And welcome back. Today we are going to go over minerals. So we talked about vitamins in the previous lecture and today we're going to hit on the major minerals that we see in and get from our diet. So minerals different from vitamins in a few ways. They are inorganic as opposed to organic compounds, such as vitamins. They do not contain carbon atoms in their molecular structure, and that's what makes you inorganic versus organic.

They retain their structure when exposed to elements. So well vitamins might be affected by things like heat or air acids, minerals actually retain their form. So there are seven minerals that are known as the macro minerals. These are magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, chloride, potassium, sodium, and sulfur. Now on top of that, there's also a long list of trace minerals that are that are needed in small amounts. So while you think Go, they might not be as important.

If these minerals are missing, you can still suffer from serious diseases very quickly. And as more research continues to come out, the list of trace minerals continues to grow. As of today, the list is longer than 30, we're not going to hit on all of them blew up, we are going to hit on the ones that are most relevant and have information on which the deficiencies might cause issues long term. So humans can get their minerals in a variety of ways. They can be taken in a salt. So if you think is your normal salt shaker on your table, your dinner table that usually contains sodium chloride, and that's probably the first thing you might think of.

And when you assault if we are to look at a salt from a molecular perspective, it's just simply a negatively charged atom on a positively charged atom that are joined together using an ionic bond. So some examples of salts along with sodium chloride with an include things like magnesium chloride, zinc sulfate, calcium phosphate, and there are many, many others. And when they're ingested, they can be ingested either in solid form or dissolved in solution. So say if you make like salt water, the salt dissolves in the solution of water. minerals are also found in the food we eat, believe it or not. minerals are incorporated into their chemical structures.

And they're what what is known as chelated, which is just a fancy way of saying that the chemical structure contains a metal ion. Common common chelated compounds include things like hemoglobin, which is found in red blood cells, and that has iron chlorophyll which is in plants and responsible for giving plants their green hue. Those contain magnesium and so when we absorb minerals, they're generally in there ionic and charged forms. But if we happen to consume minerals in their neutral States, the gut actually uses salts to break them down into the individual ions. The body is equipped with a complex system to let the gut know which minerals are needed most at a specific time. So let's look at an example of this.

So if the body needs calcium, if you need calcium ions, the parathyroid gland sends chemical messengers to the gut wall. And what happens here is these chemical messengers instruct the intestines to start making a protein known as calcium binding protein. And that's sent into the gut and attaches to calcium ions, and then these calcium ions are then delivered to the gut wall, and then they're absorbed into the bloodstream. So mineral levels are meticulously monitored at all times in the body. And how much is getting absorbed is dependent on the needs at a specific time. However, there are factors that can depress our ability to absorb minerals, even when there's enough in the foods that we're eating.

So for example, for hormones to function properly, we need adequate amounts of fat soluble vitamins to send absorb this mineral or absorb mineral x signals to the gut. Now, fat soluble vitamins and cholesterol are also needed to maintain the gut lining ensuring only the nutrients we need pass, preventing harmful substances from passing. These include things like toxins and undigested proteins, and they can lead to allergic reactions and food sensitivities if they're not properly maintained. So some minerals also compete for binding receptor sites and competition alters how much of a specific mineral can eventually be absorbed. So for example, calcium and manganese compete for a receptor site. So if you're consuming a lot of calcium, less manganese is going to be absorbed because those calcium ions are going to be attached to those binding sites.

Now, if one does not have enough hydrochloric acid in the stomach, certain foods may not be broken down to the point where they can release nutrients. And this becomes more of an issue as we age because we tend to lose hydrochloric acid as we age, it's just part of the the normal aging process. Now, lifestyle factors can also limit our production of stomach acid. So consistently taking things like antacids will lower the amount of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Now, mineral supplements are really widely available, and you can usually find them in two forms either chelated salt, or in something known as a college. A college is a solution containing small amounts of a mineral found in another substance.

