CHILDHOOD MINERALS AND TRACE ELEMENTS REQUIREMENTS

CHILDHOOD MINERALS AND TRACE ELEMENTS REQUIREMENTS

Cations like calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium and anions like phosphorus, sulfur and chloride which are needed in amounts exceeding 100 mg per/day are called “microminerals”. Elements like iron, zinc, copper. Cobalt, iodine, selenium, molybdenum and chromium which are needed in very small amounts (up to 100-200 mcg/ gmatrix) are called microminerals.

Daily requirement for minerals

Mineral                                   Requirement

Iron                                        Infants: 1 mg/kg (6 to 10 mg)

                                               1 to 3 years :15 mg

                                               3 to 12 years : 10 mg

                                               12 to 18 years: 18 mg

                                               

Calcium                                  Infants: 400 to 600 mg

                                               1 to 10 years: 0.7 to 1.0 mg

                                               Over 10 years: 1.2 to 1.5 g

Potassium                               1.5 mEq/kg(1 to 2 g)                             

Sodium                                   2.0 mEq/kg (1 to 2g)                                                                   

Zinc                                        0.3 or more mg/kg

Magnesium                             Infants: 40 to 70 mg

                                                1 to 3 years: 100 to 150 mg

                                                3 to 12 years: 200 to 300 mg

                                                12 to 18 years: 300 to 350 mg

Iodine                                      0.2 mg

Copper                                    0.05 to 0.1 mg/kg

Fluorine                                   0.5 to 1 mg

Iron, is available from food, is of two types, namely heme and nonheme. Heme iron is found in nonveg foods, say meet, liver, chicken, and fish. Around 15-35%heme iron gets absorbed from the gut. Nonheme iron is present in plants, legumes, eggs, milk and cereals. Its absorption is much less, i.e. hardly 1%.

Foods affecting absorption of iron from the gut

Absorption enhanced                  Absorption reduced

Vitamin-rich  foods                     Tea

Guava                                          Coffee

Lemon                                         Maize

Orange                                         Phytates (whole meal bread)

Tomatoes

Indian gooseberry

Foods containing heme iron

Liver

Meat

Chicken

Fish

Fermated /germinated foods.

During adolescence, iron need enhance. This is especially in true case of menstruating teenagers.

Zinc is normally present in our body in sufficient amount. No supplementation is, therefore, required by healthy individuals. In certain situations, say persistent diarrhea, malnutrition, ITS, and acrodermatitis enteropathica , zinc efficiency occurs and, therefore, zinc supplementation is strongly recommended to hasten recovery. Normal daily of requirement of zinc is 4-6 mg/day. Excess of zinc intake may be complicated by copper deficiency.