Sulphur as Mineral – Rich Food Sources, Functions, Deficiency & Daily Requirements for Children, Men & Women

Health Care Guide on Sulphur (S) functions in Human Body, Absorption, Excretion, Regulation facts & disease in word/ .doc / ppt / .pdf format


SULPHUR

Proteins contain about 1% sulphur by weight. This forms the organic sources of sulphur in the diet. Sulphates of sodium , potassium and magnesium are also found in the diet.

Source:

• Meal, fish legums, eggs, cereals and cauliflower.
• Daily requirement:
• Adequate intake of protein fulfills the sulphur requirements.

Absorption:

• Sulphur –containing amino acids produce inorganic sulphur.
• A part of it is conjugated with phenolic and heterocyclic compounds in liver to produce ethereal sulphates.
• It is secreted in urine as:

-          Inorganic sulphur

-          Neutral sulphur

-          Ethereal sulphur

-          Intestinal putrefaction causes increased ethereal sulphates.

Excretion:

Sulphate excretion increases when catabolism of tissues protein is increased.

Functions:

• Detoxication. Compounds possessing phenolic groups (e.g., phenol, skatoles, indole) may be detoxicated in liver by conjugation with sulphate from amino acids. Hydrocarbons are detoxicated by conjugation with esters of acetylated cysteine.
• Enzymes such as papain, urease, cathepsin depend on free sulphahydryl groups for their catalytic sites.
• Nonhaem iron enzymes such as mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase, Fe-S proteins contain sulphur.
• SAM acts as a coenzyme for methyltransferases

Methionine + ATP            Methyladenosyl          PPi +Pi + SAM

      Transferase (liver)

• -SH group of glutathione acts as donor of reducing equivalents and enables it to function as a reducing agent.
• -SH group of CoA and acyl carrier protein (ACP) form fatty acid thioesters. They participate in the transfer of fatty acyl groups.
• Adenosine 3’-P-5’ sulphate (PAPS) is formed in the liver from ATP and sulphate with the help of ATP sulphurase and adenosine 5’ –sulphate-3’kinase. The sulphate group of “active” sulphate is transferred to other substrates like chondroitin.
• “Active sulphates” viz., PAPS, SAM, CoA CAP – are high-energy sulphur compounds.
• Sulphur-containing vitamins are biotin and thiamine (coenzymes).
• Protein-structure. SH of cysteine forms intrachain and interchain S-S linkages contributing to secondary, tertiary and quaternary structures.
• Sulphate mucopolysaccharides and sulphalipids. Hexosamine gets sulphated endowing the molecules with negative charges.

Applied aspects:

Role of sulphur:

• Curing skin disorders
• As a component of sulphur drugs

Download Information on Sulphur as Mineral