Essential Ions Of Our Body For Sustaining Life

Our life is sustained by complex interaction of inorganic and organic substances; and the water serves as the supportive medium and vehicle for the elements of life. There are nine types of most essential ions of our body which play a dynamic role in supporting and sustaining health and life. Out of nine, five are positively charged ions and four are negatively charged ions. The positively charged ions are called cations as these collect at the negative electrode or cathode during electrolysis; these are Na⁺ (Sodium ion), K⁺ (Potassium ion), Ca⁺⁺ (Calcium ion), Mg⁺⁺ (Magnesium ion) and H⁺ (Hydrogen ion). The negatively charged ions are called anions as these collect at positive electrode or anode during electrolysis; these are Cl^- (Chloride ion), HCO₃^- (Bicarbonate ion), PO₄^3- (Phosphate ion) and OH^- (Hydroxyl ion). The genius, Sir Humphrey Davy discovered in the second decade of the 19th Century that the passage of current through the aqueous solution of inorganic compounds dissociated them into positively charged and negatively charged parts. That was the beginning of a field which today has the great utility in the life sciences and industry. The Sodium (Na⁺), Chloride (Cl^-), Potassium (K⁺) and Bicarbonate (HCO₃^-) are called principle electrolytes and are present in the blood and various body fluids. Potassium (K⁺) is essential for heart function. The concentration of electrolytes is expressed in milli-Equivalents (mEq) per litre. In the plasma of our blood the normal concentration of Sodium is around 145 mEq/litre; Potassium ranges from 3 to 5 mEq/litre; Chloride is around 100 mEq/litre and Bicarbonate is around 30 mEq/litre. Hydrogen ions (H⁺) hydroxyl ions (OH^-), Bicarbonate ions (HCO₃^-) and Phosphate ions (PO₄^3-) govern the acid-base balance. Our kidneys play a vital role in maintaining the electrolyte balance and acid-base balance. The total sum of electrolytes also determines the osmotic pressure of intracellular and extracellular or interstitial body fluids. The osmotic pressure is a physical force and expressed in osmols (Osm) or milliosmols (mOsm). One mEq of monovalent ions would exert one mOsm and one mEq of divalent ions would exert two mOsm of osmotic pressure. Osmotic pressure regulates the movement of water from a compartment of lower concentration of electrolytes or ions to a compartment of higher concentration of electrolytes or ions.

Daily requirement of salts and minerals of and adult person is 3 to 5 grams. Common salt (Sodium Chloride) is a source of Sodium and Chloride ions. Rock salt also provides Potassium ions as it contains some Potassium Chloride in addition Sodium Chloride. Fruits, vegetables and animal products are rich in salts and minerals. Excess of salts taken as food additives are excreted in urine by kidneys. One may loose electrolytes and water due to excessive sweating, continued vomiting or profuse diarrhea resulting in dehydration. To offset the ill effects of dehydration and to correct the lost electrolytes we should drink the solution of oral rehydration salts that contains Sodium Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Citrate and Glucose in optimal proportions.

Oliguria Or Anuria: Cause May Be Renal Or Non-Renal

The term oliguria means low urine output and anuria stands for no urine output. The oliguria or anuria could be due to renal disease (kidney disease) or non-renal (non kidney) problem. The four possible causes which probably lead to oliguria or anuria are listed below:

1. Obstruction in a kidney: Obstruction in a kidney or lower urinary track may cause oliguria or anuria. Debris of epithelial cell may block the renal tubules. Hemoglobin or myoglobin pigments or crystals of some drugs have also been documented as the possible cause of casts blocking the renal tubules. Interstitial edema (swelling of interstitial tissue in kidney) could also compress tubules thereby leading to impairment of tubular function. Net result of any sort of obstruction in a kidney is the oliguria which could lead to a grave situation i.e. anuria.
2. Dehydration: Continued vomiting, severe diarrhea or profuse sweating may lead to dehydration resulting in oliguria or complete cessation of urine i.e. anuria.
3. Peripheral circulatory collapse: Peripheral circulatory collapse may occur due to post-operative surgical shock leading to reduced renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) resulting in anuria as the tubules reabsorb whatsoever the glomerular filtrate is produced by glomeruli.
4. Degeneration of tubular epithelium: Degeneration of tubular epithelium causes detachment of epithelium from tubular basement membrane (TBM) resulting in massive loss of tubular epithelial cells. The loss of tubular epithelium leads to loss of physiological barrier between glomerular filtrate in tubules and very strong osmotic pull of plasma in the peri-tubular capillaries (PTC), hence any glomerular filtrate present in tubules is sucked out by PTC, leading to anuria. Mercuric chloride poisoning may cause this type of anuria, however, it could be reversible and epithelial lining of tubules be restored within about two weeks. Avoid tasting unknown and unspecified chemicals to save your kidneys and life.

