This list could go on forever, but here are some common diseases caused by mineral deficiencies, caused mainly due to insufficient levels in our farm soils:
- Calcium: Ricketts, tetany, osteopaenia/osteoporosis, hypertension and colon cancer
- Chromium: Hypo- and hyperglycaemic effects, cardiovascular disease, poor stress
- Iron: Anaemia, immune deficiency, hair and nail growth
- Magnesium: Muscle weakness/spasm, depression, hypertension, cardiovascular disease
- Manganese: Poor bone/connective tissue growth, impaired glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism, dry skin and hair, behavioural problems, allergies
- Molybdenum: Sulfation detoxification impairment
- Potassium: Heart arrhythmias (and when in excess)
- Selenium: Cardiovascular disease, thyroid dysfunction, loss of oxidative stress therefore cancer risk and cardiomyopathy.
- Zinc: Antioxidant effect, therefore cardiovascular and cancer risk in deficiency. Decreased smell and taste. Hypochlorhydria and therefore poor digestion. Night blindness, immune dysfunction, poor wound healing.
Others:
increased atherosclerosis, muscular weakness, neurological conditions, depression, thyroid dysfunction, growth retardation, osteoporosis (boron, cobalt, iodine, lithium, molybdenum, silicon, vanadium)