So soap would be an example and if you take a look at the graphic here on the right, there are some examples of commonly found college materials today. So currently, there's no evidence that exists. Claiming collard mineral formulas are better absorbed, then minerals in found in the natural forms foods. Some preparations also contain unwanted additives and these could have negative health effects on our bodies and they're dangerous when they're taken in high enough doses. Things like aluminum and silver can be really disastrous and dangerous to our health if they're consumed in toxic amounts. So, rule of thumb if you're going to use a mineral supplement, if the solution tastes bitter, you would do best to avoid it.

Now, some commercial products claim their chelated minerals are attached to amino acids in such a way that the minerals bypass the gut mucosa is filtering process. So by doing so, that means all the minerals are going to get absorbed straight into the bloodstream. And while you think this might be a good thing off the top, it's actually could be pretty harmful. Because the body has again all these self regulating systems and these checkpoints in place to make sure we might not suffer from a potential mineral toxicity. So if these cheats are able to bypass the system, it's possible they can do us more harm than good. And if you're going to take something like this, you should do so under the supervision of a medical practitioner.

So, it all comes back to what's the best way to get minerals. And again, we went over some of the drawbacks of supplements. Ideally, it's best to get in their natural forms from eating foods. And this comes again from organic produce organic, grass fed and free range meats. The mineral content is found in their proper amounts. And these nutrient dense foods also contain vitamins and cofactors that help them be absorbed in a much easier fashion.

Alright, so moving on, we're going to hit the seven mat macro minerals to start and we're going to break them down into macro and micro. So as you can see here, the macro minerals are phosphorus, calcium, chloride, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, and sodium. So leading off for the macro minerals we're going to talk about magnesium now, roughly 65% of magnesium is found in bone, and another 25% is found in muscle tissue. And the primary roles of magnesium include regulating the absorption of calcium, and it's also involved in maintaining bone structural integrity. It's also really important as a smooth muscle relaxer. So these include things like the intestines and blood vessels.

Now, interestingly, the people of Finland in the Netherlands have the highest calcium to magnesium ratios on the planet and they also tend to have the highest rates of osteoporosis. Magnesium is a regulator for maintaining the hearts contractility. It may be useful in treating Patients with constipation if the dosage is actually correct, and again, this comes back to using magnesium as a smooth muscle relaxer. Magnesium is helpful in controlling hypertension, angina, and bleeding following a stroke. And again, this comes back to its smooth muscle relaxing effects. Interestingly, it's estimated somewhere between 60 and 82% of Americans are magnesium deficient and when we bring that back to things like high blood pressure, hypertension, and other heart issues, it you can see the correlation there.

Now deficiency in magnesium can lead to symptoms such as fatigue, irritability, weakness, muscle tightness or muscle spasms, high blood pressure, cardiomyopathy and nerve conduction issues. You can find magnesium in foods such as dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, fish, soy beans and other soy products and against Dessau. Organic soy products. cereal grains, avocado, millet, oatmeal peas figs and okra. Moving on to phosphorus so 80% of the phosphorus in the body is found in bones and teeth. It's very tightly regulated in the bloodstream, and it must be imbalanced with serum calcium levels.

Phosphorus plays a major role in the health of bones and teeth. Its primary roles include being an essential part of phospholipids and nucleic acids. Most notably This is in the Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation and this is the systems the body has to create energy in the forms of adenosine triphosphate in otherwise known as ATP and phosphorus is needed for the phosphate groups in order to create ATP. It is also found in a molecule known as cyclic ANP, which is an intermediate compound found in many metabolic reactions in the body. deficiency and phosphorus is actually very uncommon. And in America, it's Especially because Americans consuming the standard American diet actually get twice as much as they actually need.

