Mineral Deficiency Symptoms List

Use the Mineral Deficiency Symptoms List as a Symptoms Checker by holding your mouse over the conditions listed to see which minerals you could be potentially lacking in. 

Please note, this is not designed as a diagnostic tool, but rather to show you the importance of ingesting a full spectrum of minerals on a daily basis.

Important Information on Minerals… please note

Mineral Deficiency Symptoms List – Symptoms Checker – it’s easy!

Abnormal heart rhythmsmagnesium

Acnepotassium, zinc

ADD/ADHDchromium,iodine, lanthanum

Age Spotsselenium

AIDSselenium

Alopecia (hair loss)copper, zinc

ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease)selenium

Alzheimer’s Diseaseselenium

Anaemiacobalt, copper, iron, nickel, selenium zinc

Aneurysms (wall bulges)copper

Aneurysms/cerebral haemorrhagecopper

Angular stomatitis (inflammation on one or both corners of the mouth)iron

Anorexiacobalt, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc

Anxietychromium, magnesium, phosphorus

Aortic cholesterol plaquechromium

Apathyzinc

Appetite increaseiodine

Apprehensionphosphorus

Arrhythmia (abnormal heart rthythm)magnesium, potassium

Arterial wall thicknesssilica

Arthritiscalcium, copper, germanium

Ascites (fluid in the peritoneal cavity)phosphorus

Asthmamagnesium, manganese

Ataxia (lack of muscle coordination)manganese

Atherosclerosis (naroowing of arteries due to plaque buildup)manganese

Bell’s palsy (sudden weakness or paralysis usually affected one side of the face)calcium

Birth defectsmagnesium, zinc

Birth weight – lowselenium

Blind ragecopper, lanthanum

Blood cholesterol – elevatedchromium, copper, iodine, vanadium

Blood triglycerides – elevatedchromium

Body Odourzinc

Bone painphosphorus

Bones – shortened long bonesmanganese

Bone spurscalcium

Brittle fingernailscalcium, iodine, iron, silica, zinc

Bulging eyesiodine

Bulimia (Serious psychiatric illness – recurrent binge-eating)vanadium

Calcification of small arteriesmagnesium

Calcium depositscalcium

Cancergermanium

Cancer riskselenium

Canker sores (small painful sores on inside of mouth)zinc

Cardiac arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)copper

Cardiovascular preventionphosphorus

Cardiovascular – triglyceridesvanadium

Cardiomyopathy (heart muscle inflamed and enlarged)selenium

Carpal tunnel (pain, numbness, tingling in hand or armarsenic, manganese

Cartilage degenerationsulphur

Cartilage formation problemsmanganese

Cataracts (clouding of eye’s natural lens)selenium

Cerebral haemorrhage (type of stroke)copper

Cerebral palsy (physical disability that affects movement and posture)copper

Chondromalacia (chronic knee pain)manganese

Chondrodystophy (disorder of cartilage formation)manganese

Chronic fatigue (extreme fatigue that cannot be explained)magnesium

Cirrhosis (long term damage of liver)copper, selenium

Cognitive impairment (difficulty with communication, speech, memory, attention etc)calcium, potassium

Cold intoleranceiodine

Colds and flu – recurringzinc

Common coldzinc

Cognitive impairment (difficulty with communication, speech, memory, attention etc)calcium, potassium

Confusioniron, magnesium

Congestive heart failure (heart cannot pump enough blood)magnesium

Constipation (difficulty with bowel movements)iodine, magnesium, potassium

Convulsionsmanganese

COPD / Emphysema (lung diseases)magnesium

Coronary artery diseasemagnesium

Coronary blood vessel diseasemagnesium

Course, brittle, thinning haircalcium, zinc

Cramps in musclescalcium, iodine,  magnesium

Cystic fibrosis (genetic disorder affecting lungs, pancrease, liver, kidneys and intestines)selenium

Dandruffzinc

Decreased sperm countchromium

Delusionscalcium

Depressed oxidation ability of livernickel

Depressioncalcium, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, lanthanum, magnesium, potassium, zinc

Dermatitis (inflammation of the skin)manganese,nickel

Dermatosis (any skin condition that is not inflamed)copper

Diabetes (body unable to maintain healthy levels of glucose)chromium, magnesium, manganese,vanadium, zinc

