Essential Minerals
Minerals are vital parts of dietary food and crucial for a variety of bodily functions such as the immune system, nervous system, bone development, cellular uptake, regulating water balance, etc. Usually, a balanced diet fulfills the requirement of minerals for the body but athletes, pregnant women, older people, and vegetarian or vegan diet followers are at risk of mineral deficiency. Therefore, nutritionist recommends taking supplements of vital minerals.
Calcium: essential nutrient associated majorly with the formation and metabolism of bone.
Phosphorus: It is a key important mineral for bone, teeth, and building blocks of DNA and RNA. Its key source of energy in the form of ATP (Adenosine triphosphate)
Zinc: It is an important ion and helps in the malnutrition problem worldwide. Clinically zinc is associated with many bodily functions such as epidermal, gastrointestinal, central nervous, immune, skeletal, and reproductive systems.
Magnesium: It is majorly involved in the metabolism of vitamin D. The deficiency will result in the risk of infection & inflammatory response.
Copper: copper in small amounts is necessary for physiological functions. It serves as a cofactor in the respiratory chain and maintains the oxidative balance.
Iron: an essential dietary mineral that is important for cellular energy metabolism and immune system development. It is an essential constituent to fight against anemia.
Selenium: It is an essential trace element that helps in maintaining the efficient function of the immune system.
References:
- Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium. National Academies Press (US); 2011. 2, Overview of Calcium. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books
- Impact of Phosphorus-Based Food Additives on Bone and Mineral Metabolism.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26323022/ - Zinc and its importance for human health: An integrative review.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ - Kim, M.-H.; Choi, M.-K. Seven dietary minerals (Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, and Mn) and their relationship with blood pressure and blood lipids in healthy adults with self-selected diet. Biol. Trace Elem. Res.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23568713/ - The Role of Minerals in the Optimal Functioning of the Immune System. Nutrients
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles