Common Minerals: How Deficiency and Toxicity Can Affect Our Health

Published on February 27, 2025

Minerals play an essential role in overall health; here’s what can happen if you’re getting too much or not enough.

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A new review article titled “Minerals and Human Health: From Deficiency to Toxicity” by M. Razzaque and S. Wimalawansa explores the crucial role minerals play in human health, detailing both the consequences of deficiencies and the risks of excessive intake. The paper primarily focuses on macrominerals such as calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and phosphorus (P) due to their significant physiological roles and interrelated metabolic pathways. Additionally, it highlights the effects of various trace minerals, including iron, zinc, selenium, iodine, and copper, among others.

The Importance of Minerals in Human Health

Minerals are essential for bone development, enzyme function, nerve signaling, immune response, and cellular metabolism. Calcium, magnesium, and phosphate together make up about 98% of the body’s mineral content and are critical for maintaining skeletal structure, cardiovascular health, and neuromuscular function. Trace minerals such as iron and zinc are also vital for oxygen transport, DNA synthesis, and immune defense.

Consequences of Deficiency and Toxicity

Deficiencies in essential minerals can lead to severe health complications, including:

• Calcium deficiency → Osteoporosis, fractures, muscle spasms, and cardiac arrhythmias
• Magnesium deficiency → Muscle cramps, irregular heartbeat, osteoporosis, and increased risk of metabolic disorders.
• Phosphorus deficiency → Weak bones, fatigue, muscle dysfunction, and poor growth.
• Iron deficiency → Anemia, cognitive impairment, immune dysfunction.
• Zinc deficiency → Delayed wound healing, impaired immunity, developmental delays.
• Iodine deficiency → Goiter, hypothyroidism, cognitive impairments in children.
• Selenium deficiency → Increased oxidative stress, weakened immune system, thyroid dysfunction.

Conversely, excessive intake of these minerals can also be harmful, leading to conditions such as:

• Hypercalcemia (excess calcium) → Kidney stones, vascular calcification, heart arrhythmias.
• Hypermagnesemia (excess magnesium) → Hypotension, muscle paralysis, and cardiac arrest.
• Phosphorus toxicity → Cardiovascular calcification, kidney damage, and metabolic disturbances.
• Iron overload → Organ damage, oxidative stress, increased infection risk.
• Selenium toxicity → Hair loss, nail brittleness, and nervous system damage.

The following table from the paper lists several of the most common minerals, their physiological functions, and some of their potential toxic effects in the body.

Mineral	Main Physiological Functions	Potential Human Toxicity
Boron	It affects the metabolism of steroid hormones (estrogen, testosterone, and vitamin D), improves cognitive performance in older adults, and improves antioxidant activity and wound healing.	Skin reactions (rashes and dermatitis) and neurological symptoms (headaches, restlessness, and convulsions) affect fertility and male reproductive organs
Calcium	Important for bone and teeth health; second messenger.	Kidney stones and nephrocalcinosis, abnormal heart rhythms, and vascular calcification
Chloride	Maintaining pH levels in the body (particularly in the blood) is essential for producing hydrochloric acid (in the stomach), facilitating the transmission of nerve impulses, and maintaining proper fluid balance and blood pressure.	Impair sodium or potassium metabolism
Chromium	Blood sugar regulation is achieved by improving insulin sensitivity; protein metabolism is achieved through the breakdown and absorption of proteins; and fatty acid and cholesterol synthesis is stimulated.	Skin issues (contact dermatitis, skin ulcers, and sensitization), liver and kidney damage; increased risk of lung cancer
Cobalt	Essential components of vitamin B12 (cobalamin), erythropoiesis, cofactor for methyl malonyl-CoA mutase, and methionine synthase.	Chronic exposure may lead to asthma-like symptoms, toxic cardiomyopathy, cognitive decline, and polycythemia
Copper	Many enzymes are needed for iron metabolism.	Liver damage, kidney failure, neurological effects (mood changes, depression, anxiety, irritability, and difficulty focusing), hematological effects (hemolytic anemia)
Fluoride	Preventing and reversing dental caries by strengthening tooth enamel, contributing to the mineralization and strength of skeletal tissues, increases the stability and crystallinity of bone apatite structures.	Dental fluorosis (white chalky opacities on tooth enamel, brownish discoloration or pigmentation and pitting of tooth); skeletal fluorosis (increased bone density and decreased elasticity, joint pain and decreased mobility, and increased risk of fractures)
Iodine	Iodine is present in the thyroid hormone, which helps regulate growth, development, and metabolism.	Thyroid dysfunction (hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroiditis, or increased risk of thyroid cancer); neurological effects (delirium, seizures, and stupor)
Iron	Part of a molecule (hemoglobin) found in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the body needed for energy metabolism.	Liver damage (chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma); cardiac effects (heart failure and arrhythmias); neurological effects (potential acceleration of neurodegenerative diseases)
Magnesium	Maintain skeletal system and immune system health.	Gastrointestinal effects (diarrhea and abdominal discomfort); cardiovascular effects (hypotension, bradycardia, and heart blocks); neuromuscular effects (muscle weakness and paralysis)
Manganese	A key component of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase (SOD); it plays a role in blood clotting and hemostasis; acts as a cofactor for various enzymes.	Cognitive impairment, increased susceptibility to respiratory tract infections, and slurred speech
Molybdenum	The enzyme cofactor for xanthine oxidase and aldehyde oxidase plays a role in the liver’s phase I and II detoxification pathways.	Joint pain and gout-like symptoms, anemia, and neurological effects (seizures and hallucinations)
Phosphorus	Important for healthy bones and teeth; maintains acid-base balance.	Cardiovascular calcification, impaired renal functions, and dysregulation in bone metabolism
Potassium	Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction	Cardiovascular effects (palpitations, arrhythmias, and potential heart attack); neurological effects (fatigue, headache, delirium, or seizures); muscle-related effects (weakness, pain, and in severe cases, and paralysis)
Selenium	A key component of antioxidant enzymes, particularly glutathione peroxidases, is important for male fertility and spermatogenesis in regulating thyroid hormones. Selenium-containing enzymes help make DNA and protect against cell damage.	Dermatitis, alopecia, nail discoloration, peripheral neuropathy, decreased cognitive function, and cardiovascular issues (tachycardia and palpitations)
Silicon	It plays a role in maintaining the structural integrity and elasticity of skin, hair, and nails, crucial for synthesizing and stabilizing collagen.	Excessive exposure can cause silicosis (a progressive and irreversible lung disease); exposure to silica dust can also increase the risk of lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and tuberculosis; long-term exposure increases the risk of autoimmune diseases.
Sodium	Plays a key role in regulating blood pressure by influencing blood volume and vascular tone; critical for the conduction of nerve impulses, allowing proper communication between nerve cells; essential for normal muscle contraction and relaxation; involved in the transport of various nutrients across cell membranes, including glucose, amino acids, and phosphate.	Neurological effects (confusion, seizures, coma, potential cerebrovascular damage, thirst and dehydration, muscle weakness, and pain)
Zinc	They are needed for making protein and genetic material and have a role in taste perception, wound healing, normal fetal development, sperm production, normal growth and sexual maturation, and immune system health.	Copper deficiency (resulting in anemia and neutropenia); impaired immune function; and neurological effects (lethargy, dizziness, and, in severe cases, convulsions)

