Main Drivers of Mineral Loss

To optimize our nutrient status, it’s essential to identify the main contributors to mineral loss and dysregulation. Here are the five primary factors that deplete our mineral reserves quickly:

1. Inherited Health

• We inherit our mineral and health status from our parents, particularly our mothers. The health of your mother and her pregnancy can influence your nutrient status and heavy metal exposure. Common deficiences what many women have faced in the last 50 years is Retinol (Vitamin A) and iodine which can lead to thyroid issues and metabolic dysregulation in their children.

2. Lack of Nutrient-Dense Foods

• Factors such as depleted soil from conventional farming, chronic dieting, industrialized food processing, and misinformation about healthy eating contribute to a lack of nutrient-dense foods.

• Opting for a whole food-based diet, combining both animal and plant foods, that aren’t derived from conventional farming practices, offers nutrient-rich options.

3. Stress

• Whether environmental, physical, mental, or emotional, the body responds to stress in the same way, through usage of minerals. Our body has a certain tolerance to the amount of stress it can handle (think of a bucket) and when it gets to that threshold, this is where metabolic dysfunction takes place which leads to chronic illnesses.

4. Supplements

• Minerals can be synergistic or antagonistic. Isolated nutrient based supplements can deplete other minerals. For instance, Vitamin D3 depletes magnesium and potassium, while calcium supplements without the proper magnesium ratio can lead to deficiencies of calcium.

• Whole food supplements include nutrient cofactors and proper ratios, allowing for better metabolism and utilization. It’s best to avoid blind supplementation and opt for testing first. If you are going to work with supplements, whole food based ones are best.

5. Birth Control

• Both hormonal and non-hormonal birth control methods negatively impact nutrient status. Hormonal birth control disrupts the gut microbiome and liver function, leading to copper/iron dysregulation, calcium displacement, and magnesium deficiencies.

• Non-hormonal methods like the copper IUD can cause inflammation, affecting estrogen and blood sugar regulation, and depleting mineral reserves.

Understanding these factors can help us adopt a greater mineral mindset and work towards creating a more resilient metabolic system. We may not be able to control or mitigate all stress, but we can better understand what contributes to mineral loss and take steps to support a strong mineral foundation for metabolic resiliency.