The Specific Uses of Minerals or Elements in the Body - Hydrogen

February 2007: Volume 2 Number 2

Hydrogen [H] – Hydrogen is a very active element and more molecules have this element than those of any other element. It is found in negligible quantities in the atmosphere, active volcanoes, coal and meteorites. Hydrogen combines with oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur and carbon in the tissues of all animals and plants. Water is the most abundant molecule that contains hydrogen. Hydrogen is used in structures of the body such as amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, sugars, lipids, nucleoproteins, nucleic acids, acids, bases, hormones, bile salts, and many other compounds. We replace the body's hydrogen by drinking water and the organic foods we eat.

Hydrogen participates in oxidation-reduction reactions, acid-base balance, digestion and absorption for the gastrointestinal tract, metabolism of carbohydrates, the Krebs Cycle, and most reactions in the body. Hydrogen concentration (pH) is different in diverse places of the body and is critical for normal body functions.

Hydrogen participates in all the buffer systems (Bicarbonate, Hemoglobin, Phosphate, and Plasma Proteins). Buffer systems are located in the lungs, kidneys, bones and ionic shifts of potassium and sodium. Hydrogen participates in many buffering systems such as carbonic acid–bicarbonate, protein, renal, and cellular exchange buffer systems, and regulates metabolic acidosis and alkalosis in the body.

We will discuss the Nitrogen (N) atom in our next lecture as a continuation of the specific uses of minerals or element in our bodies.

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