Trace minerals: function in health and disease

Zinc: Disease Implications

Deficiency leads to growth arrest, reduced sperm count, reduced taste and smell, hair loss, birth defects, delayed wound healing.

Symptoms of mild deficiency are diverse as the mineral plays so many different functions. symptoms include headaches, weakness.

Manganese: Disease Implications

Deficiency symptoms include poor growth of hair, nails, reduced cholesterol (LDL form),
In osteoporosis, manganese may be beneficial as it is involved in bone remodeling, although there is a lack of studies in this area.

Toxicity does not appear to be a problem. According to the The National Institute of Health , no adverse ill effects are observed on consuming 11mg/day on a chronic basis (compared with normal RDA of 2.3 mg/ day for men and 1.8 mg/day for women)..

Selenium: Disease Implications

Severe deficiency can lead to keshan disease (a heart disease) and Kashin-Beck disease ( a disease of the bone)
Known to lower the risk of developing heart disease, cancers
beneficial in aging owing to its antioxidant properties.

Iron: Disease Implications

Deficiency leads to anemia, poor growth, confusion, loss of appetite, hair loss.

Note: vegetarians are recommended to consume twice as much iron as normal to meet dietary requirements since plant food-derived iron is poorly absorbed..

Toxicity can develop through excessive supplementation: symptoms include gastrointestinal disturbance. Although there is some evidence for increased risk to heart attacks and cancers with very high iron intakes, the National Institute of Medicine considers the evidence inconclusive. The upper dietary level is 45 mg/day. (compared with normal RDA of 8 mg/day for men and 18mg/day for pre-menopausal women; in pregnancy the RDA is 27 mg/day).

Copper: Disease Implication

Deficiency leads to poor bone growth, nervous system disorder, anemia, rupture of blood vessels.
Deficiency also leads to poor immune function .
Adequate intakes and availability of copper is also important in osteoporosis

Toxicity: can occur, also from leaching of the mineral from copper utensils. Symptoms include nausea and jaundice.

Zinc Function

Necessary for growth.
Component of many different classes of enzymes, including alcohol dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase, acting as co-factor
Necessary for healthy immune system
Important in reproduction
Helps promote wound healing
Constituent of many DNA binding proteins

Toxicity: causes nausea, compromised immune system.

Interactions: Vitamin A aids zinc utilization. Zinc is a component of retenoic acid receptors and Vitamin D receptors, therefore a deficiency in zinc can compromise retenoic acid and Vitamin D functions. High zinc intakes also impedes copper absorption.

Manganese Functions

Involved in amino acid, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism
Essential component of many enzymes, including pyruvate carboxylase and glutamine synthetase
Essential for proper bone formation
Important in cholesterol metabolism

Only a small percentage of dietary manganese( less than 1.5 % in men) is absorbed.
Interactions: Manganese is necessary for thiamin (vitamin B1) and vitamin E metabolism, therefore a deficiency in manganese can compromise nutritional status with respect to these vitamins.

Selenium Functions

Acts as an antioxidant, therefore can prevent and reduce damage to tissues caused by free-radicals.
Acts as a co-factor for some important enzymes, including glutathione peroxidase.
Important for proper growth
Helps in maintaining proper immune function

Toxicity of this mineral can develop with excessive intake: symptoms include nausea, weakness, gastrointestinal disturbance, liver damage.

Iron Function

Prevents anemia
Essential component of haemoglobin, responsible for transport of blood to tissue
necessary for healthy immune system
Acts as a cofactor for many enzymes

Interactions: iron absorption aided by vitamin C as well as by copper.

Copper Function

Serves as co-factor for number of enzymes, including enzyme involved in collagen formation
Required for healthy bone formation
Helps absorption and utilization of iron.
Involved in hormone production
Involved in energy metabolism

Interactions: Copper is required for proper iron transport. Deficiency in copper leads to anemia. Zinc can inhibit copper absorption. Copper also interacts with vitamin C.

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Note: The minerals and trace elements have significant functions in terms of interacting with vitamins. For vitamins to be used by the body they must first be absorbed during the process of intestinal absorption. The minerals can significantly affect absorption of vitamins. More details are provided in the results of the hair mineral analysis tests which accompany the results of your tests.

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The Trace minerals
Copper, Iron, Selenium, Manganese, Zinc.
These trace minerals, so named because they occur in only trace amounts, are important components of enzymes (serving as co-factors). Iron is well known for its anti-anemic and muscle strength properties. Deficiencies of trace minerals can have serious consequences. Of particular importance is the interaction of these trace minerals with vitamins and with each other, affecting their bioavailability.

	Copper	Iron	Selenium	Manganese	Zinc
Main Functions
Disease Implications