We talk a lot about the mental side of addiction, but there’s a very real physical cost as well.
Long-term drug use messes up your body. It depletes a lot of the nutrients your body needs to function, and when you’re getting sober, all that depletion hits you at once. Joint and muscle pain, fatigue, brain fog, nausea—many of the awful physical symptoms you deal with in early recovery are made worse by nutrient depletion.

Addiction is especially hard on your mineral stores. Here are some quick examples:

Alcohol causes you to excrete magnesium 250% faster than normal, while at the same time making it harder for you to absorb magnesium from the food you eat. [*] As a result, drinking often causes severe, chronic magnesium depletion. [*]

Opiates also deplete magnesium, and research shows that people who use opiates for more than two years are often severely low in calcium, zinc, iron, and chromium, too. [*] A 2014 review found that replenishing minerals eased withdrawal symptoms in recovering opiate addicts and helped them recover normal brain and organ function. [*]

Cannabis leaches minerals from your bones, and heavy users have a higher risk of fractures and bone pain due to low levels of calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron. [*]

Cigarettes deplete selenium, which your body releases as a defense mechanism to protect your cells from the toxins in cigarette smoke. [*] A 2021 study found that smokers are also more likely to have calcium, magnesium, iron, and iodine deficiencies. [*]

Mineral deficiencies make recovery harder than it already is. They add a level of physical discomfort that can be hard to deal with, especially when you’re already stressed.

Replenishing Minerals Can Make Recovery Easier

The good news is it’s easy to replenish your mineral stores, and it can make a big difference when it comes to recovery:
Giving your body the nutrients it needs can be a big help during recovery.

Mineral replenishment can help you feel better, reduce drug cravings, get rid of pain and fatigue, and more.

That’s one of the reasons I’ve partnered with BEAM Minerals. They make a supplement that gives you every mineral your body needs, in the right ratios, in a high-absorption liquid form. You can take it in 30 seconds and it’s a great tool for supporting sobriety, especially in the early days.

All you do is take a capful of BEAM in the morning. It’s a mineral-rich liquid that gives you every essential mineral at once, and over a few weeks, it will gradually restore any depleted minerals and help you get back to feeling good.

If you’re in recovery and you want a little extra support, give BEAM Minerals a try. I’ve partnered with them to get a deal for my readers.

You can enter promo code DOUG at checkout for 20% off your first order.