Recommended Minerals & Vitamins

Both vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients your body needs to perform its everyday functions. Inadequate intakes of these substances can lead to illnesses such as anemia, scurvy and berberi. The Food and Nutrition Board at the Institute of Medicine provides recommendations on the specific amounts you need each day to stay healthy. Eating a diet that includes a variety of foods in adequate amounts will help ensure you meet your daily vitamin and mineral needs.

Vitamins A, D, E and K

Vitamins A, D, E and K are known as the fat-soluble vitamins. Your body stores these vitamins in your fat cells. Vitamin A is important for eyesight and immune health, adult women need 700 mcg a day, and adult men need 900 mcg a day. Vitamin D keeps your bones healthy, and adults need between 600 and 800 IU a day. Vitamin E protects your cells from oxidation and may prevent heart disease and certain cancers, adults need 15 mg a day. Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting, adult women need 90 mcg a day, and adult men need 120 mcg a day.

Vitamin C and the B Vitamins

Vitamin C and the B vitamins are water-soluble vitamins your body cannot store and need to be replaced daily. Your body needs vitamin C to make collagen and support your immune system, adult women need 75 mg a day, and adult men need 90 mg a day. The B vitamins help make red blood cells and metabolize the food you eat into energy. There are eight B vitamins, including thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid, folate, vitamin B-6, vitamin B-12 and biotin, all needed in small quantities to perform their functions.

Minerals

Your body needs calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium and chloride in large quantities and these minerals are known as macrominerals. Calcium, phosphorus and magnesium work together to keep your bones healthy and strong. Adults need between 1,000 and 1,300 mg of calcium a day, 700 mg of phosphorus and 320 to 420 mg of magnesium a day. Sodium, potassium and chloride maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. Adults need 1.2 to 1.5 g of sodium, 4.7 g of potassium and 1.8 to 2.3 g of chloride a day.

Trace Minerals

Trace minerals are essential minerals needed in smaller quantities and include iron, zinc, manganese, copper, selenium, cobalt, iodine and fluoride. Iron is an important trace mineral that transports oxygen throughout your body, adult men and women over the age of 51 need 8 mg a day, and adult women between the ages of 19 and 50 need 18 mg a day. Zinc, another important trace mineral, is necessary for enzymatic reactions and wound health. Adult women need 8 mg a day, and adult men need 11 mg a day.