29 Oct Maximising Minerals: How to Make the Most of your Supplements

We all know how important vitamin and mineral supplements are to help you keep your body and mind in tip-top form – but how can you be sure you’re really getting everything you need from your daily dose?

To get the full benefit of a nutritional supplement, it’s important to make sure your body’s cells are able to assimilate (absorb and use) as much of it as possible. Here are five top tips to help you do just that:

Choose a Liquid Mineral

When you take a capsule or tablet, it first needs to dissolve before your body can start absorbing the nutrients and putting them to use. Liquid minerals on the other hand are immediately assimilated into the bloodstream, which means they’re faster-acting and much more effective. They’re also easier to swallow than tablets.

Try our newly arrived selection of liquid mineral supplements from Mineralife – a trusted brand recently introduced to the South African market. The tiny (Angstrom-sized) mineral particles are water-soluble and have an amazing 100% absorption rate, which means your body can assimilate them right away. They’re also completely natural and contain no starch, salt, yeast, gluten, milk or soy.

Cut the Caffeine

We all love a hot cuppa joe in the mornings – usually accompanied by a hasty breakfast and a mineral or multivitamin to give us all-day energy. What you might not realise is that your caffeine fix really makes your body struggle to absorb those nutrients. Caffeine inhibits the receptors that absorb calcium, vitamin D and iron; that means it’s much better to take your supplements at least 30 minutes before or after your first cup of tea or coffee, giving your cells the chance to absorb all the good stuff.

Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol depletes so many of your body’s nutrients, including B-complex vitamins, folic acid, zinc, selenium and magnesium. If you enjoy a glass of organic wine in the evenings, be sure to take your minerals in the morning, so the alcohol won’t interfere with the goodness you’re getting from your supplements.

Butt Out

On top of all the more obvious ill-effects of cigarettes, smoking also interferes with your body’s production of gastric acid, and makes it harder for your system to absorb minerals. Obviously we all know that smoking at all is a big wellbeing “no-no”, but if you do smoke, be sure to avoid it at least 30 minutes before and after taking a supplement.

Try a Winning Combination

Remember, minerals don’t work in isolation; they work in synergy with each other. For example, calcium and magnesium function together with vitamin D, while zinc is needed for the release of vitamin A. Get clued up on the best mineral combinations for your health, such as Cal/Mag or a Multivitamin supplement.