Answer to Question #60194 in Human Anatomy and Physiology for sheeba

Question

Briefly explain the digestion process of minerals in human body.

Answer 1

Minerals are inorganic substances required for proper functioning of living organisms. The most important minerals for the body are potassium, sodium, chlorine, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, iron.
Mostly the absorption of minerals occurs in the small intestine by two mechanisms.
Passive absorption is the movement of minerals from an area of high concentration to an area with lower concentration. This process occurs without energy input.
The movement of minerals across cell membranes against the concentration gradient is called active absorption and requires energy of ATP.
After that, minerals go into the blood stream and are transported to the tissues where they are utilized in order to maintain homeostasis.
The role of minerals is significant in processes like maintaining osmotic pressure, transportation of oxygen, proper functioning of muscles and nerves, maintaining skeleton structure and immune health.