And these can be found in very common standard American diet foods like sodas and fast foods and dairy. Now better sources of phosphorus are things like oatmeal, lentils, tofu, almonds, nuts, seeds and milk. Moving on to calcium, so calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and 99% of it is actually found in teeth and bones, vitamin D, and we talked about deficiencies in vitamin D earlier, but it's necessary for the absorption of calcium and many Americans are vitamin D deficient or functionally deficient. Therefore, uptake and usage of calcium might not be up to optimal levels. So calcium is absorbed through the duodenum which is a part of the small intestine and it is best absorbed in more acidic environments. So Again the duodenum and more importantly, the stomach has very low pH and this is due to hydrochloric acid.

So you need a proper amount of stomach acid or hydrochloric acid to properly absorb calcium. However, it's estimated only 30% of ingested calcium is absorbed even through a healthy gut. So in the bloodstream, calcium is tightly regulated. There are two hormones that maintain its balance though there's one known as parathyroid hormone, which increases serum calcium levels in calcitonin, which decreases serum calcium levels. And calcium is primary roles are to heart and bones. But there's also more to it than that.

Calcium is also needed for things like proper muscle contraction and maintenance of cell membranes. It aids in the transport across cell membranes. And it's also really important for proper contraction of the heart. deficiency in calcium can lead to diseases such as osteoporosis in adults and rickets and children. Calcium deficient individuals may also have other symptoms including things like muscle spasms and dental issues, insomnia, depression and anxiety. If you're looking for calcium, it can be best found in dairy products, although I suggest that you eat few of those but other great sources are things like seeds, yeast, dark leafy greens, okra, broccoli, rhubarb, lamb, almond, turnips, and sea vegetables.

So moving on to sulfur. Sulfur is found in the structure of a few amino acids and it plays a role in many biochemical processes. proteins that contain sulfur compounds are used as the building blocks of cell membranes. Sulfur is found in a gel like in gel like substances located in connective tissue, and skin. It aids in protecting the body from infection slowing the aging process and defending against the harmful effects of pollution and radiation. So if you're looking for sulfur from food sources that can be found in things like animal products milk, and the cruciferous family of vegetables things like broccoli and cauliflower kale.

Moving on to chloride chloride is a major mineral nutrient that occurs primarily in bottled in body fluids. So its primary roles include chloride as an electrolyte, and that's its member number one function. chloride is a negatively charged ion when it's found in the blood and it represents 70% of the body's total negative ion content. chloride combined with hydrogen in the stomach to make hydrochloric acid and again we talked about the issues with stomach acid and the potential to absorb certain nutrients. hydrochloric acid is needed to break down proteins aid in the absorption of minerals and activate intrinsic factor. So intrinsic factor is needed to properly absorb vitamin B 12. chloride is also needed to help balanced pH levels and transport carbon dioxide out of the body and this is breathing out its exhalation along with potassium and sodium chloride works with the nervous system and AIDS in the transport of electrical impulses.

Deficiency of chloride today is rare, but if it is, if it is present, it can be life threatening, and it leads to a state of alkalosis or what is known as a high blood Ph. Symptoms include muscle weakness, loss of appetite, irritability, dehydration and lethargy. chloride is most commonly found in table salt, but better forms of it are better ways to get it through food include things like seaweed, tomatoes, celery, lettuce, and olives. So sodium sodium along with potassium, it makes up the majority of electrolytes found in the body and all body fluids contain at least some level of sodium. It's mostly found in the extracellular fluid. So sodium is especially in Important for water balance regulation and maintaining fluid levels inside and outside of cells.

It also plays major roles in muscle contraction and relaxation, acid base balance that we talked about pH balance, nerve conduction and stimulation, kidney function and adrenal gland function. So sodium deficiencies are rare in the American diet. However, if you have too much sodium in the diet, you can you can end up with symptoms like high blood pressure, kidney stones, osteoporosis, congestive heart failure, and heart disease. good sources of calcium sodium to get include things like bone and meat broth, soy sauce, although I prefer tomorry especially if you're trying to be gluten free. I use tomorry personally, lox bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cabbage and cheese. So moving on to potassium very close relative to sodium.

