Minerals are essential nutrients that serve the body in many ways. So important in the function of the human body that insufficient supply, or even over supply, of these can lead to numerous health problems and complications not to mention a disrupted life. Minerals have good effects to the body individually but for them to give out the best results they must therefore work in partners and even in groups. Most minerals complement each other thus serving as cofactor to each other in the body's most essential processes.

One of the numerous beneficiaries of minerals teamwork is the skeletal system, as do teeth and nails. Calcium and phosphorus, the two minerals that are present in the highest amounts in the body, are the key mineral players for the hard surfaces of bones, teeth and nails with the mineral magnesium serving to help the body metabolize the calcium and the phosphorus. The mineral manganese serves a purpose in this process as well and the mineral zinc is also essential because it is needed in metabolizing the phosphorus. This group of minerals also combine and work together to protect the health of the nerves and to enhance the ability of the nerves to communicate with each other and the other body parts as well as ensures the ability of the muscles in the body to contract smoothly and regularly, contributing to, among other things, a regular and steady heartbeat.

The mineral iron, on the other hand, is responsible for the production of hemoglobin (or red blood cells) in the blood which is where the oxygen is stored as blood circulates the body. Oxygen is very vital for it is needed by the cells, not only to function properly, but also to live. But without the mineral copper, the human body would be unable to absorb and use the iron. A deficiency in the mineral copper results in an anemia that is very much similar to that caused by a deficiency of the mineral iron.

Minerals also serve as cofactors in a variety of chemical combinations in the body that are essential processes of everything from food digestion to oxygenation of the body's cells. The entire functioning of the body is built upon chemical and electrical reactions. These depend primarily upon the nutrition we consume and once broken down to its basic elements, the chemicals needed to complete the various interactions. The balance of the complex system is delicate but must be maintained to ensure health and peak performance of the human body system.

Nowadays, food and water alone cannot give the much needed daily mineral supply of the human body. It is therefore also important to take up nutritional supplements for the effective and safe means of ensuring that each day the body achieves the standard recommended daily intake levels of the minerals it needs to be able to properly perform the essential operations of the body. Because the balance of nutrients in the body is so important, not only for a normal health but also for a normal, healthy lifestyle, it is also a great idea to engage in a consultation with a licensed nutritionist who will be able to assist you in devising a mineral supplement plan that is best suited to your individual dietary needs and concerns.

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Charlene J. Nuble 2005.

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