ELECTROLYTES AND IT FUNCTIONS

DMLT/KKM MANAGEMENT & SCIENCE

UNIVERSITY

What is electrolyte?Chemically, electrolyte is the substances that become ions in

solution.

It acquire the capacity to conduct the electricity.

Electrolytes are present in human body.

The balance of the electrolyte is essential to our cell and organs to

function normally.

Stability of the electrolyte depend on several factors:

Adequate intake of water.

Adequate intake of electrolyte-containing foods

Homeostatic conditions within the body.

Aid in number of vitality processes.

Heart, nerve functions, muscle control and coordination, and the

body’s ability to absorb fluids depend on electrolytes balance

Various hormones in body help regulate intake of electrolytes

The major electrolytes in our body are:

Sodium (Na+)

Potassium (K+)

Chloride (Cl-)

Calcium (Ca2+)

Magnesium (Mg2+)

Bicarbonate (HCO3-)

Phosphate (PO42-)

Sulfate (SO42-)

Types of electrolyte

There are two types of electrolyte which are CATION and ANION.

Cation is referring to the positively charged electrolyte.

Anion is referring to the negatively charged electrolyte.

Cation electrolyte are:

Sodium (Na+)

Potassium (K+)

Calcium (Ca2+)

Magnesium (Mg2+)

Anion electrolyte are:

Chloride (Cl-)

Bicarbonate (HCO3-)

Phosphate (PO42-)

Sulfate (SO42-)

Function of cation electrolyte Sodium (Na+)

Major positive ion in fluid that can be found outside of the cells.

The excess of sodium will be secreted out through urine.

At extracellular, the concentration of sodium is 15 times higher

than potassium.

Functions of the sodium

o Create osmotic pressure of extracellular fluid.

o Regulate the total amount of water in the body.

o Essential for electrical activity of neurons and muscle cells.

Potassium (K+)

Major positive ion that can be found inside the cells.

Within the intracellular, the situation is reversed where the

concentration of potassium is 30 times higher than sodium.

Functions:

o Normal level is needed for normal cell function.

o Regulation of the heart beat.

o Essential for electrical activity of neurons and muscle cells.

• Calcium (Ca2+)

Can be found most abundantly (98%) in bones and teeth.

The remaining of calcium can be found tissue and fluid.

Calcium are constantly under the influence of the Calcitonin

hormone, which will promotes the bone growth and decrease

calcium level in blood.

Another hormone that influence the calcium is Parathyroid

hormone.

In the bloodstream, the calcium is bound to the protein.

Functions:

o Build bone and teeth.

o Maintain bone strength

o Muscle contraction

o Blood clotting

o Maintenance of the cell membrane

o Activation of enzyme

o Synthesis of hormone

o Nerve transmission

Magnesium (Mg2+)

The fourth most abundant cation in body.

About 50% present in the bones.

Small amount of the magnesium can be found in the

extracellular and a lot of remaining magnesium can be found in

intracellular fluid.

Functions:

o Essential for ATP production

o Activator for various physiochemical processes ( Phosphorylation,

protein synthesis and DNA metabolism)

o Essential for activity of neurons and muscle cells.

Function of anion electrolyte

• Chloride (Cl-)

The most abundant anion in the extracellular fluid.

It easily diffuses into and out of the cells.

At the glomerulus, it will be filtered out and reabsorb in

conjunction with Na+ by the proximal tubules.

Excess of calcium will be excreted through urine and sweating.

Functions:

o Regulate the osmotic pressure, proper body hydration and electric

neutrality

o The part of the hydrochloric acid in the stomach

Phosphate (PO42-)

Phosphate is most abundant (85%) in the bones and teeth.

Small amount of phosphate are also used to in the body to

maintain the tissue and fluids.

Function:

o Energy production

o Build bone and teeth

o Acid – base balance

o Essential in metabolism and cell membrane

Bicarbonate (HCO3-)

Bicarbonate ions act as the buffer.

Bicarbonate levels are measured to monitor the acidity of the

blood and body fluids.

Functions:

o Keep the acid – base status of the body in balance.

Sulfate (SO42-)

Sulfate is a part of the amino acid and protein in a form of

sulfur.

Sulfur present in all of the cells in human body.

Function of sulfur:

o Maintain protein structure

o Detoxification

TYPES OF MACROMINERAL

Work together metabolically as well as independently, and the

electrolytes (sodium, potassium and chloride) which are

involved primarily in the body’s fluid balance.

