Research

Micronutrients & recovery

Specific essential minerals (Calcium, Potassium, Magnesium, Iron) are critical cofactors for immune cell metabolic reprogramming (glycolysis vs. oxidative phosphorylation) and polarization (M1 pro-inflammatory vs. M2 pro-resolution).

Immune cells change their energy usage based on their function (inflammation vs. healing). Essential minerals like Calcium, Potassium, and Magnesium are required for these metabolic switches to function correctly. Deficiencies may lock immune cells in a pro-inflammatory state.

ModerateSupportsMEDIUM confidence
A number of minerals have been shown to be important for adequate transition between resting and activated states of the immune system, activity of the rate-limiting enzymes in respective biochemical pathways, and transcriptional factors responsible for activation of the target gene expression networks
Malak Alghamdi et al. · Nutrients · 2022

Why this rating

Review of mechanistic studies; specific clinical outcomes for individual mineral interventions are not the primary focus.

Source

Essential Minerals and Metabolic Adaptation of Immune Cells

Malak Alghamdi et al. · Nutrients · 2022

narrative_reviewCited 33×
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