Vitamins and Supplements: An Overview of Essential Minerals
Reviewed by: Dr. Steven Knauf, D.C.
By: Donna Stark
Imagine living in a home where everything runs smoothly—the plumbing hums, the lights shine bright, and even your trusty toaster pops up perfectly golden slices of bread. It’s a comforting scene, right? Now, think about your body. Like that well-maintained home, your body thrives when all its systems work together harmoniously.
At the heart of this harmony are vitamins and minerals, both crucial for your health. While vitamins often steal the spotlight, minerals play an equally important role. They’re essential for everything from building strong bones to keeping your heart pumping and your lungs breathing easy.
So, let’s shine a light on minerals. What exactly are they, why do they matter, and how can you ensure you’re getting the right amounts—enough to support your health without overdoing it? Join us as we explore these vital components in our quest for overall well-being so you can keep your body running as smoothly as your favorite appliance.
What are minerals?
Minerals are vital nutrients the body needs to function as it was designed. Like vitamins, minerals are crucial in one’s overall health and wellness. Unlike vitamins, these simple elements can’t be produced by (and don’t break down) in the body. An easy way to remember the difference between the two is to think back to your high school science class. You won’t see any vitamins listed on the periodic chart, but you will see all the different minerals.
Why are essential minerals important?
To grasp the importance of minerals for our health, let's first explore how to categorize them (similar to how we classify vitamins into groupings of water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins). Major, or macro, minerals are the ones the body requires larger amounts of. The ones the body only needs small amounts of are called trace minerals. Don’t be misled, though. Both are equally important.
Here are some examples of essential minerals and why they are vital for your overall health and wellness.
- Calcium - Bone support and structure, healthy teeth, muscle and nerve function, and blood pressure regulation.
- Magnesium - Energy production, brain function and mood, blood sugar regulation, heart health, and quality sleep.
- Sodium - Muscle and nerve function, body fluid balance, and normal cell function.
- Potassium - Heart function, water retention levels, and nervous system function.
- Chloride - Digestion, muscle and nerve function, oxygenation, and blood pressure regulation.
- Phosphorus - Healthy bones and teeth, kidney support, energy storage and utilization, and urinary health.
Now, let's shift our focus to the smaller heroes of the mineral world. These trace minerals might be small in quantity, but their impact on the body is mighty. Here are some examples of why the body needs them so much.
- Iron - Growth and development, oxygenation, and hormone production.
- Zinc - Immune system function, growth and development, metabolism, and wound healing.
- Iodine - Thyroid hormone function, bone and brain development, and metabolism.
- Selenium - DNA production, cell health and function, and heart health.
- Copper - Nervous and immune systems function, energy production, and red blood cell production.
- Manganese - Bone health, reproduction, brain and nerve function, and wound healing.
- Silicon - Bone health, reproduction, brain and nerve function, and wound healing.
- Sulfur - DNA binding and repair, protein production, and metabolism.
Now that you know why these minerals are crucial to your overall health and wellness, the next step is to incorporate them into your diet. Remember, your body can’t produce them, so you need to find them elsewhere.
How can you get essential minerals naturally?
The good news is that a healthy diet with various foods can provide most of the minerals you need. Check out the following examples and then add them to your shopping list.
- Leafy greens - Rich in iron, copper, and magnesium.
- Dairy products - Excellent source of calcium and silicon.
- Nuts and seeds - Good for zinc, copper, silicon, and magnesium.
- Berries - High in potassium, magnesium, and manganese.
- Shellfish - Packed with zinc, copper, sulfur, and iron.
- Broccoli and cauliflower - Good sources of sulfur and potassium.
- Eggs - High in iron, phosphorus, sulfur, and selenium.
- Bananas and tropical fruit - Rich in potassium, magnesium, silicon, and manganese.
- Lean meats - Full of iron and zinc.
- Seafood - Great source of iodine and selenium.
Remember that well-maintained home we mentioned? The one with all the right parts working together to build a strong foundation? A well-maintained body needs a strong foundation, too, and it all starts with the right foods. But even with the right foods, you may still need to take supplements.
Suppose you are pregnant, over 50 years old, follow a restricted diet, have certain health conditions, or take medications that affect mineral absorption. In that case, you may ask your primary healthcare professional if supplementation is required. It’s always a good idea to stay “in the know,” and your trusted doctor is the best resource for personalized guidance.
Your doctor can assess your needs through blood tests, evaluations, and a thorough review of any medications or health conditions that might impact your body’s mineral levels. Consulting with your doctor will also help ensure you take your supplements safely and effectively. The National Institutes of Health offers easy-to-read guidelines on the recommended daily intake of essential minerals for every stage of your life.
Signs and symptoms of a nutrient deficiency
As with most things, a delicate balance exists between not having enough, having the perfect amount, and going overboard with minerals. Symptoms of a deficiency will vary and depend on the specific mineral, but here are some typical signs to be aware of.
- Fatigue and weakness
- Muscle cramps
- Brittle nails and hair
- Irregular heartbeat
- Numbness and tingling
- Loss of appetite
- Poor immune system
- Slow wound healing
- Lack of focus and concentration
Although the deficiency symptoms above may not appear to be overly alarming at first glance, they—along with mineral overload—can lead to serious health conditions. Examples of conditions caused by mineral toxicity and deficiency include anemia, birth defects, liver damage, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, migraines, heart disease, diabetes, kidney failure, depression, and neurological damage.
Managing your mineral intake through a balanced diet and medical guidance is crucial for your overall well-being and quality of life.
The mysteries of minerals unraveled
Minerals are essential for the proper functioning of your body’s major systems. From building healthy bones to boosting your immune system to supporting the function of your brain and nervous system, minerals play a vital role in keeping things running smoothly. But you need to be careful because too little and too much can increase the risk of serious medical issues.
Taking care of your body is like maintaining your home. Both require the right things and the right balance of those things to stay in tip-top shape. If you have any questions or concerns about minerals, speak to your primary doctor before supplementing or making significant diet changes. Additionally, you can help optimize your body's function by incorporating routine chiropractic care into your life. These steps, taken together, will contribute to your overall well-being and quality of life.
The information, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this page, is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise, and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician, or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.