Final answer:
Natural inorganic substances essential for building and maintaining body tissues and life functions are minerals. These inorganic compounds are critical for bodily processes and are not produced by the body, requiring intake through diet. Minerals work alongside enzymes to enable biochemical reactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Natural, inorganic substances the body needs to help build and maintain body tissues and carry on life functions are minerals. Unlike vitamins, which are organic compounds, minerals are inorganic and play vital roles in the body's physiological processes. They are essential for a variety of functions, including structural tasks like forming bones, as well as regulatory roles such as maintaining nerve transmission, muscle contraction, and hormone production. Minerals cannot be synthesized by the body and therefore must be obtained through the diet. Essential minerals include, but are not limited to, elements such as calcium for bone health, iron for blood oxygen transport, and potassium for muscle function. Each mineral has its specific role and they often work in conjunction with enzymes to facilitate critical biochemical reactions.