Calcium tends to hog the mineral supplement spotlight, especially when it comes to recommendations for improving bone strength. But other minerals are essential not only for bone health, but also for a myriad body functions—and most are comparatively harder to get from commonly eaten foods. What’s more, studies show most fresh foods today are lower in mineral content than they were a century ago, partly because of conventional agriculture methods that rely on relatively few soil amendments, especially nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.

Good food sources of important minerals include seaweed, almonds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, Brazil nuts, brewer’s yeast, figs, raisins, celery, and blackstrap molasses. Research shows supplements of the following minerals (listed in order of likely benefit to most people) also can boost your health. 

Magnesium

Magnesium is needed for over 300 reactions in the body to take place! Without enough magnesium, so many essential functions can't take place properly. 

A majority of Americans are deficient in this key mineral. Deficiency symptoms can include muscle spasms, cramps, and restless-leg syndrome. Research links adequate magnesium intake with reduced risk for colon cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, diabetes, and acute inflammation. Getting enough of this key mineral may also relieve anxiety, headaches, insomnia, and constipation.

Magnesium even appears to help preserve telomeres, the protective tips of chromosomes, where your genes are stored. A lack of magnesium shortens telomeres and accelerates aging, according to research by cell biologist Bruce Ames, PhD. 

Dose 
200–400 mg daily. Start low and gradually increase. You will know your body has met it's temporary magnesium threshold if you get loose stools (greater amounts may have a laxative effect). Simple reduce the dose or take a couple days off from taking magnesium. 

Selenium

You need selenium to make deiodinases, a group of enzymes that activate thyroid hormones. A two-year USDA study found that supplemental selenium raised thyroid hormone levels in both men and women. Selenium might also protect against cancer. A study in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that selenium supplements lowered the risk of prostate, lung, and colorectal cancers by almost half.

Dose 
200–300 mcg daily. Do not exceed 400 mcg daily without guidance from your physician.

Zinc

This mineral is a constituent of superoxide dismutase, a potent antioxidant enzyme that protects against the most dangerous free radicals. Zinc also serves as a building block of metallothioneins, a family of proteins that protect against mercury, cadmium, and other toxic metals. Another supremely pragmatic benefit: A recent analysis of 13 studies confirmed that zinc lozenges can reduce the length of the common cold and ease symptoms if you start using the lozenges within 24 hours of your first cold symptoms.

Dose 
15 mg daily. For the common cold, follow package directions for higher doses.

Iodine

Your body needs this mineral to make thyroid hormones, which regulate your metabolic rate and energy levels. People who lack iodine have a greater risk of developing two thyroid diseases: Graves’ and Hashimoto’s. Iodine supplements may enhance the benefits of other treatments for low thyroid function, according to David Brownstein, MD, author of Iodine (Medical Alternative, 2009). 

Dose
200 mcg daily, unless your physician recommends more.

Chromium

Perhaps more than any other single nutrient, chromium manages blood sugar levels by enhancing the activity of the hormone insulin. In a study of 180 people with type 2 diabetes, 500 mcg of chromium taken twice daily significantly improved blood sugar and insulin levels after just four months. Because better blood sugar control reduces appetite, chromium might also help with weight loss. In one study, women taking chromium lost body fat but maintained muscle tissue. 

Dose 
600–1,000 mcg daily, in divided doses.

Article courtesy of DeliciousLiving.com, found here.