What Are The Perfect Minerals For Balancing Your Hormones?

Minerals are nutrients that your body needs in order to function properly. Men and women who do not get the right balance of minerals often have less than optimal health. Mineral deficiencies can bring on hot flushes, anemia, fatigue, PMS and hormone imbalance.

Mineral requirements differ for women at different stages of their lives. A woman in her reproductive years is more likely to have an iron imbalance brought on by her menstrual cycle, while women in the menopause should avoid iron supplements as they can have adverse effects on their health.

However, there are five minerals that are generally thought to be extremely important for keeping your hormones in balance. Let’s take a look at them, and how they can affect your body.

Calcium

Calcium is well known as a source of strong bones and good teeth. Osteoporosis, or low bone density, is diagnosed in 55 percent of Americans over the age of 50. And of those diagnosed, 80 percent are women. Getting more calcium is important to ensure strong bones to reduce the risk of fractures in later life.

Magnesium

Another important mineral for bone health is magnesium. But it also affects energy production, hormonal development, protein creation and nerve communication. For pregnant women, good levels of magnesium can help delay pre-term birth and prevent seizures.

Iron

Having plenty of iron in the body can help stop the development of anemia. Anemia causes the blood to no longer be able to carry oxygen efficiently around the body anymore. This can lead to fatigue, weakness and headaches. Simply getting more iron can stop one of the most common causes of anemia and keep you healthy.

Zinc

A lack of zinc can lead to a variety of problems including altered smell and taste, craving sweets and salty foods and fatigue. Being a vegetarian or having digestive imbalances can lead to having a zinc deficiency.

Selenium

You can get plenty of selenium from daily intake of nuts and seeds. This mineral has antioxidant properties so it is excellent for general health. Getting plenty of selenium is linked to a decrease risk of cancer and heart disease.