Nutrients that Regulate (Good for Health) by Doctor-dr

By Microbiology Doctor-dr (doctor_dr)

Nutrients That Regulate

Vitamins, minerals, and water, unlike other nutrients, are not processed by the body. They are, however, absorbed by the body's tissues after being released from meals. These nutrients keep the body running smoothly.

Vitamins

Many years ago, it was common for up to half of the sailors on a lengthy journey to have scurvy. Scurvy is a condition that causes the gums to bleed, teeth to loosen, and wounds to heal slowly. James Lind, a British military physician, wondered if the illness might be cured by adding anything to the sailors' food. During an experiment, he discovered that feeding sick sailors citrus fruits like oranges, lemor, and times might heal scorvy. Since then, British ships have been required to carry a stock of limes or other citrus fruits. Limeys have been a nickname for British seafarers since then.

Later experiments indicated that there were other diseases associated with nutritional deficits. A deficit is defined as a lack of a required substance. To characterise the missing components, the word vitamin was coined. Several deficiency disorders are listed in Figure 8-5. You will note that additional illnesses arise as a result of a vitamin deficiency.

Vitamins are found in all living things and are required in tiny amounts for survival and development. Vitamins aid in the formation of bones and teeth. They also aid in the conversion of carbs and lipids to energy. Most vitamins are not produced by the body. They must come from the meals you consume.

There are two types of vitamins. Vitamins that dissolve in fat and may be stored in the body are known as fat-soluble vitamins. Oils, veggies, and organ meats like liver and kidneys contain them. Vitamins that are water soluble dissolve in water. Because water-soluble vitamins cannot be stored in the body, they must be consumed more often than fat-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins can be found in fruits and vegetables. The different water-soluble vitamins are listed in Figure 8-5. It lists the foods that are most likely to contain each vitamin and explains how each vitamin works in the body. Use the information in Figure 8-5 to determine which vitamin is required to help with the condition. The different water-soluble vitamins are listed in Figure 8-5. It lists the foods that are most likely to contain each vitamin and explains how each vitamin works in the body. Use the information in Figure 8-5 to figure out which vitamin you'll need to help your blood clot properly.

You might not be receiving all of the vitamins you need if you're on a diet or don't consume certain foods. You should not need to take any sort of vitamin supplement if you consume a range of healthy meals every day. In fact, taking too many vitamins over a lengthy period of time can be harmful to the body. Large doses of vitamins A and D, for example, given over a lengthy period of time can be harmful to the body. Toxic refers to something that is toxic. Figure 8-5 depicts the signs and symptoms of taking too many vitamins. What are the signs and symptoms of vitamin A poisoning?

Vitamin	Sources	Functions in Body	Signs of Toxicity	Signs of Deficiency
Vitamin A	Organ meats, whole milk, cheese, egg yolk, yellow fruits, green vegetables	Maintains healthy eyes, skin, bones, teeth	Liver and nerve dysfunction	Rough skin; fatigue; eye infections
Vitamin D	Milk (fortified), eggs, exposure of skin to sun's ultraviolet rays	Absorbs phosphorus; builds and maintains bones and teeth	Hearing loss	Rickets (poor bone and tooth development)
Vitamin E	Wheat germ, vegetable oils, legumes, nuts, dark green vegetables	Protects red blood cells; functions with certain enzymes	Unknown	Rupture of red blood cells; fat deposits in muscles
Vitamin K	Spinach, kale, cabbage, pork, liver; made by intestinal bacteria	Assists in normal clotting of blood	Unknown	Slow clotting of blood; hemorrhage, especially in newborns

