Pharma

The Importance of Micronutrients

Macronutrients or “Macros” are frequently referred to when discussing a healthy diet. This proportion of carbohydrates to proteins to fats may be different for each body type, but did you know that micronutrients are just as important to your overall health? According to the World Health Organization, “these substances are the “magic wands” that enable the body to produce enzymes, hormones and other substances essential for proper growth and development.”

Micronutrients are available as vitamins and minerals. Vitamins are necessary for energy production, immune function, blood clotting and other functions, while minerals play an important role in growth, bone health, fluid balance and several other processes. Dr. Paul Lohmann® manufactures a wide variety of minerals in the form of organic and inorganic salts, which include Magnesium, Iron, Potassium, and Calcium, which become important components in nutritional supplements, sports drinks/bars, and other forms of nutrition.

When the food in our diet does not supply an adequate amount of these micronutrients, mineral supplements can play a key role in maintaining optimum health. When delivering these minerals in a formulation, it’s important to understand the physical and chemical properties to ensure their compatibility. Solubility in liquid formulations for example is especially important in beverages. Other parameters to keep in mind are the mineral content, taste, color, reactiveness, pH, granularity, bioavailability and many other factors that play a role in delivering a marketable product.

In our development laboratories, we are able to create customized salts for a variety of different applications including direct compressible grades for tableting, micro-encapsulation for flavor and enhanced bioavailability, etc. All of these are great vehicles for mineral enrichment.

We make mineral salts that help manufacturers not only deliver a great tasting product but also help keep us healthy. The market is growing as consumers are becoming increasingly better educated regarding the role that minerals have on healthy living.

With a flexible, innovative spirit, DPL responds to the changing needs of their business partners and clients, creating new solutions for a healthy lifestyle.