Overview of minerals
Like vitamins, the consumption of certain minerals is essential for good and healthy nutrition and for maintaining or improving health.
Brief explanation of nutritional minerals
Nutritional minerals are essential nutrients that the body needs to function properly. They cannot be produced by the body itself, so they must be obtained from food or supplements.
Macrominerals
Macrominerals are needed in larger amounts than microminerals. They play important roles in many bodily functions, including:
- Building and repairing bones and teeth
- Regulating blood pressure and heart function
- Maintaining fluid balance
- Transmitting nerve signals
- Producing energy
- Supporting muscle function
- Calcium (Ca): builds and maintains strong bones and teeth, regulates blood pressure, helps muscles contract and relax properly, Supports nerve function;
- Chlorine (Cl): helps produce stomach acid, maintains fluid balance, plays a role in kidney function;
- Magnesium (Mg): helps convert food into energy, supports muscle and nerve function, supports heart functions, can calm the nervous system, regulates blood pressure and blood sugar levels, plays a role in bone health;
- Phosphorus (P): builds and maintains bones and teeth, supports cell growth and repair, plays a role in energy production, Helps regulate muscle and nerve function;
- Potassium (K): maintains fluid balance, regulates blood pressure, helps muscles contract and relax properly, supports nerve function;
- Sodium (Na): maintains fluid balance, regulates blood pressure, helps muscles contract and relax; properly
- Sulfur (S): builds and maintains connective tissues, such as skin, hair, and nails, supports detoxification, helps produce insulin.
Microminerals
Microminerals are needed in smaller amounts than macrominerals, but they are just as important. They play important roles in many bodily functions, including:
- Supporting the immune system
- Regulating metabolism
- Producing hormones
- Promoting growth and development
- Protecting cells from damage
- Boron (B): supports bone health, helps regulate metabolism, promotes cognitive function;
- Chromium (Cr): helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes metabolism, reduces inflammation;
- Cobalt (Co): essential for the production of red blood cells, helps regulate metabolism, supports nerve function;
- Copper (Cu): supports the immune system, helps produce collagen and elastin, promotes wound healing;
- Fluoride (F): strengthens tooth enamel, protects against tooth decay;
- Iodine (I): essential for the production of thyroid hormones, supports metabolism, promotes growth and development;
- Iron (Fe): transports oxygen throughout the body, supports the production of red blood cells, plays a role in energy production;
- Manganese (Mn): Supports bone health, promotes metabolism, helps regulate blood sugar levels;
- Molybdenum (Mo): helps detoxify the body, supports metabolism, plays a role in energy production;
- Nickel (Ni): supports the immune system, helps regulate metabolism, plays a role in cell growth and repair;
- Selenium (Se): protects cells from damage, supports the immune system, promotes thyroid function;
- Silicon (Si): promotes skin health, supports bone health, helps strengthen connective tissues;
- Tin (Sn): supports the immune system, promotes wound healing, plays a role in bone health;
- Vanadium (V): promotes insulin sensitivity, helps regulate blood sugar levels, improves circulation;
- Zinc (Zn): plays a role in cell growth and repair, promotes wound healing, supports the immune system, supports testosterone production in men.
It is important to get a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods to ensure that you are getting all of the minerals you need. However, if you are concerned about your mineral intake, you may want to talk to your doctor about taking a multimineral supplement.
