Are You Getting Enough of These Critical Micronutrients?
Your body needs both macronutrients and micronutrients to stay healthy.
Macronutrients fall into three categories: protein (to build muscle and other types of tissue), fat (for stored energy and insulation), and carbohydrates (for quick energy). As the name would suggest, our bodies need macronutrients in larger amounts.
Micronutrients, on the other hand, can be distinguished from macronutrients by virtue of the relatively small amounts that are needed of each. This article will focus on micronutrients, which can be divided into two categories:
- Organic micronutrients (otherwise known as vitamins)
- Inorganic micronutrients (otherwise known as minerals and trace metals)
Organic Micronutrients (Vitamins)
The term “vitamin” was coined in 1913 by Casimir Funk, a Polish biochemist. He discovered that rice, if consumed on a daily basis, contained enough thiamine (also known as vitamin B12) to prevent a disease called “beriberi”.
Because thiamine was necessary to prevent this particular illness, Funk referred to it as a “vital amine” (later shortened to “vitamin”). The name stuck, and it has since been used to identify organic compounds that are essential for sustaining life.
Vitamins can be subdivided into those that are water-soluble and those that are fat-soluble:
- Water-soluble vitamins
These vitamins dissolve in water (hence their name), and they are easily absorbed into your bloodstream through your digestive tract.
Because they are water-soluble, these vitamins are not easily stored. In fact, water-soluble vitamins not used within a short amount of time will be excreted through your urine. This process keeps water-soluble vitamins from accumulating to toxic levels. It also means that water-soluble vitamins have to be consumed on a daily basis to maintain good health.
Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C, as well as the B vitamins. - Fat-soluble vitamins
These vitamins move around within your body by way of fat. They are transported through your lymph system, rather than your bloodstream.
Unlike water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins can be stored within fat cells. This means it isn’t necessary to consume fat-soluble vitamins on a daily basis. However, they also have the potential for accumulating to toxic levels if consumed in quantities that are too large.
Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K.
Inorganic Micronutrients (Minerals and Trace Metals)
The inorganic micronutrients described below are vitally important for good health. But…they are only required in very small amounts.
Here are just a few of the minerals and trace metals your body needs for survival:
- Iron
Your red blood cells cannot transport oxygen throughout your body without iron. Iron insufficiency is known as “anemia, and it can result in severe fatigue. - Zinc
Zinc contributes to more than 300 different enzymatic reactions within your body, including DNA synthesis. - Calcium
Calcium works in tandem with vitamin D to build new bone and repair existing bone. It also works with sodium to help maintain healthy blood pressure levels. - Copper
Your body uses copper to produce energy, generate connective tissue, and to enable the activities of antioxidative enzymes. - Magnesium
Magnesium contributes to cognitive health, protein synthesis, and nerve health, among many other things. - Iodine
Your body needs iodine to produce thyroid hormones. - Selenium
Selenium helps to protect cells from oxidative damage. It also supports DNA synthesis and thyroid function.
But Are You Getting Micronutrients in the Right Amounts?
Lab testing can determine whether you’re deficient in micronutrients. And if you aren’t getting enough of any particular micronutrient from your diet, supplements can be used to make up the difference.
Are you getting the micronutrients you need for good health? Renew Youth can help with lab testing and supplement recommendations. Call us at 800-859-7511 or use our contact form to set up your free 30-minute consultation.
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