Minerals
Minerals are important for your body to stay healthy and help your body grow and develop. Your body uses minerals for many different functions, including keeping your bones, muscles, heart, and brain working properly. Minerals are also important for making enzymes and hormones.
When people do not get enough of these important minerals, they can have health problems.
Calcium: For instance, a lack of calcium, a key mineral essential for the body, can lead to weaker bones. Calcium not only builds bones and teeth, but also helps regulate blood pressure, helps muscles to contract, helps nerves to send messages, and blood to clot. However, calcium deficiency is common in older adults, especially in women and in people who eat few dairy products. A lack of calcium in the body increases the risk for brittle bones and fractures. Calcium supplements can be an effective way to help with deficiencies.
Iron: Another essential mineral for the body is iron, which the body needs to transport oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body. Women lose a lot of iron when they pass menstrual blood, and their bodies can become deficient in iron. Iron supplements have been used to assist those with iron deficiencies to help obtain healthy levels of iron within the body.
Further key minerals essential for the body include:
