Elements and Their Functions Inside the Human Body Research Paper

1235 Words5 Pages
Everyone knows that human bodies are composed of elements; however, not everyone realizes how large a role elements play inside the human body to keep their body’s healthy. . Elements help the human body produce enzymes which fuel thousands of chemical reactions inside the body (French, 2009). They also assist in the body’s regulation of certain substances; which helps keep the vital substances in, and the harmful substances out. Without elements, the human body would be no longer able to function properly and humans could not survive. The most abundant element within the human body is Calcium. Calcium helps maintain bone strength and structure because bones are made largely of hydroxyapatite crystals, which are about 40% Calcium (Higdon, 2003). Calcium slightly helps the body to maintain a healthy body composition. In a study done on a Dutch population, a weak inverse relationship is shown between calcium and body mass index, meaning that as calcium dosages were increased, the body mass index decreased slightly (Boon, Koppes, Saris, & Van Mechelen, 2005). Calcium also aids the body with blood clotting (French, 2009). Calcium also helps reduce stress and prevent the absorption of radioactive materials, such as cadmium and lead (French, 2009). Calcium also helps to maintain normal alkalinity levels within the bloodstream by signaling the constriction and relaxation of blood vessels. The maximum activity of proteins and enzymes is also largely due to Calcium because the binding of Calcium ions is necessary for the activation of seven clotting agents in the coagulation cascade. A coagulation cascade is a series of sequences that stops bleeding through clot formations (Higdon, 2003). Magnesium amounts to about 25 grams inside the body, and is the fourth most common mineral inside the body (Dietary supplements, 2009). Magnesium helps the body to

More about Elements and Their Functions Inside the Human Body Research Paper

Open Document