This document discusses minerals and their functions in the human body. It begins by defining minerals as inorganic elements essential for human nutrition and health. Minerals are categorized as either major minerals, which are needed in amounts greater than 100 mg per day, or trace minerals, which are needed in smaller amounts. The document then examines the specific roles and food sources of various major minerals like calcium, sodium, potassium, and chloride, as well as trace minerals like iron, zinc, and iodine. It explores how the body maintains mineral balance and the key functions minerals serve, such as in fluid balance, blood formation, bone health, and cellular processes.

1. 1

2. Minerals
Dr
Mohamed Mostafa Omran
Faculty of Sciences, Helwan University
2

3. What Are Minerals?
• Inorganic elements essential to the nutrition
of humans
• Minerals are essential to body function
– Play several key roles in overall health and well
being
• Help chemical reactions take place in cells
• Help muscles contract
• Keep the heart beating
• Two groups
– Major minerals
– Trace minerals

4. What Are Minerals?
• Major minerals
– Need to consume > 100 milligrams per day
– At least 5 grams of the mineral in the body
– Calcium, sodium, potassium, chloride,
phosphorus, magnesium, and sulfur

5. What Are Minerals?
• Trace minerals
– Need to consume > 20 milligrams per day
– The body contains less than 5 grams total
– Iron, zinc, copper, selenium, chromium, iodide,
manganese, molybdenum, and fluoride

6. Mineral Balance
• Body maintains tight control over mineral balance
– GI tract
Regulates absorption from food based on the body’s
need
Minerals in gastric juices and that slough-off intestinal
cells are either excreted in the feces or reabsorbed
through the large intestine
– Kidneys
Excretes excess and reabsorbs the minerals when the
body needs them

7. Mineral Functions
• Minerals work together to perform important
functions in the body
– Fluid and electrolyte balance
– Blood formation
– Building healthy bones
– Maintaining a healthy immune system

8. Minerals Help Maintain Fluid Balance
• Minerals play a key role in fluid balance in the
cells
– Extracellular minerals – sodium and chloride
– Intracellular mineral – potassium with the help of
calcium, magnesium, and sulfur.

9. Mineral Participate as Cofactors
• Cofactor – substance that helps catalyze a reaction
• Minerals serve as cofactors in
– Antioxidant systems
– Energy production
– Muscle contraction
– Nerve transmission

10. Minerals Make Up Bones and Teeth
• Minerals make up the crystalline structure
(hydroxyapatite) that gives strength to bones and
teeth.
– Major minerals
• Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium
– Trace mineral
• Flouride

12. Ca Food Sources
• Milk
• Cheese
•
Seafood

14. Thermolysin: is a thermostable neutral metalloproteinase enzyme produced by
the +ve Gram bacteria Bacillus thermoproteolyticus.
It requires one zinc ion for enzyme activity and four calcium ions for structural
stability.
Thermolysin
specifically
catalyzes
the
hydrolysis
of
peptide
bonds containing hydrophobic amino acids.
Thermolysin use in the synthesis of aspartame. It is composed of aspartic acid
and phenyl alanine. Aspartame which acts as sweetening agent being used in
replacement of cane sugar.

22. Food sources of phosphorus
The main food sources for
phosphorus are foods
containing protein.
For example, egg, milk,
meat, and soya

24. Fibroblast growth factor 23 or FGF23
• FGF23 is a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family which is
responsible for phosphate metabolism.
• The main function of FGF23 seems to be regulation of phosphate concentration in
plasma.
• FGF23 is secreted by Osteoblasts and Osteoclasts in response to
elevated Calcitriol.
• FGF23 decreases the reabsorption and increases excretion of phosphate.

26. 1. Calcitriol increases blood calcium levels ( [Ca2+] ) by promoting absorption of
dietary calcium from the gastrointestinal tract and increasing renal
tubular reabsorption of calcium thus reducing the loss of calcium in the urine.
2. Calcitriol also stimulates release of calcium from bones.
3. Calcitriol acts in concert with parathyroid hormone (PTH) in all three of these
roles.
For instance, PTH also indirectly stimulates osteoclasts. However, the main
effect of PTH is to increase the rate at which the kidneys excrete inorganic
phosphate (Pi), the counterion of Ca2+.
The resulting decrease in serum phosphate causes Ca5(PO4)3OH to dissolve out
of bone thus increasing serum calcium.

27. FGF23 decreases
reabsorption
increases
excretion of
phosphate

30. Magnesium functions
• Important in energy metabolism catalyst
through ATP production.
• critical to heart function.
• It activates, phosophate transferases,
decarboxylases and acyl transferases.

32. Potassium

33. Food Sources

34. POTASSIUM
•
•
•
•
Potassium functions
Potassium like sodium, chloride and bicarbonate ions, plays
an important role in the osmotic regulation of body fluids.
Sodium mainly found in the extracellular tissues, whereas
potassium principally present in the cell (intracellular).
It plays an important role in nerve and muscle excitability.
It plays role in carbohydrate metabolism (cofactor of
propionly CoA carboxlase).
– energy metabolism, catalyst, ATP production
critical to heart function.

35. Bones
Extracellular Electrolyte

36. SODIUM
• Most of the sodium of the human body is present in the
soft tissues and body fluids; like potassium it is
concerned with the acid base balance and osmotic
regulation.
• It is a chief cation of blood-plasma and other
extracellular fluids of the body. Much of it is ingested as
common salt and excreted in urine.

38. Sodium functions
•
•
•
•
Transmission and conduction of nerve impulses
Responsible for osmolality of vascular fluids
Regulation of body fluid levels
Assists with regulation of acid-base balance by
combining with Cl or HCO3 to regulate the
balance.
• Sodium shifts into cells and potassium shifts out
of the cells (sodium pump)

39. sodium-potassium pump (Na+/K+ ATPase)
• The sodium-potassium pump was discovered in the 1950s by a
Danish scientist, Jens Christian Skou, who was awarded a Nobel Prize
in 1997.
• Failure of the Na-K pumps can result in swelling of the cell.
• A cell's osmolarity is the sum of the concentrations of the
various ion species and many proteins and other organic compounds
inside the cell.
• When this is higher than the osmolarity outside of the cell, water
flows into the cell through osmosis. This can cause the cell to swell up
and lyse. The Na-K pump helps to maintain the right concentrations
of ions. Furthermore, when the cell begins to swell, this automatically
activates the Na-K pump

40. The Sodium-Potassium Pump
Slide number: 1
Extracellular
fluid with high
concentration
of Na+
Na+
Na+
Cytoplasm
with high
concentration
of K+
1
Three Na+
bind to the
cytoplasmic
side of the
protein.
K+
P
ATP ADP
2
Phosphate is
transferred
from ATP to
the protein.
P
P
3
Phosphorylation
changes the
shape of the
protein, moving
Na+ across the
membrane.
4
K+ binds to
the protein,
causing
phosphate
release.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.
K+
5
Release of
phosphate
changes the
shape of the
protein,
moving K+ to
the cytoplasm.

41. 04.10 The Sodium-Potassium Pump
Slide number: 2
Extracellular
fluid with high
concentration
of Na+
Three Na+ bind to the
1
cytoplasmic side of the protein.
Na+
Cytoplasm
with high
concentration
of K+
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

42. 04.10 The Sodium-Potassium Pump
Slide number: 3
Extracellular
fluid with high
concentration
of Na+
Three Na+ bind to the
1
cytoplasmic side of the protein.
2 Phosphate is transferred from
ATP to the protein.
P
ATP
ADP
Cytoplasm
with high
concentration
of K+
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

43. 04.10 The Sodium-Potassium Pump
Slide number: 4
Extracellular
fluid with high
concentration
of Na+
Three Na+ bind to the
1
cytoplasmic side of the protein.
2 Phosphate is transferred from
Na+
ATP to the protein.
3 Phosphorylation changes the
shape of the protein, moving
Na+ across the membrane.
P
Cytoplasm
with high
concentration
of K+
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

44. 04.10 The Sodium-Potassium Pump
Slide number: 5
Extracellular
fluid with high
concentration
of Na+
Three Na+ bind to the
1
cytoplasmic side of the protein.
2 Phosphate is transferred from
K+
ATP to the protein.
3 Phosphorylation changes the
shape of the protein, moving
Na+ across the membrane.
+
4 K binds to the protein, causing
P
phosphate release.
Cytoplasm
with high
concentration
of K+
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

45. 04.10 The Sodium-Potassium Pump
Slide number: 6
Extracellular
fluid with high
concentration
of Na+
Three Na+ bind to the
1
cytoplasmic side of the protein.
2 Phosphate is transferred from
ATP to the protein.
3 Phosphorylation changes the
shape of the protein, moving
Na+ across the membrane.
+
4 K binds to the protein, causing
phosphate release.
K+
Cytoplasm
with high
concentration
of K+
5 Release of phosphate changes
the shape of the protein,
moving K+ to the cytoplasm.
Copyright © The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

46. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP)
Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)

48. Chlorine
Extracellular Electrolyte

49. Food Sources
• Salt
• Seafood

50. CHLORIDE
• Chloride is principle anion of body fluids.
• It is associated with sodium and potassium in acid-base balance and
osmosis.
• plays an important role in gastric secretion (hydrochloric acid) and
digestion.
• It is excreted in urine and in perspiration with sodium and potassium.
• Sources: Chloride is part of sodium chloride.
• With exception of fish and meat meals, the chloride contents of most
of the foods is very low.
• rarely lacking, dehydration due to water deficiency.

51. Chloride Functions
•
•
•
•
•
Found in extracellular fluids
Changes the blood osmolality
Goes with Na in retention of water
Assists with regulation of acid-base balance
Chloride combines with hydrogen to form
hydrochloric acid in the stomach

52. Iron

53. Food Sources

54. Iron
• Essential nutrient, vital to many of the cell’s activities.
• Iron forms : Incorporated into Hemoglobin (80%),
Myoglobin, Enzymes, Cytochromes (20 %)
• *Hemoglobin protein in the red blood cells and myoglobin
protein in the muscle cells.
– Iron present in Hb is Fe 2+ state,
– Organic/heme iron (10%) Fe2+ (more soluble).
– Inorganic/non-heme iron (90%) Fe3+ (less soluble)

55. Role of iron in the body
Iron has three main functions :
1. carrying oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.
2. Aiding energy production. Iron is constituent of several enzymes
including : iron catalase, peroxidase, and cytochrome enzymes.

56. • Iron Absorption and Metabolism
– Free iron is toxic to cells as it acts as a catalyst in the
formation of free radicals. Hence, within cells, iron is
stored in a protein complex as ferritin (major) or
hemosiderin.
– Apoferritin can take up to 4300 atoms of iron per
molecule.
– Blood transferritin: transfers the iron to the rest of the
body. Transferrin receptors are present on most body
cells, especially on cells which synthesize heme.

57. • Absorption-Enhancing Factors:
– MFP factor: a factor associated with the digestion of
Meat, Fish, and Poultry that enhances nonheme iron
absorption.
– Vitamin C (ascorbic acid).
Ascorbate increases absorbtion (by reducing).
– Citric acid and lactic acid from foods and HCl acid from
stomach.
– Sugars.
• Absorption-Inhibiting Factors:
–
–
–
–
–
Phytate and fibers (grains and vegetables).
Oxalates (spinach).
Calcium and phosphorus (milk).
EDTA (food additive).
Tannic acid (and other polyphenols in tea and coffee).

58. Iron Absorption
Average percentage of iron absorbed from selected foods by healthy adults.

59. Iron Absorption from Food
People absorb more iron from foods and supplements when body
stores of iron are low than when stores of iron are high.

60. Macrophages engulfs old
RBCs and releases heme.
Heme oxygenase separates
them and Fe is then stored
as ferritin.

61. Human hemochromatosis protein also known as the HFE protein is
a protein which in humans is encoded by the HFE gene. this protein functions to
regulate iron absorption by regulating the interaction of the transferrin receptor
With transferrin.

62. Iron Deficiency Anemia
Normal Red Blood Cells
Iron Deficiency Anemia-Small microcytic and
pale hypochromic cells
contain less hemoglobin.

63. Sulfur
Components of some proteins

64. Food Sources
Protein-rich foods

65. formation of collagen -connective tissue
Keratin- helping to give strength, shape, hardness
of skin and hair
Taurine is found in bile acids, used in digestion
Glutathione (glutamic acid+cysteine+glycine), protects
against hemolysis of RBC by breaking H2O2 which causes
cell damage (antioxidant).
The mucopoly-saccharides may contain chondroitin
sulfate, which is important to joint tissues.

66. Zinc

67. red
meat
Oysters
poultry
dairy
products

68. Zinc functions
• It helps with the human immune
system, DNA synthesis, and cells.
• It plays a vital role in growth and
developmental functions in
pregnant woman, children and
adolescents.
• It is required for proper sense of
taste and smell.
• Essential for proper reproduction in
males, requires for
spermatogenesis
Growth and
Development
Immune System
DNA
Synthesis

69. Zinc deficiency
• A deficiency is Zinc may
cause :
– growth retardation
– loss of appetite
– impairment of
immune functions.
– hair loss
– Low sperm count

70. drink
water
seafood
cheese
Tea

71. Fluorine
• Fluorine prevents tooth
decay and cavities and
strengths the enamel.
• If there is a deficiency
of fluorine during the
growing period, it will
result in dental caries
and tooth decay.
• Discoloration and
pitting of tooth enamel
caused by excess
fluoride during tooth
development.

72. Copper
Red Blood Cells

73. Food Sources
• Nuts
• Shellfish
• Liver

74. 1. Enzymes catalyze the oxidation of ferrous
iron to ferric iron are copper enzyme
2. Helps in the absorption of iron absorption of
iron and Synthesis of hemoglobin.
3. Superoxide dismutases is Cu enzyme that catalyze
the hydrolysis of superoxide (O2−) into O2 and H2O (
antioxidant).

75. Iodine
Thyroid

76. Food Source
Iodized Salt

77. Absorption
Transport
Storage
Excretion
Upper
small
intestine
Binding
loosely
to
plasma
proteins
80% in
thyroid
gland
2/3rd in
urine

78. Required for the
synthesis of thyroid
hormones
T4 and T3

79. Chemistry of Thyroid hormones
• Thyroid hormones are derivatives of the
amino acid tyrosine bound covalently to
iodine.

80. Goiter

81. Soybeans
Vegetables
Fruits

82. 1. It may activate certain enzymes related
to glucose.
2. It aid in prolactin production, and thus
be involved in human breast milk
production.

83. Wholegrains
dark
chocolate,
mushrooms
nuts

84. Chromium (closely with insulin )
1. It is very important in order for insulin
to function
2. It works closely with insulin to facilitate
the uptake of glucose into cells (Glucose
Tolerance Factor).
3. It participates in the in the transport of
amino acids into the cells (Heart, Liver).