Mineral deficiency is a condition where the concentration of any one of the minerals essential to human health is abnormally low in the body. In some cases, an abnormally low mineral concentration is defined as that which leads to an impairment in a bodily function dependent on the mineral. In other cases, an abnormally low mineral concentration is defined as a level lower than that found in the healthy population.

Mineral nutrients are all the inorganic elements or inorganic molecules that are required for life. As far as human nutrition is concerned, inorganic nutrients include water, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphate, sulfate, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, manganese, iodine, selenium, and molybdenum. There is some evidence that other inorganic nutrients, such as chromium and boron, also play a part in human health, but their role is not well established. Fluoride has been proven to increase the strength...