Mineral Supplements

Minerals are a broad range of nutrient that are essential for human health. They are called essential, just like any nutrient is, because the human body does not have the capacity to synthesize them. Therefore, if they are not obtained through the diet or from supplements, deficiencies can develop, leading to poor health. The mineral content of the food we eat is dictated by the levels found in the soil where the plants are grown. If we are consuming animal products, then the levels of mineral found here are determined by the soil levels where the plants grew that they were eating. It all comes back to the soil mineral content. It stands to reason that soil deficient, in say for example, boron, will lead to deficits of this mineral in the plants grown here, and any animal or human that consume those plants as a part of regular diet.

Some of the minerals are categorised into electrolytes, which are often added to sports drinks designed to enhance hydration. These are sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium and chloride. The last electrolyte—we tend to not lose much of this in sweat—is phosphorus. The diets of people residing in developed nations tend to contain plentiful amounts of this mineral anyway. Magnesium, though useful for hydration, has more than 300 uses in the human body! A few of these are maintaining muscular relaxation, supporting bone health and keeping neurotransmitter balanced in the brain. Another important mineral is sulphur, which is naturally found in garlic and onions, and is needed for detoxification purposes and to support connective tissue health.

In addition, there are also trace minerals, which are named as such due to the fact that we tend to need less of these than the other minerals. Some of these are Molybdenum, Manganese, Iron and Iodine. The uses for each of these minerals extends well beyond their standard recommendations. Yes, even minerals tend to get stereotyped! For instance, iron, typically prescribed for anemia to maintain red blood cell health, is also needed for the competent functioning of the immune system and for energy synthesis. The roles that minerals play in the body are countless!