Mineral Nutrition: Essential Minerals, Macro and Micronutrients and their Role

Mineral Nutrition:

Mineral nutrition is also known as natural nutrients. Minerals are the essential nutrients that allow the body to grow and survive. Minerals perform several vital functions that are very important for the body. For example, your body needs minerals to build strong bones and teeth and turn food into energy. Like vitamins, a healthy diet should also provide all the minerals your body requires to function properly. The body uses minerals for many things—from building strong bones to sending messages through the nervous system. Some minerals are used to make hormones or to maintain a regular heartbeat. 

Classification of Minerals:

Based on biological roles:

According to their biological roles, mineral elements are classified as essential elements with a known biological role and non-essential elements with unknown functions and toxic substances. Sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, calcium, zinc, selenium, magnesium, copper, tin, cobalt, manganese, fluorine, etc., are examples of essential nutrients. On the other hand, boron, aluminium, mercury, lead, and cadmium are non-essential elements. Of these, boron and aluminium are non-nutritive and non-toxic, whereas the rest are non-nutritive, toxic elements.

Based on the amount required for the human body:

Minerals are classified as Principal elements and Trace elements. Principal elements are also known as Macro minerals/Macronutrients, and Trace elements are Micro minerals/Micronutrients. 

Macronutrients:

Macronutrients constitute about 60: 80% of the body’s inorganic material. These are Magnesium, Phosphorous, Potassium, Calcium, Sodium, Chloride and Sulphur.

These are required in amounts greater than 100mg/day.

Calcium: Major constituent of bones and teeth. It helps in muscle contraction. It also ensures that your blood clots normally, which is important for healing. Primary sources are milk and milk products, leafy vegetables and beans.

Phosphorous: Major constituent of bones and teeth. It is used to form high-energy phosphates, nucleic acids, nucleotides, etc. Primary sources are milk, cereals and leafy vegetables.

Magnesium: Major constituent of bones and teeth. This is used as a cofactor for enzymes. Primary sources are cereals, vegetables, fruits and milk.

Sodium: Helps in muscle functions and acid-base balance. Primary sources are table salt and salt-added foods.

Potassium: Chief cation of intracellular fluids and muscle functions. Potassium helps the body maintain the balance of fluids and keeps your heart healthy and functioning correctly. Primary sources are fruits, nuts and vegetables.

Chlorine: Helps in regulation of acid-base balance and formation of HCL. The primary source is table salt.

Sulphur: It is a constituent of amino acids and other components. Its primary source is sulfur-containing amino acids.

Micronutrients:

Micronutrients are required in amounts of less than 100mg/day. Microminerals occur in living tissues in minute quantities. These are subdivided into three categories:

1. Essential trace elements: Copper, Iron, Manganese, Iodine, Molybdenum, Zinc, Cobalt, Selenium, Fluorine and Chromium.
2. Possibly essential trace elements: Vanadium, Nickel, Barium and Cadmium.
3. Non-essential trace elements: Lead, Aluminium, Boron, Silver, Mercury, Bismuth, etc.

Iron: It is the constituent of haem and is involved in O2 transport and biological oxidation. If you don’t have enough iron in your diet, you’re at risk of developing iron-deficiency anaemia. Primary sources are organ meat, leafy vegetables, iron cookware, etc. 

Copper: It is the main constituent of enzymes and helps in iron transport. Primary sources: Organ meat cereals, leafy vegetables.

Iodine: Helps your body make the thyroid hormones that keep your cells and metabolic rate healthy. It is the principal constituent of thyroxine. Primary sources are iodized salt and seafood.

Manganese: It is the cofactor for enzymes. Primary sources are cereals, leafy vegetables, etc.

Zinc: It is the major cofactor for enzymes. Primary sources are meat, fish, milk.

Molybdenum: It is a significant constituent of enzymes. Primary sources are vegetables.

Cobalt: It is the principal constituent of Vitamin B12. Primary sources are foods of animal origin.

Fluorine: It helps in the proper formation of bones and teeth. The primary source is drinking water.

Selenium: It is involved in antioxidant function and is a good source of vitamin E. Primary sources are organ meats and seafood.

Chromium: It promotes insulin function. Primary sources are Brewer’s yeast, meat, whole grains, etc.

Role of minerals:

Mineral salts are responsible for structural functions (including skeletal and soft tissue functions) and regulatory functions (including neuromuscular transfer, blood clotting, oxygen transport and enzymatic activity).

Calcium:

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, making up 1.5 to 2% of total body weight. About 1,200 g of calcium is present in the adult body; more than 99% is found in the bones. All living things have powerful ways of conserving calcium and maintaining the concentration of cells and outer cells. These activities are vital to a person’s survival. When he is severely deficient or abnormally calcium deficient in the body, he can break bones to prevent even the slightest level of hypocalcaemia. People need more calcium in their diet when they make bones, when the absorption of calcium in the gut is impaired and when excess calcium is lost in the environment.

Phosphorous:

Phosphorus and calcium are essential in the bone count, i.e., 85% of body phosphorus is found in the skeleton. The rest of the body’s phosphorus is needed in the soft tissues as a cofactor in many enzymes involved in digestion carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. In the form of high-energy phosphate compounds, phosphorus affects metabolic potential. Phosphate ions also play an important role in acid/base balance.

Magnesium:

Across magnesium, 60 to 65% is found in the bones  and 27% is found in the muscles. Magnesium is second only to potassium as the most prominent interaction between cells and is essential for many enzymes’ functions and neuromuscular transmission.

Some other roles of minerals are:

• Maintenance of osmotic pressure
• Bone and tooth health
• Energy production
• Nerve and muscle function
• Immune health

Mineral Deficiency:

One major cause of mineral deficiency is not getting enough essential minerals from food or supplements. There are different types of diets that might result in this deficiency. For example, a poor diet that relies on junk food or a diet that lacks adequate fruits and vegetables can be possible causes. Alternatively, a very low-calorie diet may produce this deficiency. This includes people in weight-loss programs or with eating disorders. Older adults with poor appetite may also not get enough calories or nutrients in their diet. There are five main categories of mineral deficiency: calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.

1.     Calcium deficiency: cramping of the muscles, numbness, tingling in the fingers, fatigue, poor appetite, irregular heart rhythms
2.     Iron deficiency: The symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia include feeling weak and tired. Iron deficiency develops slowly and can cause anaemia.
3.     Magnesium deficiency: Numbness, tingling, muscle cramps, seizures, abnormal rhythms of the heart
4.     Potassium deficiency: Symptoms of potassium deficiency include weakness, muscle cramping, bloating, constipation, or abdominal pain caused by paralysis of the intestines.
5.   Zinc deficiency: Zinc deficiency can cause loss of appetite, taste, or smell. Decreased function of the immune system and slowed growth are other symptoms.

Conclusion:

Given the importance of these mineral elements in the diet of humans, animals, and plants and their metabolic interrelationship, it is important to keep up-to-date with information about mineral content in processed foods, cereals, grains, fruits, and vegetables.