Thiamine (B₁)	Pork, legumes, whole grain products, organ meats, milk, eggs	Maintains healthy appetite, digestion; function of nerves	Unknown	Beriberi (inflamed nerves, heart failurej
Riboflavin (B₂)	Milk, eggs, whole grains, vegetables, organ meats	Produces energy in cells; healthy appetite: function of nerves	Unknown	Cheilosis (cracking lips, scaling akin. sensitive eyes)
Niacin (Nicotinic Acid)	Red meats, organ meats, fish, enriched breads, green vegetables	Maintains metabolism, normal digestion, nerves and skin	Liver dysfunction	Pellagra (soro mouth diarrhea, depression
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)	Red meats, liver, whole grains, green vegetables	Maintains sodium and phosphorus balance	Dependency	Anemia; inflamed skin; loss of appetite: nausea; nervousness
Pantothenic Acid	Organ meats, eggs, nuts, whole grains, made by intestinal bacteria	Maintains normal blood sugar level; energy release	May contribute to B, deficiency	Weakness, nausea; loss of appetite; susceptibility to infection
Biotin	Organ meats, poultry, egg yolk, fish, peas, bananas, melons	Metabolizes carbohydrates and other B vitamins	Unknown	Skin disorders; anemia; muscle pain; poor appetite
Vitamin B12	Organ and muscle meats, milk, cheese, eggs, fish	Metabolism; healthy red blood cells	Unknown	Stunted growth; inflamed nerves: pernicious anemia
Folic Acid (Folacin)	Green vegetables, liver, whole grains, legumes	Produces proteins and red blood cells	Unknown	Inflamed tongue; diarrhea; B12 deficiency
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)	Citrus fruits, melons, green vegetables, potatoes	Keeps teeth firm in gums, healing wounds, iron absorption	Diarrhea, dependency	Scurvy (slow healing wounds, bleeding gums, loose teeth)

Figure 8-5: Fat-soluble (blue) and water-soluble vitamins (green)

Minerals

Minerals are substances present in the environment that are necessary for the body's functioning. Minerals have a role in a variety of bodily functions, from bone formation to blood clotting. They also play a role in the body's structure. The body, with the exception of iron, does not store minerals. Except when there is blood loss, the body tends to preserve iron. The majority of minerals are quickly depleted or lost in waste. To restore your supply, you must eat mineral-rich meals on a regular basis. Calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium are used more by the body than iodine, iron, and zinc.

Calcium is required for blood clotting and keeps the neurological system in good functioning order. Calcium and phosphorus contribute strength and hardness to bones and teeth. Calcium, together with sodium and potassium, aids in the maintenance of a regular heartbeat. According to research, a shortage of calcium throughout adolescence might lead to fragile bones later in life. What are some calcium sources in the diet shown in Figure 8-7? What is the name of the adult-onset calcium deficiency disease?

Hemoglobin requires iron to function properly. Hemoglobin [HEE muh gloh bin] is a molecule found in red blood cells that transports oxygen throughout the body. Anemia is a condition in which the body has either too few red blood cells or too little haemoglobin due to a lack of iron. As a result, the body's cells receive insufficient oxygen. Iron deficiency anaemia causes people to feel tired and feeble. Have a tendency to become sick quickly, have shortness of breath, or have trouble focusing. Iron is found in dark green vegetables, whole grains, and organ meats.

Sodium and potassium are two more essential minerals. These minerals aid in the passage of fluids into the cells. However, consuming too much salt in one's diet might lead to high blood pressure. This is a condition in which the arteries get narrowed and the blood flow is obstructed. The major source of sodium in the diet is sodium chloride, sometimes known as table salt. Some processed foods, such as canned soups or bologna, have a high salt content. Lean meats, milk, citrus fruits, and dark green leafy vegetables are high in potassium. Potassium shortage causes muscular weakness and respiratory failure.

The thyroid gland requires lodine to operate correctly. The thyroid gland generates hormones that regulate the rate at which chemical processes take place in your body. Seafood and iodized table salt are the main sources of iodine in the diet. Too little iodine produces goiter, a condition in which the thyroid becomes extremely big. Seafood and iodized table salt are the main sources of iodine in the diet.