So again, these two minerals make up the majority of electrolytes found in the body Now, as sodium is the major electrolyte found outside of cells potassium is the major electrolyte found within cells. That's even sodium work in conjunction with each other for many biological reactions. Potassium is needed for proper nerve and muscle function. Potassium is vital for glycogen storage and muscles. And then glycogen is broken down into glucose for energy. Ideally, the potassium to sodium consumption should be somewhere between five to 10 and 10 to one, so that's five to 10 times more potassium than sodium and this is very uncommon in the standard American diet.

Potassium deficiency can lead to things like muscle cramps and spasms, mental confusion, irritability, nerve conduction abnormalities, heart arrhythmias, and just general weakness, diuretics, COPD, and diabetes mellitus can cause potassium deficiencies, potassium toxicity Too much potassium can lead to symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea with ulcers. good sources of potassium include many fruits and vegetables, but they're especially high and things like avocados, tomatoes, potatoes, and apricots. So we hit the macro minerals, we're going to go over now the Miko minerals, but we're not going to hit all of them. As mentioned before, there's over 30 we're going to go over the major ones and the ones that you might have heard of before and their overall effect that they could have on the body. So we're going to start with iron. Now iron is important because it makes up the heme portion of hemoglobin is vital for healthy function of red blood cells and red blood cells main job is to transport oxygen to all parts of the body.

Hemoglobin is needed to bind oxygen to these red blood cells. Now iron is also needed as a coenzyme for many other metabolic reactions in the body also. So absorption of iron can be an issue and it's available in different forms in different foods. So, the reduced form of iron notice ferrous iron is more readily absorbed than ferric iron. heme iron, which is found in animal products is absorbed almost 10 times as easily as non heme iron which is found in plant foods. High intake of fat soluble vitamins like a D and K, eight in the absorption of iron.

Iron absorption is inhibited by high levels of zinc. deficiency and iron can lead to anemia most commonly known as iron deficiency, anemia, fatigue, weakness, immune system dysfunction and impaired mental function. Iron can be found in foods like eggs, fish, liver, green leafy vegetables, meats, figs, pine nuts, lentils, white beans, and seeds from sunflowers, pumpkins and squash. Some studies have shown the consumption of inorganic iron found in fortified white flour products has been linked to higher risk of heart disease and cancer. So again, it's important to get your iron from Whole Foods and unprocessed sources. So chromium, chromium is essential for the metabolism and synthesis of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

However, it's particularly important in the secretion and production of insulin. Therefore, chromium is vital for proper regulation of blood sugar levels, and many Americans, this might be no surprise or deficient in chromium. This is due to the high intake of processed sugars and carbohydrates in again the standard American diet. Low chromium levels are seen in many diabetics and those with metabolic syndrome, which is otherwise known as syndrome x. You can find high levels of chromium in foods like whole grains on processed grains, nuts, eggs, vegetables, cheeses, and apples. So moving on to zinc.

Now zinc is needed for proper mental development. The main The maintenance of healthy reproductive organs especially the prostate gland, in men, it's needed for college inflammation and the synthesis of cholesterol proteins and fat. Zinc also regulates the release of vitamin A from the liver, and it's important for maintaining vision. night blindness actually can be a symptom of low zinc intake. Blood Sugar regulation requires an immense amount adequate amounts of zinc. Symptoms of low zinc levels are delayed sexual development, especially in males, growth retardation, loss of taste or smell, delayed wound healing and loss of appetite.

Low zinc consumption during pregnancy can lead to birth defects. The zinc absorption is inhibited by the increased intake of iron and copper and we talked about that with iron earlier. If you're looking to increase your zinc levels, they can be found in things like oyster oysters, red meat, seeds, ginger, fish, nuts, kidney beans and Turkey. And moving along to copper. Now copper is a cofactor in reactions essential for the formation of things like bone, hemoglobin and red blood cells. Copper promotes the healthy function of nerves, the immune system and collagen formation, which is really important for connective tissue.

