Why Mineral Balance Matters More Than You Think for Digestive Health
Individuals who suffer from digestive health conditions often turn their attention to fiber, probiotics, or eliminations. And, of course, these things can help. However, there’s one underlying issue of digestion that almost everyone neglects, minerals. Digestion relies on a system, and minerals are required for digestion to occur.
Minerals Required for Digestion to Occur
Minerals are required for the breakdown, utilization, and absorption of food. Each step of the digestive process requires its own minerals in order for the body to perform those functions. Stomach acid needs zinc and chloride to produce. Digestive enzymes utilize magnesium. The intestines need calcium, magnesium, and potassium imbalances for intestinal contractions to work.
Mineral insufficiencies or deficiencies are more common than one may think, too. Today’s agricultural techniques leave a lot to be desired when it comes to mineral-rich produce. Foods that used to be rich in minerals are now often processed in order to be mass-produced. It’s also possible to develop a mineral deficiency as a result of the digestive disorder itself.
How Imbalances in These Minerals Impact Digestion
The digestive system is also rather fragile with the levels of minerals it has. Magnesium is involved in over 300 enzymatic processes, most of which are related to digestion in some form or fashion. Low levels of magnesium usually result in low intestinal motility – sluggish bowel movements. Low magnesium levels also regulate the formation and functioning of digestive enzymes, though.
The same is true with zinc. Inadequate levels of zinc mean that the cells of the gastro-intestinal tract cannot renew themselves as needed. This results in the breakdown of the stomach lining and then it thins the production of mucus. The production of digestive enzymes can also diminish. Individuals who’ve suffered from chronic digestive disorders are often low in zinc for years, and this is often a root cause of their disorders.
The balance of sodium and potassium within the intestines is also required for nutrient absorption. When this balance is thrown off, it can lead to either diarrhea or constipation, depending on how the balance is thrown off.
How to Improve Digestive Function
Food is the best source of minerals, of course, but when someone already suffers from a digestive disorder that limits their capability of absorbing such nutrients, food may not be enough. Therefore, selective, targeted mineral support can help, as well. Barbara O’Neill’s digestive support products offer this service.
With minerals, it’s important to not think of them in isolation but rather as a web. Too much of one mineral can throw off the balance and create a deficiency in another mineral as well. Minerals compete with each other for absorption, too.
Other times, clinical-deficiency levels of minerals are more absorbable in certain forms than others. Some mineral compounds are more absorbable by the body and useful than “cheap” products that do not have high bioavailability.
It’s also important to take certain mineral compounds with food, while it’s detrimental to take other mineral compounds with food.
Minerals Specifically Required for Digestive Function
The tricky part about mineral deficiencies is that they often occur slowly and over time. Therefore, it’s common for someone who has developed a mineral deficiency to experience some form of dysfunction rather than witnessing their initial deficiency.
Another notable and interesting characteristic of the digestive system when it comes to minerals is that its systems (the intestines, etc.) require a higher level of minerals than other systems in the body. The intestines turn over quickly which means they require a constant supply of minerals like zinc and magnesium.
There are also minerals required for the production of saliva, stomach acid, bile, and pancreatic juices; the actual digestion of foods requires its own minerals to extract nutrients; and even intestinal (small and large) gut flora requires trace minerals in order to function.
And, interestingly enough, when someone finally addresses their minerals, it usually makes an incredible difference in their system within a handful of weeks. Once the proper levels of minerals are restored, bowel movements become regulated; bloating diminishes; certain foods are digestible (and absorbable); food doesn’t linger in the digestive system for abnormal amounts of time; and nutrient absorption increases across the board.
It also makes a notable difference in health overall. When a person is no longer getting bloated from foods that are triggering their bloating because they are finally digesting them properly due to proper mineral levels, inflammation decreases. Proper nutrient availability also increases.
Making Digestive Health Easier to Manage
Minerals aren’t stored well in the body so a daily intake rather than mega doses is beneficial; mineral support products can also help; and individuals should look into mineral levels if/when digestive disorders are present.
Minerals can also help clinically deficient people and may dramatically change a person’s experience with their disorder and its symptoms.
When minerals are neglected but utilized or introduced properly into someone’s diet, proper mineral levels usually provide:
• An increase in proper stomach acid production
• An increase in adequate enzyme production
• The restoration of intestinal motility
• The increase in productive bowel movements
• The decrease in intestinal pain/discomfort
• The increase in nutrient absorption
The bottom line is simple: Don’t neglect your minerals. But also keep in mind that minerals should be restored regularly and on an ongoing basis rather than just waiting until you see “deficiency” signs.