Crops grown decades ago were much richer in vitamins and minerals than the ones we consume today. The main reasons for this have to do with modern agricultural practices that have produced high-yielding crops and caused soil depletion.
Common practices such as monocropping, synthetic fertilizers, and pesticides negatively impact soil health and degrade soil quality over time. As a result, not only do we have poorer quality soil, but at the same time, modern intensive agriculture has produced crops maximized for size, fast growth rate, and resistance to pests. While these faster-growing crops give farmers a higher yield, the problem is that these fast-growing plants do not have enough time to uptake nutrients and minerals from the soil at a similarly faster rate, and while they may be larger in size, they are far less nutritious.
So while a diet rich in fruit and vegetables supplied our ancestors with abundant nutrients and minerals in the past, today it is becoming more and more necessary to supplement to meet our needs for optimal nutrition and health.
The Role Minerals Play in the Body
Why are minerals so important? Minerals are the basic building blocks of our bodies and help keep us healthy, strong, and youthful. They come from rocks, soil, and water and are absorbed by plants as they grow or by animals when they eat the plants.
Each mineral plays a role in hundreds of body functions. Every cell in the body requires minerals: enzymes and hormones cannot be produced and activated without minerals, and all electrical impulses (such as nerve and brain impulses) in the body require minerals.
Here are some examples of the important roles that minerals play in the body:
- Calcium builds bones and teeth, activates enzymes throughout the body, helps regulate blood pressure, and helps muscles to contract, nerves to send messages, and blood to clot.
- Chromium helps maintain normal blood sugar levels and helps cells draw energy from blood sugar.
- Copper assists with metabolizing fuel, making red blood cells, regulating neurotransmitters, serves as an antioxidant, stimulates the natural production of collagen, and modulates melanin synthesis.
- Iron helps make hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying chemical in the body’s red blood cells) and myoglobin (a protein in muscle cells). Iron is essential for activating certain enzymes and for making amino acids, collagen, neurotransmitters, and hormones.
- Magnesium builds bones and teeth. It also helps to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar and enables muscles to relax, nerves to send messages, blood to clot, and enzyme function.
- Manganese helps form bones and helps metabolize amino acids, cholesterol, and carbohydrates. It is important for the health of ligaments and connective tissue.
- Molybdenum activates several enzymes that break down toxins and prevents the buildup of harmful sulfites in the body.
- Potassium balances fluids in the body, helps to maintain a steady heartbeat and to make muscles contract, and may benefit bones and blood pressure.
- Sodium balances fluids in the body, helps send nerve impulses, and helps make muscles contract.
- Zinc helps make proteins and DNA, protects from photodamage, bolsters the immune system, and helps with wound healing, tissue repair, and cell division.
- Selenium protects skin from UV radiation and oxidative stress, supports the thyroid, and is useful for psoriasis.
Macrominerals vs. Microminerals
How are micronutrients classified? Minerals are primarily categorized by the ideal amount we need to consume on a daily basis. If that daily amount exceeds 100 mg, then they are known as macrominerals. Macrominerals include:
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Sulfur
- Sodium
- Potassium
- Chloride
On the other hand, if the recommended daily amount is less than 100 mg, they are known as micro or trace minerals. Trace minerals include:
- Iron
- Zinc
- Copper
- Iodine
- Manganese
- Selenium
- Chromium
- Molybdenum
- Silica
- Boron
Both forms are equally important for optimal health.
So, how are micronutrients classified? As mentioned earlier, micronutrients are classified into two main categories: macrominerals and microminerals (or trace minerals). This classification is based on the daily recommended intake of these minerals. Macrominerals are needed in larger quantities (over 100 mg per day), while microminerals are required in smaller amounts (less than 100 mg per day).
We don’t manufacture essential minerals in our body, which means we need to get them from our diet. There are different ways to consume minerals, and certain forms absorb better than others.
Mineral Forms That Are Well Absorbed
1. Mineral Chelates
Chelated minerals are bound to a chelating agent to boost absorption. A chelating agent is an organic compound or amino acid that our body actively recognizes as food and absorbs. In doing so, once the mineral is bound to an organic compound, it goes from being inorganic to organic. The chelate also helps to prevent the mineral from interacting with other compounds. For example, magnesium glycinate is magnesium bound to molecules of the amino acid glycine, which makes a very stable chelate.
When looking for a high-quality mineral supplement, it’s important to choose a product that contains chelated minerals to ensure optimal absorption and utilization by the body. Essential Minerals by NutriDyn is a comprehensive micronutrient dietary supplement formula made with highly bioavailable forms of key minerals, including chelated minerals, to ensure optimal absorption and utilization by the body.
2. Fulvic Acid/Shilajit
Fulvic acid, also known as Shilajit, is found in soil humus. It is the substance left over after plants and animals have decomposed, which is rich in nutrients and is the food source for plants. Fulvic acid is also the basis of a thick, tar-like mineral pitch known as shilajit that exudes from the rocks of mountains like the Himalayas. This compound contains many nutrients and minerals in their ionic form (meaning they have an electrical charge and easily bind with water. Charged minerals are readily distributed throughout the body and across cell membranes for healthy cellular function) and have been used traditionally as a tonic for energy, vitality, and detoxification.
3. Colloidal Minerals
Colloidal minerals are in a charged, liquid form. Colloidal means that the minerals do not gather at the bottom of the liquid but instead are evenly dispersed throughout it. These are ancient mineral nutrients that are extracted from shale deposits formed through the decomposition of prehistoric plants. Most of these are from Utah and the Great Salt Lake area. These are naturally occurring, full spectrum macro and trace minerals and are also easily absorbed.
Drinking minerals in a liquid form is a great way to ingest them periodically throughout the day, say, as mineral drops in your water bottle. If you are taking chelated minerals in tablet or capsule form, it is recommended to divide the doses, such as an AM and PM dose, instead of taking them all at once, to increase absorption.
There are other forms of inorganic minerals, such as oxides, sulfates, and carbonates also found in tablet and capsule form; however, though they may be cheaper to buy, they are not used as efficiently by the body as the other forms and are therefore not recommended.
Micronutrient Energy Therapy by Rejuvenation Science combines sophisticated micronutrient support for maximum vitality, cellular energy, healthy metabolism, healthy microbiome, immune system, and lipids. This advanced formula provides a comprehensive blend of essential minerals and trace elements, ensuring that your body receives the micronutrients it needs to function optimally.
Conclusion
The depletion of minerals in our soil due to modern agricultural practices has led to a decrease in the nutritional value of the crops we consume. This, in turn, has made it more challenging to obtain the essential minerals our bodies need for optimal health through diet alone. Fortunately, you can supplement your wellness with multivitamins and a well-balanced diet.
But how are micronutrients classified, and why does it matter? Understanding how they are classified and the important roles they play in our bodies can help us make informed decisions about mineral supplementation. By choosing well-absorbed forms of minerals, such as chelated minerals, fulvic acid, and colloidal minerals, we can ensure that our bodies are receiving the micronutrients they need to function at their best.
Sources:
- How Industrial Agriculture Affects Our Soil. FoodPrint. https://foodprint.org/issues/how-industrial-agriculture-affects-our-soil/
- Magnesium: The Forgotten Nutrient. Wholistic Matters, Standard Process. https://wholisticmatters.com/magnesium-forgotten-nutrient
- Park K. Role of micronutrients in skin health and function. Biomol Ther (Seoul). 2015;23(3):207-217. doi:10.4062/biomolther.2015.003
- Precious Metals and other Important Minerals for Health, Harvard Health Publishing. Feb 2021. https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/precious-metals-and-other-important-minerals-for-health
