ELECTROLYTES AND IT

FUNCTIONS

DMLT/KKM
MANAGEMENT & SCIENCE
UNIVERSITY
 What is electrolyte?
Chemically, electrolyte is the substances that become ions in
solution.

It acquire the capacity to conduct the electricity.

Electrolytes are present in human body.

The balance of the electrolyte is essential to our cell and organs to

function normally.

Stability of the electrolyte depend on several factors:

Adequate intake of water.

Adequate intake of electrolyte-containing foods

Homeostatic conditions within the body.

Aid in number of vitality processes.
Heart, nerve functions, muscle control and coordination, and the
body’s ability to absorb fluids depend on electrolytes balance
Various hormones in body help regulate intake of electrolytes
The major electrolytes in our body are:
 Sodium (Na+)
 Potassium (K+)
 Chloride (Cl-)
 Calcium (Ca2+)
 Magnesium (Mg2+)

 Bicarbonate (HCO3-)

 Phosphate (PO42-)

 Sulfate (SO42-)
 Types of electrolyte
 There are two types of electrolyte which are CATION and ANION.
 Cation is referring to the positively charged electrolyte.
 Anion is referring to the negatively charged electrolyte.
 Cation electrolyte are:
 Sodium (Na+)
 Potassium (K+)
 Calcium (Ca2+)
 Magnesium (Mg2+)
 Anion electrolyte are:
 Chloride (Cl-)

 Bicarbonate (HCO3-)

 Phosphate (PO42-)

 Sulfate (SO42-)
 Function of cation electrolyte
 Sodium (Na+)
 Major positive ion in fluid that can be found outside of the cells.
 The excess of sodium will be secreted out through urine.
 At extracellular, the concentration of sodium is 15 times higher
than potassium.
 Functions of the sodium
o Create osmotic pressure of extracellular fluid.

o Regulate the total amount of water in the body.

o Essential for electrical activity of neurons and muscle cells.

 Potassium (K+)
 Major positive ion that can be found inside the cells.
 Within the intracellular, the situation is reversed where the
concentration of potassium is 30 times higher than sodium.
 Functions:
o Normal level is needed for normal cell function.
o Regulation of the heart beat.

o Essential for electrical activity of neurons and muscle cells.

• Calcium (Ca2+)
 Can be found most abundantly (98%) in bones and teeth.

 The remaining of calcium can be found tissue and fluid.

 Calcium are constantly under the influence of the Calcitonin

hormone, which will promotes the bone growth and decrease
calcium level in blood.
 Another hormone that influence the calcium is Parathyroid
hormone.
 In the bloodstream, the calcium is bound to the protein.
 Functions:
o Build bone and teeth.

o Maintain bone strength

o Muscle contraction

o Blood clotting

o Maintenance of the cell membrane

o Activation of enzyme

o Synthesis of hormone

o Nerve transmission
 Magnesium (Mg2+)
 The fourth most abundant cation in body.
 About 50% present in the bones.
 Small amount of the magnesium can be found in the
extracellular and a lot of remaining magnesium can be found in
intracellular fluid.
 Functions:
o Essential for ATP production

o Activator for various physiochemical processes ( Phosphorylation,

protein synthesis and DNA metabolism)

o Essential for activity of neurons and muscle cells.
 Function of anion electrolyte
• Chloride (Cl-)
 The most abundant anion in the extracellular fluid.

 It easily diffuses into and out of the cells.

 At the glomerulus, it will be filtered out and reabsorb in

conjunction with Na+ by the proximal tubules.
 Excess of calcium will be excreted through urine and sweating.

 Functions:
o Regulate the osmotic pressure, proper body hydration and electric
neutrality
o The part of the hydrochloric acid in the stomach
 Phosphate (PO42-)

 Phosphate is most abundant (85%) in the bones and teeth.

 Small amount of phosphate are also used to in the body to
maintain the tissue and fluids.
 Function:
o Energy production

o Build bone and teeth

o Acid – base balance

o Essential in metabolism and cell membrane

 Bicarbonate (HCO3-)
 Bicarbonate ions act as the buffer.
 Bicarbonate levels are measured to monitor the acidity of the
blood and body fluids.
 Functions:
o Keep the acid – base status of the body in balance.

