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| Format: | Recurso digital |
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Zenodo
2026
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.19638270 |
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Table of Contents:
- <p>The human organism operates fundamentally as a complex, non-equilibrium thermodynamic<br>engine, an intricate architecture designed for the continuous transition of energy, substrates,<br>and biological information. This vast network relies on the seamless execution of millions of<br>parallel biochemical reactions, which are governed by tightly regulated, mineral-gated<br>metabolic pathways. While organic macronutrients—carbohydrates, lipids, and<br>proteins—provide the indispensable carbon skeletons and foundational fuel required for<br>biological operations, it is the inorganic minerals that act as the essential molecular catalysts.<br>Elements such as magnesium ( ), iron ( ), zinc ( ), and potassium ( )<br>dictate the speed, efficiency, and structural fidelity of nearly all cellular operations. Historically,<br>the medical and nutritional sciences have viewed mineral status through an inherently binary<br>and reductionist lens: an organism is either clinically deficient, manifesting with acute,<br>recognizable, and often catastrophic pathologies (such as scurvy, rickets, or severe anemia), or<br>it is deemed sufficiently nourished. However, modern systems biology demands a paradigm<br>shift away from this binary state toward a nuanced understanding of sub-clinical scarcity. This<br>sliding scale of biochemical inefficiency is conceptualized herein as "Metabolic Friction," an<br>organizing framework first proposed by Nasanjargal (2026) in the context of human enzymatic<br>homeostasis.</p>