Study sheet: Mineral Needs in Nutrition

📋 Course Outline

1. Mineral Classification and Needs
2. Calcium and Chlorine
3. Chromium Copper and Iron
4. Fluoride Iodine and Phosphorus
5. Magnesium Molybdenum and Potassium
6. Selenium Sodium and Zinc
7. Arsenic and Nutritional Variation

📖 1. Mineral Classification and Needs

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Minerals : essential inorganic elements required for the proper functioning of the body; they provide no energy but have structural, functional and regulatory roles.

📝 Essential Points

• Macro-elements include:
  • calcium
  • phosphorus
  • magnesium
  • sodium
  • potassium
  • chlorine

📌 Mineral requirements vary according to age, sex and physiological conditions such as pregnancy, growth and disease.

💡 Memory Hook

Macro-elements exceed 100 mg/day, whereas trace elements remain below 100 mg/day.

📖 2. Calcium and Chlorine

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Calcium : Calcium supports bone and dental mineralization, neuromuscular contraction, blood coagulation, hormone secretion and cell signaling.
• Chlorine : Chlorine maintains osmotic and acid-base balance and contributes to nerve and muscle activity.

★ Must-know

• The recommended calcium intake is 1000 mg/day from 18 to 24 years and 950 mg/day from 25 years onward, with an upper safety limit of 2500 mg/day.

Further detail

• Dietary calcium sources include:

  • dairy products
  • legumes
  • nuts
  • cereal products
  • leafy vegetables such as cabbage and spinach
  • seafood
  • mineral waters rich in calcium and magnesium

• Chlorine sources include processed meats, cheeses, smoked or salted fish, and the recommended intake is 2300 mg/day.

📖 3. Chromium Copper and Iron

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Chromium : Chromium regulates carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolism through insulin.
• Copper : Copper acts as an enzymatic cofactor in redox reactions and contributes to iron metabolism, connective-tissue formation, ossification, neurotransmission, immunity and cardiac function.
• Iron : Iron enables oxygen transport and use and participates in oxidation-reduction reactions.

★ Must-know

📌 Heme iron is found in meat, offal, fish and seafood and has high absorption, whereas non-heme iron is present in all foods, especially plant foods, and its absorption depends on the dietary context and body stores.

• Iron sources include red meat, blood sausage, liver, lentils, tofu and fortified cereals; the recommended intake is 11 mg/day for men aged 18 years or older, 11–16 mg/day for women aged 18 years or older according to menstruation, and the upper safety limit is 40 mg/day.

Further detail

📌 No nutritional reference value has been established for chromium, and it is not quantified in the Ciqual table.

• Copper sources include offal such as liver, crustaceans, mollusks and oilseeds; adequate intake is 1.9 mg/day for men and 1.5 mg/day for women, with an upper safety limit of 5 mg/day.

📖 4. Fluoride Iodine and Phosphorus

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Iodine : Iodine is required for thyroid-hormone synthesis, growth, cell maturation, thermogenesis, energy metabolism and fetal brain development.
• Phosphorus : Phosphorus contributes to bone and dental mineralization, ATP energy transport, acid-base balance, cell signaling and membrane structure.
• Fluoride : Fluoride contributes to dental mineralization and prevents dental caries.

★ Must-know

• Iodine sources include algae, iodized salt, marine fish, crustaceans, mollusks, egg yolk and milk depending on animal feeding; adequate intake is 150 µg/day and the upper safety limit is 600 µg/day.

Further detail

• Fluoride sources include fluoridated water, infant preparations, tea, marine fish and fluoridated salt; adequate intake is 3.4 mg/day for men and 2.9 mg/day for women, with an upper safety limit of 7 mg/day.

• Phosphorus sources include dairy products, eggs, meat, fish, liver and oilseeds, with an adequate intake of 550 mg/day.

📖 5. Magnesium Molybdenum and Potassium

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Magnesium : Magnesium activates enzymes, supports ATP production and ion transport, contributes to calcium and potassium metabolism, and enables neuromuscular function.
• Potassium : Potassium supports nerve transmission, muscle contraction, cardiac function, insulin secretion, energy metabolism and acid-base balance.
• Molybdenum : Molybdenum acts as a cofactor for several enzymes and contributes to the metabolism of certain amino acids.

★ Must-know

📌 The magnesium upper safety limit is 250 mg/day only for dissociable magnesium and magnesium oxide supplied as food supplements, excluding magnesium naturally present in foods.

Further detail

• Magnesium sources include oilseeds, dark chocolate, whole grains, coffee, mollusks and some mineral waters; adequate intake is 380 mg/day for men and 300 mg/day for women.

• Molybdenum sources include legumes, whole grains, offal and nuts; adequate intake is 95 µg/day and the upper safety limit is 600 µg/day.

• Potassium sources include bananas, chocolate, vegetables, potatoes and dairy products, with an adequate intake of 3500 mg/day.

📖 6. Selenium Sodium and Zinc

🔑 Key Concepts & Definitions

• Sodium : Sodium regulates osmotic balance and contributes to nerve transmission, muscle contraction, and intestinal and renal absorption of various nutrients.
• Zinc : Zinc contributes to the function of more than 200 enzymes, growth, immunity, wound healing, reproduction, taste and skin function.
• Selenium : Selenium supports antioxidant defenses and thyroid-hormone metabolism.

★ Must-know

• Sodium sources include salt, processed meats, cheeses, condiments and industrial products; adequate intake is 1500 mg/day and the upper safety limit is 2300 mg/day.

• Zinc sources include meat, offal, fish, seafood, cheeses and legumes; recommended intake is 9.4–14 mg/day for men and 7.5–11 mg/day for women according to dietary phytate content, with an upper safety limit of 25 mg/day.

Further detail

• Selenium sources include Brazil nuts, fish, seafood, meat and eggs; adequate intake is 70 µg/day and the upper safety limit is 255 µg/day.

📖 7. Arsenic and Nutritional Variation

📝 Essential Points

• Mineral roles may be:

  • structural
  • functional
  • enzymatic
  • regulatory

• Arsenic is listed in the course without a function, food source or intake recommendation.

📊 Synthesis Tables

Mineral Classification

Type	Examples	Recommended intake
Macro-elements	Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chlorine	> 100 mg/day
Trace elements	Iron, zinc, copper, iodine, fluoride, selenium, manganese	< 100 mg/day