia
◼ Groups at risk
❑ Fatigue and weakness
❑ Decreased work capacity ❑ Infants, children,
adolescents
❑ Cannot maintain body
❑ Women of reproductive
temperature
age
❑ Change in behavior ❑ Pregnant women
❑ Prone to infection ❑ Athletes
❑ Adverse pregnancy outcomes
❑ Impaired development

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Iron Toxicity
◼ Acute toxicity ◼ Chronic toxicity

❑ Resulting from ❑ Caused by iron overload

ingestion of a single
large dose at one ❑ Most common cause is
time hemochromatosis

❑ Overconsumption of iron
supplements or a diet high in
absorbable iron can increase
iron stores

❑ Too much iron promotes the

formation of free radicals and
causes cell death

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Meeting Iron Needs: Consider The

Total Diet
◼ Consider both the amount and bioavailability
◼ The best sources are red meats and organ
meats
◼ Good nonheme sources are legumes, dried
fruits, leafy green vegetables, and fortified
grain products
◼ Nonheme iron absorption can be enhanced
◼ Supplements are recommended for groups at
risk of deficiency
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Zinc (Zn)—in the Diet

◼ Found in both
plant and animal
sources.
◼ Zinc from animal
food is better
absorbed than
plant.
◼ Zinc in plant
sources is often
bound by
phytates.

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Zinc
◼ Significant
sources
❑ Protein-containing
foods
❑ Red meats,
shellfish
❑ Whole grains

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Zinc—Function in the Body

◼ The most abundant intracellular trace element, found in
the cytosol, cellular organelles and in the nucleus.
◼ Involved in the functioning of over 300 enzymes,
including superoxide dismutase (SOD).
◼ Plays a role in insulin storage and release
◼ Important for growth and repair of tissue
◼ Involved in making genetic material and proteins,
immune reactions, transport of vitamin A, taste
perception, wound healing, the making of sperm, and the
normal development of the fetus

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◼ Deficiency symptoms
❑ Growth retardation,
delayed sexual
maturation, impaired
immune function, hair
loss, eye and skin
lesions, loss of
appetite

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Zinc Toxicity
◼ Toxicity

❑ UL: 40 mg/day from all sources

❑ Too much zinc can suppress immune system,

lower HDL cholesterol levels and lead to copper
and Iron Deficiency

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Other Trace Elements

◼ All can be obtained by choosing a variety of
foods from each of the groups of the Food
Pyramid
◼ Refer Table summary

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Summary of the Trace Elements

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Summary of the Trace Elements

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Benefits and Risks of Trace Element

Supplements

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END

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