Dietary requirements of minerals and their levels are nearly impossible to establish using routine blood tests. Most electrolytes are subject to close homeostatic regulation regardless of dietary intake, while the accuracy of their measurements is compromised by collection, transport, hemolysis, storage, mineral ratios, or processing used. Similar errors are encountered when trying to establish nutritional requirements through serum or plasma panels for zinc, manganese, phosphorus, chromium, selenium, copper, and most other trace elements... Full Text