The right balance of minerals is key to good health. Find out if you’re getting enough—or if you need more (or less) of these essential nutrients.
Chances are, you know what vitamins you should be getting, but minerals are more of a mystery. Yet while vitamins get all the attention, minerals are equally critical to our health.
“Minerals play a vital role in maintaining various bodily functions and keeping our systems in balance,” says Lauren Powell, MD, a family medicine physician and culinary medicine specialist. “Without minerals, vitamins can’t perform their necessary tasks as effectively, and our health would suffer significantly.”
“The goal is to try to get most nutrients from food, but supplements can provide support when needed.”
– Lauren Powell, MD
These unsung nutritional heroes are basically the worker bees of the body. “Minerals are essential for a wide range of bodily functions, from building strong bones and teeth to regulating muscle contractions, including your heartbeat,” Dr. Powell explains. “They also help maintain healthy nerve function, support the immune system, and ensure proper fluid balance. Essentially, minerals help keep us healthy from head to toe.”
The thing is, we need minerals in the right balance. Getting too much or not enough of certain ones can throw our systems out of alignment. And taking more than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of minerals can cause side effects, some of them potentially serious. That’s why it’s important to understand what minerals do, and how to know if you need more—or less.
The Dirt on Minerals
Our bodies need two types of minerals: major minerals and trace minerals. Major minerals include calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium, and trace minerals are substances like zinc, iron, copper, and chromium.
The body requires and uses large quantities of the major minerals since these nutrients are necessary for virtually everything we do. Trace minerals, while important, aren’t needed or used in large quantities. With them, a little goes a long way.
Minerals come from rocks, soil, and water, and ideally, we should be able to get them from our diet via the plants and animal foods we eat. “While it is possible to get the necessary minerals through a balanced, nutrient-rich diet, because of the decrease in soil quality and [changes to] some farming techniques, some of the food we consume today is not as nutrient dense as it used to be,” Dr. Powell says. “So it becomes increasingly more challenging to get all the vitamins and minerals we need without supplementation.”
Before you turn to supplements, however, “it’s always best to consult with a healthcare provider, as excessive intake of certain minerals can have negative effects,” Dr. Powell adds. The bottom line: “The goal is to try to get most nutrients from food, but supplements can provide support when needed.”
The 4 Minerals We Need Most
Some of the most critical minerals for our wellbeing include calcium, which is essential for bone health; magnesium, which supports muscle and nerve function; potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure; and iron, which is needed for carrying oxygen in the blood.
Yet many of us are deficient in these key nutrients, Dr. Powell says. “Women, in particular, may not get enough iron or calcium, which can impact bone density and overall energy levels,” she adds.
Here’s how to make sure you’re getting enough of these minerals.
MAGNESIUM
Nearly half of Americans don’t get enough magnesium, according to several dietary surveys.
What it does : T his important mineral regulates muscle and nerve function, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. It may reduce the risk of insulin resistance, a condition that can lead to diabetes. Magnesium is vital for energy production and healthy bones, and it’s needed by the body to make DNA. At least two studies have suggested that magnesium may also help improve sleep.
How much we need: The RDA for magnesium is 310-320 mg for women and 400-420 mg for men, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Dietary Supplements.
Symptoms of magnesium deficiency: Fatigue, weakness, and loss of appetite can signal that you are lacking in the nutrient. Some studies link low levels of magnesium to depression, and other research has found a connection between low magnesium levels and migraines. Stress can deplete our levels of the mineral, studies show.
Foods that contain it: Magnesium is in nuts, seeds, legumes , spinach, and other leafy greens, whole grains, milk, and yogurt. It’s also in fortified foods like cereal.
Supplements: If you can’t get enough of the mineral from food, you can take magnesium supplements. However, it’s best to consult with your healthcare provider first. Choose a form of magnesium your body can handle—magnesium glycinate is typically tolerated well and causes minimal sides effects, research has found. But be aware that magnesium from supplements should not exceed the upper limits of 350 mg a day for adults, according to the National Institutes of Health.
What to watch out for: Too much magnesium can cause diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramps, among other problems. Extremely high intakes can lead to irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest.
CALCIUM
Sixty percent of women ages 19 and up are estimated to be deficient in calcium, according to the USDA. Plus , the body absorbs and retains less calcium after menopause, research has found.
What it does: Calcium helps keep our bones strong . It’s also needed for muscle function, for nerves to carry messages from the brain throughout the body, and for blood vessels to move blood.
