Blood is a liquid, red connective tissue that is constantly in motion and performs many complex and important functions for the body. It constantly circulates in the circulatory system and carries gases and substances dissolved in it necessary for metabolic processes.
Blood structure
What is blood? This is a tissue that consists of plasma and special blood cells suspended in it. Plasma is a clear yellowish liquid that makes up more than half of the total blood volume. ... It contains three main types of shaped elements:
- erythrocytes - red cells that give the blood a red color due to the hemoglobin in them;
- leukocytes - white cells;
- platelets - platelets.
Arterial blood, which flows from the lungs to the heart and then travels to all organs, is enriched with oxygen and has a bright scarlet color. After the blood has given oxygen to the tissues, it returns through the veins to the heart. Deprived of oxygen, it becomes darker.
In the circulatory system of an adult, approximately 4 to 5 liters of blood circulate. Plasma occupies about 55% of the volume, the rest falls on the uniform elements, while the majority are erythrocytes - more than 90%.
Blood is a viscous substance. The viscosity depends on the amount of proteins and erythrocytes in it. This quality affects blood pressure and movement speed. The density of blood and the nature of the movement of the formed elements is due to its fluidity. Blood cells move in different ways. They can move in groups or singly. Erythrocytes can move either individually or in whole “stacks”, just as stacked coins tend to create a flow in the center of the vessel. White cells move singly and usually stay near the walls.
Plasma is a liquid component of a light yellow color, which is caused by a small amount of bile pigment and other colored particles. It is about 90% water and about 10% organic matter and minerals dissolved in it. Its composition is not constant and varies depending on the food intake, the amount of water and salts. The composition of substances dissolved in plasma is as follows:
- organic - about 0.1% glucose, about 7% proteins and about 2% fats, amino acids, lactic and uric acid and others;
- minerals make up 1% (anions of chlorine, phosphorus, sulfur, iodine and cations of sodium, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium.
Plasma proteins take part in the exchange of water, distribute it between tissue fluid and blood, impart viscosity to blood. Some of the proteins are antibodies and neutralize foreign agents. An important role is played by the soluble protein fibrinogen. He takes part in the process of blood clotting, turning under the influence of clotting factors into insoluble fibrin.
In addition, the plasma contains hormones that are produced by the endocrine glands, and other bioactive elements necessary for the functioning of the body's systems.
Plasma devoid of fibrinogen is called blood serum. You can read more about blood plasma here.
Erythrocytes
The most numerous blood cells, accounting for about 44-48% of its volume. They have the form of disks, biconcave in the center, with a diameter of about 7.5 microns. The shape of the cells ensures the efficiency of physiological processes. Due to the concavity, the surface area of the sides of the erythrocyte increases, which is important for the exchange of gases. Mature cells do not contain nuclei. The main function of red blood cells is to deliver oxygen from the lungs to the tissues of the body.
Their name is translated from Greek as "red". Erythrocytes owe their color to a very complex protein, hemoglobin, which is able to bind to oxygen. Hemoglobin contains a protein part, which is called globin, and a non-protein part (heme), which contains iron. It is thanks to the iron that hemoglobin can attach oxygen molecules.
Red blood cells are formed in the bone marrow. Their full ripening period is approximately five days. The lifespan of red cells is about 120 days. Destruction of red blood cells occurs in the spleen and liver. Hemoglobin breaks down into globin and heme. What happens to globin is unknown, but iron ions are released from heme, return to the bone marrow and go to the production of new red blood cells. Heme without iron is converted into the bile pigment bilirubin, which enters the digestive tract with bile.
A decrease in the level of red blood cells in the blood leads to a condition such as anemia, or anemia.
Leukocytes
Colorless peripheral blood cells that protect the body from external infections and pathologically altered own cells. White bodies are divided into granular (granulocytes) and non-granular (agranulocytes). The former include neutrophils, basophils, eosinophils, which are distinguished by their reaction to different dyes. The second group includes monocytes and lymphocytes. Granular leukocytes have granules in the cytoplasm and a nucleus consisting of segments. Agranulocytes are devoid of granularity, their nucleus usually has a regular round shape.
