Minerals

Minerals are non-organic nutrients that are extremely important for the body. The body cannot produce them itself, so they must be supplied through food. Like vitamins, minerals themselves are not energy carriers, i.e. they make no or only an insignificant contribution to energy metabolism. Some minerals are toxic in their elemental form (e.g. chlorine), but are essential as a compound - chloride, e.g. in sodium chloride (table salt). A distinction is made between building and regulating substances. For example, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium are building materials, while iodine, sodium, potassium, iron and chlorine are regulators. However, some minerals have both properties at the same time. Phosphorus, for example, is involved in building bones and teeth and at the same time in regulating the acid-base balance. Minerals are also referred to as bulk elements. In contrast to trace elements, they are present in the body in relatively high concentrations: They are present at more than 50 mg per kg of body weight (dry matter).

Examples of bulk elements:

• Calcium (Ca)
• Chlorine (Cl)
• Potassium (K)
• Magnesium (Mg)
• Sodium (Na)
• Phosphorus (P)
• Sulphur (S)

The main components of our diet, carbohydrates, fats and proteins, are not enough on their own to ensure a healthy diet. In addition, certain components are necessary, which must be supplied to our body in minute quantities, as it cannot produce them itself. In addition to vitamins and minerals, the so-called trace elements are important for many functions, although they are only present in the body in very low concentrations (less than 50 mg/kg body weight). A distinction is made between building and regulating substances. Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, for example, are building blocks, while iodine, sodium, potassium, iron and chlorine are regulators. However, some minerals have both properties at the same time. Phosphorus, for example, is involved in building bones and teeth and at the same time in regulating the acid-base balance. Finally, there is a distinction between essential and non-essential minerals, i.e. those that are vital and those that are not. For some minerals, however, it is unclear whether they fulfill vital functions in the body. While iodine and iron, for example, are definitely among the essential minerals, this is still unclear for boron.

Examples of trace elements:

• Arsenic (As)
• Boron (B)
• Chromium (Cr)
• Iron (Fe)
• Fluorine (F)
• Iodine (J)
• Cobalt (Co)
• Copper (Cu)
• Lithium (Li)
• Manganese (Mn)
• Molybdenum (Mo)
• Nickel (Ni)
• Selenium (Se)
• Silicon (Si)
• Vanadium (V)
• Zinc (Zn)

For all trace elements, a lot does not help a lot, rather the opposite: as valuable as they are for a healthy organism, an overdose can be dangerous for many. Arsenic or selenium poisoning and copper storage disease are just some of the possible problems. Some minerals are part of a functional control loop and influence each other, for example sodium and potassium, which act as counterparts in nerve signal conduction. Some are components of hormones, such as iodine in the thyroid hormone. Others, such as some bulk elements, dissolved as electrolytes in the form of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions, ensure electroneutrality in the body fluids between the tissues and maintain osmotic pressure. They are readily available to the organism, especially in certain compounds, such as sodium and chlorine in the form of common salt or zinc in the form of zinc chelate.