The Interplay of Calcium, Magnesium, and Phosphate

These three minerals share interconnected regulatory pathways, with the parathyroid hormone (PTH), vitamin D, and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) playing key roles in maintaining their balance.

• Calcium and magnesium have an agonist-antagonist relationship, where an imbalance in the Ca:Mg ratio (ideal ratio ~2:1) can lead to metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.
• Phosphate levels are tightly regulated to prevent excessive accumulation, which is associated with kidney disease and cardiovascular issues.

Special Considerations for At-Risk Populations and Strategies for Reducing Mineral Deficiencies

Certain populations, such as pregnant women, the elderly, vegetarians, and people with chronic illnesses, are at higher risk of mineral deficiencies. Public health initiatives should focus on dietary education, food fortification, and appropriate supplementation to prevent health complications.

The authors emphasize diet-based solutions to combat mineral deficiencies, including:

• Increasing the consumption of nutrient-rich foods (e.g., dairy, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, seafood).
• Food fortification and biofortification (enriching staple crops with essential minerals).
• Nutritional education and behavior change interventions.
• Supplementation programs, particularly for at-risk populations.

Conclusion

This paper underscores the importance of balanced mineral intake to maintain health and prevent both deficiencies and toxicities. While minerals are vital for human physiology, excessive supplementation can be harmful, and dietary intake should be carefully managed. Future public health policies should focus on promoting safe, effective, and sustainable strategies for achieving optimal mineral balance.

Are you getting the right amount of essential elements on a regular basis?

One way to tell if you are getting enough magnesium is by measuring your whole blood magnesium status. This test is included in the Elements Panel offered by GrassrootsHealth, and it includes a vitamin D test along with essential elements magnesium, selenium, zinc, copper, and toxic elements cadmium, lead, and mercury.

Measure Your Levels Today!

Other nutrients are essential to our health as well, including vitamin D, magnesium, selenium, and omega-3s; measuring these can help determine if more of these nutrients might be needed to provide the greatest risk reduction for disease and improve health outcomes.

For example, the Immune Boost Panel Test Kit includes each of these measurements:

• Vitamin D
• Omega-3 Index
• Magnesium PLUS Elements
• hsCRP as a marker of inflammation

 

Having and maintaining healthy vitamin D levels and other nutrient levels can help improve your health now and for the future. Enroll and test your levels today, learn what steps to take to improve your status of vitamin D (see below) and other nutrients and blood markers, and take action! By enrolling in the GrassrootsHealth projects, you are not only contributing valuable information to everyone, you are also gaining knowledge about how you could improve your own health through measuring and tracking your nutrient status, and educating yourself on how to improve it.