Tyler Hall
Copper is an essential nutrient to the body, meaning it is required for normal body functioning and cannot be synthesized by the body. It is also a key mineral in many different body systems. It’s tasks range from managing blood volume to producing energy inside our cells. While this little mineral does so much for us, we actually do not have as much in our bodies as you would think. We have about just a little more copper in our bodies than the amount found in a single penny, which is only about 2.5% copper by weight. As stated previously, copper takes part in many bodily functions. It’s primary function is to help your body produce red blood cells and to keep the immune system and nerve cells healthy. It also helps form collagen and acts as an antioxidant, reducing free radicals that can damage DNA and cells. Copper also assists in helping your body absorb iron, and supplies energy. The typical adults needs around 900 μg of copper per day. Some foods that are rich in copper include: seafood, raw kale, mushrooms,
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Copper deficiency is a rare hematological and neurological disorder. This deficiency can often lead to Anemia, a condition marked by a deficiency of red blood cells or of hemoglobin in the blood, resulting in pallor and weariness, can be very serious if not treated. Copper is required certain bodily functions to continue and without it, our bodies can shut down. Typically, the medical response to Anemia is to increase iron consumption. Often time, iron supplements are recommended, however it is not always the best answer for some individuals. Sometimes, the body does not need more iron because it could cause more free radical damage, instead it justs needs more copper. In this case, increasing your copper intake will release copper that has been stored up in the body, making it available for the production of red blood cells
Potassium (K+) is an important mineral the body needs to maintain and regulate many functions in the body. It is essential to life because it helps balance body water, regulate blood pressure, maintain heart function, and facilitate various cellular and tissue functions. Its function inside the cells is influenced by it positive electrical charge, which makes it a cation and an electrolyte, or a substance that regulates the flow of molecules, particularly water, across cell membranes.
Vitamin C, also known as Ascorbic Acid, has the structural formula C6H8O6. Vitamin C is an essential nutrient believed to have very important benefits to the human body and it enables the body to make efficient use of carbohydrates, fats, and protein. It is needed by the body to repair bones, teeth, and cartilage; heal wounds and scars; help the body absorb iron from certain substances, and promote a healthy immune system. Vitamin C is also needed to form collagen, which is a protein used to make skin tissue, blood vessels, ligaments, and tendons. Vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning it protects the body’s cells against oxidation and the destructive effects of free radicals within the body. It is also believed that vitamin C helps to prevent
Vitamin C is a necessary vitamin for the body to carry out its functions properly. It is also known as ascorbic acid. It is a water-soluble nutrient that is found in some foods. It acts as an antioxidant in the body which helps to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals, which are formed when our bodies convert the food we eat into energy. The body needs vitamin C to make collagen which is the protein required in wounds, healing. Moreover, vitamin C promotes the absorption of iron from fruits and vegetables and helps in promoting the immune system. Vitamin C is also important to protect our body from cardiovascular disease, prenatal health problems, eye disease, and skin wrinkling. We can obtain vitamin C from food and other sources.
There are many causes of anemia in the body. Some factors include genetics and deficiencies in the diet. Ms. A claims that for the past 10 – 12 years menorrhagia and dysmenorrheal have been a problem for her. Menorrhagia is abnormal and heavy menstrual bleeding during menstruation (Mayoclinic, 2013). Menorrhagia can deplete iron levels in the blood and increase the risk of an individual to have iron deficiency anemia. This is the cause of Ms. A’s anemia. Moreover, Ms. A says that she constantly takes aspirin especially in the summer to prevent stiffness in the joints. Aspirin affects and hinders the production of red blood cells (Mayoclinic, 2013). From the description of anemia given above, the lack of red blood cells, leads to low levels of iron and therefore low levels of hemoglobin which in turn affects the transportation of oxygen and thereby causing shortness of breath. Ms. A’s initial complains of shortness of breath and fatigue is the reason why she went to see the physician.
Minerals and vitamins: minerals and vitamins help maintain the body’s growth and development. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there are many types of vitamins and minerals. Vitamins can be fat soluble such as A, D, E and K or water soluble B and C. There are many minerals such as calcium, copper, iron etc. Examples of vitamins are dairy products, tomatoes, citrus fruits etc.
Iron is an essential part of a healthy diet. Iron compounds are employed for medicinal purposes in the treatment of anemia, when the amount of hemoglobin or the number of red blood corpuscles in the blood is lowered.