Granulocytes are formed in the bone marrow. After maturation, when granularity and segmented nucleus are formed, they enter the bloodstream, where they move along the walls, making amoeboid movements. They protect the body mainly from bacteria, are able to leave blood vessels and accumulate in foci of infections.
Monocytes are large cells that form in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, and spleen. Their main function is phagocytosis. Lymphocytes are small cells that are divided into three types (B-, T, 0-lymphocytes), each of which performs its own function. These cells produce antibodies, interferons, macrophage activation factors, and kill cancer cells.
Platelets
Small, non-nuclear, colorless plates, which are fragments of megakaryocyte cells found in the bone marrow. They can be oval, spherical, rod-shaped. Life expectancy is about ten days. The main function is to participate in the process of blood clotting. Platelets secrete substances that take part in a chain of reactions that are triggered when a blood vessel is damaged. As a result, the protein fibrinogen turns into insoluble fibrin filaments, in which blood elements become entangled and a thrombus is formed.
Blood functions
Hardly anyone doubts that blood is necessary for the body, but why it is needed, perhaps not everyone can answer. This liquid tissue has several functions, including:
- Protective. Leukocytes, namely neutrophils and monocytes, play a major role in protecting the body from infection and damage. They rush and accumulate at the site of damage. Their main purpose is phagocytosis, that is, the absorption of microorganisms. Neutrophils are microphages, and monocytes are macrophages. Other types of white blood cells - lymphocytes - produce antibodies against harmful agents. In addition, leukocytes are involved in the removal of damaged and dead tissue from the body.
- Transport. The blood supply affects almost all processes in the body, including the most important ones - respiration and digestion. With the help of blood oxygen is transferred from the lungs to tissues and carbon dioxide from tissues to lungs, organic substances from the intestine to cells, end products, which are then excreted by the kidneys, transport of hormones and other bioactive substances.
- Temperature regulation... A person needs blood to maintain a constant body temperature, the norm of which is in a very narrow range - about 37 ° C.
Conclusion
Blood is one of the tissues of the body, which has a certain composition and performs a number of important functions. For normal life, it is necessary that all components are in the blood in an optimal ratio. Changes in the composition of the blood detected during the analysis make it possible to identify pathology at an early stage.
The importance of the topic of water consumption by the population is emphasized by the deep study of the problem by such organizations as the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN) and other international societies, worried about the lack of quality drinking water in many countries, especially in Central Asia and Eastern Europe.
In modern conditions, it seems that the need for constant use of water is well-known and indisputable. However, doctors are still faced with the fact that the amount of water that patients drink is much less than the norms accepted in the world.
The percentage of water that is in the human body depends on his age: in a young person, water is up to 70%, and in an elderly person - about 45%. This difference in numbers is explained by the fact that the content of total water in the body decreases with age. So, in a newborn child, the amount of water in the body is about 75%, while in women and men over the age of 50, this figure is close to 47% and 56%, respectively.
More water in the body in men than in women, predominantly a greater body weight of the stronger sex. In the body of any person, the distribution of water is uneven: bone and adipose tissue contains the least amount of water (10% and 20%, respectively), but the internal organs are the richest in water (in the kidneys - 83%, in the liver - 68%).
Most of the body's water is located in cells (intracellular fluid) and accounts for 35 - 45% of the total body weight. Internally - vascular, intercellular and transcellular fluid makes up 15-25% of body weight in total and is combined under the name of extracellular fluid. Thus, water is the main component of the internal environment of the body, without it maintaining its basic vital functions would be impossible.
The main functions of water in the human body
- Metabolic function. Water is a polar solvent and serves as a medium for biochemical reactions. Also, water can be the end product of many of these reactions.
- Transport function. Water has the ability to transport molecules in the intracellular space, and also provides the transport of molecules from one cell to another.
- Thermoregulatory function. The even distribution of heat inside the body is precisely due to the water. During sweating, the body is cooled by evaporation of liquid, which is of great importance for the processes of physical thermoregulation.
