Fluid and Electrolyte balance
This mineral is the primary cation found in extracellular fluid.
What is Sodium?
Deficiency of this water-soluble antioxidant leads to Scurvy, characterized by bleeding gums and pinpoint hemorrhages.
What is Vitamin C?
This is the main mineral found in hydroxyapatite crystals, giving strength to bones and teeth.
What is Calcium?
This deficiency disease, characterized by the "4 Ds" (Dermatitis, Diarrhea, Dementia, Death), is caused by a lack of Niacin.
What is Pellagra?
This fat-soluble vitamin is essential for the synthesis of blood clotting factors; newborns receive a shot of it at birth.
What is Vitamin K?
This dangerous condition occurs when water intake is too high, diluting blood sodium levels (often seen in endurance athletes).
What is Hyponatremia?
This fat-soluble vitamin acts as an antioxidant specifically protecting cell membranes from free radical damage.
What is Vitamin E?
This "sunshine vitamin" acts as a hormone to regulate blood calcium levels by increasing absorption in the intestine.
What is Vitamin D?
This trace mineral is essential for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolic rate.
What is Iodine?
This type of iron, found in animal products like red meat, is absorbed much more efficiently than iron from plants.
What is Heme iron?
A deficiency of this mineral causes a condition known as hypokalemia.
What is Potassium?
These unstable molecules, generated during metabolism or from environmental exposure, damage cells because they possess an unpaired electron.
What are free-radicals?
A deficiency of Vitamin D in children results in this condition, characterized by bowed legs.
What is Rickets?
This B-vitamin is sensitive to light, which is why milk is typically stored in opaque containers.
What is Riboflavin?
A deficiency in either Folate or Vitamin B12 results in this type of anemia, characterized by large, immature red blood cells.
What is macrocytic anemia?
This organ acts as the primary regulator of fluid balance, deciding how much water and electrolytes to excrete or retain.
The Kidneys
This trace mineral is a critical cofactor for the antioxidant enzyme glutathione peroxidase.
What is Selenium?
This hormone is released when blood calcium levels drop, stimulating the release of calcium from bone.
What is Parathyroid Hormone?
A specific deficiency of Thiamin often seen in alcoholics is known as this syndrome.
What is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome?
This specific autoimmune condition destroys the parietal cells of the stomach, eliminating the production of Intrinsic Factor and preventing Vitamin B12 absorption.
What is Pernicious Anemia?
The majority of body water (about 2/3) is found in this specific compartment.
The intracellular fluid
Zinc and Copper are required cofactors for this critical antioxidant enzyme found in the cytoplasm, which converts superoxide radicals into hydrogen peroxide.
What is Superoxide Dismutase?
About 60% of this mineral is found in bone, but it is also a critical cofactor required for the enzymatic activation of Vitamin D in the liver and kidneys.
What is Magnesium?
This amino acid can be converted into Niacin in the body, provided there is adequate protein intake.
What is Tryptophan?
A deficiency in this trace mineral causes a secondary iron-deficiency anemia because it is a required cofactor for ceruloplasmin, the enzyme that transports iron.
What is copper?