BSN111 Applied Nutrition for Nurses: Minerals and Health

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Questions and Answers

What is the main function of minerals in the body?

To aid in digestion

To provide energy

To regulate body functions (correct)

To build muscle mass

Which of the following foods is a good source of minerals?

Fresh fruits and vegetables (correct)

Processed meats

Refined sugar

Fried foods

What happens to minerals during metabolism?

They are stored in the liver

They break down into simpler forms

They are absorbed into the bloodstream

They combine with other compounds or elements (correct)

What is the primary function of calcium in the body?

To provide structure to bones and teeth Signup and view all the answers

How many essential minerals are required in the diet for good health?

16 Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes major minerals from trace minerals?

The amount present in the body Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary function of sodium in the body?

To maintain fluid balance Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a function of minerals?

To provide energy Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended daily intake of calcium for individuals over age 50?

1200 mg Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for low blood calcium levels?

Hypocalcemia Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential consequence of calcium toxicity?

Renal damage Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended daily allowance of phosphorus for adults?

700 mg Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of vitamin D in calcium absorption?

Improves calcium absorption Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following foods tend to have more phosphorus content?

Protein-rich foods Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of calcium in the diet?

Milk and dairy products Signup and view all the answers

What can alter phosphorus absorption?

Aluminum-containing and calcium carbonate antacids Signup and view all the answers

What is a result of hyperphosphatemia?

Altered hormonal balance of plasma calcium Signup and view all the answers

Why can chronically insufficient intake lead to calcium deficiency?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the softening of bones due to calcium deficiency?

Osteopenia Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary organ responsible for maintaining magnesium homeostasis?

Kidney Signup and view all the answers

What is the RDA of magnesium for males above 30 years old?

420 mg Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended maximum daily intake of calcium to avoid toxicity?

2500 mg Signup and view all the answers

What can cause magnesium deficiency?

High intake of processed foods Signup and view all the answers

What is a sign of hypomagnesemia?

Neuromuscular hyperexcitability Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of the body's fluoride is found in calcified tissue?

99% Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of fluoride in the body?

Drinking water and beverages made with it Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended daily intake of iodine for adults?

150 mcg per day Signup and view all the answers

What is a common cause of preventable brain damage in the developing fetus and infant?

Iodine deficiency Signup and view all the answers

What is the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) of iodine per day?

1100 mcg per day Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a nonessential trace mineral?

Fluoride Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following ionically charged forms exerts an effect on nerve conduction?

Potassium (K+) Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of sodium in maintaining plasma volume?

Contributing to ECF osmolality Signup and view all the answers

What is the adequate intake of chloride for individuals aged 19 to 50 years?

2.3 gm per day Signup and view all the answers

What is a consequence of excess sodium intake?

Increased excretion of urinary calcium Signup and view all the answers

What is the result of excess sodium losses in sweat?

Hyponatremia Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary source of potassium in the diet?

Fruits (In particular bananas, dried fruit, and melons) Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended practice regarding salt supplements?

They should be taken only when medically advised Signup and view all the answers

What is the function of chloride in the body?

Constituent of hydrochloric acid in stomach Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Minerals

Minerals have a crucial role in regulating body functions and must be ingested daily.
They are found in foods like fresh fruits, vegetables, nutrient-dense protein foods, and whole grains.
To get enough of each mineral, it's best to eat a wide and colorful variety of products.

Functions of Minerals

Provide structure: bones, teeth, and soft tissues.
Maintain fluid balance through osmosis.
Serve as cofactors and coenzymes for metabolic and hormonal reactions.
Play a role in nerve transmission and muscle contraction.

Mineral Classification

There are 16 essential minerals needed in the diet for health.
The body cannot make these nutrients and requires them from the diet.
Minerals are classified into two categories:
- Major minerals: present in the body in amounts of 5 gm or more, requiring an intake of at least 100 mg/day.
- Trace minerals: present in amounts less than 5 gm, with recommended intakes of under 100 mg/day.

Major Minerals

Calcium: important for bone and teeth structure, blood pressure control, and reduction of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Phosphorus: majority exists in bone, constituent of phospholipids and lipoproteins, and essential for maintaining steady state between absorption and excretion.
Magnesium: found primarily in bone and soft tissue, essential for maintaining normal heart rhythm, and regulation of sodium, potassium, and calcium homeostasis.
Sulfur: no specific information provided.
Sodium: essential for maintaining plasma volume, contributing to ECF osmolality, and maintaining cell membrane potential.
Potassium: delicately balanced to affect neural transmission, muscle contraction, and maintenance of fluid balance.
Chloride: essential for maintaining plasma volume, contributing to ECF osmolality, and constituent of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Calcium

Important part of the matrix that makes bone and teeth.
Bones serve as a storage depot of the mineral.
Dietary Recommended Intake (DRI) is 1000 mg of calcium daily for adults aged 19-50, and 1200 mg for adults over 50.
Medical conditions and medications may affect intake requirements.
Adequate levels can play a role in blood pressure control and reduction of symptoms of premenstrual syndrome.
Major sources: milk and other dairy foods, some green leafy vegetables, and fish with small bones.
Bioavailability varies among foods, and absorption is improved in the presence of adequate vitamin D stores.
Deficiency occurs due to chronically insufficient intake, altered absorption or metabolism, and increased losses of calcium.

Calcium Deficiency

Hypocalcemia: affects muscle contraction and nerve conduction, leading to tetany.
Osteopenia: decreased bone mass/thin bone.
Osteoporosis: prevention and treatment include an adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D.

Calcium Toxicity

Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) is 2500 mg/daily.
Hypercalcemia can lead to soft tissue deposits of calcium, renal damage, and death.
Calcium negatively interacts with iron, zinc, magnesium, and phosphorus absorption.

Phosphorus

Majority exists in bone.
Constituent of phospholipids and lipoproteins.
Body seeks to maintain steady state between absorption and excretion.
RDA is 700 mg for adults.
All plant and animal foods contain phosphorus.
Protein-rich foods tend to have more phosphorus content.

Phosphorus Deficiency

Hypophosphatemia: rarely occurs from diet.
Aluminum-containing and calcium carbonate antacids and dietary supplements can alter phosphorus absorption.

Hyperphosphatemia

Elevated plasma phosphate level.
Result of renal failure or vitamin D intoxication.
Can alter hormonal balance of plasma calcium.
Controlled with phosphorous-binding medication.

Magnesium

Found primarily in bone and soft tissue.
Kidney is the organ primarily responsible for maintaining magnesium homeostasis.
Functions: maintenance of normal heart rhythm, essential in the regulation of sodium, potassium, and calcium homeostasis.
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) varies by age and sex.
Best sources: leafy vegetables, whole grains, seeds, and nuts.

Magnesium Deficiency

Occurs with poor-quality diet, high intake of processed foods, overall diminished intake, malabsorption conditions, and renal wasting due to alcohol, diuretics, certain antibiotics, and chemotherapeutic agents.
Hypomagnesemia: magnesium not generally assessed in routine testing, cardiac patients on diuretic therapy are at risk, signs include neuromuscular hyperexcitability, concurrent hypokalemia, and hypocalcemia.

Electrolytes

Sodium (Na+): plays a central role in maintaining plasma volume, contributing to ECF osmolality, and maintaining cell membrane potential.
Potassium (K+): delicately balanced to affect neural transmission, muscle contraction, and maintenance of fluid balance.
Chloride (Cl-): essential for maintaining plasma volume, contributing to ECF osmolality, and constituent of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

Sodium and Chloride

Generally found together in the food supply as sodium chloride (commonly referred to as salt).
Balance maintained by hormones, sympathetic nervous system, and intrarenal mechanisms.
Adequate Intake (AI) varies by age.
Excess sodium losses in sweat can occur with intense exercise, working in extreme heat, and with cystic fibrosis.
Hyponatremia: treated emergently as it has severe negative consequences.
Reduced sodium is associated with improved blood pressure control in normotensive and hypertensive individuals.
Excess sodium intake fosters increased excretion of urinary calcium.

Fluoride

Aids in mineralization of bone and teeth.
Can assist in stimulation of new bone formation, lifelong resistance to dental caries.
Primary source is drinking water and beverages made with it.
Dental products such as rinses, gels, and foams also supply fluoride.
Inadequate intake has been shown to increase risk of dental caries.
Prevalence is low.
Risks of excess exposure in children: skeletal fluorosis.

Iodine

Comprises majority of weight of two thyroid hormones responsible for regulation of temperature, metabolic rate, and enzyme action in the body:
- Thyroxine (T4)
- Triiodothyronine (T3)
RDA: 150 mcg per day for adults.
Content varies depending on soil where plants are grown or feed given to animals.
Seafood is a good dietary source.
Iodine deficiency: a common cause of preventable brain damage in the developing fetus and infant, alters production of thyroid hormones, congenital hypothyroidism, and goiter.

Nonessential Trace Minerals

Arsenic
Boron
Nickel
Silicon
Vanadium

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Description

This quiz covers the role of minerals in maintaining health, specifically their function in regulating body functions. It's a part of the BSN111 Applied Nutrition for Nurses course.