Trace Minerals

Trace Minerals
 Essential minerals found in animals and
plant food.
 Differ from major minerals in 2 ways:
– Required for smaller amount (less than
100mg/day)
– Total amount of each trace minerals found in
the body is small (less than 5mg)
 Trace Minerals
 Iron
 Copper
 Zinc
 Fluoride
 Selenium
 Iodine
 Chromium
 Manganese
 Iron (fe)
 Functions of Iron
– Oxygen transport
– Enzymes
– Immune functions
– Brain functions
 Iron (fe)
 RDA
– Adults 8mg/day (men & PM women)
– 18mg/day for women
– UL 45 mg/d
 Source
– Excellent source - beef, clams, oysters, tofu, liver.
– Other - poultry, fish, pork, lamb &legumes, whole
grain & enriched grain products, fortified cereals
 Iron (fe)

 Iron Deficiency

– Fatigue, headaches, impaired work

performance & cognitive function, impair
immunity, impaired temperature regulation
– iron-deficiency anemia
 Iron (fe)
Iron Deficiency
Stages of iron deficiency
Stage Biochemical sign Functional Implication

Depletion of iron ferritin None

stores

Depletion of transferrin receptors physical performance

functional iron erythrocyte protoporphyrin

Iron-deficiency hemoglobin, hematocrit, Cognitive impairment, poor

anemia red cell size growth,
performance & exercise
tolerance
 Iron (fe)
 Iron Toxicity
– Cause poisoning death in children.
– Symptom – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea,
rapid HR, dizziness confusion.
– Hemochromatosis – chronic iron overload,
liver damage
 Zinc (Zn)
 Functions
– Enzymes
– Normal growth of children
– Sexual maturation of adolescents
– Immune function
– Vision
– Gene regulation
– Other – hormonal, growth & production,
hemoglobin activity, taste
 Zinc (Zn)
 RDA
– Adults male – 11mg/day
– Adults female – 8mg/day
– Pregnancy – 11mg/day
– 6 month of lactation – 12mg/day
 Source
– Red meat, liver, seafood, oysters, clams,
wheat bran bread.
 Zinc (Zn)
 Zinc Deficiency
– Primary culprits – increased needs, poor
intake, poor absorption, excessive loss.
 Zinc Toxicity
– Can cause acute GI distress, nausea, vomiting
& cramping
 Selenium
 Functions
– Antioxidant
 working primarily as a part of enzyme glutathione
peroxidase (GP)
 GP prevent free radical formation
– Regulate thyroid hormone
 RDA
– 55mg/day
– UL 400
 Selenium
 Sources
– Seafood, whole grains, vegetables (depending
on soil content)
 Deficiency
– Keshan disease (Cardiomyopathy)
 Toxicity
– Loss & brittleness of hair & nails, skin rash,
fatigue, irritability, NS disorder, garlic breath
odor
 Iodine
 Functions
– Essential component of the thyroid hormone that help
to growth, development and metabolic rate
 RDA
– 150mg/day
– UL mg/d
 Sources
– Iodized salt, seafood, bread, dairy product, plants
grown in iodine rich soil and animals that fed those
plants
 Iodine
 Deficiency
– Goiter (Swelling of thyroid
gland)
 Toxicity
– Underactive thyroid glands,
goiter
 Chromium (Cr)
 Functions
– Enhances the effect of insulin
– Lipids & carbs metabolism
– Immune function
– Growth
 RDA
– AI (adult 19-50 years) - 35mg (male), 25mg
(female)
– AI (older adult) – 5 mg less
 Chromium (Cr)
 Source
– Mushroom, dark chocolate, prunes, nuts,
asparagus, whole grain.
 Deficiency
– Decreased insulin-mediated glucose uptake by
cells, decreased insulin sensitivity, elevated
blood glucose & blood lipid abnormality.
 Chromium (Cr)
 Toxicity
– To date no UL has been set
 Athletes Performance
– Cr purported to increase lean body mass &
decrease body fat.
– Supplement – Cr picolinate as healthy alternative to
anabolic steroids.
– However, there is no evidence that Cr supplement
provide a “quick fix” for athletes