Читать книгу Quantum Supplements - Deanna M. Minich - Страница 17

Micronutrients are the opposite of macronutrients: they are required in relatively small (micro) amounts compared with the macronutrients. Instead of grams, only 1/1000th of a gram (known as a microgram) of micronutrients is required to meet our bodily needs. Vitamins and minerals fall into this category of nutrients. They can serve as the helpers for the macronutrients and as catalysts for a number of processes. For example, protein provides amino acids like tryptophan, which can be transformed into the neurotransmitter serotonin if vitamin B6 is present in adequate quantities. Similarly, zinc is needed for certain enzymes to convert small-chain essential fats into longchain fats needed for the brain and eyes.

Historically, vitamin and mineral deficiencies tended to be more common under times of stress, war, or impoverishment. Ironically, even though nowadays in the Western world people eat plenty of food, they are starving for adequate amounts of quality nutrients, particularly micronutrients—indeed, we are paradoxically overfed and undernourished. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has established recommendations for intakes of micronutrients to prevent deficiencies, and these recommendations are tailored for a person's gender and age. Bear in mind that these recommendations do not take into account those who have special needs, such as those on limited diets, on prescription medications, or who smoke or drink alcohol.

Supplements containing vitamins and minerals are easy to locate in a number of stores. They can come in the form of a single ingredient, like calcium tablets with nothing else added, or a nutrient at a high dose, as in a high-potency vitamin C tablet, or as a combination of nutrients, such as calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D for bone health. It is important to recognize that high doses of a single vitamin or mineral may offset levels of another vitamin or mineral and could potentially create an imbalance or relative deficiency. For example, taking too much supplementary zinc can offset copper levels in the body. Along similar lines, some micronutrients work better as a team, such as the family of B vitamins, which act together in the process of extracting energy from macronutrients like carbohydrates.