The first is that our food supply is deficient in minerals. Our farms’ soils are depleted after years of farming without allowing fields to lay fallow and replenish themselves.  The second is that many people consume filtered water.  In order to remove contaminants, some of these processes also must remove the trace minerals.  Distilled and reverse osmosis water are two examples of water that have had all of their minerals removed.

Even those who are seemingly without any signs or symptoms of mineral deficiency will most likely benefit from replenishing their minerals.  Health practitioners recommend trace mineral therapy to those individuals who drink reverse osmosis or distilled water, those with hair and nail problems, those with cardiovascular diseases, like hypertension and those with neurological or emotional problems.

Trace mineral supplements are commonly found as tablets, liquid suspensions and powders.  There is not much difference between the forms, just find the type that is most convenient for you to use.  Some people who are adding the minerals to water find it easiest to mix the liquid minerals in as soon as they open the bottle.  The source of the minerals and the quality of the processing is an important consideration when purchasing trace minerals.  Ensure that the company is testing the supplement for contaminants and chemicals because most of the minerals are sourced from water deposits.

Coral calcium is a form of calcium carbonate that is naturally found in a complex with an array of trace minerals.  Two types of coral calcium exist, fossilized and marine.  Fossilized coral is farmed after it floats to the top of the ocean while marine grade is live coral that is vacuumed from the ocean floor.  There is a debate between the maker of both types as to which is better with no clear winner emerging.  One must consider the ecological effect of both processes when purchasing coral calcium.  Ensure that your supplement is tested for contaminants since the coral is farmed from the ocean.  Even after purification coral calcium contains minute amounts of heavy metals and should not be consumed by pregnant or nursing women.  It may be a good choice for you if you need to take both calcium and trace minerals.