Copper also acts as an inflammatory compound by scavenging for free radicals in the bloodstream. Copper is an important cofactor in the production of the myelin sheath found on nerves. It also plays a role in maintaining memory and proper brain function. It is thought that copper has cancer inhibiting and cholesterol reducing properties as well. Copper deficiency can lead to brain and liver damage, anemia, neutropenia, and degeneration of vasculature, which are blood vessels. Now, too much copper toxicity of copper can lead to Wilson's disease which is a syndrome that includes the development of certain psychiatric disorders.

It also includes a symptom Kizer slicer rings, rings around the iris that are brown and if you look at the image on the right you can see how the iris has a brown ring on the outside of it. If you're looking to increase your copper intake you can find it in things like liver knots, lentils, oats, peas, lasses, sunflower seeds, asparagus, almonds and mushrooms. Selenium now, along with vitamin E Selenium is major role is as an antioxidant. Selenium is involved in immune function and helps eliminate free radicals in the body. It is also important in maintaining healthy heart function, pancreatic function and tissue elasticity deficiency and selenium has been associated with do Shane's Muscular Dystrophy keyshawn disease and caution back dizzy disease which are all connective tissue diseases. Selenium can be found in foods like Brazil nuts, butter, seafood and whole grains grains.

In Selenium rich soil, moving on to iodine now 75% of all iodine in the body is actually found in the thyroid gland. And iodine is essential for thyroid hormone production and function. That is why such a high amount is found in such a small gland the thyroid gland. Now iodine deficiency can lead to things like hypothyroidism creationism and goiter. As a therapy, iodine can be used to help treat the above conditions we just mentioned, along with things like fibrocystic breast disease, atherosclerosis and asthma. Iodine toxicity, on the other hand, can cause symptoms like rashes, nausea, headaches, and in very high doses can actually inhibit the thyroid gland.

So again, you want to be in the right balance with iodine. I don't can be found in saltwater fish, kelp, seaweed, fish broth and in green leafy vegetables. It's actually mostly found in sea vegetables. So again, things like seaweed are great for iodine consumption. manganese, not magnesium. manganese is found in the mitochondria, which is an organelle.

That's known as the powerhouse of the cell. Why is it called that? Well, this is where ATP is made. manganese is also needed for the formation of breast milk, and it's also needed for the healthy bone formation and remodeling working in conjunction with vitamin K. manganese also plays a role in maintaining skin integrity, tendon, ligament strain, and controlling blood sugar levels. diabetics tend to only have half the amount of manganese intake compared to their normal counterparts. So again, if you're looking if you're a diabetic and your or pre diabetic, getting higher amounts of manganese can be really helpful in helping stabilize blood sugar levels.

Overdosing on manganese on the other hand can lead to Parkinson's like symptoms hallucinations In violent actions, the best sources of manganese are whole nuts, whole grains, butter, seeds and beans. Moving on to boron now boron is needed for proper bone formation and remodeling. boron may also play a role in producing various hormones things like testosterone, estrogen, and the active form of vitamin D, which is known as vitamin d3. Well, there is no direct evidence of an outright disease associated with a boron deficiency. There's more recent evidence now that has been shown a deficiency may be involved with the development of things like arthritis and other bone metabolism issues. boron can be found in many fruits, especially things like tomatoes and apples but they can also be found in green leafy vegetables and silicon so silicon is needed for healthy formation of bones, cartilage, skin, nails, hair and connective tissues in general.

Especially For collagen formation, it is needed for the production of elastin, which is responsible, as its name might suggest for maintaining the elasticity of the tissues listed above. So, silicon may also be helpful in preventing atherosclerosis by eating and maintaining blood vessel walls. And this goes back to the elastic effect silicon can have on the tissues we were talking about. deficiency in silicon, on the other hand, can lead to growth abnormalities and bone deformities. So and if you're looking for good sources of silicon diet, you can they can be found in things like millet, flax, corn, oats, beets, barley, and even beer. So moving on to the Nydia now glucose, cholesterol, teeth and bone metabolism all require vanadium.

