Micronutrients are needed only in minuscule amounts...

Micronutrients are essential elements needed for life in small quantities. They include minerals and Vitamins.

Microminerals or trace elements include at least iron, cobalt, chromium, copper, iodine, manganese, selenium, zinc, and molybdenum. They are dietary minerals needed by the human body in very small quantities (generally less than 100mg/day) as opposed to macrominerals which are required in larger quantities.

Iodine, vitamin A and iron are most important in global public health terms; their lack represents a major threat to the health and development of populations the world over, particularly children and pregnant women in low-income countries.



Vitamins

Vitamins are essential nutrients that carry out processes in the body vital to health. Only very small amounts of vitamins are needed by the body, but their functions are very important.

Vitamins are characterised by their ability to be soluble and are divided into two groups: water-soluble and fat-soluble.

The principal water-soluble vitamins are Vitamins B1, B2, PP, B6, B12, and C. They tend to be excreted by the body. Therefore, they need to be taken in every day.Vitamin A, D, E, and K are the "fat-soluble" vitamins. Usually found in foods containing fat, these vitamins tend to be retained in the body, so you only need to take them in on an occasional basis.



Fat-soluble Vitamins

Vitamin A is critical to the health of our eyes and prevents night blindness. Beta-carotene, a chemical precursor to vitamin A, is also an antioxidant.

For its specific function linked to the activity of the eye's retina and for its chemical composition, vitamin A has earned the name "retinol". It is present in animal tissue as such whereas in the vegetable group its precursors are found in association with chlorophyll: carotenes, red and yellow pigments which are present in carrots and in certain leafy vegetables.

Carotenes are considered pro-vitamins since they are transformed, by hydrolysis, in vitamins in animals. The conversion of carotenes into retinol occurs in the intestinal mucous, while it is stored in the liver.

Vitamin D or cholecalciferol, just like other fat solubles, is also absorbed in the intestines together with fats. The main organ for storage is the liver.

There are various forms of vitamin D, however the main ones are represented by vitamin D2 which derives from ergosterol (pro-vitamin D2 ) of vegetable sources and by vitamin D3 which derives from7-dihedrol- cholesterol ( pro-vitamin D3) of animal sources. Both are transformed in an active form through photo-chemical action of the sunlight's ultraviolet rays on skin tissue.

Vitamin D is needed in the body to keep the proper level of calcium in the bloodstream. Calcium in the bloodstream is transferred into the bones for growth and repairs, so insufficient vitamin D in the diet leads to bone weakness. Good sources of vitamin D include fortified milk and cereals, and fatty fish. The body manufactures about half of the needed vitamin D as a result of a reaction to sunlight hitting the skin.

Vitamin E or tocopheryl is found in nature in varied forms that are chemically similar to one another. The most active form is one defined as alpha-tocopheryl and is especially present in wheat germ oil.

These substances remain stable when exposed to light and heat (in the absence of oxygen) but are rapidly altered when exposed to ultra-violet rays. They are particularly sensitive to oxygen and any oxidating substance.

Tocopheryl in foods are absorbed in the intestines by the same process as other fat-soluble elements. If they’re administered in large quantities, the excess is eliminated through the faeces and in traces in the urine.

Vitamin K comprises of a group of substances that are all sharing a common hemorrhagic property. Natural vitamin K includes K1 and K2 while the analog synthetic substance which acts as a vitamin K, is called K3.

Vitamin K is synthesised intestinal flora bacteria; it’s contained in the micro-organisms of plants and animal. It is utilised in the liver where it is stored in small quantitiesAn excess of most vitamins is toxic! Consuming vitamin D at just 4 times the adequate daily amount will start to cause symptoms of nausea, vomiting, fatigue, thirst, and confusion.

Vitamin E serves as an important antioxidant in the body, protecting cell membranes that are at highest risk of oxidation. Vitamin E even protects vitamin A from oxidation. Vitamin E is widely found in plant foods. Excellent sources include plant oils, seeds, and nuts.

Vitamin K performs essential roles in clotting of blood, and helps form bones. Your body produces as much as half of its own vitamin K. Good food sources of vitamin K include green, leafy vegetables and vegetable oils.



Water-soluble Vitamins

Vitamin C or Ascorbic acid is valued for its effectiveness in treating the vitamin C deficiency disease named scurvy. Vitamin C is absorbed in the small intestines and is passed through the bloodstream and then stored in the liver, hypophysis, thymus and the adrenal cortex.

An excess of ascorbic acid is subsequently eliminated in the urine and the faeces and through perspiration in a minimum amount. Heat and poor storage factors tend to inactivate the efficiency of this molecule.

The best source of vitamin C is the citrus fruit. An absence of vitamin C in the diet leads to the potentially fatal condition called "scurvy". Early sailors were susceptible since they carried only enough fruit for the early part of their voyages.



Minerals

Minerals are like vitamins in that you need to take in only a small amount, but the functions provided by that small amount is extremely important. Unlike vitamins, minerals are not affected by food storage or preparation.

The minerals we need in relatively large amount (100 mg daily) include calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, and sodium. Most other minerals, such as iron, zinc, etc., are needed in much smaller quantities.

Calcium and magnesium are used in construction of body tissues. Calcium is found in bones. Magnesium is also found bones, but also is a part of muscle and blood.

It is essential that your blood's magnesium levels are correct for bone and tooth building and repair to take place. Potassium acts as electrolyte in the blood, maintaining water balance and pH of the blood. Potassium also aids muscle contractions, helps maintain a normal heartbeat, and aids in sending nerve impulses.



Mineral Salts

Iron (periodic symbol Fe), for example, is a most important element whose need for gradually increases throughout development

This element is critical for the formation of hemoglobin, a molecule which transports oxygen to body tissues and is also effective in the prevention and/or cure of anaemia. Iron is especially found in egg yolk, liver, meat, legumes and whole grains.

Calcium (periodic symbol Ca ) is needed for a healthy formation of bones and teeth, for blood coagulation and as a regulator of heartbeat. It is introduced in the body via ingestion of high calcium foods, i.e. milk, cheese and fresh milk products.

Other minerals include: Phosphorus (P), Iodine (I ), Zinc ( Zn), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Sulphur ( S), and Copper (Cu).

They are normally present in an average daily diet in adequate quantities. Iodine is an exception: it is nearly lacking in certain inland areas where, for this reason, the inhabitants run a greater risk of acquiring goitre, an iodine deficiency disease which brings on the enlargement of the thyroid gland.As a measure of prevention, it is recommended to consume foods rich in iodine: seafood, shell fish, molluscs, and iodised salt.