Minerals are essential nutrients that the human body needs in small amounts to work properly. They play a vital role in many bodily functions, such as building strong bones and transmitting nerve impulses. Some minerals are needed for hormone production or to maintain a normal heartbeat. Major minerals include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium, while trace minerals include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium.

Major Minerals

1. Calcium

Dietary sources: Dairy products, leafy green vegetables, fish with edible soft bones, calcium-fortified foods. Functions: Builds bones and teeth, aids in muscle function, nerve transmission, and blood clotting. Deficiency: Rickets in children, osteoporosis in adults. Overconsumption: Kidney stones, calcification of soft tissues, hypercalcemia.

2. Phosphorus

Dietary Sources: Dairy products, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, nuts. Functions: Forms DNA and RNA, works with calcium to build bones. Deficiency: Weakness, loss of appetite, bone pain. Overconsumption: Diarrhea, calcifications in blood vessels, organs, and soft tissues, and imbalance of other minerals.

3. Potassium

Dietary Sources: Bananas, oranges, cantaloupes, avocados, tomatoes, potatoes, spinach. Functions: Regulates fluid balance, muscle contractions, nerve signals. Deficiency Problems: Hypokalemia, which can cause heart palpitations, muscle cramps, constipation, fatigue. Overconsumption Problems: Hyperkalemia, which can affect heart rhythm.

4. Sulfur

Dietary Sources: Meats, seafood, eggs, onions, garlic. Functions: Helps form bridges that shape and stabilize some proteins. Deficiency (rare): Joint pain, rashes, growth problems. Overconsumption problems (rare): Diarrhea, headache, nausea.

5. Sodium

Dietary Sources: Salt, processed foods, canned vegetables, snack foods. Functions: Regulates fluid balance, aids in nerve function and muscle contraction. Deficiency Problems: Hyponatremia, which can cause seizures, coma, even death. Overconsumption Problems: Hypertension, heart disease, stroke.

6. Chloride

Dietary Sources: Table salt, soy sauce, processed foods. Functions: Maintains proper balance of fluids. Deficiency Problems: Muscle cramps, loss of appetite, lethargy. Overconsumption Problems: Fluid retention, hypertension.

7. Magnesium

Dietary Sources: Whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables. Functions: Helps in ATP bioenergetics, muscles and nerves function, steadies heart rhythm, keeps bones strong, aids in making protein, DNA, and cellular energy. Deficiency Problems: Loss of appetite, hypocalcemia, nausea, fatigue, weakness, seizures. Overconsumption Problems: Diarrhea, nausea, abdominal cramping, irregular heartbeat.

8. Iron

Dietary Sources: Red meat, poultry, fortified cereals, beans, and lentils. Functions: Helps carry oxygen in the blood, and is a component of hormones. Deficiency Problems: Iron-deficiency anemia, fatigue, paleness, breathlessness. Overconsumption Problems: Iron overload disorder, which can damage organs.

9. Manganese

Dietary Sources: Nuts, legumes, whole grains, tea. Functions: Helps form connective tissue, bones, blood clotting factors, and sex hormones. Deficiency: Weakness, infertility, bone malformation, seizures. Overconsumption Problems: Impaired motor skills, shaking.

10. Copper

Dietary sources: Seafood, nuts, seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole grains. Functions: Helps with iron metabolism, formation of red blood cells, maintains healthy nerves and immune system. Deficiency : Anemia, low body temperature, bone fractures. Overconsumption Problems: Liver damage, abdominal pain, nausea.

11. Iodine

Dietary sources: Seafood, iodized salt, dairy products. Functions: Makes thyroid hormones, which control metabolism and other important functions. Deficiency problems: Goiter, intellectual disabilities in babies from iodine-deficient mothers. Overconsumption Problems: hyper- or hypothyroidism, goiter, thyroid gland inflammation.

12. Zinc

Dietary Sources: Meat, shellfish, legumes, seeds, nuts. Functions: Helps the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses, makes proteins and DNA. Deficiency Problems: Growth retardation, loss of appetite, impaired immune function. Overconsumption Problems: Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhea, headaches.

13. Cobalt

Dietary Sources: Found in Vitamin B12, which is in fish, meat, poultry, milk. Functions: Necessary for the formation of Vitamin B12 whose function is to support the formation of red blood cells and maintain nerve cells. Deficiency Problems: Pernicious anemia. Overconsumption Problems: Heart problems, thyroid damage.

14. Fluoride

Dietary Sources: Fluoridated water, tea, seafood. Functions: Helps keep teeth and bones strong. Deficiency Problems: Tooth decay, osteoporosis. Overconsumption Problems: Dental fluorosis, skeletal fluorosis.

15. Selenium

Dietary Sources: Brazil nuts, seafood, meat, poultry. Functions: Protects cells from damage, and regulates thyroid hormone activity. Deficiency Problems: Keshan disease, which can cause heart damage. Overconsumption Problems: Garlic breath, diarrhea, skin rashes, brittle hair or nails, nausea.

Minerals are vital for health. While the body can produce some vitamins, it cannot produce minerals; hence they must be obtained through diet. It's important to maintain a balanced diet to ensure that you get sufficient amounts of each mineral. Overconsumption or deficiency in any mineral can lead to health problems. If you're considering taking mineral supplements, consult with a healthcare provider first to avoid potential side effects or interactions with medications.