- Excretory function. Water is involved in the elimination of metabolic products.
- Water is a part of lubricating fluids and mucus, is a component of juices and secretions of the body.
It is important that without water it is impossible to maintain the water-electrolyte balance, which is the basis for the normal functioning of the human body.
Water-electrolyte metabolism is the processes of absorption, distribution, consumption and excretion of water and salts in the body. It is water that is responsible for maintaining a constant osmotic pressure, ionic composition and acid-base state of the internal environment.
To obtain water that is safe in all respects, you should carefully choose the place of its extraction. Unfortunately, spring water cannot meet the drinking water quality standards as much as possible, because it comes from the aquifers closest to the surface.
Due to their shallow location, rainwater and melted snow are filtered in the springs; this water can contain nitrates, radionuclides, lead, mercury, cadmium, radioactive elements and industrial wastewater (and sometimes even sewage). The greatest danger is posed by water from sources with a small supply of water and from those where it is collected slowly and the surface of the source is open.
The best for drinking is water from artesian springs, which lie at a depth of 100 m. Such water has favorable sanitary and epidemic indicators and is useful for drinking.
Before using water for food, it is usually processed by various methods. The purpose of water treatment is to remove from its composition hazardous elements that can cause disease. Water purification should not significantly change its composition. It is also unacceptable to form any side compounds during cleaning, quantitatively exceeding the established sanitary and hygienic standards.
The conditions for water extraction are important as there is a risk of contamination at this stage. Therefore, everything that has contact with water during its extraction (for example, water intake, pipes and tanks) must be made of special materials suitable for use in contact with water. Extraction conditions (washing plant and water spill) must be designed so as not to adversely affect the microbiological and physicochemical characteristics of the water.
Under normal conditions, the intake of water in the body is provided by drinking water and drinks (tea, coffee, sugary, carbonated drinks) - about 80% and the use of food (liquid and solid) - 20%. We must not forget about the endogenous water formed as a result of metabolism, the production of which can significantly increase during physical exertion.
The loss of water in the body occurs mainly through excretion by the kidneys and through perspiration. Other pathways for fluid loss are through the skin, lungs, and stool. In the case of a decrease in the amount of water in the body, its lack is compensated by the use of drinks, food and metabolically produced fluids. If the loss of water is not more than 0.2% of the body weight, its compensation occurs within 24 hours. Deficiency of 10% water leads to irreversible pathological changes in the body.
The water cycle in an adult's body varies depending on indicators such as climate, physical activity, gender, age. So, the water cycle in a man with a predominantly sedentary lifestyle is 3.2 liters per day, and in a man who adheres to an active lifestyle - 4.5 liters per day. Women have a significantly lower water cycle in the body: 3.5 liters per day and 1.0 liters per day, respectively.
Water is a significant component in our habitat. The role of water in the human body ranked second in importance after air. A striking evidence of the importance of water is the fact that it is present in human organs as a whole by 70% - 90%. The water balance in the human body undergoes changes with age:
- A 12 week old fetus contains 90% water;
- at birth 80%;
- middle-aged people about 70%.
Water is found in all organs and tissues of the body, only in uneven proportions.
Today it is important to take water with a balanced mineral composition. After all, it is engaged in the removal of waste from our body, ensures the delivery of lubricant to the joints, ensures the stabilization of the temperature of our body, and also water is the vital basis of the cell.
Water supports all the necessary metabolic processes, helps to assimilate cells nutrients... The digestion process begins when the form of food becomes water-soluble and able to pass into the bloodstream through the intestinal tissue. Almost all metabolic processes of the body (more than 85%) occur in the water sphere, and therefore, with a shortage of clean water, the process of formation of free radicals in the circulatory system inevitably occurs, which in turn is the culprit of premature skin aging and subsequently the formation of wrinkles. The mucous membrane, like the eyeball, is moistened exclusively with water.
The role of water in the human body it is also characterized by the stable work of internal organs. After all, it contributes to the preservation of the flexibility of your body, lubricates your joints and helps to penetrate nutrients. In the fight against obesity, your assistant will be a stable and sufficient intake of clean water into the body. This not only contributes to a decrease in appetite, but also helps to metabolize stored fat. Thanks to the optimal water balance, fat cells leave your body with ease.
Water is a heat carrier and a thermoregulator of your body. It absorbs the present excess heat, then evaporates through the skin and the respiratory system, thus removing this excess. But heat and intense exercise promote intense evaporation of water from the surface of the body. Cool water, being absorbed from the stomach into the blood, will provide the necessary cooling, thereby helping your body protect itself from overheating. While exercising, it is necessary to maintain the normal functioning of the body, and for this, drink in small portions about 1 liter per hour.
Even if there is no physical activity in your regimen, this does not free you from replenishing the water deficit. The air in modern rooms is increasingly overheated or conditioned, and this leads to its own dryness and dehydration. A similar situation occurs when traveling by train, plane and car. It also removes water from the body and drinking coffee, tea and alcoholic beverages. The role of water for the human body is to maintain its vitality. Any person can live without food for more than a month, and without water - only a couple of days. When the body is 10% dehydrated, physical and mental disability sets in. And when you are dehydrated by 20%, death occurs. The water contained in the body is exchanged during the day at a rate of 3% - 6%, and within 10 days, about 50% is exchanged.
Protective role of water in the human body consists in increasing the body's resistance to stress, and this is so important in modern conditions. Water helps to thin the blood, fight fatigue. The foundation healthy way life consists of proper nutrition, active pastime and the consumption of quality water. So, taking into account what role water plays in the human body, it must be of high quality, otherwise the harmful elements in it will immediately spread throughout the body.
Copper (lat. Cuprum) is a soft reddish metal, pink in color, in places with brown and variegated tempering. An excellent conductor of heat and electricity, second only to silver in this respect. Copper is well processed by pressure: it is easily drawn into wire and rolled into thin sheets.
Physical properties of copper:
Specific gravity - 8.93 g / cm 3;
Specific heat at 20 ° C - 0.094 cal / deg;
Melting point - 1083 ° C;
Boiling point - 2600 ° C;
Linear expansion coefficient (at a temperature of about 20 ° C) - 16.7 x10 6 (1 / deg);
Thermal conductivity coefficient - 335kcal / m hour deg;
Resistivity at 20 ° C - 0.0167 Ohm mm 2 / m.
Chemical properties.
It does not oxidize in dry air under normal conditions.
Copper does not interact with hydrogen, carbon and nitrogen even at high temperatures.
Acids that do not have oxidizing properties do not affect copper, for example, hydrochloric and dilute sulfuric acids. But in the presence of atmospheric oxygen, copper dissolves in these acids with the formation of the corresponding salts:
2Cu + 4HCl + O 2 = 2CuCl 2 + 2H 2 O.
The most important copper compounds: oxides Cu 2 O, CuO, Cu 2 O 3; hydroxide Cu (OH) 2, nitrate Cu (NO 3) 2 .3H 2 O, sulfide CuS, sulfate (copper sulfate) CuSO 4 .5H 2 O, carbonate CuCO 3 Cu (OH) 2, chloride CuCl 2 .2H 2 O ...
The fact that copper is the main element for life became known only in 1928.
ROLE OF COPPER IN THE BODY
The human body contains 100 - 150 mg of copper. Muscles contain 45% of this element, 20% in the liver, 20% in bone tissue and 15% in the heart, kidneys, blood and brain. The main excretion occurs with bile. Copper is one of the essential essential trace elements that are essential for normal human life. It is contained in the body in extremely small quantities, but at the same time it participates in a large number of biological processes. The role of copper in the body is enormous.
1. Takes an active part in the construction of many proteins and enzymes necessary for the body, as well as in the processes of growth and development of cells and tissues.
2. Participates in the processes of hematopoiesis. Copper, along with iron, plays an important role in the formation of red blood cells, is involved in the synthesis of hemoglobin and myoglobin.
