Summary

• Chloride helps maintain hydration and fluid balance and with potassium, it is required for gastric acid production
• Iron is involved in immunity, and severe iron deficiency may lead to reduced resistance to infection
• Potassium acts with extracellular sodium to maintain normal osmotic pressure and influences the ability of the kidney to correct imbalances with the excretion process
• The status of chloride channels influences the uptake or loss of water by cells, and hence the regulation of cell volume
• Iron plays a vital role in the structure and function of healthy blood due to its role asa component of haemoglobin
• Iron is found most commonly associated with phosphate, the main anion for energy storage and release
• Phosphate acts as a regulator of iron phosphate absorption, and forms part of ferritin, the iron storage complex
• Phosphate is also incorporated into 2,3 diphosphoglycerate (2,3 DPG, a compound in red blood cells that regulates oxygen release by haemoglobin) and consequently plays an integral role in energy production