How Minerals are Transported to Cells

When mineral compounds are consumed in food, the body must somehow absorb the minerals from the digestive tract and make them available to the tissues and cells where they are needed. The process is not a simple one. The minerals cannot simply diffuse into our tissues and through cell membranes into the interior of cells — if they could, their concentrations would fluctuate in accordance with whatever amounts of minerals we happen to consume at any given time.

Instead, the mineral-containing compounds (or ionized mineral atoms taken from these compounds) are transported into (or out of) cells by transporter proteins — molecular devices embedded in cell membranes that recognize the minerals and allow only certain kinds to pass through the membranes.

This system permits cells and tissues to regulate their internal concentrations of minerals. Now those transporters bind those minerals tightly but they need to be ionized. The transporter picks up an ionized form [of the mineral], binds it and immediately pulls it in and then it goes into the bloodstream and is carried to where it is needed. Whatever the charge of a mineral, it still needs to get through a dense, negative charge on the surface of the intestinal cell and it may be that negative charge is designed to keep out certain undesirable agents including undesirable minerals. Transporters have such a high affinity that once an ionized form of a mineral can get into the region, the transporter will pick it up.

Essential minerals are absorbed in their ionic form ranging from 20 to 90 percent depending on how hungry your body is for the mineral at that time. Receiving minerals in an IONIZED form is how plants and animals were designed to absorb inorganic minerals!

Ionized minerals CANNOT build up to toxic levels in your body!

Symptoms of Mineral Deficiencies

There are two classes of minerals, MAJOR and TRACE. Even though trace minerals are required in very small amounts, they are indeed essential to good health. Below is a list of essential minerals. This list describes each mineral and lists some symptoms of deficiency, along with possible links to diseases that have been associated with mineral deficiency. The following list of minerals and their known symptoms of deficiencies and possible links to certain diseases is not intended to assist anyone in diagnosing a medical problem. Please consult your physician for diagnosis of symptoms.