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Minerals Flashcards

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1
Q

What’s the clinical signal of sodium imbalance?

A

Low: fatigue, dizziness on standing, brain fog; High: edema, hypertension. Check context: low-carb, sweating, diarrhea, diuretics.

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2
Q

Which labs help assess sodium?

A

Serum sodium, urine sodium, serum osmolality; consider renin/aldosterone if dysautonomia.

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3
Q

What are key interactions to be mindful of with sodium?

A

Na ↔ K (tight balance). Low Na often coexists with low total intake or excess fluids.

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4
Q

What’s a practical sodium tip?

A

In active/sweaty clients, use 1–2 g/day added salt split; avoid over-restriction with low BP.

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5
Q

What are food-first sources of sodium?

A

Broth with real salt, olives, lightly salted potatoes/rice.

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6
Q

Why is potassium pivotal?

A

Membrane potential, insulin sensitivity, blood pressure control.

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7
Q

What suggests low potassium?

A

Muscle weakness, cramps, constipation, arrhythmia risk; labs: low/low‑normal K, high Na.

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8
Q

What are potassium’s key interactions?

A

K synergises with Mg; high Na intake needs adequate K.

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9
Q

What cautions are there for potassium?

A

CKD, ACE inhibitors/ARBs, potassium-sparing diuretics—avoid unsupervised supplementation.

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10
Q

What are food sources of potassium?

A

Coconut water, banana, avacado, Potatoes/sweet potatoes (skin on), squash, beans, leafy greens, yogurt.

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11
Q

What are the top roles of magnesium?

A

Cofactor in 300 enzymes; ATP usage, insulin sensitivity, muscle/nerve calm, sleep.

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12
Q

What are deficiency clues for magnesium?

A

Anxiety, poor sleep, cramps, constipation, high BP, low GGT, low vit D responsiveness.

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13
Q

What are the best forms of magnesium?

A

Glycinate (calm/sleep), citrate (bowel), malate (energy), taurate (heart). Avoid oxide.

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14
Q

What are magnesium’s key interactions?

A

Mg antagonised by high Ca; supports D and K usage.

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15
Q

What’s a practical magnesium dose?

A

200–400 mg elemental/day with food; split.

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16
Q

What are food sources of magnesium?

A

Pumpkin seeds, almonds, cacao, leafy greens, beans.

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17
Q

What to remember about calcium regulation?

A

It’s tightly regulated; serum Ca can be ‘normal’ despite low intake.

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18
Q

When to suspect low calcium intake?

A

Muscle twitching, brittle nails, osteopenia risk; low dietary Ca with low D/K2.

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19
Q

Which labs help assess calcium?

A

Serum/ionised Ca, PTH, 25‑OH D; consider bone density.

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20
Q

What are calcium’s key interactions?

A
  • Ca competes with Fe, Zn, Mn

Vit D needed to absorb calcium

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21
Q

What are food-first sources of calcium?

A

Dairy, sardines with bones, tofu set with Ca, sesame/tahini, greens.

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22
Q

What’s the supplement rule for calcium?

A

Keep total Ca from diet + supplements around 1000–1200 mg/day; separate from iron/zinc by 2+ hours.

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23
Q

Why is phosphorus important?

A

ATP, bones, cell membranes.

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24
Q

What’s the risk of excess phosphorus?

A

High with processed foods/colas can worsen CKD and bone turnover.