Some evidence has suggested vanadium may lower blood glucose levels independent of insulin levels in the bloodstream, which is interesting however, more research is needed. On this Canadian lowers the rate of cholesterol synthesis and those who have high blood cholesterol levels as well. So again, getting proper amounts of vanadium can be really helpful for those who may be suffering from diabetes or pre diabetes, or who have high cholesterol levels. vanadium has also been associated with decreased rates of dental caries, otherwise known as cavities. Now little is known as vanadium deficiency, but it may be associated with cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. vanadium can be found in foods like buckwheat unrefined vegetable oils out of whole grains.

Molybdenum, molybdenum is a cofactor for many oxidation reduction reactions in the body otherwise known as redox reactions. It's involved in the metabolism of certain trace minerals that are found in the body so things like copper, iron and sulfur. It is also needed for nitrogen metabolism, fat oxidation and metabolism and normal cell function. molybdenum also plays a role in alcohol detoxification in the liver. It's responsible for the oxidation of periods which are found in DNA. And if these are if these periods aren't treated as uric acid, this is what leads to gout.

It's a buildup of uric acid in the body somewhere. Now molybdenum is found in foods like lentils, peas, grains, beans, and dark leafy greens. fluorine is essential for healthy teeth and healthy bones. It's also needed actually for proper development in children. Well, levels of fluorine are associated with growth retardation, dental caries, anemia, and weaker bones. molybdenum has a synergistic effect with flooring in preventing dental caries.

So while flooring deficiency can lead to issues like dental cavities and a possibility of leading to things like osteoporosis, overdoses a flooring company to teeth modeling. Now flooring is found Tap water. And in food it can be found in things like fish, buckwheat, wine and coffee. nickel is found in both RNA and DNA, and it's needed to stabilize the nucleic acid structures and proteins found in both RNA and DNA. It also may be involved as a cofactor with certain liver enzymes, and also could play a role in iron and vitamin metabolism. deficiency in nickel can cause an iron deficiency and it can affect mitochondria and liver function, which overall affects detoxification pathways.

Niggle can be found in foods like beans, lentils, leafy green vegetables, bananas, peas, and wheat. cobalt so vitamin B 12 needs cobalt actually to function properly and why because Cobalts actually a part of its molecular structure. So because of this relationship, cobalt is essential purpose. Proper formation of cells especially found cells found in the bone marrow in the nervous system. And in the gastrointestinal tract, the GI tract, you can find cobalt in animal meats, dairy products and eggs. So lithium is actually one of the most abundant minerals in nature, but there's less than one milligram such a tiny amount stored in the body.

Most of it is found in the adrenal glands, the ovaries, the pituitary gland and the thyroid gland. Lithium has been used and can be used to treat bipolar disorder. And deficiency in lithium is usually extremely rare, but low levels may affect reproduction in animals that we found to this point. But the same can be found in foods like yeast, green leafy vegetables, grains, liver, seafood and lagoons. germanium so this was actually newly added to the list and was once thought not to be essential, but it is now thought it's needed to achieve optimum health. So in control With other minerals and antioxidants, Germania may be helpful with food allergies, rheumatoid arthritis, viral infections, fungal infections, and even some forms of cancer.

Who's grown in germanium, germanium rich soil tend to have higher levels of germanium. And foods that are highest end germanium include things like garlic and onions, ginseng mushrooms and Aloe Vera. So, as now we've looked at all these macro micro minerals. You may have learned a few things. But what's the take home message here? Well, first of all, it's important to realize that they are essential for optimal health.

But quality and quantity are both incredibly important when it comes to minerals. Now, they're best absorbed in nutrient dense foods. So things like Whole Foods, fruits and vegetables, and responsibly raised meats. These are actually the best ways to get the minerals you need. So if you're incorporating more high quality produce and animal products, it will help you reach these optimum mineral levels in the body. And again, if you're eating a varied diet that's full of these Whole Foods, this is the best way to make sure that you're going to get all the minerals you need in the right amount.