3. It has a great influence on the condition of the epithelium, bone and connective tissues (in particular, collagen protein contains copper).
4. Copper plays a very important role in blood vessels. Thanks to her, they take the correct shape, remaining strong and elastic for a long time (contributes to the formation of elastin, a connective tissue that forms an inner layer that serves as a vascular framework).
5. Participates in the work of the endocrine system, maintains it normal, and also stimulates the activity of pituitary hormones.
6. Copper plays an important role in enhancing immunity and neutralizing free radicals. It increases the body's resistance to certain infections and has a pronounced anti-inflammatory property.
7. Improving the functioning of the endocrine glands, promoting the production of essential enzymes and juices, copper normalizes the digestion process and protects the digestive system from damage and inflammation.
8. Copper plays an important role in the production of sex hormones in women.
9. Essential for the synthesis of endorphins, which reduce pain and improve mood.
10. Enhances collagen synthesis, and this protein makes the skin beautiful and elastic.
11. Copper plays a huge role in the formation of the brain and nervous system- it is the main component of the myelin sheaths, without which nerve fibers cannot conduct impulses.
Daily requirement
Daily requirement organism in copper:
- from one to 3 years - 1 mg;
- from 4 to 6 years old - 1.5 mg;
- from 7 to 12 years old - 1.8 mg;
- from 13 to 18 years old - 2.0 mg;
- after 18 years - 2.5 mg.
During pregnancy and lactation (breastfeeding), the recommended daily dose is 2.5 - 3.0 mg.
Additional reception is recommended for increased physical activity(for example, athletes), as well as people who abuse alcohol and smoke.
If immunity is reduced, with anemia or various inflammations, you also need to increase the daily dose in order to put the body in order.
Pierce a fresh apple with copper wire and let it sit overnight. Eat on an empty stomach in the morning. The daily requirement for copper is guaranteed to you.
Upper acceptable level copper consumption per day - 5 mg.
Toxic dose for humans: more than 250 mg.
Copper is found in almost all vegetables and fruits, it is abundant in buckwheat and oatmeal, in legumes, in potatoes and apples, in mushrooms and nuts, in chocolate and cocoa. There is a lot of copper in pumpkin seeds, wheat bran and bran bread, cabbage, carrots, etc. We can easily get a sufficient amount of a micronutrient from the usual diet, and it is not advisable to artificially increase its share in the diet.
| PRODUCTS | Copper in mg per 100 g edible parts product |
| Roasted veal liver | 24 |
| Roasted lamb liver | 13 |
| Oysters | 7,5 |
| Spinach | 7 |
| Boiled eels | 6,5 |
| Buckwheat | 5 |
| Dry yeast | 5 |
| Salad | 4 |
| Cocoa powder | 3,8 |
| Sunflower seeds | 2,3 |
| Cashew nuts | 2,1 |
| Oats grain | 2,0 |
| Boiled shrimps | 1,9 |
| Potato | 1,8 |
| Boiled crabs | 1,8 |
| Brazilian nuts | 1,8 |
| Dog-rose fruit | 1,8 |
| Pumpkin seeds | 1,6 |
| Chocolate | 1,5 |
| Sesame seeds | 1,5 |
| Walnuts | 1,3 |
| Wheat bran | 1,2 |
| Hazelnut | 1,2 |
| Cheese | 1,1 |
| Peanut | 1,0 |
| Almond | 1,0 |
| Currant | 0,8 |
| Mushrooms | 0,7 |
| Raisin | 0,4 |
| Garlic | 0,3 |
| Prunes | 0,3 |
| Beans | 0,2 |
| Bananas | 0,1 |
| Beet | 0,1 |
| Carrot | 0,1 |
If the majority of vitamins and microelements are destroyed during thermal processing of food, then this does not apply to copper. Its amount will remain unchanged both after boiling and after frying.