Diarrheal (intestinal disorder – abnormal frequency of bowel movements)copper

Diarrhoea (infection of the intestines)zinc

Diseased liverzinc

Dizzinessiron,manganese

Down syndrome (chromosome disorder)zinc

Dry brittle haircopper, silica

Dry skin and hairiodine

Dowager’s Hump (segments of spine collapse)calcium

Eating dirt -Pica (appetite for substances other than food)iron

Eating lead paint (Pica)calcium

ECG changespotassium

Eczema (scaly, itchy patches of skin)calcium, zinc

Emaciation (being abnormally thin or weak)cobalt

Emphysema (disease of the lungs)magnesium

Energy – lowgermanium

Epilepsy (long term brain condition with repeated seizures)manganese

Explosive outburstscopper

Fatiguechromium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, zinc

Fatty liver disease – NASH (fat in the liver)magnesium

Feeding – poorsamarium

Fibrocyctic breast disease (lumpy breasts – non-cancerous)iodine

FitsLanthanum

Fragile bonescopper

Frequent bowel movementsiodine

Frizzy hairzinc

GERD (digestive disorder) calcium

Glucose reduced intolerancecopper, potassium

Goitre  (enlargement of thyroid gland)iodine

Grey or white haircopper

Growth failuresmagnesium

Haemoglobiniron

Hair losscopper, iodine

Hand tremorsiodine

Headachesiron

Hearing lossmanganese 

Heart palpatations (beating irregularly)selenium 

Heat intoleranceiodine

Hernias (protrusion of abdominal contents) copper

High blood sugarmagnesium

High blood pressurecalcium

Hot flushesmagnesium

Hyperactivity (overactive, inattentive, impulsive)calcium, chromium, magnesium

Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol)chromium, copper, magnesium, manganese, potassium, zinc

Hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar)magnesium, potassium

Hyperreflexia (exaggerated response to stimuli)potassium

Hypertension (high blood pressure)calcium, magnesium

Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid)copper

Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar)manganese, vanadium

Hypoplasia (incomplete development of tissue or organ)copper

Hypotension (low blood pressure)potassium

Hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid)copper, iodine, manganese

Hypothermia (reduced body temperature)magnesium 

Immunity – lowcopper, magnesium, selenium, zinc

Impotence (Inability to achieve or maintain an erection)zinc

Inability to concentrateiodine

Infant mortality – increasedvanadium

Infant mortality – highzinc

Infertility (Unable to become pregnant)chromium, lanthanum, selenium, vanadium, zinc

Infertility (male)zinc

Insomnia (sleeplessness)calcium, magnesium, potassium

Irritabilitycalcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc

Kawasaki Disease (inflamed blood vessels)copper

Keshan Disease (disease of the heart muscle)selenium

Kidney diseasephosphorus

Kidney Stonescalcium

Kyphosis (spinal disorder)calcium

Learning disabilitieschromium, copper

Ligament degenerationsulphur

Limb numbnesscalcium

Listlesscobalt

Liver spots (Dark spots on the skin)selenium

Low Basal Body temperatureiodine

Low blood sugarchromium, copper

Lupus (autoimmune disease)magnesium

Macular degeneration (retina affected leading to blindness)zinc

Malabsorption (inability to absorb certain nutrients and fluids)zinc

Male pattern baldness (hairloss leading to baldness)samarium

Malignant calcification of soft tissuemagnesium

Manic depression/Bipolar disorder (extreme mood swings)chromium, lanthanum

Memory losszinc

Memory – pooriodine, iron

Menstrual migrainesmagnesium

Mental apathypotassium

Metabolic syndrome (cluster of conditions)chromium

Mitral valve prolapse (valves do not close smoothly or evenly)magnesium

Mouth ulcerszinc

Multiple sclerosis (disease affecting the central nervous system)selenium

Muscle aches and painsiodine, magnesium

Muscle weaknessiodine, potassium

Muscular dystrophy (group of diseases affecting muscles)selenium

Myalgia (muscle pain)selenium

Myocardial fibrosis (abnormal thickening of the heart valves)selenium

Nails – white spotszinc

Negative nitrogen balance (tissues losing protein faster than being replaced)chromium

Nervousnesscalcium, iodine, magnesium, potassium

Neuromuscular excitability/irritabilitycalcium, magnesium

Neuromuscular problems (impaired functioning of muscles)magnesium

Newborn – high mortalitynickel

Numbnessphosphorus

Numbness & tingling around mouth & in fingers and toescalcium, magnesium 

Obesityvanadium

Oedema (fluid retention)potassium

Osteitis fibrosis (enlargement of bones with scar tissue)calcium

Osteomalacia (failure to mineralise the protein bone matrix)calcium

Osteoporosis (weak bones with risk of fractures)calcium, copper, germanium, magnesium, manganese

Osteoporosis riskphosphorus

Ovaries – poor functionzinc

Over-active thyroidiodine

Ovulation failuremanganese

Pale mucus membranescobalt

Pale skiniron

Palpitations (abnormal heart beat)potassium

Pancreatic atrophy (enlarged pancreas)manganese, selenium

Pancreatic fibrosis (chronic inflammation of pancreas)selenium

Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)selenium

Panic attackscalcium

Paranoia (irrational, persistent feeling some is out to get you)zinc

Parkinson’s disease (degeneration of nerve cells in middle area of brain)selenium

