Trace Minerals in Humans

Most of the time, when one speaks of minerals, a inedible crystalline substance immediately comes to mind and it is indeed something that  one cannot just consume.  The truth is the human needs some specific minerals in small amounts in order for it to work properly.   Out of all the number of minerals that the body needs in order to stay healthy, those specific minerals that are needed in tiny amounts are what we refer to as TRACE MINERALS. However, it is still unclear of how much exactly does the body need from these trace minerals and what is exactly is their functions and benefits.  But when it comes to their importance in human health, many scientists and medical professionals  already knows about it.

Those specific minerals that are needed in not more than 20mg a day are the trace minerals.  These trace minerals include, iron, iodine, zinc, copper, manganese, fluoride, molybdenum and selenium.  Macrominerals is the term given to the types of minerals that are needed in larger doses or more than 100mg per day.  These macrominerals are calcium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, chloride, sulfur and potassium.  Most of the time, people often neglect trace minerals since they are either not aware of their importance or think that 20mg a day of these trace minerals can be ignored.  Just like macrominerals, insufficient amounts of trace minerals, no matter how little they are can cause deficiencies that could potentially lead to various health problems.

One of the most common trace mineral is IRON.  Iron is one of the most important trace mineral that a person should never forget to include in his or her diet.  Recommended daily allowance of iron is around 10 – 18mg a day in order to the body to perform in its maximum capacity.  When it comes to the trace mineral called zinc, a person should have 18 mg of it a day and for the selenium a person need 0.02 – 0.2 mg.  Copper should be taken 2 – 3 mg daily as well as chromium for 0.05 to 0.2 mg a day.  You also need to receive 0.15 mg of iodine, 0.15 to 0.5 mg of molybdenum, 2.5 – 5 mg of manganese and you need to have 1.5 – 4 mg of fluoride a day.  It is important however, that before taking in these trace minerals in a supplement form, you should first consult your doctor regarding of the dose and if you really need it or not.  Overdosing these trace minerals, even if they are in small amounts can indeed damage your health.  That is why, as much as possible we recommend taking in these trace minerals through natural foods instead to avoid health complications.

Iron is an important part of hemoglobin which is a protein that transports blood to the cells and is the building block of some enzymes in the body.  Copper contributes in blood coagulation together with vitamin K, zinc acts on wound healing, selenium together with iodine aids in increasing the condition of the thyroid, fluoride keeps the teeth healthy and strong while chromium, manganese and even molybdenum plays an important role during metabolism.

The best way to obtain these trace minerals is through a well-balanced diet, with plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein.  Meat and legumes are best sources of iron, selenium, copper, molybdenum and zinc.  Selenium and iron can be obtained from green leafy vegetables like broccoli.  Whole grains are composed of selenium, zinc and iron.  Copper, iron and zinc are for the seeds;  iodized salt, seafood and sea vegetables are the best sources of IODINE.