🧪 Major & Trace Minerals: Diagnostic Guide

1. Calcium

• ✅ Fasting: Yes (8–10 hrs recommended)
• 🧠 Organs: Bones, parathyroid glands, kidneys
• ⚙️ Function:
  • Bone/teeth formation
  • Muscle contraction
  • Nerve signaling, blood clotting
• 📉 Low: Tetany, numbness, osteoporosis
• 📈 High: Kidney stones, calcification
• 🧪 Follow-up:
  • Vitamin D 25-OH
  • PTH (parathyroid hormone)
  • Phosphorus
  • Bone density scan

2. Phosphorus (Phosphate)

• ✅ Fasting: Yes
• 🧠 Organs: Bones, kidneys
• ⚙️ Function:
  • Works with calcium in bones
  • Energy metabolism (ATP)
• 📉 Low: Weakness, bone pain, confusion
• 📈 High: Kidney disease, hypoparathyroidism
• 🧪 Follow-up:
  • Calcium, PTH, Creatinine, Vitamin D

3. Magnesium

• ✅ Fasting: Yes
• 🧠 Organs: Muscles, nerves, bones
• ⚙️ Function:
  • Nerve and muscle function
  • Enzyme activation
• 📉 Low: Cramps, arrhythmias, tremors
• 📈 High: Rare; seen in renal failure
• 🧪 Follow-up:
  • Calcium, Potassium, Kidney function tests

4. Sodium (Na⁺)

• ❌ Fasting: Not necessary (but avoid excess fluid intake)
• 🧠 Organs: Kidneys, adrenal glands
• ⚙️ Function:
  • Fluid balance
  • Nerve and muscle function
• 📉 Low (Hyponatremia): Confusion, seizures
• 📈 High (Hypernatremia): Dehydration, high BP
• 🧪 Follow-up:
  • Serum osmolality, Aldosterone, ADH, Urine sodium

5. Potassium (K⁺)

• ✅ Fasting: Yes (preferably)
• 🧠 Organs: Heart, kidneys, muscles
• ⚙️ Function:
  • Electrical activity of the heart
  • Acid-base balance
• 📉 Low: Arrhythmias, fatigue, muscle weakness
• 📈 High: Life-threatening arrhythmias
• 🧪 Follow-up:
  • ECG, Creatinine, Aldosterone, Urinary potassium

6. Chloride (Cl⁻)

• ❌ Fasting: Not required
• 🧠 Organs: Kidneys
• ⚙️ Function:
  • Maintains acid-base and fluid balance
• 📉 Low: Metabolic alkalosis, vomiting
• 📈 High: Dehydration, kidney disorders
• 🧪 Follow-up:
  • Sodium, Bicarbonate, Arterial blood gases

7. Iron

• ✅ Fasting: Yes (morning sample best)
• 🧠 Organs: Bone marrow, RBCs
• ⚙️ Function:
  • Hemoglobin synthesis → oxygen transport
• 📉 Low: Anemia (fatigue, pallor)
• 📈 High: Hemochromatosis, iron poisoning
• 🧪 Follow-up:
  • Iron Studies (TIBC, Ferritin, Transferrin Saturation)
  • CBC, Reticulocyte count

8. Copper

• ✅ Fasting: Yes
• 🧠 Organs: Liver, brain
• ⚙️ Function:
  • Iron metabolism
  • Connective tissue and nervous system health
• 📉 Low: Anemia, immune dysfunction, Menkes disease
• 📈 High: Wilson’s disease (copper buildup in liver & brain)
• 🧪 Follow-up:
  • Ceruloplasmin, Liver function tests, 24-hour urine copper

9. Zinc

• ✅ Fasting: Yes (morning preferred)
• 🧠 Organs: Skin, immune system, enzymes
• ⚙️ Function:
  • Wound healing
  • DNA synthesis
  • Immune regulation
• 📉 Low: Growth retardation, poor wound healing, taste loss
• 📈 High (rare): Nausea, immune dysfunction
• 🧪 Follow-up:
  • Alkaline phosphatase, Immune function tests, Hair mineral analysis (optional)

🧬 Ideal Testing Combinations by Clinical Concern