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Minerals: The Key Elements of a Healthy Metabolism
Your body depends on crucial minerals for the healthy metabolism and breakdown of the foods you eat. In fact, the balance of these elements can directly affect the levels of fats and sugars in your blood.
Chromium is an essential mineral — your body does not make it, but must get it from the food you eat or from supplements such as a multi-vitamin. Chromium helps metabolize fats and carbohydrates. Several studies report that chromium has the ability to reduce fat and increase lean body mass. This element also acts as a powerful blood sugar modulator, both lowering blood sugar when there is excess, and raising blood sugar when there is a deficiency. In that way, optimal chromium levels protect the body from blood sugar imbalances, which often play a role in chronic obesity.
Magnesium is another important mineral that controls levels of fatty molecules in the blood, such as cholesterol. It activates enzymes in your body that are crucial for normal protein and carbohydrate metabolism. One study exploring the relationship between nutrient balance and body fat found that men with deficiencies of zinc, magnesium, or vitamins C and E, had a higher risk for increased body fat and central obesity.
Your body also depends on the mineral nutrient iodine for the healthy production of thyroid hormones. Those hormones determine your body's basic metabolic rate, so imbalances can lead to weight gain, fatigue, and other health problems.
Ensuring optimum balance of these and other mineral nutrients is very important when addressing dietary changes aimed at maintaining a healthy weight.
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MineralCheck
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References:
- Anderson RA. Chromium, glucose intolerance, and diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr 1998;17(6):548-55.
- Anderson RA. Effects of chromium on body composition and weight loss. 1998;56(9):266-270.
- DeLeeuw I, Vansant G, Van Gaal L. Magnesium and obesity: influence of gender, glucose tolerance, and body fat distribution on circulating magnesium concentrations. Magnes Res 1992;5(30):183-7.
- Haas E. Staying healthy with nutrition. Berkeley: Celestial Arts, 1992.
- Singh RB, Rastogi SS, Mani UV, Seth J, Devi L. Does dietary magnesium modulate blood lipids? Biol Trace Elem Res 1991;30(1):59-64.
- Singh RB, Beegom R, Rastogi SS, Gaoli Z, Shoumin Z. Association of low plasma concentrations of antioxidant vitamins, magnesium and zinc with high body fat per cent measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis in Indian men. Magnes Res 1998;11(1):3-10.
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