Katherine Harris C:3 Mr. Mixon First: Do humans have minerals in our bodies? If so what are they and what do they do? Second: How do minerals affect how the human brain works? Third: How do minerals affect the way the human brain behaves? Final Question: What are the top five minerals that affect how the brain behaves, and what do they do to affect the brain?

Before I researched anything for this project I had to make an assumption for my project, but I didn’t really have one to make since there was nothing for this question to compare to, and I didn’t really know anything about what minerals do for our brains (brains, just the brain).

Intro about the human brain: There are five most important minerals to the human’s brain, they are iron, magnesium, zinc, calcium, and selenium.( I chose to research some of the important ones, but I chose to also research one not on the list). In general you should absorb a certain amount of minerals a day to keep your brain functioning normally,but if there is a lack of minerals for the brain many things can happen. For example lack of magnesium and elevated calcium levels cause biochemical depression. This is when there is great fatigue and people become sluggish. Lack of magnesium and elevated calcium is slow metabolic or oxidation rate. So in other words, lack of minerals in the brain can cause disorders.

Iron: carries oxygen from our lungs through out our bodies. Also helps our muscle store and use oxygen. So Iron mainly benefits on how our circulatory system functions. Iron can be absorbed from mainly meat, poultry, and fish Iron deficiency is the number one leading cause of anemia in the United States. Anemia can affect your organs and the way the function and cause them to act abnormally. A healthy person has the following amounts of iron a day milligrams milligrams milligrams

Magnesium: helps your brain with Synaptic Plasticity (the ability to signal other cells). One of the more important things magnesium does is it helps energize your brain which helps you tolerate stress, and recover from trauma. Magnesium also does the following · Gives rigidity AND flexibility to your bones (more important than Calcium in many cases) · Regulates and normalizes blood pressure · Promotes restful sleep · Decreases insulin resistance · End cluster and migraine headaches · Helps make proteins · Proper Vitamin D absorption · protection from radiation · To aid weight loss A healthy person has the following amounts of magnesium every day Male: 400mg a day Female has 300 mg a day Found in whole grains and nuts. But to a lesser extent it can be found in fruits and vegetables. If you have Magnesium deficiency it can: Sensitivity to noise Headaches Poor coordination Carbohydrate cravings Gut disorders Inability to sleep or insomnia Irritability

Copper: helps to produce red and white blood cells, and triggers the release of iron to form hemoglobin – the substance that carries oxygen around the body is thought to be important for infant growth, brain development, the immune system and strong bones Copper is in almost everything you eat, but is most in abundance with coffee, chocolate, avocado, soy, shellfish, shrimp, and lobster. The average child our age needs about 1.2 mg a day of copper. The following happens if you have Copper deficiency: Tremors, difficulty swallowing, difficulty speaking, drooling, and personality changes.

Zinc: involved with maintaining cell membranes and protecting cells from damage. Found in red meats, liver, eggs, dairy products, and some seafood’s. Kids about our age need: Children 9–13 years 8 mg Zinc deficiency can cause neurological impairment influencing appetite, taste, smell, vision. Lack of zinc can cause apathy, irritability, jitteriness, and fatigue.

Sub Questions I had while researching Would it be better to take a minerals supplement ( such as an iron tablet) than to eat normal foods containing the minerals everyday? How do minerals compare to vitamins in these cases? What would happen if we didn’t have these minerals, for our brains? What other things could we use to substitute for them ( if there are any)?

Wrap-Up Action: Over one of the weekends we had while working on the project I decided to try eating the foods on my mineral list and get the right amounts of minerals a day. The effect over the weekend was I felt much better than I normally did because usually, I eat packaged foods at lunch ( not healthy). Difficulties: The time I had was difficult to manage since I was working by myself I worked alone and normally I have a partner that tells me what I should do I had to work of off mu own question rather than have a set and stone answer. The chart was difficult to figure out what I should put in the boxes I kept finding information about vitamin for your brain, and not as much mineral answers I didn't have anything to compare to so I could really make big assumptions, and I had to narrow down my answers without comparing anything. Aim: to finish a presentation on four minerals for our brain health by 3/29/15

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