$Unique_ID{BRK02023}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{The Role of Minerals in the Human Body}
$Subject{vitamins minerals nutrients nutrition iron hemoglobin oxygen blood
calcium chlorine magnesium phosphorus potassium sodium sulfur macro-minerals
chromium iodine selenium molybdenum diet}
$Volume{}
$Log{}

Copyright (c) 1993  Tribune Media Services, Inc.


The Role of Minerals in the Human Body


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QUESTION:  My daily vitamin preparation contains some minerals.  Do you feel
that these are really necessary for me?  Just how many minerals are there in
the body?  This is a subject of some interest to me, but I have little
information about them.  Can you provide the "remedy"?

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ANSWER:  Yes, minerals, classified as nutrients, are essential to your health,
and deserve a place in your formula.  More than 60 minerals can be found in
the human body, where they take part in the chemical reactions that are
constantly occurring in the body, everywhere from bone formation, digestion,
to the beating of the heart.  Iron is essential to the formation of
hemoglobin, which carries the oxygen in the blood.  Minerals account for about
4 percent of the body weight, and 22 are listed as essential.  Seven of these
(calcium, chlorine, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and sulfur) are
classified as macro-minerals for there are considerable amounts of each of
them in the body's chemical warehouse.  The others are called trace nutrients,
but though they are present in extremely small quantities, they are just as
critical to the healthy working of the body.  Among the trace minerals are
chromium, iodine, selenium and molybdenum.

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The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
the counsel and advice of your personal physician.  Promptly consulting your
doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
problem.