Mineral Spotlight: Sulfate

Sulfate is one of 14 health-boosting minerals found in the water at Iron Mountain Hot Springs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado.

Sulfate (SO₄^2-) is a compound of sulfur and oxygen. Compounds that include sulfates are magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), calcium sulfate known as gypsum and copper sulfate. A liter of Iron Mountain Hot Springs water contains about 2,060 milligrams of the mineral compound sulfate.

Sulfur is present in all living things and the third most abundant mineral in your body, after calcium and phosphorous, at about 140 grams. There is no Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for sulfur, but most people get about 1 gram per day in their diets. It is found mostly in proteins such as eggs, fish, poultry and legumes.

Sulfur compounds can be effective in treating a variety of ailments including allergies, pain syndromes, athletic injuries, depression, fibromyalgia, arthritis, athletic injuries, congestive heart failure, diabetes and cancer although more research is needed. Many people also consider sulfur beneficial for hair, skin, nails and connective tissue, so sit back, relax and soak in the mineral healing of sulphate along with the other 13 minerals present in Iron Mountain Hot Springs water.