What are the important trace elements that the human body needs? In addition to the human macro-elements such as "calcium" and "fluorine" which are vital to dental health, the main trace elements needed by the human body are iron, copper, zinc, iodine, chromium and selenium, and each element has its important function.
I. Iron (Fe):
Healthy adults contain about 3-4 grams of iron, just enough to make a small nail, accounting for only about 4/10000 of the body weight.
Iron is human hemoglobin and myoglobin, which are important raw materials for hematopoiesis. Iron can also promote the transformation of β -carotene into vitamin A, clear blood lipids, produce antibodies, synthesize some important substances (purine and collagen) in the body, and participate in the detoxification of the liver. Iron is very important in infancy, adolescence and pregnancy, and it is an indispensable element for vegetarians.
According to the World Health Organization, iron deficiency is the main cause of anemia, and there are about 30% anemia people in the world. Iron deficiency is a constantly changing process. First, the iron storage is exhausted, and the amount of iron transported in the blood is reduced. Finally, the demand for hematopoietic tissue is insufficient, heme synthesis is insufficient, and the volume of red blood cells becomes smaller, which will produce the symptoms of spherical anemia.
Food source: liver, yeast powder, wheat germ, eggs.
Second, copper (Cu):
The content of copper in human body is about 100 to 150 mg. Copper is widely distributed in brain, muscle, liver, kidney and other tissues, among which the liver has the most reserves.
Copper will participate in the synthesis of red blood cells, protein and hemoglobin, help hematopoiesis, participate in biochemistry, electron transfer and redox.
If the human body is short of copper, it will make the metabolism of cholesterol in the body disorder, cause the metabolism disorder of myocardial cells, easily lead to myocardial injury and arteriosclerosis, and lead to coronary heart disease and hypertension. In addition, when the human body is short of copper, the movement of fallopian tubes, eggs and fertilized eggs is inhibited, leading to infertility.
Food source: pork, pork liver, sesame, soybean and spinach.
Three. Zinc:
The content of zinc in human body is about1.5 ~ 2.5g, of which 60% exists in muscle and 30% in bone. The organs with the highest zinc content in the body are eyes, hair and testicles.
Zinc is an important element in the hippocampus of human memory center, which is closely related to the biosynthesis of DNA, RNA and protein. It can promote the growth and development of the body and accelerate the healing of traumatic tissues. Zinc is also a component or activator of many metalloenzymes in human body. Zinc enzymes are involved in the synthesis and decomposition of various biological components, such as carbohydrates, lipids, protein and nucleic acids, which are closely related to the normal development of the body. In addition, zinc can also affect people's taste and appetite. Zinc is also involved in the synthesis and function of insulin and affects adrenocortical hormone.
If the human body is short of zinc, there will be growth retardation, short stature and dysplasia of sexual organs in childhood. In addition, it can also cause abnormal taste, pica and anorexia, and the wound is difficult to heal.
Food sources: oysters, fish, seafood, beans and cereals.
Four. Iodine (I):
The iodine content in human body is about 25-50 mg, which is one million times of human body weight, of which about 15-20 mg is stored in thyroid, and the rest is distributed in muscle, adrenal gland, ovary and central nervous system.
Iodine can assist the synthesis and function of thyroxine, regulate human body temperature and promote growth and development.
If the human body lacks iodine, it will lead to insufficient synthesis of thyroxine, goiter, the patient's neck will gradually thicken, and even breathing and swallowing difficulties will occur, which will also lead to listlessness and fatigue. In addition, human iodine deficiency may also produce a rare disease called endemic cretinism, which is characterized by mental retardation, growth retardation and short stature of developing children.
Food sources: iodized salt, marine fish, seaweed, peanuts, soybeans and cabbage.
Verb (abbreviation for verb) chromium:
The content of chromium in human body is about 7 mg, which is mainly distributed in bone, skin, adrenal gland, brain and muscle.
Chromium is very important for blood glucose metabolism. Can improve the function of insulin, so that glucose can smoothly enter human cells to generate energy. If you have diabetes or hypoglycemia, chromium can be used to regulate glucose metabolism in the body. In addition, chromium also plays an active role in raising high density lipoprotein (HDL) and lowering cholesterol level, which is helpful to prevent and improve cardiovascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis and hypertension. Chromium can also help the human body to reduce body fat content and increase lean tissue, thus helping to promote metabolism and maintain ideal weight (the more lean tissue, the higher the metabolic rate).
Food source: for example, nuts contain chromium; Almonds, walnuts, etc.
Six, selenium (Se):
The content of selenium in human body is about 6 to 20 mg, which is mainly distributed in lymph nodes, liver and spleen. These tissues are also the concentration of immune cells, so selenium exists in almost all immune cells in human body.
Selenium has the functions of protecting thymus, maintaining lymphocyte activity and promoting antibody formation. Selenium can produce immunoglobulins and antibodies in the body, thus effectively resisting the invasion of colds, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal diseases, liver diseases, cancer and other diseases, and has the title of "king of cancer".
If the human body lacks selenium, it will lead to premature aging, decreased immune function, listlessness, and small lesions will be out of control. When selenium is seriously deficient, it will also lead to cardiomyopathy and heart failure.
Food sources: sesame, animal offal, garlic, mushrooms, seafood.