Mineral and Vitamin Relationships Guide
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There are key mineral to mineral and vitamin to mineral relationships that impact each other and normal body functions. Minerals must be in proper balance to maintain optimum functions in the body.
Mineral to Mineral Relationships
- Calcium: Essential synergists are copper and magnesium. Essential antagonists are potassium, sodium risers such as manganese and iron.
- Copper: raises sodium, raises calcium, lowers potassium, lowers zinc.
- Chromium: raises sodium, assists with glucose intolerance.
- Magnesium: lower sodium, lowers calcium, raises potassium
- Iron: raises sodium, speeds up oxidation rate.
- Magnesium: lowers sodium, lowers calcium, raises potassium.
- Manganese: raises sodium, lowers magnesium, needed for adrenals, energy and cholesterol synthesis.
- Potassium: lowers calcium, raises zinc also speeds up metabolism.
- Zinc: lowers sodium, lowers cadmium, lowers copper, raises potassium.
Vitamin to Mineral Relationships
- Vitamin A: lowers sodium.
- Vitamin A and D: increase calcium update from the intestinal tract.
- Vitamin B1, B3, B5, B6: speeds up oxidation rate by their affect on glycogenesis and the Krebs cycle which intern lowers calcium levels.
- Vitamin B2, B12, choline and inositol: slows down oxidation rate.
- Vitamin C: raises sodium, lowers copper, speeds up oxidation rate, enhances adrenal activity. Increases adrenal activity which results in a lower calcium level.
- Vitamin D: raises calcium absorption in the gut, lowers potassium, slows the metabolic rate.
- Vitamin E: raises sodium. Preserves mitochondria enzymes required for Krebs cycle. Vitamin E enhances adrenal and thyroid function.
- Vitamin F: assists in increasing cell membrane permeability which enhances the effect of thyroid hormone speeds up the rate of metabolism.
Other Impacts On Various Minerals
- Acute stress stimulates the sympathetic nervous system which increases thyroid in a grain of glandular activity and the effect is a drop in calcium levels.
- Adrenal exhaustion results in lower sodium and potassium levels. It efficiency of these monovalent solvent elements. This allows calcium and magnesium to accumulate – bio unavailable – in the soft tissues.
- Cadmium displaces calcium by raising sodium levels.
- Dietary phytates are in organic “compounds that are found mostly in greens that bind calcium in the gut phytates reduce calcium absorption from the gut.
- High protein diets increase the rate of metabolism and increase calcium excretion in the urine. High-fat diet slows metabolism causing calcium levels to rise and it becomes bio unavailable.
- Lead competes with calcium for intestinal absorption and for binding sites in the bones live displaces calcium.
- Low gastric acidity adequate stomach acid is required to ionize calcium in order to absorb calcium in the gut.
- Oxalic acid is found mainly in tea and certain fruits. Oxalic acid forms in soluble calcium compounds which prevents calcium absorption from the gut.
Toxic Mineral Ratios and Preferred Mineral Ratios
Heavy metals like mercury, lead, cadmium interfere with normal metabolic processes because they displace nutritional minerals, and poison enzyme functions by their attachment to proteins. Everyone is exposed to toxic heavy metals and has measurable levels within their bodies. The ratio of the protective nutrient mineral relative to the toxic heavy metal is important.
Calcium To Lead Ratio: Calcium reduces lead absorption and retention within the body, calcium is considered protective of excess lead retention. The ratio of calcium to lead (Ca/Pb) has an acceptable level of 84:1. The tissue level of calcium should be at least 84 times higher than lead to prevent the adverse affect of lead within the body.
Sulfur, Iron or Selenium To Mercury Ratio: If there is a nutritional deficiency of sulfur, iron or selenium, mercury will attach to the proteins involved in enzyme activation and disrupt their function. The ratios of mercury to these minerals are critical to protecting yourself from the harmful affects of toxic mercury exposure.
Cadmium To Zinc Ratio: Cadmium has a very similar structure as zinc. Cadmium also has a higher atomic weight. When cadmium enters the body and is not excreted, it will be stored in the tissues. If there is not enough zinc present in the cell to be protective, then cadmium can displace zinc.
Mineral Antagonists Wheel Diagram
Magnesium Antagonists: Calcium, sodium, potassium, phosphorus, iron, manganese, cadmium and lead are all antagonistic to magnesium. Vitamin D can cause a deficiency of magnesium. So for example, if a client is deficient in magnesium they would typically do best to supplement magnesium and reduce intake of things such as calcium and Vitamin D.
Mineral and Vitamin Relationships Chart
When nutrients are balanced, the right amounts of each are taken. If they are too low or too high their relationship changes. For example, calcium and magnesium are in a ratio of about 2:1 (calcium to magnesium). When the ratio is 8:1 then the calcium inhibits the absorption of the magnesium and you may can deficient.
