Minerals are important for your body to stay healthy. Your body uses minerals for many different jobs, including keeping your bones, muscles, heart, and brain working properly. Minerals are also important for making enzymes and hormones. Because minerals are not found naturally in our bodies, it is important to take the correct steps to fuel our bodies with these minerals so as to function optimally.
There are two kinds of minerals: macrominerals and trace minerals. You need large amounts of macrominerals which include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur. Trace minerals include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride and selenium.
Benefits of minerals administered via IV drips may include:
Calcium: builds bones and teeth; activates enzymes throughout the body; helps regulate blood pressure; and helps muscles to contract, nerves to send messages, and blood to clot.
Chromium: helps maintain normal blood sugar levels and helps cells draw energy from blood sugar.
Copper: assists with metabolizing fuel, making red blood cells, regulating neurotransmitters, and mopping up free radicals.
Iron: helps make hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying chemical in the body's red blood cells) and myoglobin (a protein in muscle cells). Iron is essential for activating certain enzymes and for making amino acids, collagen, neurotransmitters, and hormones.
Magnesium: like calcium, builds bones and teeth. It also helps to regulate blood pressure and blood sugar and enables muscles to contract, nerves to send messages, blood to clot, and enzymes to work.
Potassium: balances fluids in the body, helps to maintain a steady heartbeat and to make muscles contract, and may benefit bones and blood pressure.
Sodium: balances fluids in the body, helps send nerve impulses, and helps make muscles contract.
Zinc: helps blood clot, helps make proteins and DNA, bolsters the immune system, and helps with wound healing and cell division.