Did you know that all nutrients, including both minerals and vitamins, affect each other?
Whether it be positively or negatively, nutrients in the body work in a symbiotic way to maintain the body's state of homeostasis. The reason for this is because we don't need every single vitamin or mineral at the same concentrations, and there is even a hierarchy of nutrients that are utilized first when the body is under stress.
For instance, one of the first few minerals the body burns through when under chronic stress are calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium. This is because they are the main electrolytes in the body and influence major systems such as blood sugar, thyroid, adrenals and our nervous system.
That being said, there are other minerals that tend to different situations like infections, and the body would then depend on minerals such as iodine, copper, and zinc.
Everything is intricately balanced, sort of like stacking up a Jenga tower. If one of the wrong blocks are removed, the entire thing will fall down. Not to be dramatic, our bodies are a lot more resilient than that, but you get the point.
For instance, if someone is vitamin D deficient, no matter how much vitamin D they take, maybe it's not so much a vitamin D issue but rather a magnesium issue. The reasoning behind this is because magnesium helps with vitamin D absorption, thus they are synergistic.
Or let's say the opposite with another pair of nutrients like iron and calcium. If one is iron deficient but continue to consume their iron supplements with dairy products, the calcium will actually block the iron, hence they are antagonistic.
To be clear, synergistic nutrients help enhance the utilization and sometimes the absorption of other nutrients. Antagonists on the other hand can block absorption or utilization.
That being said, and here is the when it starts to get a bit confusing, there are some minerals that can both antagonize AND synergize a nutrient.
How is that possible? Well, it's due to the state of oxidation the body is in. The oxidation state is the "metabolic type", also known as the state of the metabolism the body is under. A lot people hear about how much more beneficial a "fast metabolism" is when compared to a "slower" one, but when we speak of "Slow" or "fast" oxidizers when it comes to HTMA testing, it means how fast one is burning through nutrients. One or the other isn't better, we ideally want to be in the middle, which is where we would consider the body to be in a homeostatic state.
It can get confusing sometimes for sure, so below we have created an easy chart for you to have on hand on some of the main minerals!
| Minerals | Synergists | Antagonists |
| Calcium | Mg, Cu, B Vitamins A, C, D | Mg, P, Zn, Fe, Na, K, Mo, Cd, Vitamins A, B2, B6 |
| Magnesium | Ca, K, Zn, Mn, P, Cr, B Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E | Ca, Na, K, P, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, Vitamins B1, B6, B10, B1212, C, D, E |
|
Sodium |
K, Mn, Cr, Vitamins B15, C, E | Ca, Mg, K |
| Potassium | Ca, Mg, Na, P, Fe, Zn, Mn, B Vitamin B6 | Ca, Na, Cu, Vitamins B1, B12, D |
| Phosphorus | Ca, Na, K, Mg, all B vitamins, D | Ca, Na, K |
| Zinc | Vitamins A, B1, B3, B5, B6, E | Ca, P, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Co, Se, Cd, Ni, Vitamins B1, B8, B10, B12, D, E |
| Copper | Vitamins B1, B9, B12, C, D |
K, P, Mo, Zn, Fe, Cd, Hg, Pb, Vitamins A, B3, B5, B6 |
| Selenium | Cu, Co, Vitamins B6, C, E | Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Mg, Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Ti, Ag, F, S, Sn, Vitamins A, C, K |
| Boron | Ca, Mg, K | Vitamin B2 |
| Iron | Cu, Na, Se, Mn, Cr, K, P, Ni, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, C, E | Ca, Cu, Cr, Mn, Zn, Co, P, Pb, Hg, Vitamins B12, D, E |
| Manganese | P, Zn, Mg, Fe, P, Vitamins A, B1, B3, B5, B6, E | Cr, Mg, Ca, Cu, Fe, P, V |
| Molybdenum | n/a | Cu |
| Chromium | Mg, Zn, Mn, Vitamin B6 | Ca, Mn, Fe, Cu, Co, V, Pb, Vitamins B10, B12, D |
| Cobalt | Na, Zn, | n/a |
| Lithium | n/a | Na |
| Sulfur | n/a | n/a |
| Rubidium | K | n/a |
| Vanadium | n/a |
Cr, Se, Mn, Vitamin C |
In reference to this chart, Upgraded Formulas has formulated specific blends for the purpose of supporting the body when certain minerals are imbalanced and we need more synergistic help.
For instance we have our Upgraded Calcium which is a blend of calcium, magnesium and boron to help with both bone health and sleep.
Or we have our Upgraded Thyroid which is a mix of selenium, copper, zinc and iodine to support thyroid health.
As well as our Upgraded Charge- Electrolyte Blend for times in which you are sweating at the gym or it's a hot summer day, this a great blend to keep energy levels up and prevent dehydration.
Hope this was helpful and provided insight onto the beauty of how everything is connected!