Minerals Are Elemental and Essential to Health

Deficiencies of essential minerals are more common than vitamin deficiencies, in part because some minerals compete with others. Too much calcium can lower the absorption of magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and zinc. And too much zinc can reduce copper, iron, and phosphorus absorption.

Needed in fairly large amounts, bulk minerals include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium. Calcium is essential to the formation of strong bones and teeth, in addition to maintaining a regular heartbeat and transmitting nerve impulses. While some multivitamin/mineral formulas contain calcium, many people need additional calcium (best balance with magnesium). Stanford University researchers recently found that most Americans don't get enough calcium.

Magnesium assists in both calcium and potassium uptake within the body; this mineral also helps prevent calcification of soft tissues and protects the lining of the blood vessels. Taking magnesium supplements in pregnancy helps mothers-to-be prevent birth defects in their offspring.While only minute amounts are needed, trace minerals-boron, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, vanadium, and zinc-are also vital to health. Probably the best-known trace mineral is iron, which is important for blood growth. Children and women and post menopausal women may develop health problem from too much of this trace mineral.

Critical in sugar metabolism, chromium is necessary for energy, but most Americans eat diet that's low in this trace mineral. Supplementing with one form (chromium picolinate) helps control blood cholesterol and glucose level.

Because minerals are essential to health and their interactions are so complex, please ask your dietitians for more informations.