Essential Guide To Vitamins And Minerals
Vitamins and minerals are essential for the body's functions, including growth, development and immune system support. They help cells and organs work properly and are involved in many metabolic pathways.
Benefits of vitamins and minerals:
Immune system - Vitamins and minerals help the body fight infection
Growth and development - Vitamins and minerals support normal growth and development
Bone and teeth health - Vitamins and minerals help build strong bones and teeth
Energy production - Vitamins and minerals help the body get energy from food
Brain and muscular function - Vitamins and minerals are critical for brain and muscular function
Wound healing - Vitamins and minerals help wounds heal
Hormone regulation - Vitamins and minerals help regulate hormones
Vision health - Vitamins and minerals help maintain healthy vision
Heart, lung, and kidney health - Vitamins and minerals play a key role in heart, lung, and kidney health
Skin health - Vitamins and minerals help keep skin healthy by fighting off toxins
Vitamin A
Essential For: Needed to support vision, the immune system, and reproduction
Food Sources: Sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, fortified cereals
Recommended Daily Need:
Men: 900 micrograms per day
Women: 700 micrograms per day
During pregnancy: 770 micrograms per day
While breastfeeding: 1,300 micrograms per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 3,000 micrograms per day for adults
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Essential For: Helps the body process carbs and some proteins
Food Sources: Whole-grain, enriched, fortified products like bread and cereals
Recommended Daily Need:
Men: 1.2 milligrams per day
Women: 1.1 milligrams per day
While pregnant or breastfeeding: 1.4 milligram per day
Maximum Daily Intake: No upper limit known for adults
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Essential For: Helps convert food into energy, helps make red blood cells
Food Sources: Milk, bread products, fortified cereals
Recommended Daily Need:
Men: 1.3 milligrams per day
Women: 1.1 milligrams per day
During pregnancy : 1.4 milligrams per day
While breastfeeding: 1.6 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: No upper limit known for adults
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Essential For: Helps with digestion and with making cholesterol
Food Sources: Meat, fish, poultry, enriched and whole-grain breads, fortified cereals
Recommended Daily Need:
Men: 16 milligrams per day
Women: 14 milligrams per day
During pregnancy: 18 milligrams per day
While breastfeeding: 17 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: No upper limit from natural sources. If you're an adult who takes niacin supplements or you get niacin from fortified foods, don't take more than 35 milligrams per day.
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Essential For: Helps turn carbs, protein, and fat into energy
Food Sources: Chicken, beef, potatoes, oats, cereals, tomatoes
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 5 milligrams per day
During pregnancy: 6 milligrams per day
While breastfeeding: 7 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: No upper limit known for adults
Vitamin B6
Essential For: Helps with metabolism, the immune system, babies' brain development
Food Sources: Fortified cereals, fortified soy products, chickpeas, potatoes, organ meats
Recommended Daily Need:
Men and women aged 19-50: 1.3 milligrams per day
During pregnancy: 1.9 milligrams per day
While breastfeeding: 2 milligrams per day
Men aged 51 and older: 1.7 milligrams per day
Women aged 51 and older: 1.5 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 100 milligrams per day for adults
Vitamin B7 (biotin)
Essential For: Needed to metabolize fats, carbohydrates and protein. Can help improve the health of skin, hair and nails.
Food Sources: Liver, fruits, meats
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 30 micrograms per day, except for breastfeeding women
Breastfeeding adults: 35 micrograms per day
Maximum Daily Intake: No upper limit known
Vitamin B12
Essential For: Helps your body make red blood cells
Food Sources: Fish, poultry, meat, dairy products, fortified cereals
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 2.4 micrograms per day
During pregnancy: 2.6 micrograms per day
While breastfeeding: 2.8 micrograms per day
Related:
Holiday Dining Tips for Digestive Comfort
Maximum Daily Intake: No upper limit known
Vitamin C
Essential For: Helps protect against cell damage, supports the immune system, helps your body make collagen
Food Sources: Red and green peppers, kiwis, oranges and other citrus fruits, strawberries, broccoli, tomatoes
Recommended Daily Need:
Men: 90 milligrams per day
Women: 75 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
During pregnancy: 85 milligrams per day
While breastfeeding : 120 milligrams per day
Smokers: Add 35 milligrams to the numbers above
Maximum Daily Intake: 2,000 milligrams per day for adults
Vitamin D
Essential For: Needed for bones, muscles, the immune system, communication between the brain and the rest of your body
Food Sources: Fish liver oils, fatty fish, fortified milk products, fortified cereals
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults aged 19-70: 600 international units (IU) per day
Adults aged 71 and older: 800 IU per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 4,000 IU per day for adults unless directed by your doctor
Vitamin E
Essential For: Helps protect cells against damage
Food Sources: Fortified cereals, sunflower seeds, almonds, peanut butter, vegetable oils
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 15 milligrams per day, including during pregnancy
While breastfeeding: 19 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 1,000 milligrams per day for adults
Vitamin K
Essential For: Important in blood clotting and bone health
Food Sources: Green vegetables like spinach, collards, and broccoli; Brussels sprouts; cabbage
Recommended Daily Need:
Men: 120 micrograms per day
Women: 90 micrograms per day
Maximum Daily Intake: No upper limit known for adults
Zinc
Essential For: Supports your immune system and nerve function, aids reproduction
Food Sources: Red meats, some seafood, fortified cereals
Recommended Daily Need:
Men: 11 milligrams per day
Women: 8 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
During pregnancy: 11 milligrams per day
While breastfeeding: 12 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 40 milligrams per day for adults
Calcium
Essential For: Bone growth and strength, blood clotting, muscle contraction
Food Sources: Milk, fortified nondairy alternatives like soy milk, yogurt, hard cheese, fortified cereals, unfortified almond milk, kale
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults aged 19-50: 1,000 milligrams per day
Women aged 51 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day
Men aged 51-70: 1,000 milligrams per day
Men aged 71 and older: 1,200 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 2,500 milligrams per day for adults aged 50 and younger and 2,000 milligrams per day for those aged 51 and older
Choline
Essential For: Cell growth
Food Sources: Milk, liver, eggs, peanuts
Recommended Daily Need:
Men: 550 milligrams per day
Women: 425 milligrams per day
During pregnancy: 450 milligrams per day
While breastfeeding: 550 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 3,500 milligrams per day
Chromium
Essential For: Controlling blood sugar levels
Food Sources: Broccoli, potatoes, meats, poultry, fish, some cereals
Recommended Daily Need:
Men aged 19-50: 35 micrograms per day
Women aged 19-50: 25 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
During pregnancy: 30 micrograms per day
While breastfeeding: 45 micrograms per day
Men aged 51 and older: 30 micrograms per day
Women aged 51 and older: 20 micrograms per day
Maximum Daily Intake: No upper limit known for adults
Copper
Essential For: Processing iron
Food Sources: Seafood, nuts, seeds, wheat bran cereals, whole grains
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 900 micrograms per day
During pregnancy: 1,000 micrograms per day
While breastfeeding: 1,300 micrograms per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 8,000 micrograms per day for adults
Fiber
Essential For: Helps with digestion, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, helps you feel full, and helps maintain blood sugar levels
Food Sources: Plant foods, including oatmeal, lentils, peas, beans, fruits and vegetables
Recommended Daily Need:
Men aged 19-50: 38 grams per day
Women aged 19-50: 25 grams per day
During pregnancy: 25-30 grams per day
Men aged 51 and older: 30 grams per day
Women aged 51 and older: 21 grams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: No upper limit from foods for adults
Fluoride
Essential For: Prevents cavities in teeth, helps with bone growth
Food Sources: Fluoridated water, some sea fish
Recommended Daily Need:
Men: 4 milligrams per day
Women: 3 milligrams per day, including while pregnant or breastfeeding
Maximum Daily Intake: 10 milligrams per day for adults
Folic Acid (folate)
Essential For: Helps prevent birth defects, important for heart health and for cell development
Food Sources: Dark, leafy vegetables, enriched and whole-grain breads, fortified cereals
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 400 micrograms per day
During pregnancy: 600 micrograms per day
While breastfeeding: 500 micrograms per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 1,000 micrograms per day for adults
Iodine
Essential For: Helps make thyroid hormones
Food Sources: Seaweed, seafood, dairy products, processed foods, iodized salt
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 150 micrograms per day
During pregnancy: 220 micrograms per day
While breastfeeding: 290 micrograms per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 1,100 micrograms per day for adults
Iron
Essential For: Needed for red blood cells and many enzymes
Food Sources: Fortified cereals, beans, lentils, beef, turkey (dark meat), soybeans, spinach
Recommended Daily Need:
Men aged 19 and older: 8 milligrams per day
Women aged 19-50: 18 milligrams per day
During pregnancy: 27 milligrams per day
While breastfeeding: 10 milligrams per day
Women aged 51 and older: 8 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 45 milligrams per day for adults
Magnesium
Essential For: Helps with heart rhythm, muscle and nerve function, bone strength
Food Sources: Green leafy vegetables, nuts, dairy, soybeans, potatoes, whole wheat, quinoa
Recommended Daily Need:
Men aged 19-30: 400 milligrams per day
Men aged 31 and older: 420 milligrams per day
Women aged 19-30: 310 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
Women aged 31 and older: 320 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
During pregnancy: 350-360 milligrams per day
While breastfeeding: 310-320 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: For the magnesium that's naturally in food and water, there is no upper limit. For magnesium in supplements or fortified foods: 350 milligrams per day
Manganese
Essential For: Helps form bones and make some enzymes
Food Sources: Nuts, beans and other legumes, tea, whole grains
Recommended Daily Need:
Men: 2.3 milligrams per day
Women: 1.8 milligrams per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
During pregnancy: 2.0 milligrams per day
While breastfeeding: 2.6 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 11 milligrams per day for adults
Molybdenum
Essential For: Needed to make some enzymes
Food Sources: Legumes, leafy vegetables, grains, nuts
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 45 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
While pregnant or breastfeeding: 50 micrograms per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 2,000 micrograms per day for adults
Phosphorus
Essential For: Cells need it to work normally, helps make energy, needed for bone growth
Food Sources: Milk and other dairy products, peas, meat, eggs, some cereals and breads
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 700 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake:
Adults up to age 70: 4,000 milligrams per day (The limit is lower if you're pregnant.)
During pregnancy: 3,500 milligrams per day
Adults aged 70 and older: 3,000 milligrams per day
Potassium
Essential For: Helps control blood pressure, makes kidney stones less likely
Food Sources: Potatoes, bananas, yogurt, milk, yellowfin tuna, soybeans, variety of fruits and vegetables
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 4,700 milligrams per day, unless breastfeeding
While breastfeeding: 5,100 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: No upper limit known for adults. But high doses of potassium can be fatal.
Selenium
Essential For: Protects cells from damage, helps manage thyroid function
Food Sources: Organ meats, seafood, dairy, some plants (if grown in soil with selenium), Brazil nuts
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults: 55 micrograms per day, unless pregnant or breastfeeding
During pregnancy: 60 micrograms per day
While breastfeeding: 70 micrograms per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 400 micrograms per day for adults
Sodium
Essential For: Important for fluid balance
Food Sources: Foods made with added salt, such as processed and restaurant foods
Recommended Daily Need:
Adults aged 19-50: up to 1,500 milligrams per day
Adults aged 51-70: up to 1,300 milligrams per day
Adults aged 71 and older: up to 1,200 milligrams per day
Maximum Daily Intake: 2,300 milligrams per day for adults, or as instructed by your doctor, depending on whether you have certain conditions such as high blood pressure
SOURCES:
Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health: "Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets"
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: "Dietary Guidelines for Americans"
U.S. Department of Agriculture: "New Nutrient Content"
This article is for informational purposes only. For medical advice or diagnosis, consult a medical professional.