Minerals, Trace Elements & Preconceptual Care

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Calcium

Maternal Deficiency

• Stomach cramps & spasms, Allergy, Tooth decay, Back pain, Osteoporosis, Insomnia, Irritability, Nervousness, Premenstrual tension, Cramping of uterus, Tension, Uneven heartbeat, foot and leg cramps.

Foetal Deficiency

• Rickets and skeletal malformations and later tooth decay, high raised palate which can give orthodontic problems and learning difficulties.

Magnesium

Maternal Deficiency

• Allergy, impaired protein synthesis, enzyme deficiencies, tremor twitching and convulsions, panic attacks, insomnia, constipation, Premenstrual tension, uneven heartbeat, leg and foot cramps, depression, poor memory, confusion, disorientation, hyperactivity, irritability, anxiety, nightmares and increased sensitivity to noise. Stones may form in kidneys.

Foetal Deficiency

• Congenital skeletal abnormalities, calcium deposits and other abnormalities in the heart cells, anorexia, convulsions and perinatal death.

Potassium

Maternal Deficiency

• Acid urine, nervous irritability, disorientation, fatigue, listlessness, insomnia, muscle weakness, uneven heartbeat, constipation, cramping muscles. Low blood sugar and coma. High levels of potassium in the hair can indicate a kidney infection.

Foetal Deficiency

• Possible low blood sugar and/or constipation in the new born.

Iron

Maternal Deficiency

• Anaemia, weakness, shortage of breath, excessive fatigue, depression, confusion, poor memory and poor resistance to infection.

Foetal Deficiency

• Eye defects, bone defects, brain defects and neonatal mortality.

Iron deficiency is rare, however iron excess can be toxic. Excessive supplementation can cause constipation and vomiting and can lead to miscarriage. Recent work from Germany had linked excessive iron supplementation to neonatal jaundice.

Chronium

Maternal Deficiency

• Poor sugar handling, arteriosclerosis, hypertension and diabetes, sugar and alcohol consumption reduces chromium.

Foetal Deficiency

• Eye abnormalities, link with later diabetes.

Cobalt

Maternal Deficiency

• Cobalt is linked to a deficiency of Vitamin B12. Vitamin B12 deficiency can give pernicious anaemia. Vitamin B12 deficiency may be present in vegetarians and vegans, in people taking cleansing programmes with very high doses of Vitamin C over a long period, or eating a diet high in refined carbohydrates and/or alcohol.

Foetal Deficiency

• Problems are not recorded. The foetus appears to have sufficient mechanisms for storing Vitamin B12.

Copper

Maternal Deficiency

• Porous bones, loss of hair, demyelination and anaemia.

Foetal Deficiency

• Depressed growth rate, depigmentation, anaemia, fine fragile bones, ataxia, small brain, perinatal mortality.

Copper deficiency is rare however copper excess is much more common, resulting from copper water pipes, and use of the contraceptive pill or the fertility drugs. Copper comes from the water in areas where the water is acid or otherwise inclined to attract the metal due to corrosion. Exogenous hormones cause women to accumulate the copper. This can result in zinc, selenium and manganese deficiency with resulting miscarriages, premature births, malformations and retardations. Foresight can test water at the laboratory.

Manganese

Maternal Deficiency

• Enzyme deficiencies (allergy) poor fat metabolism, epilepsy, thought confusion, poor memory and learning ability, poor thyroid function, depression, diabetes. Lack of maternal instinct.

Foetal Deficiency

• Malformation of the inner ear, ataxia, bone malformation. Lack of co-ordination, head retraction, tremor, lack of righting reflex. Later can cause poor sugar handling and possibly convulsions.

Nickel

Maternal Deficiency

• Cirrhosis of the liver and chronic kidney failure.

Foetal Deficiency

• Heart, kidney and liver defects. Neonatal death.

Iodine

Maternal Deficiency

• Fatigue, lethargy, increased susceptibility to cold, low libido, anorexia, slow pulse, low blood pressure, rapid weight gain, high blood cholesterol, heart disease and cancer.

Foetal Deficiency

• Growth and mental development retarded.

Selenium

Maternal Deficiency

• Muscle weakness, muscular dystrophy, swelling, internal haemorrhages, atrophy on the pancreas, liver necrosis, cataracts, cancer, allergy to inhaled substances (e.g. dust mites, pollen, dandruff) asthma.

Foetal Deficiency

• American research has linked selenium deficiency with chromosome damage, including Down’s Syndrome. Selenium will combine with toxic metals and help to cleanse these from the body. We use this in combination with Vitamin C & Garlic. It is interesting to note that flouride is antagonistic to selenium. Studies in America have found a fourfold increase in Down’s Syndrome births where the water has been fluoridated.

Vanadium

Maternal Deficiency

• Infertility and possibly depression

Foetal Deficiency

• Small birth weight and increased perinatal death.

Vanadium supplementation is being barred in the UK, but small quantities may be available in kelp.

Zinc

Maternal Deficiency

• Poor maintenance of bones, muscles, eyes, organs, teeth. Poor functioning of the immune system. Poor liver function and carotene conversion. White spots on nails, stretch marks. Lank hair, acne, painful knee and hip joints, cold extremities, lack of taste and smell, anorexia , body and breath odour, Lack of menstruation and ovulation (thus in fertility). Where conception does take place miscarriage or premature birth, insomnia, extreme fatigue. Extended parturition (labour fade). After birth-fatigue, post-partum depression, rejection of infant, lactation failure, poor wound healing and increase susceptibility to infection.

Foetal Deficiency

• Growth retardation, anorexia, diarrhoea, apathy, lethargy, sebhorrhoea. Loss of hair, defects in eyes, kidneys, brain and bones, skeletal malformations. Spina bifida, cleft palatte, heart defects. Faulty trunk and limb development, curvature of the spine, reduced brain size, heart problems and small eyes. Also undescended testicles or not testicle in the male. Later this can manifest as allergic illness, eczema, learning difficulties and hyperactivity. Growth retardation especially in the male.

Lead & Calcium Contamination

Maternal Excess

• Headaches, diarrhoea, fatigue, increased risk of cancer, liver and kidney problems.

Foetal Excess

• Still birth, premature birth, skeletal malformation, spina bifida, hydrocephalus, perinatal death, impaired weight gain.

Later children exhibit less favourable development through the first year of life. Significantly impaired IQ, non-adaptive classroom behaviour, neuropsychological deficits. Cadmium has a strong negative effect on verbal IQ, and lead has a stronger ill effect on performance IQ. Later children exhibit many minor health problems. Allergic syndromes, asthma, eczema, epilepsy, hyperactivity, dyslexia (these are not minor to the family or the child!) These can be contributing factors to autism.