MINERALS
• Apart from organic chemicals such as C, H, O, N, human body needs inorganic chemical elements, called minerals, for a wide range of functions. These elements are present in the form of ions.
• Minerals help maintain the volume of water necessary to life processes in the body.
• Depending on their necessity and amount for the normal functioning of metabolisms, these are divided into :
Macroelements (required in amount more than 1 gm.
Microelements (required in trace amounts less than 1 gm.) ' Deficiency of any of these leads to metabolic disorders.