Lead is considered to be a toxic heavy metal. It occurs naturally in the Earth’s crust. However, it tends to combine with other elements to form lead compounds. (Registry, 2011). Moreover, it has no known function in the body and with excess accumulation, either acute or chronic, will cause a wide array of metabolic dysfunctions by interfering with normal metabolic functions (Analytical Research Laboratories, 2012). From a historical standpoint, most human beings if not all have accumulated some lead in their bodies over the course of their daily lives. In extreme cases, that is, when there is too much lead in the body it is known to cause lead poisoning. In order to fully understand this phenomenon, one must first acknowledge; how lead enters the body, how it is distributed, and how and if it is eliminated.
Iron is a mineral that is found the in hemoglobin of the Red Blood Cells. It facilitates in the transport of oxygen all over the body. Without this mineral, oxygen cannot be carried to its full capacity. 1 out of 10 women and small children have iron deficiencies. Lacking iron causes lethargy and a weakened immune system. Children who do not have an adequate intake of iron put themselves at risk for intellectual developmental problems. However, an iron deficient person is not necessarily anemic. 7.8 million women are iron deficient, while only 3.3 million women are anemic (http://www.mayohealth.org/mayo/9704/iron_def.htm). When the deficiency becomes so severe that the circulating Red Blood Count and the minerals Ht, Hg, and Hem drop below normal, anemia occurs (See Figure 1). The hormone androgen causes men and women to have different normal values of the hemogram (http://www.medstudents.com.br/hemat/hemat4.htm). Low ferritin (iron storage molecule) and high TIBC (tota...
It churns out rich red blood that carries nutrients and oxygen to remote outposts, and it sends nerve signals skipping along thousands of miles of brain and body pathways. It also formulates chemical messengers that shuttle from one organ to another, issuing the instructions that help sustain your life.” (2017). In short, these nutrients keep us alive by providing one’s body with what they need to function. Without some of these nutrients one can develop serious diseases such as scurvy, osteoporosis, iron deficiency, and rickets to name a few. While scurvy is eradicated in developed countries, third world countries who do not have easy access to Vitamin C may still experience this disease. Such a simple fix for a horrible and deadly disease, therefore nutrients are very important for one’s body to function on a daily basis, some of the damage done by deficiencies and toxicities may be
Ions are critical to human health. As defined by Dictionary.com, an ion is an electrically charged atom or group of atoms formed by the loss or gain of one or more electrons. The human body is the most intricate of ‘designs,’ despite the fact it is composed of basic natural resources called elements. The ions discussed in this paper include oxygen, carbon, potassium, and sulfur. A healthy body is composed of these ions, along with others (zinc, fluoride, iron, etc.). The absence of these elements could lead to an unhealthy body, and make it an easier target for diseases. The chemical formulas, charges, and properties will also be discussed in this document. Also, addressed is the essential role of the ion presented, the way in which the ion serves the body, the diseases that may result from deficiency, and the global distribution of these deficiencies. Ions are an essential part of human health. The ions that are present make the body’s daily functions possible, allowing it to be protected from cruel bacteria or diseases.
Vitamins are essential aids in many body processes, converting food the energy, building and maintaining cells, and other functions.
In this experiment, I discovered whether cooking food destroys potential vitamin levels. In this case, I focused on vitamin C in citrus fruits(oranges). You can, however, extend the experiment by testing other vitamins and foods as well! Vitamin C is a vitamin that is needed for normal growth and development throughout your body. It helps your body heal also. Vitamin C was first used to combat a sickness called Scurvy. Scurvy was common among those with poor access to fresh fruit and vegetables, such as remote, isolated sailors and soldiers, which means no access to vital vitamins and nutrients needed for the body to stay healthy. Scientists are now researching on how high doses of vitamin C can cure cancer cells and other deadly diseases, such as lymphoma. All in all, Vitamin C is vital to our health as well as life.
It also provides our bodies with energy, regulates our body weight, boost our immune system,
Minerals (micronutrient), there are various minerals and each group plays a different role, calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and phosphorus (P) all help to harden bones and teeth. Iron (Fe) plays a crucial role in haemoglobin (Hb). Potassium (K), sodium (Na) and chlorine (Cl) are all helpful in maintaining the bodies PH balance and are all used in action potential (Grammarly,