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25
What are phosphorus interactions?
Antagonistic with Ca/Mg if excessive.
26
What are food sources of phosphorus?
Protein-rich foods: meat, dairy, legumes, nuts. Usually sufficient without supplement.
27
What are hallmark roles of zinc?
Stomach acid, immunity, skin repair, hormone/metabolism enzymes, ALP activity.
28
What are deficiency signs of zinc?
Low ALP (<70 U/L context), poor wound healing, low appetite, taste/smell changes, acne, hair loss, frequent infections, low stomach acid.
29
What are risk factors for zinc deficiency?
PPIs, high phytate diet, vegan/vegetarian, sweating/sauna, pregnancy/lactation, chronic infection.
30
What tests are useful for zinc?
Serum/plasma Zn is crude; cross-check with ALP, WBC, symptom picture. Hair/whole blood can add context.
31
What are zinc’s interactions?
Antagonistic with Cu, Fe, Ca, Mg; long-term Zn lowers Cu.
32
What’s a practical zinc dose?
15–30 mg elemental/day for 8–12 weeks; add 1–2 mg Cu per 30–50 mg Zn if extended.
33
What are food sources of zinc?
Oysters, beef/lamb, pumpkin seeds, eggs, hemp seeds.
34
Why is copper important?
Iron transport (ceruloplasmin), cytochrome c oxidase, connective tissue, pigment, immunity.
35
What are copper deficiency clues?
Anemia unresponsive to iron, neutropenia, fatigue, hair depigmentation, poor connective tissue.
36
What are copper excess clues?
High Cu with low Zn in inflammation; estrogen exposure, copper IUD may elevate Cu and deplete Zn.
37
Which labs help assess copper?
Serum copper, ceruloplasmin; interpret with CRP (inflammation raises both).
38
What are copper’s interactions?
Cu ↔ Zn (reciprocal), antagonised by molybdenum and high vitamin C.
39
What are food sources of copper?
Shellfish, liver, cocoa, nuts/seeds, whole grains.
40
What’s a practical zinc-to-copper ratio?
Keep Zn:Cu roughly 8–12:1 from diet/supplements combined over time.
41
What are core functions of iron?
Hemoglobin/myoglobin, electron transport.
42
What’s the deficiency pattern of iron?
Fatigue, pica, brittle nails, hair loss; labs: low ferritin, low TSAT, high TIBC; microcytosis (low MCV) unless mixed deficiency.
43
What are common causes of iron deficiency?
Blood loss, low intake, low stomach acid/PPIs, celiac/SIBO, heavy periods.
44
What are iron’s key interactions?
Fe competes with Zn, Cu, Mn; vitamin C enhances non‑heme Fe.
45
What are best practices for iron supplementation?
Use ferrous bisglycinate or heme iron; 25–50 mg elemental on alternate days; take away from Ca/Zn/coffee/tea by 2 hours.
46
What are food sources of iron?
Red meat, liver, clams, sardines, legumes with vitamin C foods.
47
Why is selenium essential?
Selenoproteins (glutathione peroxidase, deiodinases), thyroid T4→T3, antioxidant defense.
48
What are selenium deficiency clues?
Thyroid sluggishness, poor stress tolerance, fragile nails/hair, chemical sensitivity.
49
What are selenium’s interactions?
Synergy with iodine and vitamin E; antagonistic with high copper.
50
What’s a safe selenium dose?
100–200 mcg/day short term; avoid chronic high intake; mind soil variability.
51
What are food sources of selenium?
Brazil nuts (1–3), sardines, eggs, meats.
52
What’s iodine’s key role?
Thyroid hormone synthesis; breast tissue reservoir.
53
What are iodine caution flags?
Hashimoto’s or unexplained high TSH without full panel—avoid high-dose iodine; ensure selenium first.
54
What are iodine deficiency signs?
Goiter, cold intolerance, low energy; but test context is key.
55
Which labs help assess iodine?
Urinary iodine (population-level), thyroid panel with antibodies.
56
What are food sources of iodine?
Seafood, dairy, eggs; avoid seaweed if you’re avoiding iodine spikes.
57
What are manganese’s functions?
Antioxidant enzyme MnSOD, cartilage/bone, carbohydrate metabolism.
58
What are manganese deficiency clues?
Poor wound healing, bone discomfort, dizziness; rare but possible with low whole-food diets.
59
What are manganese interactions?
Antagonised by high Ca/Fe/Mg; excess Mn can be neurotoxic (occupational).
60
What are food sources of manganese?
