Macroelement, -nutrient

The last column in the table lists some of the functions of minerals. It should be noted that almost all of the macroelements in the body function either as nutrients or electrolytes. Iodine (as a result of its incorporation into iodothyronines) and calcium act as signaling substances. Most trace elements are cofactors for proteins, especially for enzymes. Particularly important in quantitative terms are the iron proteins hemoglobin, myoglobin, and the cytochromes (see p. 286), as well as more than 300 different zinc proteins. 

Minerals represent from 0.2-0.3% of the total intake of all nutrients in the diet. They are so potent and so important that without them the organism would not be able to utilize the remaining 99.7% of the food. The main mass of these minerals constitutes the macroelements the trace elements constitute only a hundredth of a percent of the total mass of daily eaten nutrients. Foods that are good sources of minerals are given in Table 4.1. 

All organisms need the essential macroelements or macronutrients—C, H, O, P, K, N, S, Ca, Fe, and Mg—in relatively large amounts to complete their life cycle. A mnemonic phrase to remember them is See Hopkins cafe, mighty good. Iron is needed in smaller amounts than the others, but is necessary for the mnemonic. Animals additionally require Na and Cl as macroelements, but since animal biomass is only 1/10 000 that of plant biomass, animal requirements are insignificant in the overall picture. Macroelements have been called macronutrients for a long time, but nutrient implies energy content, as in carbohydrates. 

Nutrients, macro, trace and ultra trace elements in the feed chain of mouflons and their mineral status. First part Nutrients and Macroelements. In Nahlik A and Uloth W, eds. Third International Symposium on Mouflon. pp. 225-242, Lover Print, Sopron Hungary. 

The major function of these cells includes uptake of nutrients (sugars, lipids, peptides, vitamins, micro- and macroelements) and water. 

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