At present, it is determined that there are 14 kinds of trace elements that are beneficial to human body and must be ingested, including: iron, copper, zinc, manganese, chromium, cobalt, vanadium, tin, nickel, molybdenum, iodine, fluorine, tin and silicon. When various physiological activities are carried out in the body or people participate in external sports, they all play different roles and are very important for maintaining human health.
1. Physiological functions of trace elements
By participating in metabolism and various biochemical reactions in human body, trace elements maintain normal physiological activities of the body, such as promoting the synthesis of various enzymes and enhancing the activity of enzymes, which is the basis for the body to carry out various activities and maintain life movement. In addition, they also have the functions of inhibiting free radicals, antioxidation, participating in hormone synthesis, transmitting information, maintaining cell vitality and normal functioning of human sensory function.
2. The relationship between trace elements and health
Trace elements are very important for maintaining human health. If ingested improperly, it will lead to various diseases and even life-threatening in severe cases. For example, iron has hematopoietic function, and serious deficiency may lead to various anemia; Zinc can promote the synthesis of enzymes and participate in many physiological activities. Zinc deficiency in children will seriously hinder growth and development, and zinc deficiency in pregnant women will lead to abortion and fetal malformation. Iodine can regulate the secretion of thyroid hormone, and serious deficiency will lead to goiter disease. ...
3. Food sources of trace elements
Trace elements exist in a wide range, and both animal food and plant food contain trace elements. Such as rice, millet, wheat, corn and other natural grains; Spinach, radish, lettuce, cucumber, celery and other vegetables; Apples, sweet oranges, cantaloupes, watermelons and other fruits; Nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and pine nuts; Fish, shrimp, crab and other aquatic products; There are also foods such as animal liver and meat. It's just that their trace element contents and types are different. Therefore, people should learn to match food in a reasonable and balanced way in their daily diet, and get enough trace elements to ensure their health.
Due to the deepening research on the relationship between trace elements and human body, life science has made great progress. Through the study of trace elements, an incurable disease with unknown reasons was discovered. The four endemic diseases such as goiter, Keshan disease, Kaschin-Beck disease and skeletal fluorosis are all related to the lack or excess of trace elements. Three diseases that seriously threaten human life-heart disease, cerebrovascular accident and cancer-are also related to trace elements. In addition, the high incidence areas of esophageal cancer, nasopharyngeal cancer and liver cancer have obvious geographical distribution characteristics, which are also related to the lack of some trace elements in local soil and water.
The fastest growth and development period of human body is embryo, infant and adolescent, during which the demand for trace element zinc is the greatest. According to the figures published in 1986, two-thirds of preschool children in China are short of zinc. Due to the imbalance of trace elements and metabolic disorder, free radicals and peroxides cannot be removed in time, which leads to the aging of cells, tissues and organisms, which can lead to the decline of immune function and induce various diseases. In addition, trace elements are related to heredity. To improve the quality of population, we should start with genetics and embryo development.
To improve people's work efficiency, including the work efficiency of manual workers and mental workers, and improve their intelligence and thinking ability, it is also required that the intake of trace elements from food reach the optimal value, and there must be an optimal proportional relationship between various trace elements. The energy conversion of human body needs a catalyst-enzyme, which is the basis of life phenomena, and the active center of enzyme is the trace element zinc.
In short, people's health at every age is related to trace elements and needs to be adjusted. Only by maintaining the internal environment balance can human health be maintained.
Many areas have carried out the detection and analysis of trace elements in Chinese herbal medicines. The action mechanism and curative effect of traditional Chinese medicine can be found in trace elements. The theory of nourishing yin and strengthening yang in traditional Chinese medicine is probably that trace elements are playing a regulatory role. The study of trace elements can explain the phenomenon of knowing what is known but not knowing why with the theory of modern medicine.
Around the theme of trace elements and health, some progress has been made in applying trace elements to planting and aquaculture. Trace elements can be applied to vegetables and fruits as fertilizers and used as feed additives to raise livestock, which can achieve the effects of increasing production, reducing diseases and improving trace element content. From the point of view of biological chain, transforming inorganic trace elements into organic trace elements is more conducive to human digestion and absorption. This is the best way to supplement trace elements. To carry out the work in this field on a large scale requires the joint efforts of all relevant disciplines.