Mineral Deficiencies Can Be Harmful
Mineral levels in the body are often measured in the blood or via hair samples. Minerals are chemical elements that are fundamental to every function in the body. They join together in crystalline structures to form bone. So, deficiencies in minerals can have adverse effects on your health.
The importance of calcium and phosphorus to bone formation and the electrolyte role of sodium and potassium are commonly known. Deficiencies in either of these minerals can have serious short and long-term effects.
Magnesium is involved in over 300 chemical reactions in the body, including all ATP transformations and therefore all cellular energy production. Depletion from food sources and depletion from the use of certain prescription drugs has resulted in a near epidemic of magnesium insufficiency.
Selenium is required by the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which maintains the oxidative balance in all tissue. Low selenium, therefore, can directly influence an individual’s antioxidant protection.
Chromium and manganese are especially important in insulin insensitivity and Metabolic Syndrome. And deficiencies in zinc have been linked to a variety of disorders, including sexual impotence, retarded growth, hair loss, and immune system depression.
Including a check of your mineral balance is often part of vitamin tests, but ask your healthcare provider to check your mineral balance if it is warranted.
Source: National Institutes for Health Medline Database