Everyday Trace Minerals Explained

Like vitamins, minerals are fundamentally important to our life and health. They all components of enzymes that are used by the body to break down food sources, as well as assist in the manufacture and assimilation of vitamins.
Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium and chloride are all macro minerals, and are needed throughout our lives, and in quite a large quantity by the body.
Calcium, as we all know is used for strong bones and teeth, and the majority of the calcium in our bodies is in our bones and teeth, with about 1% used in our cells, and bodily fluids. Bone density and strength is dependent on regular supplies of calcium in a usable form, although it is essential that early development from plentiful calcium supply is sustained, as this will greatly help strength and usage of calcium intake later on in life. This means if you have built a strong body with calcium at an early age, the chances of calcium deficiency, and bone weakening in later years will be that much less.
Calcium is also found in cells, and these serve a vital function for the nerves and muscles and blood clotting. Vitamin D. is needed in order to absorb calcium, but exercising would also increase the body’s usage of calcium, as well as increasing bone density and calcium usage efficiency. It therefore makes sense, that even the young must have enough exercise, as well as enough calcium, and vitamin D. to adequately produce bones of a sufficient density to last them into old age. Having the young playing outside in the daylight, drinking milk, is most likely the best form of health and fitness for them from natural vitamins and minerals sources! Even though daylight is extremely beneficial to a young person’s well-being, sunlight is not as good. ultraviolet light in its strong sunlight form not only damages the skin, it also stops the skin from producing vitamin D., and then that has a negative effect on calcium usage.
Magnesium is also a very important mineral, especially for the correct function of medicine and muscles and for maintaining bone structure. It is also used in the metabolism, the synthesizing of proteins, and for body temperature regulation. There have been many cases where excessive sweating has been the fault of low magnesium levels. Magnesium is also used for the metabolism of fatty reserves, and fatty acids.
Phosphorus is also used in conjunction with calcium and magnesium to build strong, and dense, bones and teeth. It is also used in the breaking down of carbohydrates into energy forms, and for their transportation of its eventual products, and for the transportation of fats, around the body.
Potassium is quite a well known mineral, very often said to be the best reason to eat bananas, which are naturally high in potassium, and is one of the most abundant in the body and is used importantly for controlling the balance of water in body’s tissues and cells. Potassium is also crucial in regulating blood pressure.

Sodium and chloride work with potassium for much the same reason, and do a very good job of controlling the fluid level in the body and cells, and this is one of the main reasons why athletes often need balanced salt drinks to replenish their electrolytes levels lost through heavy training and competition. As well as this sodium is extremely important for health of the nervous system.
Iron, zinc, iodine, manganese, selenium, chromium, copper and fluoride are commonly known and grouped as trace elements. This means that the body needs a much smaller amount of these as compared to the macro minerals, but this does not mean that they are less important, and some of these have specific purposes within the body that would not allow a human being to function healthily and properly, or live any kind of long life, without them.
Iron is probably the most well-known mineral that we encounter. It is often believed that we need huge amounts of this mineral to have good health. This is not so, we need the right amounts coupled with the right vitamins in order to metabolize this effectively. We should be able to get all of our iron from natural vitamin sources, without taking any supplements, as long as we have a well balanced diet. Iron is most important for the manufacture of hemoglobin, this is what colors our blood red, and these cells that look like red soup bowls under a microscope, are used for the transportation of oxygen to parts of the body from the lungs. It is also used as an essential part of many enzymes.
Zinc is one of the lesser-known minerals, and is often associated with poisoning, but is necessary for good mental health, the physical and reproductive systems, and for the skin and hair growth. It is also used in the production of insulin, and, as we know with babies, zinc is highly effective in repairing skin damage, and even works topically to repair wounds, and skin problems.
Iodine is often the unrecognized mineral. It is essential for the correct function of the thyroid, which regulates metabolism, as well as a number of other necessary bodily functions. It also allows us to maintain healthy skincare and nails. Iodine is so important that in the Western world it is added to table salts, in a trace amount, so that we get enough iodine without ever having to take any supplements. The lack of iodine is often shown as a thyroid problem known as goiter.

Manganese is virtually never heard of when listing minerals for human use, and specifically is an eight to the reproductive cycle, cell function, bone growth and development.
Selenium is also very important, and also acts as an antioxidant. It works best, and with vitamins AC and E.
Chromium, and extremely poisonous substance, is essential to make insulin work properly and also maintains normal blood sugar level.
Trace amounts of copper are also needed in the body for the production of red blood cells and to assist with an manufacture.
Fluoride, often using toothpastes, and sometimes added to drinking water supplies, is especially important for the formation and strength of teeth (surprise), and bones, and functions by hardening the crystalline structures.