CALCIUM: ANOTHER WEIGHT LOSS STRATEGY

CALCIUM AND VIT D SUPPLEMENTATION

CALCIUM CUTS BONE LOSS

VITAMIN C - THE WONDER CURE

PMS - PROPER MULTIPLE SUPPLEMENTATION

CATARACTS AND ANTIOXIDANTS

CALCIUM & MAGNESIUM

A CRAMP "SOLUTION"

CHOCOLATE CRAVINGS

CHELATION & MINERAL BIOAVAILABILITY

MALNUTRITION AND THE ELDERLY

MAGNESIUM: ARE YOU "MARGINALLY" DEFICIENT?

MAGNESIUM: THE MEDICINAL MINERAL

YOUR HEALTH CARE DEBATE

THE OTHER DEBATE

"TIS THE SEASON TO BE STRESSED"

VEGETARIANISM: A 90'S APPROACH TO A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE

WINTER BLUES AND HOLIDAYS

ANTIOXIDANT PROTECTION

SHOULD YOU TAKE EXTRA VITAMINS

MACULAR DEGENERATION STUDY SUPPORTS SUPPLEMENTATION

WHAT DO HEART DISEASE, STROKES AND ALZHEIMER'S HAVE IN COMMON? 3 B VITAMINS

The Importance of Minerals
Minerals are essential elemental substances which the body needs for biochemical cellular activity. Since a single atom of a mineral does not have an equal number of protons and electrons, it carries a charge. Highly reactive, minerals are attracted to ions that can neutralize their charge. Consequently, the charge minerals carry results in relatively stable relationships, such as the bonding of calcium to phosphorous in bone.

Minerals in body fluids form more temporary relationships, and continually combine, uncombined and move. The electrical impulses generated by these minerals stimulate nerve and muscle cells. For example, the heart's beating is triggered by electrical impulses generated when certain minerals enter heart muscle cells.

Intake, Absorption & Bioavailability
Of the 109 elements in the periodic table, 20 elements are required by humans. Since the body cannot synthesize minerals, 15 of these elemental substances must be supplied in the diet or through mineral supplements. (The other five minerals are in the air we breath or water we drink.) Balanced diets and/or mineral supplementation can insure adequate mineral intake.

Unfortunately, mineral intake does not guarantee mineral absorption. Given their reactivity, minerals sometimes combine with substances to form compounds that are not easily absorbed. For example, drinking tea during a meal can decrease iron absorption by 50%. (In the intestines, iron combines with tea's tannic acid forming a compound that cannot be absorbed.) On the other hand, alcohol can cause excessive absorption from iron-rich foods. These differences in mineral absorption pertain to mineral's bioavailability - the difference in the amount of mineral consumed and the amount absorbed.

CHELATION
The small intestine cannot absorb "single" minerals. For that reason, the body has developed a unique process to create an absorbable mineral. Once minerals reach our intestinal tracts, minerals and available amino acids bond or chelate. (Derived from the Greek word chele meaning claw, chelate can be a noun, adjective or verb.) These minerals are usually extremely well absorbed, since amino acids are easily absorbed. This natural process - chelation creates highly bioavailable mineral chelates.

Without adequate amount of amino acids, chelates are not formed. For chelation to occur, sufficient amounts of the mineral and amino acids must be present in the small intestine simultaneously.

Many so-called metal chelates are simple physical mixtures (dry blends) of inorganic mineral salts with amino acids. These mixtures are weak chelates and are soluble in an acidic medium (pH of 4), but not in a medium higher than 7.0. (The higher the pH, the higher the concentration of hydroxide ions.) In the small intestine (pH of 7.0 to 7.2), these minerals tend to form insoluble hydroxides (The hydroxide ions attack mineral chelates, break bonds and hydroxide ions bond with the "single" minerals.). This insoluble hydroxide or magma precipitation coats the small intestine's mucous membrane and can cause diarrhea, constipation and malabsorption of other nutrients.

Supplementation with mineral chelates can insure adequate mineral intake and absorption. For high bioavailability, mineral chelates must be soluble in the small intestine's luminal fluid. To be soluble, the mineral-amino acid bond must be strong, since high pH mediums will break weak bonds. Strong mineral-amino acid bonds can be obtained when minerals are subjected to full chemical reactions. Hence, chemical chelation is key to mineral supplementation.

Copyright © September-October, 1992