Whole grains, nuts, legumes, tea, leafy greens.
61
Why is chromium relevant?
Potentiates insulin action (GTF), glucose tolerance.
62
What are chromium deficiency signs?
Sugar cravings, dysglycemia; more common with high sugar diets; soils vary.
63
What are chromium’s interactions?
May deplete vanadium when supplemented long-term.
64
What’s a safe chromium dose?
Chromium picolinate 200–400 mcg/day short-term with meals.
65
What are food sources of chromium?
Meats, eggs, broccoli, whole grains.
66
What are molybdenum’s roles?
Cofactor for sulfite oxidase, aldehyde oxidase, xanthine oxidase—supports sulfur metabolism and detox of sulfites/aldehydes.
67
When to consider molybdenum?
Sulfur sensitivity, reactions to wine/dried fruits (sulfites), brain fog with thiol foods.
68
What are molybdenum’s interactions?
Antagonises copper if overused.
69
What’s a safe molybdenum dose?
100–300 mcg/day short-term; avoid chronic high dosing.
70
What are food sources of molybdenum?
Legumes, grains, nuts, liver.
71
Why is boron useful?
Bone health (works with D, K, Mg), steroid hormone modulation, inflammation control.
72
What are boron’s interactions?
May displace riboflavin binding and increase excretion over time—monitor B2 status.
73
What’s a practical boron dose?
3–10 mg/day; cycle if using 10 mg for hormone support.
74
What are food sources of boron?
Prunes, raisins, nuts, legumes, apples.
75
What is silicon’s function?
Connective tissue, collagen crosslinking, bone matrix.
76
What are clues for low silicon?
Weak hair/nails, early joint issues.
77
What are food sources of silicon?
Oats, barley, horsetail tea, mineral water; rarely needs supplements.
78
Why is sulfur important?
Glutathione synthesis, detox, connective tissue.
79
What are clues for sulfur issues?
Poor detox tolerance, joint issues; but sulfur foods can trigger in CBS/sulfite issues.
80
What is sulfur’s synergy?
With molybdenum for sulfite handling.
81
What are food sources of sulfur?
Eggs, garlic, onion, crucifers, protein.
82
What is fluoride’s role?
Dental enamel; not typically supplemented by practitioners.
83
What are cautions for fluoride?
Excess can affect thyroid and bone; assess environmental exposure.
84
What is vanadium’s role?
Insulin-mimetic effects (blood glucose lowering / management)
85
What are vanadium’s interactions?
Chromium supplementation could lower V status; seldom supplemented outside research context.
86
What is chloride’s role?
Stomach acid (HCl), fluid balance.
87
What are signs of low chloride?
Low stomach acid, bloating, poor protein digestion; low serum chloride with alkalosis.
88
What are food sources of chloride?
Salt (NaCl), olives, sea salt; address root cause of hypochlorhydria (PPIs, H. pylori).
89
How do plant antinutrients affect minerals?
Phytates reduce Zn, Fe, Mg; oxalates reduce Ca, Mg, Manganese.
90
What are practical mitigations for phytates/oxalates?
Soak/sprout/pressure-cook legumes and grains; pair non‑heme iron with vitamin C; diversify proteins.
91
Which nutrient pairings should be separated?
Calcium away from iron/zinc/manganese by 2+ hours; high-dose zinc away from copper/iron; magnesium away from high-dose calcium.
92
Which nutrient pairings should be combined?
Iron with vitamin C; selenium with adequate iodine; D3 with K2 and magnesium; zinc with protein meals for tolerance.
93
What raises mineral needs?
Sweating/sauna (Zn, Mg, Na, K) diuretics (Zn, Mg, K) ACE inhibitors/ARBs (K retention - potassium often high) PPIs (Mg, Zn, Fe) statins (Zn ~8% decrease) antibiotics (Zn absorption reduced if co‑taken).
94
What are quick testing snapshots for minerals?
* Sodium/potassium ratio * Mg (RBC Mg preferred) * ALP for Zn * ferritin+TSAT for iron * ceruloplasmin for Cu * GGT for low Mg * Ca/PTH for 25‑OH D * WBC for immune/Zn context.
95
What are safe short-term dosing guardrails for minerals?
Zinc 15–30 mg/d (add 1–2 mg Cu per 30–50 mg Zn if extended) Magnesium 200–400 mg/d, Selenium 100–200 mcg/d, Iron per labs (25–50 mg elemental on alternate days if deficient), Potassium food-first unless supervised.
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