Colloidal and Ionic Minerals vs Pill Vitamins
What Are Minerals? Unveiling Nature’s Tiny Powerhouses
Minerals, often overlooked in the grand symphony of nutrients, play an essential role in the proper functioning of the human body. Let’s start with a simple yet precise definition: a mineral is a naturally occurring substance, formed by geological processes, that is inorganic (lacking carbon-hydrogen bonds), has a fixed chemical structure, and exhibits an orderly crystalline pattern. These building blocks of life emerge deep within Earth’s crust, but their impact extends far beyond the ground.
In our quest for better health, the crowded world of vitamin and mineral supplements can often leave us feeling like spelunkers in an uncharted cave. Dozens of bottles boast dazzling promises, but here’s the truth: fewer than 20 minerals are officially recognized as essential to human health. This is a critical fact to keep in mind while navigating the ever-persuasive marketing of colloidal and ionic mineral supplements.
The Science of Colloidal and Ionic Minerals
Before we dive deeper, let’s break down the basics of these minerals.
- Colloidal Minerals: Imagine a suspension where tiny mineral particles float in a liquid or gas without dissolving, this is a colloid. Colloidal minerals often hail from deposits of humic shale in places like Emery County, Utah. The shale is pulverized, placed in water, and allowed to release minerals into the solution. Despite claims of being “natural,” advertisements for colloidal minerals sometimes promote unsubstantiated health benefits, a practice deemed illegal by the FDA. Even more concerning, some products claim to include 75 minerals, many of which, like platinum, gold, and silver, haven’t been scientifically validated as health-supporting.
- Ionic Minerals: These minerals, on the other hand, dissolve into ions (charged particles) in a liquid. This makes them smaller, more bioavailable, and easier for the human body to absorb. You’re likely familiar with ionic minerals in another form: electrolytes. Think calcium, magnesium, and potassium, the vital players that enable muscles to contract and hearts to beat. These ionic compounds also enhance the conductivity of solutions, literally creating sparks of life within us.
The science is clear: our bodies prefer ionic minerals due to their high bioavailability. Colloidal minerals, while natural in origin, simply don’t stack up when compared to ionic options for optimal absorption and utility.
Absorption: The Key to Unlocking Nutritional Power
The method of delivery matters when it comes to nutrients. Traditional pill supplements have their limitations, with only about 10-20% of the nutrients they contain making it into the bloodstream. Why? Pills must first survive the digestive process, with significant loss along the way.
Contrast this with liquid ionic minerals, which are a game-changer. When placed under the tongue, they bypass the digestive tract entirely, entering the bloodstream directly. According to the The Physician’s Desk Reference liquid supplements boast an absorption rate of 85–90%, often within mere seconds. This means quicker, more effective results, giving your body the nutrients it craves in a form it can readily use.
Finding Nature’s Ionic Minerals
One overlooked source of ionic minerals is much closer than you might think: your kitchen sink. Hard water, rich in calcium and magnesium ions, is a fantastic natural resource. Unfortunately, many people unknowingly remove these beneficial minerals when using water softeners, replacing them with sodium instead. So, next time you reach for a drink, consider the humble tap water, your hidden ally in maintaining a healthy mineral balance.
The Takeaway
In today’s health-conscious world, understanding the differences between colloidal and ionic minerals can empower us to make better choices. While colloidal minerals may carry a natural allure, ionic minerals stand tall as the scientifically superior choice. They’re more bioavailable, more efficient, and more in tune with the body’s needs. As we continue to explore the endless marvels of nutrition, remember this: it’s not just about what you consume, it’s about what your body can use.
It is not 1970 anymore, it is time to ditch that water softener! Stop turning your healthy water into saltwater. Electronic water conditioners like the proven HydroFLOW water conditioner allows you to keep the calcium and magnesium without the harmful effects of hard water. Get with the times and throw out that nasty water softener. There is a fantastic alternative to a water softener, it’s called HydroFLOW!
Below are the essential minerals and how they benefit humans
Sodium
An important component for proper fluid balance, hearing, equilibrium, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction
Chloride
Needed for proper fluid balance, plays an important role in maintaining the pH levels of the fluid in your body
Potassium
One of the most important minerals for our bodies. It is critical for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction
Calcium
Critically important for healthy bones and teeth; important in nerve functioning, blood clotting, blood pressure regulation, immune system health.
Phosphorus
Helps manage how your body stores and uses energy, key role in filtering out waste in your kidneys. Helps grow, maintain, and repair tissue and cells. Every cell in your body contains phosphorus.
Magnesium
Found in bones; needed for making protein, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and immune system health.
Sulfur
Found in protein molecules and is important for skin health.
Trace minerals (microminerals)
Iron
Part of a molecule (hemoglobin) and is found in red blood cells that carry oxygen to organs in the body.
Zinc
An important component for making protein and genetic material; and is key for immune system health.
Iodine
Found in thyroid hormone, which helps regulate our metabolism.
Selenium
An Antioxidant that protects us from free radicals.
Copper
Helps our bodies metabolize iron.
Manganese
Helps regulate blood sugar, improves bone health, and is an antioxidant.
Fluoride
Prevent tooth decay and promotes bone growth.
Chromium
Helps regulate blood sugar levels. Enhances our ability to metabolize protein, carbohydrates, and lipids.
Molybdenum
Helps enzymes breakdown toxins in our bodies.
Cobalt
Part of the B12 vitamin and is essential for healthy red blood cell formation and neurological health.
Silicon
Is essential for making our bones strong.
Nickel
Is listed as an essential element but the precise functions in the body are not known.