Deficiencies. A dietitian’s experience – Jacek Kucharski

In his book Minerals of Life – Hair Mineral Analysis Dr Krzysztof Krupka claims that the underlying cause of all afflictions is lack of metabolic balance. That quote inspired me to write this article. Having worked almost 18 years in the field of tissue mineral analysis of human hair and after the analysis of over 1000 examinations, I have noticed a strong correlation between the level of minerals in hair and a patient’s lifestyle. I can conclude from my experience that hair mineral analysis provides us with information on the effects of someone’s diet as well as their lifestyle.

However, it is not the topic I wanted to write about today. Metabolic balance depends on mineral balance in our body. Our life consists of constant biochemical reactions and therefore even the smallest shortage of a given mineral may result in metabolic disorders, and consequently diseases. The cause of most diseases are mineral deficiencies at different stages of our lives, even (or maybe especially) before our birth. Problems with procreation that are so common nowadays are also caused by mineral deficiencies.

The main causes of mineral deficiencies in our bodies are:

1. Low level of minerals and vitamins in various food products caused mainly by bad  agriculture industry.
2. Absorption disorders in the digestive tract (caused e.g. by a lack or a low level of certain proteins, enzymes, bacteria and chemical compounds that are essential for absorption).
3. Excessive elimination of a given mineral from the body (antagonistic interrelationships between particular minerals).
4. Increased intake of heavy metals from food and environment (a smaller range of antagonistic nutritional elements).
5. A bad diet that enforces higher demand for nutrients (e.g. a diet rich in simple sugars, drugs, frequent and long-term dieting, alcohol abuse, a high fiber diet).
6. A prolonged emotional and psychogenic stress (a stressful job, characteropathy, mental disorders, the ability to react to stress properly, a certain mental state).
7. Using certain pharmaceuticals which may inhibit absorption or increase elimination of some minerals.
8. Some physiological conditions (e.g. adolescence, pregnancy, breastfeeding).
9. Most diseases/ neuroendocrine balance disorders (neuroendocrine balance regulates all stages of our lives; the connection between neurological system, especially vegetative system, and endocrine system determines the coordinated unity of mechanisms that regulate physiological phenomena).
10. Intense regeneration and rehabilitation which involves increase in demand for certain nutrients.
11. Professional sport (higher usage and loss of minerals).

In my next posts I would like to tackle the causes of mineral deficiencies in our bodies and suggest how to minimize them in our hectic, modern lives.

The following sources have been used in this part of the article:

1. Course materials from trainings at Trace Elements Laboratory Biomol in Łódź.
2. Krzysztof Krupka, PhD. Minerals of Life – Hair Mineral Analysis.
3. Observations from my own experience in the field of dietary consultancy services.

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