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The Benefits of Minerals
By: Dr. Obikoya
You have probably heard a lot about taking vitamin and
mineral supplements. It is no doubt a healthy habit to take them. There is
enormous research evidence showing that supplements can help protect you against
diseases like heart disease and cancer.
It is clearly simpler and cheaper to take vitamins preventively than to treat
disease when you're sick, but shopping for supplements is far from simple. The
shelves in the supplement aisle are so crowded that it's hard to know where to
begin.
Mineral supplements play a crucial role in our metabolic processes. They are
central in helping the body produce energy, growth, and the reproduction and
health of our cells. A deficiency in even one mineral can lead to serious health
problems because they often work synergistically with other minerals and also
vitamins. For example, the mineral zinc is required for the body to convert
vitamin A into its active form. Without vitamin A in its active form, a whole
host of problems will soon appear, such as vision deterioration.
Some minerals also function as potent antioxidant free radical scavengers. Free
radicals are highly reactive chemical substances in our bodies that if left
unchecked can lead to premature aging and disease, such as cancer and heart
disease. Antioxidant minerals such as selenium have the power to neutralize free
radicals before cellular damage occurs.
Here is some current information on minerals to help you protect your health
while saving time and money in the supplement aisle. In buying mineral
supplements, you need to know which minerals supplements really prevent what
diseases? What dose is most effective? And which forms work best? Most of the
minerals can be found in a good multivitamin but you may want to buy them
separately depending on your need.
Calcium: Why do you need Calcium? This mineral is famous as a bone protector,
but it plays other important roles, too, helping your nerve cells communicate,
your muscles contract, and your blood clot. It also appears to lower blood
pressure and help prevent colon cancer and premenstrual syndrome.
Supplements made of calcium carbonate are easy to find and inexpensive, but they
should always be taken with food for best absorption. Another common form,
calcium citrate, can be taken anytime. You should take calcium at bedtime with
magnesium because they work together to relax your muscles and help you fall
asleep. You need 500 to 1,000 mg a day. If you take calcium carbonate, take it
with food; you can take calcium citrate any time. Avoid taking over 500 mg of
calcium at once; you can only absorb a certain amount at a time.
Recent studies suggest that the risk of advanced prostate cancer is higher in
men that take 2,000 mg or more of calcium per day. So, you should probably limit
your Calcium intake from food and supplements to 1,000 to 1,200 mg daily.
Chromium: This mineral helps the hormone insulin work more efficiently, making
it an especially important nutrient for people who have type 2 Diabetes or are
at risk for it. Insulin usually helps lower blood sugar levels, but if you have
type2 Diabetes, your insulin is less effective. In fact, some cases of type z
diabetes are triggered by a chromium deficiency.
Chromium's effect on insulin may also help you lose weight. Studies show that it
can help you hold on to muscle while shedding fat but don’t expect the results
in a jiffy. Chromium picolinate is thought to be its best form. Most people need
50 to 200 mcg daily. If you have diabetes or a pre-diabetic condition, take 200
mcg two or three times a day. For best absorption, take chromium in a separate
supplement (ignore the amount in your multivitamin), and take it at a different
time than your multi. If you take diabetes medication, talk to your doctor;
chromium may reduce your need for these medications.
Copper: This mineral helps transport oxygen through your body, maintains hair
color, and is used to make hormones. If you're supplementing with zinc, it's
especially important to take copper; zinc interferes with your body's ability to
absorb copper. You need just a bit of copper, 1 to 2 mg daily, the amount in
most multivitamins.
Iron: is important for the production of hemoglobin, the part of red blood cells
that carries oxygen around your body, and a lack of iron can cause fatigue. But
many foods are fortified with iron, and too much increases your risk of heart
disease and certain cancers. Iron deficiency typically affects only
pre-menopausal women (who shed the red blood cells that line the uterus),
endurance athletes (who sometimes experience slight gastrointestinal bleeding),
and vegetarians (who eat less iron than non-vegetarians).
Avoid ferrous sulfate: it’s inexpensive but more likely to trigger side
effects like constipation and nausea. It can also destroy vitamin E in your
body. Take ferrous gluconate or ferrous fumarate instead. Most multivitamins
contain 18 mg, the amount recommended for women who menstruate, but it's too
much for most men and postmenopausal women, who should take an iron-free
multivitamin. If you don't menstruate and think you're iron deficient because
you feel fatigued, consult your doctor before you supplement with iron.
Magnesium: maintains your bones and helps your muscles relax. Its best form is
magnesium citrate, gluconate, or aspartate because they're better absorbed, but
magnesium oxide (a common and inexpensive form) is also absorbed decently. Take
it before going to bed with your calcium supplement; these two minerals work
together to help your body relax for sleep. You need 300 to 500 mg of magnesium
daily, which is more than most multivitamins contain. Note that magnesium
supplements may trigger diarrhea. Reduce your dose if this occurs.
Potassium: is an electrolyte (a substance that maintains your body's fluid
levels). It helps regulate blood pressure and heart function. Research shows
that increasing your potassium intake can lower your blood pressure but too much
can derange your electrolyte balance and slow your heart down, sometimes to
dangerous levels. You need 3,500 mg daily, but over-the-counter supplements
contain no more than 99 mg. The small amount in your multivitamin is fine, but
many practitioners advise against taking more than 99 mg daily in supplement
form because it can irritate your stomach. So eat some bananas too. Take a
multivitamin and eat at least five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.
Selenium: could be your most potent ally against cancer. A study at the
University of Arizona in Tucson in 1996 found that people who took 200 mcg of
selenium a day for four and a half years reduced their risk of cancer by 32
percent and their risk of death from cancer by 50 percent. Selenium, an
antioxidant, appears to regenerate vitamins E and C so that they can continue to
fight free radicals. Selenomethionine is its best form. You need 200 mcg a day
with food. Be aware that doses of more than 400 mcg daily can be toxic.
Zinc: Among its many functions, zinc strengthens your immune system and supports
reproduction: It helps sperm develop and is needed for ovulation and
fertilization. Taking lozenges made of zinc gluconate can help shorten the
length of a cold. Most forms of zinc work equally well, but if you're trying to
prevent a cold, use zinc lozenges or a zinc spray made of zinc gluconate. Take
15 mg of zinc daily (the amount in most multivitamins). Because zinc can block
copper absorption, make sure that your supplement also contains 1 to 2 mg of
copper.
To fight colds, use a zinc nasal spray four times a day or suck on zinc lozenges
that contain 15 to 25 mg of zinc gluconate every two to four hours as soon as
you notice symptoms. Stop when symptoms subside. Consuming zinc on an empty
stomach can cause nausea, so take zinc supplements with food.
Prevention Magazine Health Books
Alternative Medicine, The Definitive GuideCompiled by the Burton Goldberg Group
