Acidosis and alkalosis

Table 12 Acidosis and alkalosis

Calcium

This element occurs in acidic-milk products such as curdle, cheese, and milk. It is stored in bones and teeth as Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 - hydroxyapatit. Biologic role: 1) participation in bones and teeth formation; 2) nervous-muscular excitability; 3) muscular contraction; 4) 1-st mechanism of action of hormones; 5) coagulation of blood.

The normal level in blood is 2.25-2.75mM/L. Increase of calcium is observed in tumors of bones, hyperfunction of parathyroid glands, hypervitaminosis of vitamin D. decrease of calcium in blood is observed in hypofunction of parathyroid glands, hypovitaminosis D.

Phosphorus

This element occurs in fish and sea-products and also in milk and meat. It is stored as calcium in bones and teeth in the kind of apatit. Biologic role: 1) takes part in bones and teeth formation with calcium; 2) it is a part of phosphoproteins, phospholipids, ATP, DNA, RNA, different nucleotides and their derivatives.

The normal level of total phosphorus is 3-5mM/L; inorganic phosphorus – 0.67-1.5mM/L. Increase of phosphorus is observed in hypofunction of parathyroid glands, hypervitaminosis D. Decrease of phosphorus is observed in hyperfunction of parathyroid glands and hypovitaminosis D.

Magnesium:food source – millet, walnut, peas, string bean. Mg is stored in bones and teeth in the kind of phosphate and carbonate’s salts. The biologic role of Mg: 1) activator of kinases and phosphatases; 2) stimulation of peristalsis of intestine; 3) it participates in nerve impulse transmission; 4) relaxes muscles incl. Vessels; 5) participates in glycolysis

Chlorine:food source – NaCl. It is stored in skin in the kind of NaCl. The biologic role: 1) formation of HCl of gastric juice; 2) participates in nerve impulse transmission; 3) maintains osmotic pressure; 4) regulates acid-base balance

Sulfur:food source – onion, garlic, meat. Sulfur is constituent of keratin, glutathione, methionine, all proteins, esterosulfuric acids. So, it is stored in skin and hairs, nails. The biologic role: 1) structural; 2) detoxification; 3) antioxidant

Iron:food source – meat, liver, kidneys. Plant iron is badly absorbed. Iron is stored in the kind of ferritin in liver. Transferrin is transport form of iron. Iron is a constituent of hemoglobin, myoglobin, catalase, peroxidase, cytochromes, iron-sulfur proteins.

Fluorine:food source is water and sea-products. It is stored in bones and teeth in the kind of fluoride-apatites – Ca10(PO)4F2. The biologic role is structural one. Lack of fluorine results in caries; excess of fluorine results in fluorosis.

Microelements

Iodine: food source is water and sea-products. It is stored in thyroid gland in the kind of thyroid hormones (you should revise formation of thyroid hormones). The role is function in thyroid hormones

Copper: food source is liver. It stored in liver too. Transport form is ceruloplasmin. The biologic role: 1) antioxidant role of ceruloplasmin and superoxidedismutase; 2) ceruloplasmin is a protein of acute phase; 3) copper is a constituent of copper-enzyme of skin, superoxidedismutase, cytochrome oxydase; 4) it participates in heamatogenesis and growth

Zinc: food source – cucumbers, liver. It is stored in liver and erythrocytes, gonads and pancreas. The biologic role: 1) stimulates gonads; 2) insulin, superoxide dismutase, carboxypeptidase, carbonic anhydrase contain this element

Cobalt: food source – sherry, cabbage, beet, liver. It is stored in liver. Cobalt is a constituent of vitamin B12. Hence is its role (in methylation and therefore in heamatogenesis, cells division)

Selenium: food source is water, black bread, garlic. It is stored in retina, heart, kidneys. the biologic role: 1) it is a constituent of glutathioneperoxidase (antioxidant role); 2) antitumor function (directly and indirectly); 3) vision; 4) prevents myocardium from infarction

Other macro- and microelements and available information see in textbooks on biochemistry

Water metabolism

The importance of water:

1) Water takes part in reactions of hydrolysis, hydration, dehydration e.c.

2) Water is universal solvent

3) Transport function

4) Thermoregulation

5) Water provides hormonal regulation

Kinds of water and its distribution depend on age:

There are free and coupled (hydrated) water; exogenic and endogenic water.

There are extracellular and intracellular water. By adults extracellular water makes up 1/3 and intracellular water does 2/3. By newborn this correlation is reverse: extracellular water is more than intracellular one. Extracellular water is mobile sector, i.e. this water participates in thermoregulation, transport and hormonal regulation. This is reserve mechanism for newborn.

Distribution of water depend on localization: 1/3 of extracellular water (20%) is divided into extracellular liquid (12%), intravessel’s one (5%), transcellular’s one – 1-3% (water of cavities). The main reserve of water is muscles (50% of total water), then skin and liver.

The way of formation of endogenic water is biologic oxidation. For example, oxidation of 100g of TAG gives 107ml of water; 100g of carbohydrates gives 55 ml of water; 100 g of proteins gives 41 g of water.

The concept of water metabolism (incl. Exchange of water between tissues and blood): sources of water are water that we drink and food stuffs (milk, milk products, watermelon, melon, cucumbers, tomatoes and other vegetables, fruits and food products. Absorption of water begins in gaster and continues in intestine.

The exchange of water between tissues and vessels occurs. This process is promoted by oncotic, ocmotic and hydrostatic pressure. In arterial ends of capillaries the hydrostatic pressure is more than oncotic and osmotic pressure and water exits from vessels into extracellular liquid and then it enters the cells. So the trophic of tissues occurs. In venous ends of capillaries hydrostatic pressure is low, but oncotic and osmotic pressure is more than hydrostatic one and water with final products of metabolism enters the vessels. So excretion occurs. The loss of 10-12% of water results in serious derangement. The loss of 20-25% of water causes the death.

The excretion of water occurs through kidneys (1.5 L), skin (0.5 L), lungs (0.5L), intestine (0.3L).