 Sulfate (SO42-)
 Sulfate is a part of the amino acid and protein in a form of
sulfur.
 Sulfur present in all of the cells in human body.
 Function of sulfur:
o Maintain protein structure

o Detoxification
 TYPES OF MACROMINERAL
Work together metabolically as well as independently, and the
electrolytes (sodium, potassium and chloride) which are
involved primarily in the body’s fluid balance.
The macrominerals are the minerals that require more than
100 mg.
Macrominerals include:
Calcium

Magnesium

Phosphorus  
 TYPES OF MICROMINERAL
• The microminerals are the minerals that body require less than
100 mg.
• The microminerals much larger group of nutrients. This group is
also commonly referred to as the trace minerals.
• The most important of which include:
 Chromium
 Copper
 Iodine
 Iron
 Selenium
 Zinc
 Copper

- helps protect cells from damage

- needed for making bone and red blood cells

- sources from shellfish (especially oysters), chocolate, mushrooms,
nuts, beans and whole-grain cereals
 Fluoride

- needed for making bones and teeth

- sources from saltwater fish, tea and fluoridated water
 Iodine

- needed for your thyroid gland to function properly

- sources from seafood, iodized salt (salt that has had iodine added
to it) and drinking water (in regions with iodine-rich soil, which are
usually near an ocean)
Zinc

- needed for healthy skin

- needed for healing wounds, such as cuts

- helps your body fight off illnesses and infections

- sources from red meat (beef, pork, and lamb) and legumes.
Iron

- helps red blood cells deliver oxygen to body tissues (If you don't
get enough iron, you could get iron deficiency anemia.)
- helps muscles function

- sources from red meat (such as beef), tuna and salmon, eggs,
beans, baked potato with skins, dried fruit (like apricots, prunes, and
raisins), leafy green vegetables (such as spinach and turnip greens),
whole grains (like whole wheat or oats) and breakfast cereals fortified
with iron.
 Selenium

- helps protect cells from damage

- needed for your thyroid gland to function properly

- sources from brazil nuts, fish, shellfish, red meat,
enriched breads, eggs, chicken and wheat germ
 Daily requirement….

Electrolytes Daily requirement

Sodium 60-150 mEq
(chloride, acetate, or phosphate)

Potassium 70-150 mEq

(chloride, acetate, or phosphate)

Chloride 60-150 mEq

(sodium or potassium)

Magnesium 8-24 mEq

(sulfate)

Phosphate 7-10 mmol per 1000 kcal

(sodium or potassium)
 NORMAL LEVEL OF ELECTROLYTES
Normal Adult Values:
Calcium:

4.5-5.5 mEq/L
Chloride:

97-107 mEq/L
Potassium:

3.5-5.3 mEq/L
Magnesium:

1.5-2.5 mEq/L
Sodium:

136-145 mEq/L
 PROBLEM WITH ELECTROLYTE
BALANCE
SODIUM
Hyponatremia:
may result from not enough sodium in diet, or overhydrated.
the person does not have a enough salt in body.
it also can happen when the body produced to much antidiuretics
hormone.
overproduction of this hormone will caused disorders such as
pneumonia and stroke and by drugs, including anticonvulsants .
Other disorders that can cause a low sodium level include poorly
controlled diabetes, heart failure, liver failure, and kidney disorders.
 low of sodium level can cause confusion, drowsiness, muscle
weakness and seizures.
Hypernatremia
A high sodium level caused by dehydration or diuretics.
thirst is the first symptom of hypernatremia .
the hypernatremia can caused confusion, paralysis, coma and
seizures.
 POTASSIUM
Hypokalemia
low potassium level of diuretic caused the kidney to excrete more
potassium in urine.
the low potassium level can results from having the diarrhea or
vomiting for long time.
body produce less insulin if potassium level low for a long time.
low of potassium level can caused fatigue, confusion, muscle cramp
and weakness.
very low potassium level can caused paralysis and abnormal heart
rhythms .
for the person who take the digoxin, the abnormal heart rhythms can
develop when potassium level moderately low.
Hyperkalemia :
high potassium more dangerous then a low potassium level.
caused kidney failure.
the symptom is abnormal heart rhythm.
 CALCIUM
Hypocalcemia
low calcium level result when body produced less parathyroid
hormone.
can also caused by deficiency of vitamin D.
The disorder for hypocalcemia was underactive thyroid
gland(hypothyroidism) and pancreatitis.
Hypercalcemia
high calcium level results when bone is broken down and calcium
release in bloodstream.
high calcium level also result from level of thyroid hormone
abnormally high.
calcium released when cancer spread to the bone or Paget’s disease
becomes severe.
 high level caused by the dehydration. It causes the kidneys to
excrete more water.
its can cause loss of appetite, nausea, vomitting and confusion.
it also can caused coma and die.