Mineral

Important Mineral Partnerships For Health

Minerals are essential nutrients that serve the body in many ways. Many minerals are active in their own right, serving individual purposes within the body. However, the much more common way of working for minerals is partnership. They act as cofactor in many complex substances and processes. Many minerals complement each other, serving as cofactor to each other in the body’s most essential processes.

The skeletal system benefits from the partnership of various minerals, as do the teeth. Calcium and phosphorus, the two minerals that are present in the highest amounts in the body, are the key mineral players in the hard surfaces of bones and teeth, with the mineral magnesium serving to help the body metabolize the calcium and the phosphorus.

The mineral manganese serves a purpose in this process as well and the mineral zinc is needed to metabolize phosphorus. This group of minerals also combine to protect the health of the nerves and to enhance the ability of the nerves to communicate, as well as ensures the ability of the muscles in the body to contract smoothly and regularly, contributing to, among other things, a regular heartbeat.

The mineral iron is responsible for the production of hemoglobin in the blood, which is what the red blood cells store the oxygen in as they travel the body, supplying the cells and tissues with the oxygen that is vital to their survival. But, without the mineral copper, the body would be unable to absorb and use the iron. A deficiency in copper results in an anemia that is similar to that caused by a deficiency of iron.

Minerals serve as cofactors in a variety of chemical combinations in the body that are essential processes of everything from food digestion to oxygenation of the body’s cells. The entire functioning of the body is built upon chemical and electrical reactions. These depend primarily upon the nutrition we consume, which serves as fuel and, once broken down to its basic elements, the chemicals needed to complete the various interactions. The balance of the complex system is delicate, but must be maintained to ensure health and peak performance.

The amount of mineral available in food and water can vary from region to region. That is because the amount of minerals found in plants depends on the quality of the soil, the type and amount of mineral deposits in the soil. Growing the same crops in the same place year after year can deplete the minerals in the soil. Topsoil erosion also can reduce the minerals available in soil.
Nutritional supplements can serve as an effective and safe means of ensuring that each day the body achieves the standard recommended daily intake levels of the minerals it need to perform the essential operations of the body. Because the balance of nutrients in the body is so important, it is a good idea to engage in a consultation with a licensed nutritionist who will be able to help you to devise a mineral supplement plan that is best suited to your individual dietary needs.

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Optimum Health

Copper For Optimum Health And Performance

Copper is a trace element mineral that serves a wide variety of purposes within the body, both on its own and as a cofactor, meaning it is an essential part of chemical processes that involve other vitamins, minerals, other nutrients or other substances. Although the body requires a comparatively tiny amount of copper per day, even that little bit is essential to optimum health and performance.

Copper came to be recognized as in the 1870’s as a basic part of our blood. This mineral is called an elemental because it is a metal. In terms of concentration, it is the third greatest metal present in our bodies.

Copper is present throughout the body, and serves many purposes that influence physical and mental health and function. In addition to the influence it has independently, it acts as a cofactor, or partner, in many enzymes and processes, affecting a wide variety of bodily functions and systems.

Copper works with Vitamin C in the production of collagen and elastin, which are connective tissues that, quite literally, hold the body together. In addition to this aspect of wound healing, copper also has a role in the first step to wound healing – blood clotting.

It also partners with iron in the making of red blood cells, which serve the essential purpose of bringing oxygen throughout the body, as well as helps the body to absorb and use iron. It is helps to make bones, working with calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, Vitamin D and Vitamin C.
Melanin, the substance that gives skin and hair their color, requires copper for its production. Copper has a role in the production of hormones that come from the thyroid, and thus is important to the body’s rate of metabolism, which in turn affects body weight. Body weight affects the start of puberty and the onset of sexual maturity.

Copper has a role in the nervous system, as well. It is necessary in the creation of the myelin sheath, which protects nerves and enhances their communication. The connective tissues and nerves in the brain require copper for both structure and function. Copper also serves as a cofactor in the production of the body’s important antioxidant enzymes, making a significant contribution to the control of damaging free radicals.

Copper has a role in each of the body’s major systems and processes. As a trace element, the body requires just a tiny bit of copper daily. Adults should have just 1.5mg to 3mg per day. It is important to note that too much copper can be toxic to the body’s system. The body’s systems are basic are regulated by chemical reactions, and the chemicals in the body are a delicately balanced group.

Nutritional supplements can offer a safe and reliable means of making sure that the body receives all the nutrients that it needs daily. However, when using supplements, it is important to be aware of the upper levels of tolerance, and to make sure that your dietary supplement dosages fall within that range, staying well below toxic points and maintaining the system’s healthful balance.

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Calcium

Be Sure To Get Your Calcium

We’ve heard it from the days of childhood – calcium is good for the teeth and bones. While it is true that calcium is absolutely necessary to the health and strength of bones and teeth, this essential mineral also serves several other important purposes in the body. Yet, many people routinely fail to consume enough calcium in their daily diets.

In addition to the benefits to teeth and bones, calcium plays a role in helping the blood to clot when it needs to, helping the nerves and muscles to perform their tasks, and the maintenance of cell membranes. It is also important to the prevention of debilitating bone diseases, such as osteoporosis.

Despite the importance of consuming adequate amounts of calcium daily, some studies have found that as much as 75% of people in the United States do not have a sufficient daily intake of calcium. Those following strict vegetarian diets, especially vegan, must be particularly careful concerning calcium intake levels.

Fortunately, there are several varieties of calcium supplements on the market. Adults need between 1000 mgs and 1300 mgs of calcium per day, and should not supplement beyond 2500 mgs, as that can cause other health problems. Your health care professional can help you to choose the amount that you need daily, as preexisting conditions, such as bone loss or damage due to previous deficiencies, can make a difference in how much you should be taking daily.

Some types of calcium supplements are absorbed more easily by the body than others. However, some may be preferable for other reasons. The most common calcium supplements include calcium citrate, calcium carbonate, oyster shell or bone meal based calcium supplements, coral calcium, and calcium gluconate and calcium lactate based supplements.

In choosing your supplement, you should be aware of how to read the label to ensure that you are getting the amount of calcium that you think you are. Elemental calcium is the term used for the calcium that your body will be able to absorb. Some supplements have this and other types of calcium, but it is only the elemental calcium that can count towards your daily intake. Calcium is absorbed best in acidic circumstances, which is why many supplements are recommended for use after meals, when the stomach acids are at higher levels.

Current research has found that calcium citrate is the most efficient of the supplements, meaning that the body absorbs it easily. However, although it is absorbed easier and can be taken at any time of day, whether or not there is food in the stomach, this type often contains less of the elemental calcium, and thus more pills daily will be needed. Calcium carbonate is the most common over the counter calcium supplement and should be taken after meals, because of the increased stomach acid. These, however, should be watched for sodium content.

Calcium is essential for good health and supplements are an excellent way to ensure that you are not among the many people who regularly do not consume the amount of calcium needed daily. There are a variety of factors to be taken into account when choosing a calcium supplement. A little research and consultation with a nutritional specialist can help you to choose the best calcium supplement for your individual needs.

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