Appendix B
Conversion Tables
Janice Hovasi Cox, MS, RD, CSP
Atomic Weights and Valences
Element
Atomic Weight
Valence
Sodium
23
1
Potassium
39
1
Chloride
35
1a
Calcium
40
2
Phosphorus
31
3, 5
Magnesium
24
2
Chloride may also have valences of 3, 5, and 7, but,
for practical purposes, it has a valence of 1 for most
nutritional compounds.
a
Equations
mg × Valence
Atomic or molecular weight
= mEq
mEq × Atomic or molecular weight
Valence
= mg
Atomic or molecular weight in mg = mM
mM × Atomic or molecular weight = mg
247
248
Appendix B
Sample Calculations
23 mg sodium × 1 (valence)
23 (atomic weight)
24 mg magnesium × 2 (valence)
24 (atomic weight)
= 1 mEq sodium
= 2 mEq magnesium
1 mEq calcium × 40 (atomic weight)
2 (valence)
31 mg phosphorus
31 (atomic weight)
= 20 mg calcium
= 1 mM phosphorus
1 mM potassium × 39 (atomic weight) = 39 mg potassium
Electrolytes and Minerals
Nutrient
Conventional
Unit
Conversion Factor
Multiply →
← Divide
SI Unit
Bicarbonate
mEq
1.0
mmol
Calcium
mEq
mg
0.5
0.025
mmol
Chloride
mEq
mg
1.0
0.0282
mmol
Copper
mcg
1.527
nmol
Magnesium
mEq
mg
0.5
0.042
mmol
Potassium
mEq
mg
1.0
0.0256
mmol
Phosphorus
mg
0.0323
mmol
Sodium
mEq
mg
1.0
0.0435
mmol
mmol
Zinc
mcg
0.0153
µmol
249
Conversion Tables
Vitamins and Other Nutrients
Nutrient
Ascorbate (vitamin C)
Biotin
Conversion
Factor
Conventional Multiply →
Unit
← Divide
mg
5.678
SI Unit
µmol
ng
0.004093
nmol
Carotene (vitamin A)
mcg
mcg
0.00186
1.667
µmol
IUa
Carnitine
mg
6.25
µmol Cholecalciferol
(vitamin D-­3)
ng
mcg
0.002599
40.0
nmol
IUa
ng
0.002496
nmol
25-­OH-­cholecalciferol
Choline chloride
mcg
7.163
mmol
Cyanocobalamin
(vitamin B-­12)
pg
0.0007378
pmol
Folic acid
ng
0.002266
nmol
Niacin (vitamin B-­3)
mg
8.12347
µmol
Pantothenic acid
µmol
mcg
0.004562
Phylloquinone (vitamin K)
pg
2.22
nmol
Pyridoxine hydrochloride
(vitamin B-­6)
mg
4.8638
µmol
Retinol (vitamin A)
mcg
mcg
0.003491
3.33
µmol
IUa
Riboflavin (vitamin B-­2)
mcg
2.657
nmol
Thiamin (vitamin B-­1)
mcg
0.003324
µmol
Thiamin hydrochloride
mcg
0.002965
µmol
d-­alpha tocopherol
(vitamin E)
mg
2.322
µmol d-­alpha tocopherol
mg
1.49
IUa
d-­alpha tocopheryl acetate
mg
1.36
IU
d-­alpha tocopheryl acid
succinate
mg
1.21
IU
(continued)
250
Appendix B
Nutrient
Conversion
Factor
Conventional Multiply →
Unit
← Divide
dl-­alpha tocopherol
mg
1.0
SI Unit
IU
dl-­alpha tocopheryl acetate
mg
1.0
IU
dl-­alpha tocopheryl acid
succinate
mg
0.89
IU
Triglycerides mg/dL
mg
0.00113
mmol
Note on International Units (IU):
Vitamin A: 1 IU = 0.3µg retinol, 3.6 µg beta carotene, or 7.2 µg other vitamin
A carotenoids
Vitamin D: 1 IU = 0.025 µg cholecalciferol
Vitamin E: 1 IU = 0.67 mg d-­alpha-­tocopherol, 0.74 mg d-­alpha tocopheryl
acetate, 0.83 mg d-­alpha tocopheryl acid succinate, 1.12 mg dl-­alpha tocopheryl acid succinate
a
Nutrient Content per Gram of Compound
Amount of Nutrient
in Compound
Compound (1 g)
mg
mEq
mM
Calcium (Ca)
calcium chloride (27.3% Ca by wt)
calcium gluceptate (8.2% Ca by wt)
calcium gluconate (9.3% Ca by wt)
calcium carbonate (40% Ca by wt)
273
 82
 93
400
13.6
4.1
4.7
19.9
6.8
2.0
2.3
9.96
Chloride (Cl)
calcium chloride (72.7% Cl by wt)
potassium chloride (47.7% Cl by wt)
sodium chloride (60.3% Cl by wt)
727
477
603
21
13.6
17.2
21
13.6
17.2
Copper (Cu) a
copper chloride (37.4% Cu by wt)
copper sulfate (25.5% Cu by wt)
374
255
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(continued)