Minerals

What Are Aphthous Ulcers? Aphthous ulcers, also called canker sores, are a chronic disorder of soft mouth tissue characterized by small, painful purpuric, papular, or erosive lesions that are often surrounded by erythematous (red) margins.1 Q: What soft mouth tissues develop ...

What Is Anorexia? Anorexia or loss of appetite is a reduced desire to eat which can cause unintentional weight loss. Anorexia is a feature of many disorders caused by malutrition such as celiac disease and aging or gastrointestinal problems such ...

What Is Loss of Vitality? Loss of vitality is a state of diminished power to live or go on living, interfering with normal functioning and survival. As weakness and fatigue worsen, the affected person increasingly loses interest in surroundings, activites, and ...

What Is Cachexia? Cachexia is a state of ill health involving deteriorating body composition that is characterized by general malnutrition and loss of lean tissue such as muscle. Q: What are typical findings in cachexia? A: Arm muscle triceps (the ...

What Is Epistaxis? Epistaxis, or nosebleed, is a feature of secondary hemostasis (blood clotting) characterized by fragility of a plexus of blood vessels in the antero-inferior septum (just inside nostril) and/or abnormal blood coagulation. What Is Epistaxis In Celiac Disease ...

What Is Neutropenia? Neutropenia  is a blood disorder characterized by presence of an abnormally low number of neutrophils. Neutrophils are white blood cells (leukocytes) that serves as the primary defense against infections by destroying bacteria in the blood.  Specfically, neutrophils are ...

What Is Hemochromatosis? Hemochromatosis, also called iron overload liver disease, is a common inherited disease in the Caucasian population that is characterized by increased iron deposition within the tissues (overload) associated with injury to them. Hemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disease, meaning ...

What Is Hypophosphatemia? Hypophosphatemia means the level of phosphates in the bloodstream is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for this mineral. Q: How important is phosphorus in metabolism? A: Phosphorus is crucial to  life, being present ...

What Is Hypocupremia? Hypocupremia, or low plasma copper, means the level of copper is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for copper and is characterized by these many features: Impaired energy production causing weakness. Impaired ability as ...

What Is Hypocalcemia? Hypocalcemia, or low plasma calcium, means the level of calcium in blood is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for calcium. Low blood calcium is characterized by bone and tooth demineralization (loss of calcium ...

What Is Hyperprolactinemia? Hyperprolactinemia is an excess secretion of prolactin hormone causing an elevated blood level that is characterized by its effects on reproduction: in females causing  amenorrhea and in males causing reduced sexual potency. Q: What is prolactin? A: ...