Many health care professionals don't see the need for supplements of vitamins and minerals, but it is possible to become deficient in these building blocks for the human body when we are under the stress of illness, pregnancy or aging. Children can often eat junk foods to excess and miss out on their daily nutritional requirements. The unborn child makes heavy nutritional demands on the mother, while those in the older age bracket often find their stomach doesn't absorb nutrients like it should.

Adolescents and young adults often have stress of an emotional kind with school exams and late hours for whatever reason. Mothers of young children rarely have a moment to call their own so their bodies are under constant stress and often they have to cope with sleep deprivation too. Sometimes we can go for years feeling overtired or with other minor problems without realizing that they could be alleviated by the addition of certain dietary supplements.

Cramps in the lower limbs, restless leg syndrome and sleeplessness are all eased by the addition of calcium and magnesium to the diet. Magnesium is more easily absorbed by the body in the form of dolomite, or with the addition of calcium. People who are too busy to eat properly, nursing or pregnant mothers and children who refuse milk and are picky eaters should all take calcium supplements. Children need lots of calcium to build strong bones and teeth that will serve them faithfully for the rest of their lives.

Calcium taken by the older age group will help to prevent osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to become brittle and honeycombed. Fractures and broken bones in old age take so long to heal that the unfortunate victim sometimes never recovers fully from the results of a fall. It makes sense to prevent the problem rather than wait until it happens, to do something about it. Why not have a bone density scan to see if you are at risk of osteoporosis?

Magnesium helps to support a strong immune system and maintains normal muscle and nerve function. It is also known to be involved in every metabolism and protein synthesis and is needed for over three hundred biochemical reactions in the body, so it is very important.

One of the benefits of magnesium is its muscle relaxing properties. The heart is a muscle and high blood pressure is often caused by the heart not relaxing sufficiently on its outward (diastolic) beat. There is increasing interest in the role magnesium can play in managing hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

If irritable bowel syndrome is the problem, a magnesium supplement will help to reduce the cramping of the intestine by relaxing it. Add a little peppermint oil in a chelated capsule to aid in the removal of painful flatulence and gas build-up and the two main symptoms of this disease are disposed of or reduced significantly.

If you are taking prescription medication, always consult your health care professional before taking supplements.