Siobhan: >The first category is the essential trace minerals. >These are minerals that are required in the diet >for full health, and when the intake is insufficient, >symptoms of deficiency will arise. They include nine >known to be essential: zinc, copper, selenium, chromium, >manganese, molybdenum, iodine, fluoride, and cobalt. >About 10 more minerals are thought to be >essential but the full proof is not yet in; these are >arsenic, boron, bromium, cadmium, lead, lithium, >nickel, silicon, tin, and vanadium. >By: Clare E. Casey, Ph.D., Nutrition Scientist >F8, 95 Maitland Street, Dunedin, New Zealand I wonder how Clare Casey reached the conclusion that fluoride is an essential nutrient? If flies against everything that I have come across. Check out www.fluoridealert.com. Peter