Our soil and therefore our food are deficient in minerals because of the industrialization of agriculture. How can we eat well and meet our nutritional needs? Growing our own organic food might be the answer but not practical for most people. Even if we could grow or buy enough organic fruit and vegetables, preparing and eating enough is a challenge. Can mineral supplementation make up for this shortfall in nutrition?

The answer is 'maybe' but there are problems with mineral supplements on the market: they vary in what minerals they include and in what quantities. Even if a mineral is present in the supplement, it may not be enough to be biologically effective. Even if it is present in sufficient quantity, the body may need other minerals and nutrients in order to absorb it - minerals work as a team.

Take calcium as an example: calcium is the most abundant mineral in our bodies and is almost all found in our bones. Roger Mason in 'The Minerals You Need' notes the irony that Europeans and North Americans eat far more calcium than other peoples. They are the only populations that take in the 1,000 mg per day of calcium recommended by the government (the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)) yet they have far more bone and joint disease, especially arthritis and osteoporosis, than Asians, Africans and people from Latin cultures. He explains that this is because calcium can only be absorbed if other minerals and vitamin D are present. He finds that it is not so much the amount of calcium that is the key to maintaining health bones as it is the intake of calcium alongside other minerals and vitamins such as magnesium, boron, strontium and vitamin D. Other possible contributing minerals are manganese, zinc and silicon. In his book, he constantly conveys the message that minerals work together as a biological team.

The reverse may happen: the presence of another mineral may inhibit absorption. Even a person's general state of health, the anti-perspirant they use or the water they drink can affect absorption.

A web article 'Testosterone Production — The Elemental Facts, An Interview With Victor Conte' by Nelson Montana at http://www.t-nation.com describes how calcium inhibits absorption of other minerals by up to 60-70% and needs to be taken separately, at least two hours before or after taking other mineral supplements.

Moreover, manufacturers use extra calcium in capsules in the form of either dicalcium phosphate or calcium sulfate as a filler. I found two mineral supplement bottles in my kitchen cupboard and both list dicalcium phosphate as an 'Other Ingredient'. This has been a standard in the industry for more than 25 years so taking any mineral supplement that uses this calcium filler may not help as much as it could.

Drug Digest at http://www.drugdigest.org states that calcium salts remove potassium and magnesium from the body. An article in the American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 82, No. 3, 589-597, September 2005) finds that calcium also inhibits absorption of iron.

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