Period – heavy or less than 28 day cycleiodine, iron

Period – light or longer than 28 day cycleiodine

Peripheral neuropathy (damage of peripheral nerves in hands in feet)chromium

Periodontal disease (gum disease)calcium

Pica (eating non food substances)phosphorus

PMS (symptoms experienced before a period)calcium

Polydipsia (excessive thirst)potassium

Pre-diabetes (high blood glucose levels)chromium

Pre-eclampsia (high maternal blood pressure, protein in the urine, severe fluid retention)calcium

Prostate – enlargedzinc

Proteinuria (excess protein in the blood)potassium

Psoriasis (patches of abnormal skin, red, itchy, scaly)calcium, zinc

Ptosis (lazy eye)copper

Puberty – delayednickel

Puffy faceiodine

Reduced growth rateLanthanum, nickel, samarium, vanadium

Repertory distresspotassium

Reproduction failurelanthanum

Respiratory diseasecopper

Restless leg syndrome (strong urge to move legs)magnesium

Restlessnessmagnesium

Retarded growthpotassium, selenium, zinc

Rickets (weak soft bones)calcium

Ridges on nailscalcium

Ruptured vertebrae disc problemscopper

Sagging breasts, eyelids, skin, stomachcopper

Salt retentionpotassium

Scoliosis (sideways curvature of spine)selenium

Seizuresmagnesium

Sense – loss of smellzinc

Sense – loss of taste or odd tastingzinc

Sex – loss of sex drivemanganese

Sex – low sex driveiodine

Sexual immaturity (remain in pre-puberty state)zinc

Shortened life spanchromium, lanthanum

Shortness of breathiron

Sickle cell anaemia (red blood cell disorder)selenium, sulphur

SIDS (sudden, unexpected, unexplained death of apparently well baby)magnesium, selenium

Skin infectioniodine

Skin – poor qualitysilica, zinc

Spasms in musclescalcium, iodine, magnesium

Spontaneous fracturescalcium

Sterility in males (male infertility – unable to cause pregnancy)selenium, zinc

Strength problemssilica

Stretch markszinc

Swachman’s syndrome (bone marrow malfunction)copper

Sweating – excessiveiodine

Synophobia (fear of togetherness/dogs)magnesium

Tachycardia palpitations (rapid pulse rate)magnesium, potassium

Tardive dyskinesia (involuntary, repetitive body movements)manganese

Tendons degenerationsulphur

Testes – small/poor function (low sperm count)zinc

Testicle atrophy (shrunken testicles)manganese

Tetany (involuntary contraction of muscles)calcium

Tics or spasms of eyelidsmagnesium, zinc

Tongue – soreiron

Tooth decaycalcium

TMJ (pain in the jaw joint)arsenic, manganese

Tremulousnessphosphorus

Twitches in musclescalcium, iodine, magnesium

Ulcers (inflamed sores in lining of stomach)bismuth, zinc

Varicose veins (swollen, twisted blood vessels under the skin)copper

Violent behaviourcopper

Weaknessphosphorus

Weight gainiodine

Weight lossiodine, phosphorus

Wound healing – impairedcopper,zinc

Xerosis (tight, rough, flaky, itching skin)potassium

Important Mineral Information

The Mineral Deficiency Symptoms Chart above is not necessarily comprehensive.  Also, it is not designed to be a diagnostic tool. Rather, it is more to give you an idea how behind many sicknesses, illnesses and diseases there could be a simple mineral deficiency.  Most people don’t think of this.

Minerals are not like drugs and medicines that you receive from your doctor.

There are three types of minerals:

• Metallic minerals
• Plant-based minerals
• Synthetic minerals

It’s important to only consume plant-based minerals.

Minerals are not designed in many cases, to work alone.  Although the chart could show you are lacking in one particular mineral, there could be other supporting minerals not mentioned.  Nutrition is an ongoing science and there is much that has not yet been discovered.

A natural health practitioner may prescribe a certain mineral for you to take for a period of time.  This is usually because you are severely deficient and your body needs help to regain balance.  That is fine… but generally speaking, minerals should be consumed as a package, that is, all together.

I believe the healthiest way to ensure your body is receiving all the minerals it requires to keep you healthy, you need to take the full-spectrum, that is, all of them at once… together. What our body needs is plant-derived minerals, because it’s the only way our body can really absorb and utilise them.

Click on image of an overview of Paradise Nutrients who supply some wonderful, cost effective products… full of minerals.

xx

Sources:
George Mateljan, The World’s Healthiest Foods
Juliette Steen, Huffpost
Graham Ellem, Paradise Nutrients