Metal Abbreviations on the chart below:
Al is aluminum; Cd is cadmium; Hg is mercury, Ni is Nickel; Pb is lead.
Mineral Relationships
| Nutrient | Agonist/Synergist | Antagonist |
| Calcium | Vitamins: A, C, D, K Minerals: Mg |
Vitamins: A, C, B1, B3, B6, E Minerals: Fe, K, Mg, Na, P, Zn Metals: Pb |
| Chromium | Vitamins: B3, B5, B6, C Minerals: K, Mg, Zn |
Minerals: Ca, Fe, Mn, P Metals: Pb |
| Copper | Vitamins: B2, B6, B9, B12 Minerals: Ca, Co, Fe, Mn, Na, Se, Zn |
Vitamins: A, B3, B5, B6, C Minerals: Fe, K, Zn Metals: Cd, Hg, Pb |
| Iron | Vitamins: B2, B9, B12, C Minerals: Cr, Cu, K, Mn, Na, P, Se |
Vitamins: E Minerals: Ca, Cu, Mn, P, Zn Metals: Al, Hg, Pb |
| Magnesium | Vitamins: B1, B6, C, D Minerals: Ca, Fe, K, Mg, P, Zn |
Vitamins: B9, B10, B12, D, E Minerals: Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Na, P Metals: Cd, Pb |
| Manganese | Vitamins: B1, C, K Minerals: Cu, Fe, Zn |
Vitamins: B12, E Minerals: Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, P Metals: Cd, Pb |
| Phosphorus | Vitamins: B’s, D Minerals: Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Zn |
Vitamins: D Minerals: Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mg, Zn Metals: Al |
| Potassium | Vitamins: B6, B10, D Minerals: Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Zn |
Vitamins: B1, B10, B12, D Minerals: Ca, Cu, Na |
| Selenium | Vitamins: B3, C, E Minerals: Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Na, Zn |
Vitamins: A, B2 Metals: Al, Cd, Hg |
| Sodium | Vitamins: B6, D Minerals: Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, P, Se |
Vitamins: A, B2, B3, Minerals: Ca, K, Mg, Zn |
| Zinc | Vitamins: A, B6, D, E Minerals: Cr, K, Mg, Mn, P |
Vitamins: B1, B10, B12, D, E Minerals: Ca, Cu, Fe, P Metals: Al, Cd, Hg, Ni, Pb |
Vitamins and Minerals Relationships
| Vitamin A | Vitamins: B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, E Minerals: Ca, K, Mg, Mn, P, Se, Zn |
Vitamins: D, E Minerals: Ca, Cu, Na, Se |
| Vitamin B1 | Vitamins: A, B2, B3, B5, B6, B10, B12, C, E Minerals: Co, Cu, Fe, K, Mn, Mg, Na, P Se, Zn |
Vitamins: B2, B6, B12 Minerals: Cu, K, Zn |
| Vitamin B2 | Vitamins: A, B1, B3, B5, B6, B9, B10, B12 Minerals: Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, P, Zn |
Vitamins: B1 Minerals: Ca, Cu, Fe, Mn, Na, Se |
| Vitamin B3 | Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, B10, B12, C, E Minerals: Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, P, Na, Se, Zn |
Vitamins: A Minerals: Ca, Cu, Na |
| Vitamin B5 | Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, B10, B12, C, E Minerals: Cr, K, Na, P Zn |
Minerals: Cu |
| Vitamin B6 | Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5, B9, B10, B12, C, E Minerals: Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Se, Zn |
Vitamins: B1 Minerals: Ca, Cu, Fe |
| Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid/Folate) |
Vitamins: B2, B3, B5, B6, B12, C Minerals: Cu, Fe, Mg, Zn |
Minerals: Cu Metals: Al |
| Vitamin B10 (PABA) | Vitamins: B5, B9 | Minerals: K, Mg, Zn |
| Vitamin B12 | Vitamins: B1, B3, B5, B6, B9, B10, C, D, E Minerals: Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, Na, Se |
Vitamins: B1, C Minerals: K, Mg, Zn |
| Vitamin C | Vitamins: A, B3, B5, B6, B9, B12, E Minerals: Ca, Co, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na, Se, Zn |
Minerals: Cu Metals: Al |
| Vitamin D | Vitamins: B2, B3, B12, E, K Minerals: Ca, Cu, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Se |
Vitamins: A Minerals: Ca, K, Mg, P, Zn |
| Vitamin E | Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, B5 B6, B9, B10, B12, C, D, K Minerals: Ca, Fe, K, Mn, Na, P, Se, Zn |
Minerals: Ca, Fe, Mg, Mn, Zn |
| Vitamin K | Vitamins: A, B3, B6, C, E Minerals: Mn |
Vitamins: A, E Minerals: Ca |
