Dietary Supplements: A Beginner's Guide to The Most Common Mineral Deficiencies Around Today

So in the previous post, we looked at 3 of the most common Vitamin deficiencies affecting people today. And now it’s time to switch to Minerals. Find out why minerals they are important and three of the most common mineral deficiencies affecting people globally. This includes their Recommended Daily Amounts and one important mineral you’ve probably never heard before.

What are Minerals and Why Do You Need Them?

Minerals are a type of micronutrient (“small” nutrient) your body needs to maintain health. There are roughly 5 major minerals and a sub-group of minerals called trace elements (aka minerals that are in very small amounts in your body). It can be hard to get some of these minerals from diet alone, especially if it’s not the best. And, if you’re not a lover of water or certain fruit/ veggies, then you’re probably missing the RDA of s minerals. This is why using dietary supplements is great.

The Most Common Mineral Deficiencies

Iron

Ladies: did you know that when you’re on your period, you lose Iron? This is why increasing your Iron levels during the cycle is essential. Iron is probably the most important mineral out there beacuse our blood cells need it in order to “suck in” Oxygen (in Haemoglobin). Having low oxygen uptake over time can lead to Anaemia, a main symptom being tiredness. You can get Iron from red meat, some beans and nuts. The RDA of Iron is 8.7mg for men and 14.8mg for non-menopausal women.

Calcium

Random fact: 200ml of whole or semi-skimmed milk contains about 30% of your RDA of Calcium (RDA’s 700mg). Vitamin D helps the body to absorb Calcium, and Calcium helps with a lot of physiological processes that occur in your body. Similar to Vit. D, a lack of Calcium can lead to bone issues such as Osteoporosis.

Selenium aka a trace element

Ever heard of a mineral called Selenium? Selenium is a trace element that helps maintain normal hair and nail condition and the normal function of your immune system. You can find it in fish, eggs and meat and your RDA is 75μg (0.075mg) for men and 60μg (0.06 mg) for women. Of course, like with any mineral, taking too much Selenium can lead to toxicity (aka Selenosis) and too little in the body is not great either.

Conclusion

So now you know 3 of the most common mineral deficiencies affecting some people worldwide today. If you’re not a fish-lover or you know your diet isn’t up to scratch, try Nature Min supplements to get a range of minerals, including the three mentioned in this blog , as a supplement to your diet.

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