Control Diabetes To Save Your Vision And Kidneys

The global diabetic community is always at risk of diabetes associated complications. The disease may be hereditary or lifestyle associated. The growing number of cases per year among children and adolescents is a cause of concern. World Diabetes Day is celebrated on November every year in the memory of Sir Frederick Banting who discovered insulin, with an aim of awareness among masses about the alarming rise of diabetes through out the world. Knowledge about the 'warning signs of diabetes' and its control could definitely help us to control diabetes and diabetes associated complications. Abnormal carbohydrate metabolism leads to diabetes. The carbohydrates in the form of starch and sugars are acted upon by the enzymes of the saliva in our mouth and pancreatic and intestinal juices in the small intestine. The action of various digestive enzymes converts the complex sugars into simple sugar such as glucose. The glucose is absorbed by villi of the small intestine, passes into the blood capillaries, and is carried by the portal vein to the liver, where excess sugar is converted into glycogen and stored in the liver cells until required for use. The amount of starch and complex sugars and other chemicals we eat, influence our metabolism. Insulin is called anti-diabetic hormone and plays an important role in the carbohydrate metabolism. Insulin is secreted by pancreas and governs the ability of the cells of the body to absorb and use glucose and fats. Diabetes may be non-insulin dependent or insulin dependant depending on the involvement of insulin. Preservatives in food stuffs, coloring agents and taste maker chemicals could be the main cause of diabetes in children and adolescents.

Diabetes associated complications are related to duration of diabetes. The longer is the duration of diabetes, the greater is the risk of diabetic complications. It has been documented that 80 per cent of the patients who suffer from diabetes for more than 15 years would have damage to retina. The diabetic retinopathy is a serious diabetic complication. Diabetic retinopathy damages the blood vessels of the retina and could lead to blindness. Early detection of diabetes and its control through regular exercise, medication and change in lifestyle and food habits is the key to avoiding diabetic complications. To reduce the incidence of various diabetic complications, it is important to keep the blood sugar levels under control and have regular checkup. Diabetic retinopathy may be non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) or if unchecked that may lead to proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Lack of blood supply to retina in proliferative diabetic retinopathy may lead to complete vision loss.

Diabetic nephropathy, a kidney disease is another serious complication associated with diabetes. Kidneys play a vital role in our body to excrete toxic waste products of metabolism and to maintain balance of electrolytes and water as well. Uncontrolled diabetes causes irreversible damage to renal glomeruli, the filtration units of our kidneys. There is a great need for the diabetic friends to control diabetes through conventional and non conventional methods to lead a healthy and cheerful life without much complication. All diabetic patients must have a medical and eye examination at regular intervals to avoid diabetes associated complications.

Physiology of Sweating or Hidrosis

Sweating or hidrosis is a normal phenomenon. Considerable quantities of water, chloride, sodium and potassium may be lost in the sweat. There are two type of sweat: a) insensible sweat and b) sensible sweat. Insensible sweat continuously evaporates from our body under all conditions and about 500-600 ml of water is lost daily in an adult. Sensible sweat is secreted when body temperature rises due to exercise, hard labour or due to environmental factors. Sensible sweat may contain 25 to 90 milli-Equivalent (mEq) of chloride per litre. The average amount of chloride lost is about 45 mEq per litre. We compensate the loss of water through drinking water. However, if electrolytes are not taken with water the chloride level in blood/plasma may fall. This condition may be found in industrial workers, miners, labourers and athletes. One may suffer from muscular cramps due to deficiency of sodium and potassium a condition known as miners' cramps as it occurs frequently in miners as they loose electrolytes due to hyper-hidrosis or excessive sweating.

Work and exercise related hyper-hidrosis or excessive sweating is normal but unconditional hyper-hidrosis may cause emotional problems. Sweat is excreted through the sweat glands present all over the body. The cause of excessive sweating is unknown but it results due to over activity of sweat glands. There is individual variation in the intensity of sweating. Some people may also complain of sweat with bad odour or bromhidrosis. Bromhidrosis is caused by the decomposition of biological substances present in the sweat by the bacteria. Hyper-hidrosis may be generalized or continuous phenomenon or may be localized. Imbalance in the body temperature due to life style, fever, diabetes, obesity or intake of certain drugs may cause generalized hyper-hidrosis or excessive sweating. Localized hyper-hidrosis on palms and/or soles may be caused by emotional disturbances or stress or after eating certain food stuffs. Protein rich foods may help control hyper-hidrosis. Use deodorants for bromhidrosis or consult your physician. Some people my also have colored sweat or chromhidrosis. In cases of chromhidrosis saliva and urine may also be colored. Chromhidrosis may be occupation associated or food or drug associated. Change in eating habits and occupation may help overcome the problem of chromhidrosis. Use of deodorant soaps may help reduce the problem of bromhidrosis. Our kidneys play a vital role in the management of cation-anion balance and acid-base balance in our body.