Mineral absorption: a major health issue

Nutritional supplementation

The supply of minerals from agriculture (fruits, vegetables, cereals) has decreased by 20 to 30% due to soil depletion and pollution.

Some minerals can be provided by dairy products, fish and meat, but in this case they are potential sources of allergies and intolerances.

Moreover, modern food is often denatured and deficient in minerals, thus causing weaknesses in the body, notably ligament, muscle and bone weaknesses as well as cerebral deficiencies (stress and depression).
Taking dietary supplements containing minerals is therefore essential for many of us.

However, this supplementation must be effective and take into account several factors:

• stomach acidity and acid-base balance (around a pH of 7.2 the absorption of the molecule will be more effective)
• presence in the food bolus of digested proteins (meat, fish) which bind to the mineral
• ionic charge which must be comparable to that of the small intestine where minerals enter.

Indeed, the upper part of the small intestine has a negative electrical charge. However, many mineral salts are "inorganic" and positively charged, which considerably reduces their absorption.

It is therefore important to be vigilant about the quality of dietary supplements by favouring the following criteria:

• gastro-resistant tablets or capsules preventing their gastric degradation, made from plant-based raw materials,
• the mineral must be associated with amino acids which will protect it and act as a carrier so that this mineral passes the intestinal barrier and enters the blood and cellular level.

In addition to a natural and organic diet, a quality nutritional supplementation is therefore a good way to maintain energy and health potential.