Minerals for Your Health

by

Bambra Shea Johnson

ellepant@hotmail.com

This page was created to fulfill an assignment in mineralogy course taught at Emporia State University. It was designed to inform you about minerals and how they relate to the human body. Minerals serve valuable functions in industry and also, when ingested, help to maintain proper functioning levels within the human body. This page is not intended to be a substitution for professional medical advice and as with any health information please be sure to speak with your doctor before trying anything new.

Contents

Calcium
Chromium
Copper
Iron
Magnesium
Niacin
Phosphorus
Potassium
Selenium
Thiamin

Calcium

Calcium is important to health since it maintains our bones and our teeth.  It also helps with muscle and heart contractions.  The recommended dietary allowances for calcium intake is 1,000 mg for men and women between the ages of 19-50 and 1,200 mg for men and women aged 50-70.  If you are not getting your RDA of calcium you could experience muscle spasms and you will also increase your risk of osteoporosis.  Calcium is found in cheese, milk, and yogurt.

 Chromium

Chromium helps our bodies to breakdown fats, proteins and carbohydrates.  It also helps our body regulate our glucose levels.  The recommended dietary allowances for chromium (general health) 200 mcg, (weight loss) 200 mcg two times a day and (to improve effectiveness of insulin) 200 mcg three times a day. Too little of this trace mineral could lead to an inefficient use of glucose.  Chromium is found in whole grains (breads and cereals), potatoes, prunes, peanut butter, nuts, seafood, and brewer's yeast.

Copper


Image taken from
http://www.minerals.galleries.com/
minerals/elements/copper/copper.jpg 		Copper helps to strengthen our blood vessels, nerves, tendons and bones.  It also promotes clotting.  Our recommended dietary allowance is 3 mg a day from food and supplements.  Although it has happened it is rare that a person becomes really deficient in copper.  Copper is found in shellfish and organ meats (liver), legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

Iron

Iron is needed in all parts of the body. It is the main part of our blood called hemoglobin.  It also delivers oxygen to our muscles.  The recommended dietary allowances for men of every age and women over 50 is 10 mg a day.  For younger women it is slightly higher, 15 mg.  Too little iron results in iron deficiency anemia.  Iron is found in the following foods: liver, beef, lamb, beans, peas, leafy greens, and seeds.
Image taken from
http://www.mineral.galleries.com/
minerals/elements/iron/iron.jpg

Magnesium

Magnesium regulates our heartbeat and nerve function.  It is also useful for people who suffer from fibromyalgia.  The recommended dietary allowance for men is 350 mg and for women it is 280 mg.  Deficiencies in this mineral can raise the risk of heart disease and diabetes.  Magnesium is found in whole grains, nuts, legumes, and shellfish.

Niacin

Niacin (Vitamin B3) helps our bodies to access the energy found in the carbohydrates we eat.  Niacin will also increase our levels of HDL ("good cholesterol") and lower our levels of LDL ("bad cholesterol").  The recommended dietary allowances for niacin are 14 mg for women and 16 mg for men.  Too little niacin results in appetite loss, indigestion, and weakness.  Niacin is associated with foods that have high levels of protein and enriched pasta, bread, and cereals.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus helps our bodies to build strong bones and maintains our skeletal system.  As far as minerals go, it is one of the most highly used in our body.  The recommended dietary allowance for both men and women is the same, 700 mg.  Deficiencies result in weak bones and teeth, weakness and an increase in infection rates.  Phosphorus is also found in food that is high in protein and surprisingly it is also found in soft drinks (colas).

Potassium

Potassium, an electrolyte, is also another very important mineral found in your body.  It helps to lower our blood pressure and could prevent high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.  Potassium also helps our body to convert glucose into glycogen.  There is not a recommended dietary allowance of potassium but it is recommended that everyone take at least 2,000 mg a day.  Potassium is found in nearly every type of food so it is rare to see an individual with a deficiency.  Potassium is found in fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, and milk.

Selenium

Selenium relieves a wide variety of symptoms.  These include viral infections, shingles, lupus and it is possible it slows the progression of HIV/AIDS.  The recommended dietary allowance for selenium in men is 70 mcg and 55 mcg for women.  Again, due to diet, it is rare for an individual to develop an deficiency in this mineral.  It is found in seafood, poultry, and meats.


 Image taken from
http://www.mineral.galleries.com/
minerals/elements/selenium/selenium.jpg

Thiamin

Thiamin, (Vitamin B1), is needed specifically for converting our bodies carbohydrates into usable energy.  It can also strengthen our heart and helps our nerves to stay healthy.  The recommended dietary allowance for thiamin is 1.1 mg for women and 1.2 mg for men.  If you are not getting enough thiamin you could be irritable, lose weight, become depressed, and suffer muscle weakness.  Thiamin is found in lean pork, whole grains, dried beans, and nuts and seeds.

Back to the beginning.

References

This page was created on 23 November, 2001 and is copyrighted by Bambra Shea Johnson. Return to the mineralogy webpages.