How common is mineral deficiency in the United States?
Extremely. While vitamins seem to get all the attention, minerals are equally important to good health. It is estimated that somewhere between 20-80% of the American population do not consume sufficient levels of minerals, particularly trace minerals.4-8 The elderly are particularly susceptible to mineral deficiency, due to decreased intake coupled with decreased absorption.9-11 Certain disease states also increase the risk for mineral deficiencies, most notably, diabetes and inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract like Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. People on certain drugs, especially diuretics, also have higher needs for certain minerals. A case of severe mineral deficiency is extremely rare. In most cases, the deficiency is termed “subclinical,” signifying that levels are low but not severe enough to produce a classic deficiency sign or symptom. In many instances, the only clue of a subclinical mineral deficiency may be fatigue, lethargy, difficulty in concentra
