Mineral Deficiency: A Few Milligrams Can Be Crucial

Minerals are important substances that our body needs every day – albeit in minute quantities. If they are missing, serious complaints can occur under certain circumstances. Through a balanced diet, you counteract the mineral deficiency.

What are minerals?

Some substances that our organism absolutely needs to survive, it can not produce itself. We must therefore take in these so-called essential vital substances in sufficient concentration through food and drinking water. In addition to vitamins and dietary fiber, they also include inorganic minerals. They can be divided into two groups. Trace elements are present in our body only in very small concentrations: between one milligram and five grams. The organism therefore only needs “traces” of them. Trace elements are, for example, iron, fluorine, iodine and zinc. Of the bulk elements, for example magnesium, calcium, potassium or sodium, we need larger concentrations. Our body contains between 25 and 1000 grams of them.

How do mineral deficiencies occur?

A balanced diet is usually sufficient to replenish our body with the minerals it consumes. However, an unbalanced diet, for example during long-term diets or through excessive consumption of convenience foods, can lead to iodine or iron deficiency, for example. In certain phases, the body also needs more minerals than usual. This applies to the growth phases of children and adolescents, as well as to pregnant or breastfeeding women, athletes and older people. In the following, we present an overview of the trace elements.

Iron – brings color to the blood

Most of the four to five grams of iron in our body is found in hemoglobin, the red blood pigment, and in myoglobin, the muscle pigment. Its most important functions are the transport of oxygen from the lungs to the organs and the transport of carbon dioxide in the opposite direction. Iron deficiency can occur in cases of severe blood loss as well as gastric or intestinal diseases that involve impaired iron absorption. The iron content may also be too low in infants who are fed exclusively on milk for a long time, as well as in pregnant and lactating women and children in growth phases. The consequences of iron deficiency can include anemia, fatigue, dizziness, headaches or gastrointestinal complaints. On the other hand, a severe overdose can lead to symptoms of poisoning with vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding or liver and kidney damage – so talk to your doctor before taking iron supplements. Our daily iron requirement is usually ten to 15 milligrams. Meat, offal, grains, legumes and vegetables are good sources of iron, although our bodies absorb animal iron better than plant iron. 10 Foods with mineral power

Iodine – against goiter

Most of the iodine in our body is found in the thyroid gland: circa ten to thirty milligrams. It needs it to make thyroid hormones. An undersupply of iodine is usually caused by a diet low in iodine and drinking water low in iodine. In the case of an iodine deficiency, the thyroid gland grows to better utilize the lower amounts of iodine in the body – under certain circumstances, a goiter forms. This can press on the larynx, esophagus and trachea, causing difficulty swallowing and shortness of breath. If the body continues to receive too little iodine, hypothyroidism can also develop. Those affected suffer from fatigue, lack of concentration or listlessness, among other things. To meet the daily requirement of 150 to 300 micrograms, you should consciously eat a diet rich in iodine. This includes the use of iodized table salt, but also the consumption of fish, seafood and algae (sushi) is good for the iodine balance. In pregnant and lactating women as well as in adolescents, the daily requirement is increased; here, the doctor can additionally prescribe an iodine preparation.

Zinc – strengthens the body’s defenses

About two grams of zinc are found in the body of an adult. Our organism needs it, among other things, to fight bacteria and viruses in the event of an infection and so that wounds heal better. It also controls the production of insulin and is therefore important for our blood sugar levels. Zinc requirements are increased during infections, inflammations, growth phases, pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Causes and consequences of zinc deficiency

There are many causes of zinc deficiency. Such are, for example:

  • Unbalanced diet
  • Regular alcohol consumption (zinc is involved in alcohol detoxification).
  • Liver disease
  • Stomach and intestinal diseases
  • Diabetes
  • Taking certain medications

An undersupply leads, among other things, to increased susceptibility to infections, disorders of wound healing, problems with skin and hair, in adolescents to growth disorders, even impotence can sometimes have their cause in a zinc deficiency.

Zinc in food

Zinc is mainly found in animal foods, so the best way to meet the daily requirement of seven to ten milligrams is through regular consumption of meat, offal or cheese. A permanently excessive zinc intake can lead to chromium, iron, manganese or copper deficiency. For this reason, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends that a maximum daily intake of 6.5 milligrams should not be exceeded as a guideline for zinc intake via dietary supplements.