Many people may need daily dietary mineral supplements. In fact most people could benefit from multi mineral supplements, but not all supplements are the same.

Mineral Supplement

Essential mineral supplements provide nutrients that the body needs every day, but can not be produced within the body. As with vitamins, these are minerals that must be obtained from food or through supplementation. Thus, they are referred to as "essential".

Mineral Supplement

Today daily multi vitamin and multi mineral supplements are necessary for good health, because the world's food supply has changed over the last 50 years. Scientists have compared the nutritional value of fresh fruits and vegetables available to us today to those available 50 years ago.

The results showed that the potato has lost virtually all of its vitamin A content, half of its vitamin C and 28% of its calcium content. And that's just one example. 25 different fruits and vegetables were tested and the results were similar. Broccoli now has 63% less calcium than it did 50 years ago.

Some nutritional experts feel that the current obesity epidemic is caused by "malnourishment". Of course we think of starving children when we think of malnourishment, but consider why we are not satisfied with the food we eat. Why do so many people need appetite suppressants to eat normal quantities of food?

While the caloric value of food is basically the same, the nutritional value has been all but lost. We can easily meet our daily caloric needs and easily exceed them, as well; but without daily vitamin and dietary mineral supplements, we cannot meet our nutritional needs.

According to Dr Phil Warman of Nova Scotia Agricultural College, "crops are bred to produce higher yields, to be resistant to disease and to produce more visually attractive fruits and vegetables, but little or no emphasis is placed on their vitamin and mineral content." Plants contain minerals because of the soil in which they are grown.

In all parts of the world, the amount of land set aside for growing crops has been reduced over and over again. Thus, available farm land has lost most of its natural mineral content. And, because of increased demand for food and lack of available farmland, farmers can no longer let fields "rest" for several growing seasons to restore that mineral content.

In order to remain healthy, avoid obesity and feel well, people need daily dietary mineral supplements that contain vitamins and other antioxidants, not just multi mineral supplements.

We will now discuss the factors to consider when choosing a daily supplement.

The essential mineral supplements for adults and children include calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, zinc, potassium, chloride, boron and sodium. Some of these, such as boron and molybdenum, are sometimes referred to as "elements" or trace elements, rather than minerals.

But, regardless of what they are called, they are important to human health and all are needed in adequate quantities on a daily basis to avoid malnourishment. Only the best daily dietary mineral supplements will contain all of the ingredients on this list.

The next important consideration when choosing multi mineral supplements is whether or not the minerals are "bioavailable". This term simply means that a nutrient is "available" for use by the human body. In certain forms, minerals will pass right through the human body without being absorbed.

For example, most multi mineral supplements provide calcium in the form of "calcium carbonate". But, calcium citrate is 2.5 times more bioavailable than calcium carbonate. Other minerals may be provided as citrates as well, due to improved bioavailability; but only the best essential mineral supplements contain citrates. Other forms are less expensive, but to the consumer, price should not be the only consideration. If you buy a cheap product that your body cannot use, then you have wasted your money.

Another important consideration is other ingredients. Vitamins, minerals, trace elements and other nutrients work together within the human body to create other compounds that are not considered essential.

For example, COQ10 is found in all human cells and is responsible for converting food to energy and to maintain muscle health. COQ10 is not considered "essential" because the body can create is own supply, unless disease or prescription medications prevent the process. But, a number of amino acids, vitamins and other cofactors are needed for the body to create COQ10. Essential mineral supplements alone will not contain everything that the body needs to create COQ10 and other important compounds.

And, certain vitamins are needed in order for the body to effectively use certain minerals. This is the reason that the best dietary mineral supplements contain multiple vitamins as well. For example, the body needs the vitamins C and D, in order to effectively absorb and then use calcium to build and replenish the bones and teeth.

If there is a lack of either vitamin C or D, then dietary mineral supplements containing calcium will not prevent osteoporosis or other degenerative diseases of the teeth and bones. Magnesium and manganese are also necessary for the body to efficiently use calcium. Multi mineral supplements prevent the need for taking numerous minerals at the same time, which ends up being more costly and simply annoying.

The bottom line is that dietary mineral supplements should be included in a daily supplement. Too many people focus on just vitamins alone without ever realizing how crucial minerals are to our health.

What You Need To Know About Dietary Mineral Supplements

Mineral Supplement