Essential Minerals: what do they do?

Hello 8%ers! 

Is it just us or do you also hear jingle bells in the far distance? It’s probably just us, but as the holiday season approaches, with Thanksgiving just around the corner, we find ourselves reflecting on all the things we’re grateful for (apart from the overabundance of pie, of course). And yes, that includes you! Your curiosity, your commitment to health, and your choice to make OmniBlue a part of your daily life means the world to us. So, thank you for choosing us as your objective stream of nutrition (and now general health) feed, and your trusted mineral product of choice! 

Gratitude is a powerful thing, and it doesn’t hurt to take a moment to appreciate what’s going right. Maybe it’s family, friends, co-workers, or just that cup of herbal tea that got you out of bed this morning. Whatever it is, we hope you’re finding something to be thankful for too.

As we give thanks, we also want to celebrate the incredible, and unfortunately heavily overseen nutrients that support us every day: essential minerals. Why should you care? Because essential minerals are the foundation for nourishment. They power your heartbeats, help your brain fire on all cylinders, and make sure your muscles don’t cramp mid-yawn. Remove just one essential mineral from the mix, and you’re left with a sluggish, non-optimal process. The moral of the story? You need all the minerals, all the time. The best part is they work as a team! You’ll find out what this means later on. 

But good news: if you’re team OmniBlue, you’re already ahead. By choosing us, you’ve said goodbye to chemicals, fillers, and eco-unfriendly practices. Instead, you’re giving your body a rich supply of 70+ minerals, fueling it to thrive. Pair OmniBlue with a solid diet, and you’re covering your bases for metabolic excellence, and yes, enjoying life while you’re at it.

Let's get into what exactly makes OmniBlue so special, and how these minerals work.

Minerals are involved in all the processes that go on in our bodies. And bare with us on the technical language, but this is because they all act as cofactors or other intermediaries in an enzymatic complex. This means minerals act as helpers in chemical reactions throughout the body, making sure that enzymes (proteins that speed up reactions) work properly. Take a look at the image below:

This is a section of the principal metabolic pathway (process) responsible for creating glucose out of amino acids and fatty acids. For simplicity, we replaced the names of compounds no one can pronounce. By the way, a metabolic pathway is the process by which your body makes energy out of the food you eat. Most metabolic pathways have dozens or even hundreds of steps to get the final product. What we’re trying to exemplify with this is that we need all the minerals, all at once, all the time. 

Take this example, where 4 different minerals are needed (all at once mind you) to get to the final product. Any deficiencies in these would mean a slower reaction time with non-optimal results. Let’s take a moment to appreciate the importance of these minerals. This is but one of the thousands of processes that happen in your body that all need a sufficient level of specific minerals to properly follow through.

Essential Minerals: what they are, and what they do

If you look online you will find that the number of essential minerals varies from 13 to 16. *Spoiler*, it’s 16. Moving forward, the way that we are going to define a mineral as being essential is simple, if we are missing it and show negative effects due to it being missing it will be essential. We’re going to go through the main function of these minerals in as fast a way as possible. It hurts, but we have to ignore some important information on these for the sake of our time (we could write a book on just the essential minerals!). And we completely understand, you just wanted a quick nutrition refresh before you’re off to work or having a break, so feel free to scroll past some of these minerals and go straight to the ones you're curious about. But of course, we encourage you to take a peek at each of them if you have the time.

1. Calcium (Ca)

The primary role of calcium is to create the bone matrix in the form of hydroxyapatite, a mineral compound made of phosphorus and calcium that gives bones and teeth their strength and rigidity. Beyond skeletal strength, calcium is crucial for muscle contractions, initiating the cascade that allows your muscles to move. Calcium also plays a pivotal role in blood clotting by activating thrombin, a key enzyme for coagulation.

2. Magnesium (Mg)

Magnesium is a quiet powerhouse in the mineral world, playing a supporting role in over 300 enzymatic reactions. One of its most essential jobs is to serve as a cofactor for enzymes like DNA polymerase, which is critical for DNA repair and replication. Magnesium also helps synthesize glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant, protecting cells from oxidative stress. Beyond its enzymatic roles, magnesium ensures proper nerve transmission, muscle relaxation, and energy production by stabilizing ATP, the molecule that fuels nearly all cellular functions.

In reality deficiency in this mineral is incredible prevalent, up to 50% of Americans don't get enough in their diets (UCLA) 

3. Sodium (Na)

This electrolyte lays a key role in maintaining fluid balance, which ensures that cells are properly hydrated and functioning. Sodium is also critical for nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction, working alongside potassium to create the electrical gradients that allow nerves to fire and muscles to contract.

The amount of sodium that you need is less than 2300 mg every day, the truth is that we need much less than that. But since salt makes things so darn good we tend to have many times the salt that we need in order to thrive. 

