Minerals help to trigger or regulate many important body processes. They help the body maintain a proper fluid balance and play a key role in muscle contractions and nerve impulses. Minerals also give structure to bones, teeth, muscles and blood.

Some minerals are extremely easy to obtain through a normal diet. In the United States, it is rare to experience deficiencies of minerals such as copper, fluoride, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, chromium or molybdenum. However, deficiencies of other minerals are more common. These include calcium, iodine, iron, selenium and zinc.

Symptoms of mineral deficiency vary depending on the mineral. For example, a lack of calcium can impair the ability of the blood to clot, while an iron deficiency can cause anemia (a lack of red blood cells) that results in fatigue and an increased sensitivity to cold temperatures.

Consuming too much of some minerals also can lead to health problems including, in rare cases, death. Minerals that can be toxic when taken in large amounts include calcium, fluoride, iodine, iron, magnesium, molybdenum, phosphorus, selenium and zinc. Symptoms may include irregular heartbeat and cardiac arrest.  

In addition, consuming excess amounts of certain minerals can prevent the body from absorbing or using other minerals. Examples of this include: