Chapter 13: Water and Electrolytes
In this chapter, we’ll be talking about water and the minerals that are essential for regulating fluid balance in the body: the electrolytes. At the end of the chapter, we’ll briefly discuss hypertension (high blood pressure), a disorder in which fluid balance and electrolytes play a very important part.
Sections:
13.0 Introduction to Water and Electrolytes
13.1 Overview of Fluid and Electrolyte Balance
13.2 Water’s Importance to Vitality
13.3 Regulation of Water Balance
13.4 Consequences of Water Deficiency or Excess
13.9 Hypertension, Salt-Sensitivity, & the DASH Diet
Chapter 13 is adapted primarily from Fialkowski Revilla, et al. Human Nutrition.
Additional material in section 13.9 is adapted from Jellum, et al. Principles of Nutrition.
Minerals are solid inorganic substances that form crystals and are classified depending on how much of them we need. Trace minerals such as zinc, iron, or iodine are only required in a few milligrams or less per day. Major minerals such as calcium, sodium, and potassium are required in hundreds of milligrams per day.
Fluid balance refers to maintaining the distribution of water in the body.