The macrominerals are the minerals that require more than

100 mg.

Macrominerals include:

Calcium

Magnesium

Phosphorus  

• The microminerals are the minerals that body require less than

100 mg.

• The microminerals much larger group of nutrients. This group is

also commonly referred to as the trace minerals.

• The most important of which include:

Chromium

Copper

Iodine

Iron

Selenium

Zinc

TYPES OF MICROMINERAL

Copper

- helps protect cells from damage

- needed for making bone and red blood cells

- sources from shellfish (especially oysters), chocolate,

mushrooms, nuts, beans and whole-grain cereals

Fluoride

- needed for making bones and teeth

- sources from saltwater fish, tea and fluoridated water

Iodine

- needed for your thyroid gland to function properly

- sources from seafood, iodized salt (salt that has had iodine

added to it) and drinking water (in regions with iodine-rich soil, which

are usually near an ocean)

Zinc

- needed for healthy skin

- needed for healing wounds, such as cuts

- helps your body fight off illnesses and infections

- sources from red meat (beef, pork, and lamb) and legumes.

Iron

- helps red blood cells deliver oxygen to body tissues (If you

don't get enough iron, you could get iron deficiency anemia.)

- helps muscles function

- sources from red meat (such as beef), tuna and salmon, eggs,

beans, baked potato with skins, dried fruit (like apricots, prunes,

and raisins), leafy green vegetables (such as spinach and turnip

greens), whole grains (like whole wheat or oats) and breakfast

cereals fortified with iron.

Selenium

- helps protect cells from damage

- needed for your thyroid gland to function properly

- sources from brazil nuts, fish, shellfish, red meat,

enriched breads, eggs, chicken and wheat germ

Daily requirement….

Electrolytes Daily requirement

Sodium(chloride, acetate, or phosphate)

60-150 mEq

Potassium (chloride, acetate, or phosphate)

70-150 mEq

Chloride(sodium or potassium)

60-150 mEq

Magnesium (sulfate)

8-24 mEq

Phosphate (sodium or potassium)

7-10 mmol per 1000 kcal

NORMAL LEVEL OF ELECTROLYTESNormal Adult Values:

Calcium:

4.5-5.5 mEq/L

Chloride:

97-107 mEq/L

Potassium:

3.5-5.3 mEq/L

Magnesium:

1.5-2.5 mEq/L

Sodium:

136-145 mEq/L

PROBLEM WITH ELECTROLYTE BALANCE

SODIUM

Hyponatremia:

may result from not enough sodium in diet, or overhydrated.

the person does not have a enough salt in body.

it also can happen when the body produced to much antidiuretics

hormone.

overproduction of this hormone will caused disorders such as

pneumonia and stroke and by drugs, including anticonvulsants .

Other disorders that can cause a low sodium level include poorly

controlled diabetes, heart failure, liver failure, and kidney disorders.

low of sodium level can cause confusion, drowsiness, muscle

weakness and seizures.

Hypernatremia

A high sodium level caused by dehydration or diuretics.

thirst is the first symptom of hypernatremia .

the hypernatremia can caused confusion, paralysis, coma and

seizures.

POTASSIUMHypokalemia

low potassium level of diuretic caused the kidney to excrete more

potassium in urine.

the low potassium level can results from having the diarrhea or

vomiting for long time.

body produce less insulin if potassium level low for a long time.

low of potassium level can caused fatigue, confusion, muscle cramp

and weakness.

very low potassium level can caused paralysis and abnormal heart

rhythms .

for the person who take the digoxin, the abnormal heart rhythms can

develop when potassium level moderately low.

Hyperkalemia :

high potassium more dangerous then a low potassium level.

caused kidney failure.

the symptom is abnormal heart rhythm.

CALCIUMHypocalcemia

low calcium level result when body produced less parathyroid

hormone.

can also caused by deficiency of vitamin D.

The disorder for hypocalcemia was underactive thyroid

gland(hypothyroidism) and pancreatitis.

Hypercalcemia

high calcium level results when bone is broken down and calcium

release in bloodstream.

high calcium level also result from level of thyroid hormone

abnormally high.

calcium released when cancer spread to the bone or Paget’s disease

becomes severe.

high level caused by the dehydration. It causes the kidneys to

excrete more water.

its can cause loss of appetite, nausea, vomitting and confusion.

it also can caused coma and die.