Trace minerals take clean, pure water to the next level. Many people’s municipal water supply is deficient. In other cases, people use a filter to clean their water of harmful contaminants, but these filters also remove trace minerals.
Using a trace minerals supplement is a great way to add the healthy minerals you need in either case.
What Are Trace Minerals?
Trace minerals are essential for good health. Everyone requires small amounts of various trace minerals for their body to function as it should. Trace minerals include:
- Iron for helping red blood cells form hemoglobin to carry oxygen throughout the body
- Zinc for keeping immune function strong and supporting DNA synthesis
- Copper for supporting red blood cell formation and energy production
- Selenium for thyroid function and reproductive health
- Iodine for thyroid hormones and regulating metabolism
- Chromium for lipid and carbohydrate metabolism
- Manganese for support in bone formation, help with blood clotting, and antioxidant defense
- Cobalt for help with red blood cell and nervous system function
Why Do You Need Trace Minerals?
Trace minerals support healthy bodily functions. In most cases, a trace mineral deficiency isn’t going to cause poor health immediately.
However, over time, if the deficiency isn’t corrected, there’s a high likelihood of developing health issues. At the very least, a deficiency causes you to feel less-than-optimal.
Trace mineral deficiencies can affect sleep quality, metabolism, and energy. Trace minerals support:
- Enzyme function
- Cell health
- Nutrient transport
- Immune function
- Bone health
- Thyroid function
- Antioxidant defense
- Neurological function
- Reproductive and dental health
Choosing the Best Trace Minerals Supplements
Consider the following when choosing a trace mineral supplement:
Ingredients
Trace mineral supplements are the most effective and the best value when you get multiple minerals in a single supplement. Look for supplements that contain iron, zinc, selenium, chromium, and manganese at a minimum.
Make sure the supplement contains the specific trace element you’re concerned about if your doctor has told you that you are deficient in something or you suspect you might be based on symptoms you’re experiencing.
It’s best to have your doctor test you before using any nutritional supplement to avoid overdoing it.
Also, check what’s not in a supplement. It’s best to choose supplements that only contain essential ingredients without containing any ingredients that are fillers or unneeded chemicals.
Quality
Reputable brands offer supplements that are subjected to third-party testing and are as pure as possible. There’s no sense in spending money on something tainted with harmful chemicals, lacks potency, or isn’t what it claims to be.
Also, look for supplements that don’t contain additives, fillers, artificial colours, flavouring, and preservatives.
Trace minerals come in different doses and serving sizes. Choose a supplement that offers a dosage of the minerals you need in the dosage size you need. Taking more than you need can be harmful.
Bioavailability
Using a supplement that isn’t bioavailable does you very little good because your body can’t do anything with it. Choose a trace minerals supplement that is highly bioavailable and that your body can easily absorb.
One way to do this is to choose supplements that contain chelated minerals (they are bound to amino acids).
Formulation
You can get supplements in:
- Tablets
- Capsules
- Softgel tablets
- Powder
- Liquid
Reviews
Like all products nowadays, you’ll be able to read the opinions of other people who use the product before you make your purchase.
Reviews are a great tool for guiding your buying decision on patterns in the reviews instead of ruling out a product due to one bad review.
If several people say a product has a strong, unpleasant taste or seems low-quality, there’s a good chance there’s merit to the criticism.
Also, when reading reviews, focus on ones that address your concerns. For example, if you need an iron supplement, give the most weight to reviews from people who had and resolved their iron deficiencies.
Speak to Your Doctor
If you aren’t sure if you need a trace mineral supplement or don’t know where to begin your search, the best place to start is by speaking to your doctor.
There are several things a doctor can do to determine whether or not you have any trace mineral deficiencies. The most common is a blood test.
Your doctor will likely perform a CBC test to look for abnormalities in your blood, as well as measure the concentration of iron, zinc, copper, and more. They’ll also use a blood test to test thyroid function.
Other assessments include:
- Physical exam
- Taking a medical history
- Urine test
- Tissue biopsy or ultrasound
- Functional testing
From the Sea
One of the best sources of trace minerals is ocean water. Adding a few drops of a trace mineral supplement derived from ocean water is one of the most convenient and effective ways to ensure you get the trace minerals you need daily.
By adding a few drops to drinking water throughout the day, you get the electrolyte balance you need without having to swallow a pill. The products are great for replenishing trace minerals removed by purifying filters.
To learn more about trace mineral supplements or to shop Berkey Water Filters, click here.