Manganese, zinc, cobalt, fluorine, and magnesium all have unique functions in the body. The functions of these and other minerals are listed in Figure 8-7. The diagram also shows how much or how little of each mineral is harmful. Some minerals, such as sulphur, have unknown symptoms of shortage and toxicity.

Mineral	Sources	Functions in Body	Signs of Toxicity	Signs of Deficiency
Calcium	Milk, broccoli, cabbage, clams, oysters, salmon	Maintains bones and teeth; blood clotting: nerve and heart activity	Extreme, fatigue	Slow blood clotting. soft bones; osteoporosis (adults): rickets (children)
Phosphorus	Milk, egg yolk, meat, poultry, fish, whole grain cereals, legumes, nuts	Develops bones and teeth; muscle activity; energy metabolism	Unknown	Fragile bones and teeth; loss of weight and appetite; rickets
Sodium	Table salt, meat, poultry, fish, eggs. milk	Stimulates nerves, water balance outside cells	Hypertension	Nausea; exhaustion, muscle cramps
Potassium	Meat, poultry, fish, cereals, fruits, vegetables	Stimulates nerves, water balance inside: cells, heart rhythm	Muscle weakness: irregular heartbeat	Muscle weakness; respiratory failure; abnormal heartbeat
Chlorine	Table salt, meat, milk, eggs	Maintains water balance in body	Unknown	Loss of hair and teeth; poor digestion
Magnesium	Legumes, whole grains, milk, meat, leafy vegetables	Maintains muscles and nerves; energy metabolism, bone composition	Nervous dysfunction	Mental, emotional, muscular disorders
Iron	Organ meats, whole grains, dark green vegetables, legumes, prunes	Forms red blood cells; helps transport oxygen	Liver and pancreas dysfunction	Anemia; fatigue: paleness of skin
Sulfur	Eggs, meat, milk, cheese, nuts, legumes	Forms body tissues, part of amino acids and B vitamins	Unknown	Unknown
Copper	Liver, shellfish, nuts, legumes, whole grains	Forms red blood cells; absorption of iron	Retained in organs and cornea of eyes	Anemia; nerve and bone disorders; skin sores
Manganese	Legumes, nuts, whole grains, vegetables, fruits	Develops bones; enzyme activator	Mental and motor difficulties	Nervousness; muscular excitability
lodine	lodized salt, seafood	Assists in function of thyroid gland	Rare	Loss of physical and mental vigor; goiter
Zinc	Seafood, milk, meats, poultry, organ meats, wheat germ	Aids in healing: forms. enzymes	Loss of iron and copper from liver	Retarded growth rate; delayed wound healing
Fluorine	Fish, fluoridated water, animal foods	Strengthens bones and teeth	Mottled teeth	Excess dental decay
Selenium	Meat, eggs, milk, seafood, cereals	Keeps vitamin E in cells	Unknown	Premature aging; stunted growth

Figure 8-7 Essential dietary minerals

Water

Your body's most abundant nutrient is water. It allows other nutrients to dissolve and be transported to the regions of your body that require them. All of your body's processes require water. Food digestion, waste removal, temperature regulation, and cushioning sensitive areas of the body, such as the brain, are among them.

Water makes up around 60% of your body weight. You lose two to three quarts of water every day. When you pee, sweat, or even breathe, you lose water. Dehydration will ensue if water is not replenished. The loss of water from bodily tissues is known as dehydration. Dehydration causes the body to become weak and might result in muscular cramps.

Your fluid intake is determined by thirst, or the urge to drink fluids. Every day, you should drink three to six big glasses of water. You may need to boost your fluid intake to 10 big glasses or more during really hot weather or when exercising.

Figure 8 8-  Drinking enough water  when you exercise in hot weather replaces the water that is lost in perspiration.

Review of the Lesson

Nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and water do not provide energy to the body. Rather, sufficient quantities of these nutrients are required to control a variety of bodily processes. Water is the most important nutrient because it allows all other nutrients to go throughout your body.