Trace Minerals-- from mothernature.com

I thought this was interesting:

Just because they're called trace minerals doesn't mean that copper, iodine and even molybdenum aren't as important as, say, calcium, a biggie that we all know about. It simply means that you require smaller daily amounts of these nutrients--in the case of some trace minerals, less than a milligram a day. Minerals taken in such tiny amounts are often measured in micrograms, or one-thousandth of a milligram.

Several trace minerals--copper, chromium, cobalt, manganese and molybdenum--are firmly established as essential to humans. That means that you can't live without them, at least not for very long. It means that these minerals are necessary for certain vital chemical reactions in the body to occur and that no other elements can take their places. It also means that the National Research Council has developed daily intake guidelines to help you make sure that you are getting enough.

The Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intakes were established for essential nutrients (including many trace minerals) that have some research to support an estimated range of requirements, but not enough to establish a Recommended Dietary Allowance or a Daily Value.

Luckily, trace minerals are found in a variety of foods and in water, so we usually get enough of every one of them to function normally, though we may not always get optimum amounts.

Several additional trace minerals, including boron, silicon and vanadium, have been proven essential to assorted bacteria, fungi and other microbes. And all plants need boron in order to grow. As technology improves and research deepens, these minerals may one day be shown to be essential to humans as well.

Many trace minerals act as coenzymes, so-called catalysts in chemical reactions. That means they function as spark plugs, getting chemical reactions going without actually being changed in the process. That's important, because our bodies are giant laboratories, where billions of chemical reactions are taking place all of the time.

Trace minerals play roles in your body's production of neurotransmitters, biochemicals that send messages through your nervous system; in the production of major hormones secreted by your thyroid and adrenal glands; and in your body's ability to burn carbohydrates and fat for energy and to weave molecules into the tissues that become your bones, blood vessels, skin and teeth. Along with other food components, trace minerals help you grow, reproduce and maintain your body over the years.

Getting enough trace minerals is a perfect reason to abide by one important bit of nutritional advice: Eat a varied diet that contains whole foods. Whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, fresh fruits and vegetables, mushrooms, shellfish, herbs and spices are the richest sources of trace minerals. A few processed foods also contain high amounts: ham, canned pineapple juice, cocoa and beer, which contains trace minerals from the brewer's yeast used to concoct the stuff. Yes,

If you're relying on supplements to make up for what is lacking in your diet, pick a good multivitamin/mineral supplement that supplies an array of trace minerals in the ranges recommended below. With very few exceptions, there's no reason to take supplements of individual trace minerals. That's because most trace minerals are toxic in high amounts. "The dose makes the poison," explains Curtiss Hunt, Ph.D., a research biologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota. Until more is known about these elements, especially how they interact with other nutrients, it's prudent to stick to amounts that researchers know are safe. And if you have health problems, get your doctor's okay before you begin taking any supplement.

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/10/17.cfm

Wed. Jul 20, 4:14pm

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