Calcium is the most abundant mineral in our bodies and is the fifth most common element among our atoms. Nearly 2% of your body mass comes from calcium, and more than 99% of it is in your teeth and bones.
The mineral phosphorus ranks second in abundance. It helps pack calcium atoms firmly into bony lattices and holds them securely in our skeletons. There are smaller amounts of phosphorus in our soft tissues, where it plays important roles in many biological processes. If you weigh 150 pounds, you have almost a kilogram (about 2 pounds) of phosphorus in your body.
The major ions in our intracellular and extracellular fluids include, in order of abundance, potassium, chlorine, sodium, and magnesium. Inside the cells, potassium regulates the activities of many enzymes. Outside the cells, sodium regulates the balance of the water content of the intracellular and extracellular fluids. Potassium and sodium ions also control the distribution of hydrogen ions in our bodies, keeping the amount of acidity within healthy limits.
Chlorine ions also help regulate fluid balances and balance the electrical charges of various cations (positive ions). In our stomachs, chlorine combines with hydrogen ions to produce the hydrochloric acid found in gastric fluid.
Magnesium plays important roles in bones and teeth and in regulating chemical activities in our cells. It is also involved in protein formation within the cells and in transmission of electrical signals between cells.
Trace Elements
The 11 elements mentioned so far—carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, chlorine, sodium, and magnesium—make up more than 99% of the mass of our bodies. The remaining elements necessary for health are called trace elements. Some of the important trace elements are iron, fluorine, zinc, copper, selenium, manganese, iodine, molybdenum, chromium, and cobalt. They have a variety of functions and are often pare of enzymes, hormones, and related molecules.
Iron is important in the hemoglobin in our red blood cells. It bonds to oxygen in the lungs and carries it throughout the body. Fluorine helps make teeth resistant to decay by hardening their enamel. Because of this, fluorine is added to toothpaste and to the drinking water of many communities. Zinc is involved in growth, the healing of wounds, and male sexual development. Iodine is important to the function of the thyroid gland. A deficiency of iodine causes a condition called a goiter and can result in learning deficiencies. One atom of cobalt is contained in every molecule of vitamin B-12.
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