Minerals (and vitamins) have long been a source of human nutrition and are among the most recognized ingredients used for supplementation.¹ Additionally, estimates state that nearly 75% of Americans take dietary supplements; according to a 2020 survey by the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), vitamins and minerals continue to be the most common category of products.² Decades of research has uncovered many different ways that minerals function and the benefits they deliver. Because of past and current research on minerals, we know they play a valuable role in maintaining and improving human health.

The body’s function and even survival is heavily dependent upon mineral nutrition. Minerals play a key role in the development of the body from a young age—including before birth—and without appropriate levels of minerals, parts of the body can begin to shut down.³ A proper, healthy diet, with plenty of fruit and vegetables, will often provide for an adequate amount of minerals; but, unfortunately, not enough people are eating the way they should for optimal health.

That’s why supplements and mineral-fortified foods and beverages play a vital role in helping to bolster mineral levels within the body to help support the healthy decisions that consumers should already be making. That being said, there are multiple avenues of health that are currently top of mind for consumers—areas where they are looking to improve in terms of both health and performance. These include immune support, cognitive health, and prenatal nutrition.

The Versatility of Minerals
When people think about taking supplements, one of the key factors is improving general well-being and health. That’s why they often turn to immune support supplements, because of the influence the immune system has on the entire body.

One of the most commonly recognized minerals for immune support is zinc. First and foremost, zinc is essential for T-cell development and B-cell function, two types of white blood cells that play key roles in the immune system. When there is a zinc deficiency, studies have found that there is a decrease in thymulin. Thymulin is key to promoting T-cell function, including cytotoxicity—an essential part of immune defense—suppressor function and interleukin production.⁴

Zinc deficiency also causes a reduction in B-cell numbers, leading to decreased capability to secrete enough antibodies to keep the immune system running at its best.⁵ Iron levels are also closely linked to immune system function. Iron homeostasis plays a role in preventing bacteria growth, and iron levels help cytokines and other immune system elements to function, helping cells respond to aggressors.⁶

Cognitive supplementation has seen a steady rise over the years as consumers realize benefits apply to more than aging populations. Younger people can find certain ingredients help to improve cognitive performance in addition to long-term brain health.

One category in particular that has seen huge growth and could greatly benefit from brain supplements is e-sports. E-sports athletes and competitive gamers are dependent on cognitive processes to be successful. There are multiple minerals that play key roles in helping the processes that involve pattern recognition, response time, focus, and memory.

One of magnesium’s biggest roles is to help ATP production and energy management, which is essential when the brain consumes roughly 20% of the energy produced.^7-8 Research has also shown that it stimulates electrical activity in the brain, helping neurotransmitters to function, vital to elements of learning, memory, and cognitive processing.⁹

Iron also helps similar functions within the brain because iron homeostasis helps the body to resist fatigue and boost neurotransmission.¹⁰ Not to be left out, zinc is associated with synaptic transmission from the eye to the brain and plays a role in the hippocampus, frontal cortex, and amygdala, where it helps support learning and memory, problem solving, adaptability, and mood.^11-12

Research has also shown that mineral levels influence proper fetal growth and health. Reflected by growing sales, new moms are realizing the importance of taking supplements during pregnancy to help the development of their children.¹³ Essential to both the mother and the baby, calcium is known for its role in supporting bone health and formation. During pregnancy, the mother’s body undergoes several changes to ensure the fetus has sufficient calcium for development.¹⁴ If calcium levels are too low, it can put both the mother and baby at risk.

Additionally, research has shown that ensuring proper levels of calcium during pregnancy can have a positive influence on the child for as long as 9 years of age.¹⁴

Iron is another critical nutrient for both the fetus and the mother. Iron is necessary to help red blood cells to distribute oxygen throughout the fetal body; it is also a cofactor for the enzymes involved in oxidation-reduction reactions that occur in all cells during metabolism. Both functions are of great importance to the health, growth, and development of the fetus.¹⁵ During the course of pregnancy, mothers also need to increase their intake of iron so as to prevent a deficiency from occurring when the body shifts more of those stores to the fetus.¹⁶ If there is an iron deficiency, it increases the risk of premature birth, low birth weight, and neurodevelopmental impairment in infants.^15-16

Immune support, cognitive health, and prenatal nutrition are just a few categories of importance to today’s consumers. Mineral supplementation can play a vital role in each of these health areas, and many more aspects of health as well. Research continues to look heavily into the positive and essential benefits of minerals for health; fortunately, minerals also have a variety of ways to be included in one’s diet, from supplements to fortified foods and beverages.

Formulating with Chelated Minerals
Chelated minerals, by pairing mineral and amino acid in a single molecule, are organic mineral forms and have many of the advantages of minerals found in nature. The chelated form travels farther down the digestive tract to the optimal absorption point, so the mineral can pass through the intestinal wall and be efficiently absorbed at a cellular level. 

Because the chelate forms a protective shell around the mineral, there are fewer issues with interactions between the mineral and other nutrients during digestion, improving tolerance. This shell also helps to reduce the negative organoleptic properties that are commonly found with minerals. This has implications for both formulation and application, as a chelate may be a more appropriate solution for an application where minimal impact on taste of the finished product is a key requirement. Ultimately, in products where absorption and utilization of a mineral are important or where formulators seek to minimize the impact of the mineral on tolerability, chelated minerals are an excellent choice across multiple formats—including pills, powders, yogurts, and many more.

Minerals have long been standing on a fortified base of history and research to make them one of the most recognized forms of essential nutrition. While it’s important for consumers to be able to rely on their diet alone to satisfy the body’s need for minerals, supplementation will help to fill a hole in their efforts towards a healthier lifestyle. And with the versatility of minerals against many health challenges and the range of potential formats and applications, these ingredients are a clear choice for most formulations.

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About the Author: Tom Druke serves as the Marketing Director for Balchem Human Nutrition and Pharma, overseeing all strategic marketing initiatives for the company’s product lines including VitaCholine. He leads the development and execution of market analytics and insights, brand positioning, product innovation and advertising and promotion. He has published several articles on emerging science and the role of choline in human health. For more information, www.balchem.com.

References

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