How much we need: The RDA is 1,000 mg of calcium for men and women up to age 50, and 1,200 mg for women ages 51 and up, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. The upper limit of calcium from all sources, including food, beverages, and supplements is 2,000 mg for those over age 50, and 2,500 for adults under 50. Note that the body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium .
Symptoms of a calcium deficiency: Muscle cramps and pain, fatigue, cognitive problems such as brain fog, numbness and tingling in the fingers, and abnormal heart rhythm are signs that you may be lacking in the mineral.
Foods that contain it: Milk, yogurt, cheese, salmon, kale, and broccoli are good sources of calcium. The mineral is often added to juices, such as orange juice, and milk substitutes.
Supplements: The two main types of calcium supplements are calcium citrate, which can be absorbed on an empty or full stomach, and calcium carbonate, which should be taken with foods. Also, calcium is best absorbed when you take no more than 500 mg at a time, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Split it into separate doses if you’re taking more than that. Before taking a calcium supplement, check with your healthcare provider.
What to watch out for: Some studies sho w t h at high calcium intake from calcium supplements may increase the risk of heart disease and prostate cancer. Again, speak with your doctor before taking calcium supplements.
“Without minerals, vitamins can’t perform their necessary tasks as effectively, and our health would suffer significantly.”
— Lauren Powell, MD
POTASSIUM
Most U.S. adults are not getting enough potassium, according to the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
What it does: Your body needs potassium for virtually every function, including kidney and heart function, muscle contraction, and nerve transmission.
How much we need: The Daily Value of potassium for adult women is 2,600 mg and 3,400 mg for adult men, according to the NIH Office of Dietary Supplements.
Symptoms of a potassium deficiency: Increased blood pressure and a greater risk of kidney stones are red flags that you’re low. Not getting enough potassium can also deplete calcium from your bones.
Foods that contain it: Bananas, raisins, dried apricots, cantaloupe, orange juice, potatoes, spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, nuts, lentils, kidney beans, milk, yogurt, poultry, fish, and meat are all good sources of potassium. Getting more potassium from fruits and vegetables appears to increase bone mineral density, according to research.
Supplements: It’s possible to take potassium supplements, like potassium chloride. However, most supplements provide only 99 g of the mineral per serving. Potassium supplements can cause stomach upset. Consult your doctor before taking them.
What to watch out for: In people with normal kidney function, excess potassium is typically excreted, according to the NIH.
IRON
More than one-third of women under age 50 aren’t getting enough iron, according to data from the U.S. Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Also, people who eat a plant-based diet need almost twice as much iron as the recommended amount because the body doesn’t absorb the type of the mineral found in plant foods (nonheme iron) as well as it does the types of iron in animal foods (heme and nonheme iron).
What it does: The body uses iron to produce hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells, myoglobin, a protein that provides oxygen to muscles, and certain hormones.
How much we need: The RDA for adult women up to age 50 is 18 mg of iron. The RDA for adult men and all adults ages 51 and up is 8 mg.
Symptoms of an iron deficiency: Low iron levels can cause anemia, which results in fatigue, lack of energy, weakness, and memory and concentration problems.
Foods that contain it: Iron is found in poultry, lean meat, seafood, white beans, lentils, spinach, kidney beans, peas, nuts, raisins, and iron-fortified cereals and breads. For those on a plant-based diet, the body absorbs iron from plant sources better when it’s eaten with foods that contain vitamin C, such as oranges, strawberries, red peppers, tomatoes, and broccoli.
Supplements: Most people get enough iron and don’t need supplements. However, women under 50 who are not getting the RDA from foods may need supplements; always consult with your doctor first. And be aware that the upper limit of iron intake from all sources, including supplements, is 45 mg.
What to watch out for: Taking high doses of iron supplements can cause stomach upset; very high doses can inflame the stomach lining and cause ulcers. (Iron supplements can be toxic for children.)
Get Only What You Need, and No More
While it’s important to make sure you’re getting the recommended amount of minerals, don’t go overboard and take too much of any mineral. Excess amounts can cause health problems, some of which can be very serious.
This is also true for the trace minerals that our bodies need in smaller amounts. For instance, too much copper on a regular basis can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, even liver toxicity. And too much chromium can lead to stomach problems and low blood sugar.
The best advice: Follow a healthy diet to get the minerals you need, supplement if necessary, and always consult your doctor before taking supplements.