4. Potassium (K)

Potassium is your body’s electrolyte superstar, maintaining fluid balance and ensuring proper muscle contractions and nerve signaling. It plays a critical role in balancing sodium levels, helping to keep your blood pressure in check. Potassium is also involved in cellular energy production, and its presence is vital for the function of sodium-potassium pumps, proteins that maintain electrical gradients across cell membranes.

5. Chloride (Cl)

Chloride often plays second fiddle to sodium, but it’s equally important in maintaining your body’s fluid balance. As part of hydrochloric acid (HCl), it’s essential for stomach acid production, aiding digestion and protecting against harmful microbes. Chloride also helps sustain electrical neutrality in your cells and works closely with sodium and potassium in regulating the body’s water balance.

6. Phosphorus (P)

Phosphorus is the unsung hero of cellular energy. It is a core component of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the molecule that powers nearly every biochemical reaction in your body. Beyond its role in energy metabolism, phosphorus is essential for building and repairing bones and teeth, as it combines with calcium to form hydroxyapatite. It also helps construct the phospholipid bilayer of cell membranes and is a crucial part of DNA and RNA structures.

7. Iodine (I)

Iodine is the keystone mineral for thyroid function. It is a key component of thyroid hormones T3 (triiodothyronine) and T4 (thyroxine), which regulate metabolism, growth, and development. These hormones control everything from your energy levels to body temperature and play an essential role in brain development during pregnancy and early childhood.

8. Iron (Fe)

Iron is the workhorse of oxygen transport. It is a core component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from your lungs to tissues and returns carbon dioxide for exhalation. Iron is also a critical part of myoglobin, which stores oxygen in muscles, and several enzymes involved in energy production and DNA synthesis.

9. Zinc (Zn)

Zinc might not get as much attention as iron or calcium, but it’s critical for immunity, wound healing, and DNA synthesis. It activates over 300 enzymes, including RNA polymerase, which is essential for gene transcription. Zinc also helps maintain the structural integrity of proteins and cellular membranes, making it indispensable for growth and repair processes.

10. Copper (Cu)

Copper is a key player in energy production and iron metabolism. It is a cofactor for enzymes like cytochrome c oxidase, which is critical for cellular respiration, and ceruloplasmin, which facilitates iron transport in the blood. Copper also aids in the production of connective tissue and has antioxidant properties through enzymes like superoxide dismutase.

11. Manganese (Mn)

Manganese is vital for metabolizing carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. It is a cofactor for superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that protects against oxidative stress. Manganese also supports bone formation and helps synthesize cartilage and connective tissue by activating enzymes like prolyl hydroxylase, which stabilizes collagen.

12. Sulfur (S)

Sulfur is the ultimate detox mineral. It forms part of two key amino acids, cysteine and methionine, which are critical for protein synthesis and antioxidant defense. Sulfur is also a key component of glutathione, your body’s master antioxidant, and helps neutralize harmful toxins.

13. Selenium (Se)

Selenium is a powerful antioxidant, essential for protecting your cells from oxidative damage. It is a critical component of glutathione peroxidase, an enzyme that neutralizes harmful free radicals. Selenium also supports thyroid hormone metabolism by aiding the conversion of T4 (inactive) to T3 (active), which regulates energy and metabolic processes.

14. Fluoride (F)

Fluoride is best known for its role in dental health. It strengthens tooth enamel and prevents dental caries by enhancing the remineralization of tooth surfaces. Fluoride also contributes to bone strength by stimulating the formation of new bone and inhibiting bone resorption.

15. Chromium (Cr)

Chromium enhances the action of insulin, making it crucial for carbohydrate, fat, and protein metabolism. It works by improving the function of the insulin receptor, helping cells take in glucose for energy. This function makes chromium particularly important in maintaining stable blood sugar levels.

16. Molybdenum (Mo)

Molybdenum is a cofactor for several enzymes that are essential for detoxifying harmful substances and metabolizing sulfur-containing amino acids. One such enzyme is sulfite oxidase, which converts sulfites (a potentially harmful byproduct of metabolism) into harmless sulfate. Molybdenum also plays a role in the metabolism of purines and pyrimidines, the building blocks of DNA and RNA.

Minerals Work As A Team? 

In short, minerals in the body often complement each other. Take magnesium and calcium, the former relaxes your muscles and the latter contracts them. With an imbalance, your body is forced to retrieve calcium from its reserves (your bones) to maintain balance, or homeostasis. Know this is just one example, and this codependency is present in every process involving minerals. Even mild deficiencies, such as iodine, can accumulate over time, leading to thyroid dysfunction and cognitive impairments. This to say, just because you need a small amount of a mineral doesn’t mean, not in the slightest, that it is any less important.

 

Final Thoughts

Hitting all your daily nutrient targets might seem like climbing Everest barefoot, but it doesn’t have to be. OmniBlue delivers all 16 essential minerals (plus many more) in their purest, ocean-sourced form. With us, you can skip the spreadsheets and focus on what truly matters: living your best life.

Take care 8%er, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving