Chromium to fluoride: what are trace elements?
A deficiency can have fatal consequences for the body
Created: 12/17/2022, 07:00
By: Juliane Gutmann
Our body needs trace elements so that organs are well supplied and we stay healthy.
Copper, fluoride and iodine: an overview of important substances.
Trace elements are among the micronutrients.
Although they do not provide energy in the form of calories, they are still vital for the human organism.
Micronutrients include trace elements, vitamins and minerals.
Fat, carbohydrates and proteins, on the other hand, are referred to as macronutrients.
These ensure that our body has enough calories available to supply muscles and brain with energy.
Micronutrients such as trace elements act at the cellular level.
Without an adequate supply, our body cannot optimally carry out many vital metabolic processes, which can have a negative effect on our muscle strength and nervous system.
Our body cannot produce most of the trace elements itself, they have to be ingested with food.
Nuts contain a relatively large amount of zinc.
The trace element strengthens the immune system and thus protects us from viral infections.
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Iron, iodine, selenium: overview of trace elements
The term "trace elements" suggests that these are substances that only occur in very small amounts.
And that's how it is: "Trace elements are inorganic food components whose content in the tissue is below 50 ppm (
editor's note: means something like "one millionth"
).
These include, for example, iron, fluoride, zinc, copper and iodine.
Trace elements are measured in milligrams or micrograms," says Techniker Krankenkasse (TK).
These substances are among the trace elements, for example:
Chromium: is involved in glucose metabolism
Iron: essential for transporting oxygen to the body's cells
Fluoride: strengthens bones and teeth
Zinc: activates the blood cells responsible for the body's own defences
Copper: important for iron metabolism
Iodine: keeps the thyroid healthy
Selenium: protects against cell damage
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Chromium to copper deficiency: This is how a lack of trace elements affects you
If the body lacks trace elements, this can be shown by symptoms of illness.
Chromium, for example, is involved in the metabolism of glucose.
If it is missing in the organism, this can be shown by diabetes symptoms such as increased thirst.
According to the TK, the recommended daily dose of chromium, which is found in cheese, among other things, is 0.03 - 0.1 milligrams.
In the case of the trace element copper, the recommended daily dose is 1.0 - 1.5 milligrams.
Nuts and tea are considered good suppliers of copper.
If you take in too little copper over a long period of time, you risk anemia and liver damage.
A selenium deficiency also has drastic consequences: According to the Techniker Krankenkasse, the risk of cancer increases in this case.
0.03 - 0.07 milligrams of selenium is recommended daily.
It is found in eggs, among other things.
