Why Chelated Minerals are Absorbed More Effectively by the Body

Minerals are inorganic elements that are essential constituents of all cells. They contribute from 60% to 80% of all the inorganic material in the human body (particularly the teeth, nails, bones, soft tissues, muscles, nerve cells, enzymes, hormones and blood). Although minerals only comprise 4-5% of our body weight, we cannot exist without them.

Minerals and trace elements serve as vital catalysts for the biological reactions that take place within the body. Minerals are also necessary in maintaining a healthy acid-base balance, play an important role in regulating blood volume and maintain the delicate water balance in our bodys tissues.

The term bioavailability refers to the degree to which a particular nutrient is available for use in the body. There are many factors which influence bioavailability, including the actual compound form of the mineral or trace element. The absorption of minerals and trace elements (excluding electrolytes) is generally less efficient than that of other nutrients.

Chelating mineral supplements (linking them to amino acids) ensures the highest, most dependable, probability of absorption. Since most forms of inorganic minerals are positively charged, by combining them with negatively charged amino acids (amino acid chelate), we greatly increase the bioavailability of these minerals.

Preparing a mineral complex as an amino acid chelate has two very important advantages since it provides a bond thats just strong enough to hold the mineral and the chelated amino acid together within the stomach yet just weak enough to make its central mineral ion available for absorption within the intestines.