
Macrominerals
What are minerals?
You may already understand the general idea of what a mineral is. Biologically speaking, a mineral is defined as a 'a chemical element required as an essential nutrient by organisms to perform functions necessary for life.' (https://medlineplus.gov/minerals.html).
Minerals are categorised as inorganic, as they are not oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, or nitrogen which compose around 96% of the human body by weight. They cannot be made by humans, (https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals) so they must be taken in through food, water, or supplements.
Minerals are categorised into macrominerals and microminerals or trace minerals. Macrominerals are required in higher concentrations while trace minerals are needed in smaller amounts.
This article will discuss macrominerals.
Types, deficiency, and excess
There are 6 macrominerals. Each has a term for its excess (toxicity) and deficit (deficiency):
No.
MACROMINERAL
DEFFICIENY
TOXICITY
1
Calcium
Hypocalcaemia
Hypercalcaemia
2
Phosphorous
Hypophosphatemia
Hyperphosphatemia
3
Potassium
Hypokalemia
Hyperkalemia
4
Sodium
Hyponatremia
Hypernatremia
5
Magnesium
Hypomagnesemia
Hypermagnesemia
6
Chlorine
Hypochloremia
Hyperchloremia
As you can see, the prefix for deficiency is hypo-, and the prefix for toxicity is hyper-. This is a common pattern across biological terms, such as hypo- and hyper-tension.
Role in the body
Each macromineral has a unique role in the human body:
CALCIUM
Important for for muscle and heart contraction.
Supports the structure and function of bone and teeth.
(https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/)
POTASSIUM
Crucial for maintaining the electrical gradient for nerve impulses.
It maintains plasma volume and blood pressure.
(https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/potassium-HealthProfessional/)
MAGNESIUM
A co-factor in over 300 enzyme systems.
Required for energy production.
Contributes to bone development & synthesis of DNA.
(https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/)
PHOSPHOROUS
A key component of the cell membrane (the outer layer of the cell).
Regulates gene transcription and enzyme activity.
(https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Phosphorus-HealthProfessional/)
SODIUM
A major electrolyte that controls the blood pressure and water balance (the ratio of water outside the cells to inside the cells).
CHLORINE
Needed to produce hydrochloric acid (stomach acid) and in some cell functions.
(https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/potassium-HealthProfessional/)
Each mineral is usually specific for a particular function in the body. An exception is magnesium which is required for numerous different processes in the body.
Recommended amounts
Macrominerals are water-soluble compounds which means that they dissolve in water. This is compared to fat-souble, which means that they dissolve in fat. Water-soluble compounds are removed from the body quickly through urine and sweat, so they must be replenished more frequently that fat-soluble nutrients such as vitamin A.
Here are the recommended daily intakes of the macrominerals according to the US government, separated male and female when applicable:
No.
MACROMINERAL
RDA mg
1
Calcium
1000 mg
2
Phosphorous
700 mg
3
Potassium
4700 mg
4
Sodium
1500 mg
5
Magnesium
Men 420 mg Women 320 mg
6
Chlorine
2300 mg
Note:
Increasing intake of potassium can lower blood pressure
One can safely consume up to 2000 mg (2 g) of magnesium daily. In fact, it helps a lot of people – more information below.
In general, it's safer and better to obtain your mineral requirement from the diet as it avoids chances of any toxicities or imbalances. However, there is one exception to this - Magnesium
Magnesium is one of the most, if not the most deficient essential compound in the human body.
(https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-common-nutrient-deficiencies)
The majority of humans don't meet the threshold, and they can suffer small problems too. This is when a supplement would come in handy. Taking a magnesium supplement is a good idea – it can improve sleep quality and brain power too!
(https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100127121524.htm)
If you choose to supplement with magnesium, I recommend staying away from magnesium oxide. It has very less bioavailability – in other words, only a small amount of its magnesium is actually absorbed by the body. According to a research study 'magnesium citrate was more soluble and bioavailable than magnesium oxide'. It's a good idea to instead opt for other forms of magnesium, such as citrate.
Want to learn more?
Dietary sources
Minerals are best consumed in water and food. Ancestrally, we got a lot of our minerals from water, which used to contain high amounts of calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium. Now due to water softening and filtering methods, these beneficial elements are removed along with the impurities. This is why we must take special attention.
Here are the highest food sources for each of the macrominerals:
No.
MACROMINERAL
FOOD SOURCE
1
Calcium
Dairy products, Eggs, Fish
2
Phosphorous
Red meat, Dairy products, Fish
3
Potassium
Sweet potato, Banana, Avocado
4
Sodium
Table salt, Sea vegetables / seaweed
5
Magnesium
Chocolate, Spinach, Nuts and seeds
6
Chlorine
Table salt, Sea vegetables / seaweed