Foods high in copper may not be absorbed due to the fact that you are consuming too much of the fact that interferes with its absorption. A large number of milk casein in the body does not allow copper to be absorbed. And absolutely all dairy products are rich in them. Therefore, if in the morning you eat an omelet, a sandwich with cheese and coffee with milk, milk soup for lunch, and add a glass of kefir for dinner, you risk getting a lack of copper. This does not mean that you need to give up dairy products - you just need to maintain an optimal balance.
Lack of copper in the body
With a normal diet, copper deficiency practically does not occur. Its deficiency in the body can begin with long-term insufficient intake - less than 1 mg per day. Also, copper deficiency can be for many other reasons:
1. Violation of the processes of regulation of copper metabolism.
2. Disease of the gastrointestinal fistula.
3. Long-term use of high doses of zinc and antacids.
4. Copper deficiency is also observed in patients who have been on parenteral nutrition for a long time.
5. Promotes alcohol deficiency and egg yolk and phytic compounds of cereals can bind copper in the intestine.
Copper deficiency manifests itself in different ways:
- a decline in the activity of the functions of the immune system;
- accelerated aging of the body;
- a decrease in the level of hemoglobin;
- increase thyroid gland;
- violation of lipid metabolism;
- neutropenia and leukopenia (blood diseases) and much more.
Copper deficiencies are now more common than in the past. This is due to the fact that nitrogenous fertilizers were introduced into the soil in large quantities, which form ammonia, which is capable of "taking" copper from the soil.
Copper deficiency can be triggered by certain medications and antibiotics. Various diets and vegetarianism can also reduce the amount in the body. This leads to a decrease in the level of hemoglobin in the blood and diseases such as ischemia, arrhythmia, neuropsychiatric disorders and infertility.
Copper deficiency also leads to stunted growth, weight loss, cholesterol build-up, heart muscle atrophy, osteoporosis, skin conditions, hair loss, fatigue, and frequent infections.
With a chronic deficiency, a dangerous disease can occur - an aneurysm, characterized by the expansion and protrusion of the walls of large blood vessels. Varicose veins also occur, hair turns gray, and the skin becomes wrinkled early.
Excess copper
An excess of this substance for humans is no less dangerous than its deficiency, since copper in excess is a highly toxic element. The reasons for an excess of copper in the body can be problems with metabolic processes, the frequent use of copper dishes, improper treatment with medicinal preparations, occupational diseases, an increased content of this substance in drinking water, hemodialysis, deficiency of magnesium and zinc, oral hormonal contraceptives.
The main symptoms of excess copper in the body are: muscle pain, anemia, depression, insomnia, irritability, kidney disease, liver disease, gastrointestinal disorders, bronchial asthma, inflammatory diseases, memory impairment.
An excess of copper in the body is almost unrealistic, since it does not accumulate in it. With an adequate diet, we are not threatened by either a lack of copper, or its excess in the body.
Interaction of copper with other substances
Increased intake of zinc and molybdenum can lead to a lack of copper in the body. Cadmium, iron, manganese, antacids, tannins can reduce its absorption. Zinc, iron, cobalt (in moderate physiological doses) increase the absorption of this element by the body. In turn, copper can inhibit the absorption of iron, molybdenum, cobalt, zinc, vitamin A by the body. Oral contraceptives, hormonal agents, and cortisone preparations contribute to its increased excretion from the body. The copper content in the body is also influenced by:
- alcohol can aggravate its deficiency;
- egg yolk binds copper in the intestine, preventing its absorption;
- an increased content of fructose in the diet can contribute to the lack of this trace element;
- phytates (are binders of cereals and green vegetable leaves) can reduce the ability to absorb copper from food;
- The additional intake of high doses of vitamin C can reduce the absorption of this trace element from foods.
Copper water is a wonderful tonic for the lymphatic system, spleen and liver. It is prepared as follows: two copper dimes of the royal minting or a pair of vacuum copper plates must be thoroughly rinsed in lime water. Then place copper objects in an enamel bowl, pour in one and a half liters of water and boil until half of it boils away. You need to drink copper water three times a day, two teaspoons. The course is one month.
Metabolism in the human body begins not only with the beginning of a meal - it is a continuous process that is of great importance and continues to work throughout life. The human body functions only due to the work of metabolic processes in cells. But for the vital activity of cells, nutrition must enter the body. And nutrition is carried out due to the intake of food into the body, which, as a result of chemical reactions, is converted into hormones and enzymes.
What are enzymes? Enzymes are required in chemical transformations that break down fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. Cells live by such processes. Modern science about 3.5 thousand enzymes are known. But enzymes without hormones are not able to do their job on their own, because they are under the control of hormones.
What are hormones? The glands of the endocrine system produce hormones. They activate some enzymes and inhibit the work of others. Also, taking hormones artificially, it is difficult to control their balance. The action of hormones is such that it can improve the functioning of some organs and impair the functioning of others. For example, taking hormones to treat joints may result in impaired vision. It often happens that a woman gains weight by using hormones to improve sexual function.
Metabolism in the human body is related to all chemical processes and is divided into the following types: anabolism and catabolism.
Anabolism is a chemical process that aims at the renewal and formation of tissue cells and structural parts. At the same time, energy accumulates, which is gradually spent on protecting the body from diseases and infections, as well as for its growth.
Catabolism involves the breakdown of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins for energy. This energy, with the help of muscle activity, is released during the catabolic process and turns into useful work. A certain amount of it is consumed, while forming heat.
Our body needs six substances it needs, such as water, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins. They are building material organism, because they give birth to new tissues and cells that promote growth.
Protein- one of the main "building blocks" for building our body. Protein contains water, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen. Amino acids, obtained from the breakdown of dietary proteins, are the building blocks for the formation of chemicals such as enzymes and hormones. The body needs about two dozen or more amino acids. He synthesizes some himself, others from animal proteins that come with food, and still others from plant proteins. Protein metabolism ultimately leads to the formation of uric acid. It is the final product that is formed in the liver and tissues, enters the circulatory system, and then is excreted through the kidneys from the body.
Fats Are the pantries of the organism. With the ingestion of food, one part of the fat is stored for future use, and the other part is released with energy and is formed in the form of final products - water and carbon dioxide. Without fats, magnesium, calcium, vitamins that dissolve fat - A, D, and others - cannot be assimilated in the body. For example, carotene from carrots, which secretes vitamin A, is absorbed in small quantities by the intestines. But it is worth filling the same carrots with vegetable oil or sour cream - absorption will occur 60 - 90% more. You should know that fats are very high in calories, but they contribute to obesity as much as carbohydrates with uncontrolled consumption of sweet and starchy foods.
Fat metabolism can be disrupted due to excessive consumption of fatty foods or overeating. In this case, the ability of the blood to be freed from these substances by the next meal is reduced or even lost. Their constant accumulation causes the blood to thicken in the vessels and can stop the capillary blood flow. Due to the increase in the level of fat in the blood, red blood cells seem to stick together, which makes it worse for oxygen to enter the blood vessels.
Fats are also divided into several groups. These are fat-like substances, of which the most popular and widespread are lecithin and cholesterol. Lecithin normally has a beneficial effect on the functioning of the central nervous system, stimulates the processes of hematopoiesis and liver, has an anti-inflammatory effect and prevents atherosclerosis from developing. With its help, the body gets rid of infections and toxic substances in the process of metabolism. Cholesterol is involved in the formation of hormones secreted by the adrenal glands and sex hormones. Cholesterol comes from food, then is synthesized by the body, combines with fatty acids in the intestines and passes into the blood. If cholesterol is produced in excess, then it breaks down in the liver and bile is produced in the form of bile acids, which is released into the intestines.
Carbohydrates- it is a powerful and important source of energy, without which the body will not be able to work with all its might. Carbohydrates are divided into three groups. The first includes monosaccharides ( simple carbohydrates), which contain one molecule of carbohydrates: fructose, glucose and galactose. The second group includes disaccharides ( complex carbohydrates). Therefore, they contain two carbohydrate molecules: lactose (milk sugar), sucrose (cane and beet sugar), and maltose (licorice sugar). The third group includes polysaccharides. They consist of several monosaccharides: fiber, starch, glycogen.
In the physiology of metabolism in the body, glycogen and glucose are of great importance. These carbohydrates are the main suppliers of energy, which is then consumed by the body as needed. If there is an emergency energy expenditure - intense muscle work or an emotional surge (fear, stress, rage, anger, unexpected joy and many other feelings), then carbohydrates are quickly extracted from the body's pantries. Moreover, with the release of energy, they quickly oxidize.
The role of glucose is especially great in the nutrition of the central nervous system and skeletal muscles. Also, glucose is essential for the normal functioning of the body as a whole. A decrease in blood sugar (hypoglycemia) leads to the fact that there is a feeling of rapid fatigue, pronounced muscle weakness, increased sweating, increased heart rate, redness or paleness of the skin. In worse cases, a drop in body temperature occurs, the activity of the central nervous system is disrupted - delirium, convulsions, and loss of consciousness may begin. As soon as the glucose solution is injected, all these symptoms disappear immediately.
Monosaccharides enter the circulatory system through the capillaries of the intestinal villi, and then rush with the blood stream, mainly to the liver. Monosaccharides pass through the liver unchanged, and are carried throughout the body with the blood stream. If the food consumed is rich in carbohydrates, then the glycogen content in the liver is higher.
Each of the organs in the body uses the amount of glucose in different ways. The main consumers of glucose are the brain and heart muscle. Maintaining blood sugar concentration (80 to 120 milligrams of glucose is required per 100 milligrams of blood) requires two processes to maintain it. The first is the consumption of glucose by the tissues, the second is the flow of glucose from the liver into the blood. Glycogen, in turn, is broken down in the liver without intermediate products into glucose. This process has its own name: "mobilization of glycogen".
With diseases of the liver and pancreas ( diabetes) carbohydrate metabolism is also disturbed. This is due to the fact that the liver is no longer able to convert the glycogen coming from the intestine into glucose.
Vitamins serve for the processes of assimilation of food nutrients, play an important role for the course of biochemical reactions in the body. The main part of vitamins enters the body with food. In the microbial flora of the intestine, some of them are synthesized and absorbed into the blood. Therefore, even if a sufficient amount of vitamins is not supplied with food, the body does not really need it. But if the body lacks a vitamin that is not synthesized in the intestines, then a painful condition called hypovitaminosis occurs from the need arising. The ability of the intestines to absorb vitamins may be impaired in case of any disease. In this case, even if there are enough vitamins in the food, hypovitaminosis will be present.
Mineral salt exchange... Intercellular body fluids and blood have a certain osmotic pressure. The magnitude of this pressure depends on the concentration of calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium salts. For the normal course of all metabolic processes, the main condition is the constancy of osmotic pressure. It ensures the body's resistance to environmental influences. In body fluids, the concentration of inorganic substances is maintained with particular precision. Therefore, it is not subject to great fluctuations. The ratio of ions in the blood of all vertebrates, including humans, is very close to the composition of ions of oceanic waters (except for magnesium). Both humans and animals have an inorganic blood composition similar to sea water.
The activity of the kidneys is critical for maintaining a constant ratio of ions in the blood. Mainly, potassium and sodium ions are involved in many life support processes in the body. Insufficient sodium intake contributes to a sharp increase in its reabsorption in the renal tubules. An excess amount of sodium in the blood plasma, on the contrary, inhibits its reabsorption in the kidney tubules. The retention of potassium in the blood, at the same time, increases and the normalization of ions occurs. At the same time, other ions are regulated in the blood, such as phosphorus, chlorine, calcium and others.
When the metabolism is disturbed, there is an accumulation of toxic substances. A common cause is hormone disruption. Diabetes, for example, begins due to a decrease in the production of the hormone insulin in the pancreas. In the absence of insulin, cells are unable to absorb and break down glucose, so the blood vessels become sugar-coated.