Feeling exhausted and lacking energy are common conditions that can have numerous causes: for example, the stress of a hectic life, intense sports activity, an incorrect diet, or not enough hydration. In other cases, fatigue may be due to an age factor or medications taken for other conditions. 

Generally, it is enough to adopt a healthy, balanced diet and proper water consumption to regain energy, but in some cases it may be useful to take mineral supplements: to replenish substances lost through sweating after playing sports or after an episode of high fever, in case of excessive water intake leading to a mineral salt deficiency, or if you are taking diuretic medications that may alter the electrolyte balance.

What are minerals?

Minerals are inorganic elements in the body that perform certain functions that are essential for keeping it healthy, such as for the functioning of enzymes or certain organs, but also for bone health. 

Depending on the amounts of minerals the body needs, they can be divided into macrominerals (characterized by a daily requirement of less than 200 mg) and microminerals (daily requirement of less than 100 mg).

Macrominerals include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chlorine and sulfur; essential microminerals, on the other hand, include iron, copper, zinc, fluorine, iodine, selenium, chromium and cobalt. 

Each mineral serves an important function in the human body. For example, calcium and phosphorus are essential for the development of teeth and bones; potassium and magnesium contribute to the body’s electrolyte balance; and sodium regulates the passage of fluids and nutrients in and out of cells.

Are supplements a medicinal product?

Supplements are not medicines, which means that they do not exert a pharmacological, immunological, or metabolic function. Therefore, their use is not intended to treat or prevent disease, and their purchase does not require a prescription. 

Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to consult with your doctor before taking them, in order to see which supplement best meets your needs. 

In addition, an excess of minerals in the body can prove just as harmful as a deficiency: for instance, an elevated level of potassium in the blood can cause hyperkalemia, a condition that can alter the heart rhythm; an excess of copper and zinc can cause fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; while excessive doses of sodium can predispose an individual to the onset of high blood pressure.

How to choose supplements?

The range of supplements available on the market is vast; therefore, it is important to know which supplements to choose.  For people who regularly practice a sport, sodium can help reduce fatigue, while calcium and magnesium can work on muscle cramps. Iron supplements may be indicated in cases of anemia, while zinc and copper supplements help strengthen immune defenses.

In conclusion, when taken with proper care, mineral supplements can be a valuable support to our bodies and our daily well-being. 

Through a wide range of energizing products, Menarini has always supported the dynamism of people, helping all those who positively challenge the rhythms of work, mental stress, the change of seasons, and all those factors that put a strain on our physical endurance, making us feel tired and fatigued.