Although vitamins and minerals are quite different, both are necessary for maximum fitness and the human body requires a certain amount of each in order to function properly. Most everyone knows that vitamins are complex, organic chemical compounds that are required by the body for normal functioning and are essential to good health. Fewer know that minerals, unlike vitamins, are inorganic compounds that are found within the soil and water and are absorbed by plants and animals.
Because human bodies need help maintaining the proper levels of nutrients and nourishment as they age, taking vitamin supplements is an easy solution to the problem. There are many different vitamins that are essential for normal body functions and they can be purchased as multivitamins or as individual supplements like vitamin A for a strong immune system, vitamin C to fight colds and vitamin E to prevent free radical damage.
Most people can get by with a multivitamins because they provide all the essential vitamins in each dose. Those with specific vitamin deficiencies can easily buy the extra vitamins they need separately. Different vitamin combinations have been developed especially for women and men, as well as for specific age groups, like young children. Any drug store or market will have a selection of different vitamins and if you need help figuring out what kind of vitamins will work best for you; your physician or nutrition professional can help you determine the best combination to purchase.
Unlike vitamins, minerals are inorganic compounds that must be added into our diet since the human body can not produce them. Essential minerals come in two general categories, macro minerals and trace minerals. Macro minerals are found in the body in large quantities and include elements like potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Trace minerals are required by the body in much smaller amounts and this group includes iron, iodine, zinc, chromium, vanadium, selenium, manganese, molybdenum, silicon and copper.
Each different mineral compound has a different function in the body and each is essential for the regulation of many different biochemical systems. Minerals perform most of their functions by acting as integral components of enzymes within the body and are essential for muscle contraction, nerve conduction, cellular energy metabolism, protein synthesis, hormone regulation and immune system function. This means that if you want to maintain a healthy and fit body, you’ll need to supplement your diet with the proper minerals as well as the right vitamins.
Important minerals in the body:
Calcium –
Calcium is the most abundant mineral found in the body, and is necessary for proper bone development and maintenance. Calcium deficiencies can lead to osteoporosis and increased risks of fracture.
Zinc –
Zinc is required for the proper synthesis and stabilization of proteins, and is also required for normal sperm production, fetal growth and embryonic development. Zinc deficiencies have been associated with diseases like diabetes, alcoholism, inflammatory bowel disease, impaired immune function and night blindness.
Selenium –
Selenium is a trace mineral in that works with vitamin E to prevent free radical damage to the body’s many cell structures. Low blood levels of selenium have been associated with an increase in risk of coronary artery disease as well as certain cancers.
Copper –
Copper has a complex role in the body. It is essential for iron metabolism, melanin synthesis, central nervous system functions, the production of collagen and the reduction of free radicals. A copper deficiency may cause a loss pigmentation color in the skin and hair, various neurological problems, reduced numbers of white blood cells and anemia too.
Chromium –
Chromium aids insulin production and affects the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. People with hyperglycemia or impaired glucose tolerance are usually chromium-deficient.
Iron –
Iron is a trace mineral that is essential in blood production and works with proteins like hemoglobin and myoglobin. Iron deficiency can have many symptoms, the most common being excessive fatigue. Iron deficiency in children has been associated with behavior problems and women require more iron than men due to blood loss during menstruation.