How many minerals are found in the body

You need larger amounts of macrominerals. They include calcium , phosphorus, magnesium, sodium , potassium , chloride and sulfur. You only need small amounts of trace minerals. They include iron , manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride and selenium. Most people get the amount of minerals they need by eating a wide variety of foods.

In some cases, your doctor may recommend a mineral supplement. People who have certain health problems or take some medicines may need to get less of one of the minerals. Naturally occurring salt is therefore a mineral.

But as soon as you sprinkle salt on your tongue and begin to eat it, the salt dissolves in the water on your tongue. This means that the sodium and chlorine atoms break apart and float around in the water. You no longer have a mineral. You have elemental ions in solution. Your body then uses the dissolved elemental sodium ions to regulate fluid pressure levels and to send electrical signals along your nerves.

In this way, you can eat minerals, but once you eat them, they aren't minerals anymore. Furthermore, you can get dietary elements from non-mineral sources. For example, you can get dietary sodium from milk, which is not a mineral. Credits Current as of: December 17, Top of the page Next Section: Related Information. Previous Section: Related Information Top of the page. Current as of: December 17, Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction.

Meats, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes. Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, processed foods including soda pop. Occurs in foods as part of protein: meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, legumes, nuts.

Found in thyroid hormone, which helps regulate growth, development, and metabolism. Seafood, foods grown in iodine-rich soil, iodized salt, bread, dairy products. Legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, organ meats, drinking water. Electrolytes are minerals in body fluids. They include sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride. When you are dehydrated, your body does not have enough fluid and electrolytes.

Iodine is a mineral found in some foods. Your body needs iodine to make thyroid hormones. They are also important for bone and brain development during pregnancy and infancy. Iron is a mineral. It is also added to some food products and is available as a dietary supplement. Iron is a part of hemoglobin, a protein that transports oxygen from the lungs to the tissues. It helps provide oxygen to muscles.

Iron is important for cell growth, development, and normal body functions. Iron also helps the body make some hormones and connective tissue. Magnesium is a mineral naturally present in many foods, and is added to other food products. It is also available as a dietary supplement and present in some medicines. It helps your body regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure.