Side Effects of Trace Mineral Supplements

You might have heard that a trace minerals supplement could be the key to improving your health, but you should proceed with caution. Just because it's hailed as healthy doesn't mean you need it — or that it's even safe.

Remember back when you were a kid and you took fruit-flavored multivitamins in the shape of cartoon characters. They tasted like candy, but you weren't allowed to have more than one a day. Is this bringing back memories?

If so, you might still be wondering how serious a threat multivitamins actually posed to you as a kid. More important, do they pose a health hazard now that you're an adult?

You've probably graduated from supplements shaped like cartoon characters, and now you find yourself faced with choosing from among the many vitamin and mineral supplements made for adults. But the same rules from childhood apply: You don't want to overdo it on certain minerals.

What Are Trace Minerals?

Everybody talks about getting your vitamins and minerals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that your body needs only small quantities of micronutrients that are essential to properly functioning systems and disease prevention.

According to MedlinePlus, minerals can be divided into two categories: Macrominerals (such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium) are needed in larger amounts; and trace minerals are needed in small amounts.

Trace minerals include the following:

• Iron
• Iodine
• Zinc
• Selenium

Most people get their required amount of both macrominerals and trace minerals from the food they eat, but those who are deficient may be encouraged to take a supplement by their doctor or a registered dietitian.

Supplement Side Effects

Now we're getting to the reason that you weren't allowed to eat multivitamins like candy when you were a kid: Excess minerals can be toxic.

Unless you're diagnosed as being deficient, there's no benefit to getting more of a mineral. Having extra nutrients in your body doesn't make you extra healthy, and in some cases, it could be dangerous. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) emphasizes that improper use of supplements can be harmful and could have dangerous results.

Here's what could happen if you consume too much of certain trace minerals:

Iron

• Constipation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Reduced zinc and copper absorption

Zinc

• Nausea and vomiting
• Immunosuppression
• Reduced copper absorption
• Iron imbalances

Selenium

• Brittle hair and nails
• Peripheral neuropathies
• Gastrointestinal upset

Iodine

• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypothyroidism
• Thyroiditis
• Thyroid papillary cancer

Be Skeptical of Supplement Claims

Companies that make multivitamins and supplements of specific micronutrients tout impressive claims, but you should take a closer look at how those claims hold up before using them. Additionally, consider what side effects these products might have.

If these naturally sourced supplements don’t seem to have guidelines in the way they are promoted or regulated, it's because federal law doesn't require them — or any dietary supplements for that matter — to be proven safe by the FDA. Manufacturers don't even have to prove that their health claims are accurate to print them on the package.

It's also smart to be conscious of trace mineral overdose, especially in children. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that having child-proof packages and warning labels has decreased the number of iron overdoses in children.

Dangers of Colloidal Minerals

One other type of supplement is colloidal minerals. Most commonly, you'll see colloidal silver promoted as providing major health benefits. Should you believe it? The NIH says not to.

Silver has no known purpose in the body, and it's not an essential nutrient; therefore, products touting it for nutritional value are not effective or safe. The NIH points out that no sound scientific studies to evaluate these claims have been published, and the FDA has taken action against some manufacturers for unproven health claims.

The silver in these supplements is the same precious metal used to make jewelry, and it can build up in the body over months or years. This sometimes results in argyria, a blue-gray discoloration to parts of the body. Excessive doses are related to more serious health problems like kidney damage and neurological problems.

Alternatives to Trace Mineral Supplements

Trace mineral supplements come with side effects that outweigh the positive benefits that people hope to get from them. Unless a person is deficient and needs an extra dose of a certain nutrient, it's best to focus on getting what you need from a healthy, well-rounded diet.

A doctor or registered dietitian nutritionist can offer advice as to what foods are best for increasing consumption of certain minerals, as well as what supplements to take and how to administer them if they are necessary.