by Lady Carla Davis, MPH
Specializing in Nutrition
In Harmony with Nature
Until recently, the vital element of Sulfur/Sulphur has been significantly neglected by most health gurus, researchers, and media publications. Was this deliberate?
Sulfur/sulphur, is a nonmetallic, multivalent chemical element. It’s atomic number is 16 and it is represented by the symbol S. It is bright yellow in color. On Earth, sulphur usually occurs as sulfide and sulfate minerals.
Sulfur is an essential element for all organisms and has a wide variety of functions. In plants, it is our primary source of the essential amino acid methionine.
A deficiency of sulphur in both plants and humans affects their growth, development, disease resistance, and performance. It also has a great impact on the nutritional quality of crops and a person’s health.
Sulfur is the sixth most abundant macro-mineral in breast milk and the third most abundant mineral based on percentage of total body weight of an adult (after calcium and phosphorus respectively). Yet, it is often referred to as a trace element.
Because sulfur plays an essential role as a key component of elastin and collagen, which maintains the skin’s elasticity and youthful appearance, it is often referred to as the ‘beauty element.’ Sulfur is also one of the building block of keratin, which is a structural constituent of hair and nails.
Sulfur helps to support the formation of healthy connective tissues, overall joint health, mobility, and a normal range of motion. Sulfur also helps to reduce oxidative damage in support of a healthy immune system. In fact, compounds containing sulfur are found in all body cells, and thus, are indispensable for life.
SULFUR IN
HUMAN NUTRITION - Part 1