A pancreatic disorder characterized by lack of insulin production.

What Is Phosphorus?

[dropcap]P hosphorus is an essential mineral present in every cell of the body mostly in the form of phosphate.

About 85% of phosphorus is present in bone making up a major component of bone formation. As a component of calcium phosphate, phosphorus constitutes 45% of skeletal bone weight while calcium constitutes 40% to support the body.¹.

Phosphorus is required for normal tooth development. Inadequate phosphorus in early childhood development makes for defective tooth enamel in permanent teeth.

Phosphorus is crucial for the production of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), a molecule within cells that the body uses to store energy, and is required for production of phosphocreatine to power muscles.  Functions are more fully described below.

One gram of protein in food provides approximately 15 mg of phosphorus. In an adult, the body content of phosphorus ia about 700 grams.

What Is Phosphorus Deficiency In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

1. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002424.htm [↩]

A coronary syndrome characterized by an oppressive substernal pain (pain under breastbone) or pressure precipitated by exertion and relieved by rest.

A movement disorder characterized by defective muscular coordination of cortical (brain) origin.

A malignancy arising in the esophagus.

A genetically determined immunodeficiency disorder characterized by the onset of recurrent bacterial infections resulting from markedly decreased immunoglobulin antibody levels.

Functional or organic changes resulting from diabetes affecting every organ of the GI tract.

What Is Potassium?

[dropcap]P otassium is a mineral that is crucial for life being essential for every cell, especially nerve and muscle function.

Most potassium is intracellular, meaning it is found within cells while sodium, its opposing mineral (both electrolytes), is found in the fluid surrounding cells.

In muscle contraction, exchange of potassium and sodium takes place so that potassium moves out of muscle cells and sodium moves into them.

With muscle relaxation, potassium moves back into the cells and sodium moves out. Functions are described below.

Importantly, a recent study investigating the association between the metabolic syndrome and potassium intake in the general population found a significant inverse association between potassium intake and metabolic syndrome in adults. That is, the lower the potassium intake, the greater the odds of developing metabolic syndrome. After adjusting for various lifestyle and dietary confounders, subjects in the highest quartile of potassium intake had 39% lower odds for metabolic syndrome compared to those in the lowest quartile. This association was consistent for both sexes. Among the components of metabolic syndrome, potassium intake was inversely related to abdominal obesity and fasting hyperglycemia in multivariate analysis.¹

What Is Potassium Deficiency In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

1. Shin D, Joh HK, Kim KH, Park SM. Benefits of potassium intake on metabolic syndrome: The fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV). Atherosclerosis. 2013 Sep;230(1):80-5. doi: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2013.06.025. [↩]

A reduced desire to eat which can result in unintentional weight loss.

A non-progressive psychiatric syndrome appearing in childhood characterized by significantly abnormal withdrawal from communication with others often accompanied by repetitive or primitive behaviors.