The amount of vitamins and minerals you need varies according to your gender, age and lifestyle. Not getting enough vitamins and minerals or consuming too much can lead to serious health problems. The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine has devised recommended dietary allowances to help you consume the right amounts of many essential nutrients.
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Two types of vitamins exist: water-soluble and fat-soluble. You do not need fat-soluble vitamins everyday as they are stored in your body for long periods. Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat-soluble vitamins and are important for bone growth, blood clotting and healthy vision. The recommended daily allowance, or RDA, of vitamin K is 90 mcg for adults and 75 mcg for people ages 14 to 18 years old. Males ages 14 and above require 900 mcg of vitamin A, and females require 700 mcg. Adults ages 51 to 70 require 10 mcg of vitamin D, while people ages 14 to 50 require 5 mcg. The RDA of vitamin E is 15 mg for people ages 14 and older.
Water-Soluble Vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins are not stored in your body, so they must be obtained from your diet regularly. Water-soluble vitamins include folate, biotin, pantothenic acid, cobalamin, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin C. These vitamins are vital for growth, development and numerous body processes. Adults require 400 mcg of folate, 30 mcg biotin, 2.4 mg of cobalamin, 5 mg of pantothenic acid and 1.1 mg of riboflavin daily. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend 600 mg of folate for pregnant women to help prevent neural tube defects. Women require 75 mg of vitamin C, while men require 90 mg per day. The RDA of niacin is 16 mg for men and 14 mg for women.
Macrominerals
Two forms of minerals exist: macrominerals and trace minerals. To function properly, your body needs large amounts of macrominerals, such as calcium, magnesium, sodium and phosphorus. These minerals play a vital role in maintaining strong bones and teeth, muscle contraction and nerve transmission. Adults ages 19 to 50 require 1,300 mg, while women require 1,000 mg of calcium daily. People ages 9 to 18 require 1,300 mg, while women ages 51 to 70 and adults over ages 71 require 1,200 mg. The RDA of magnesium is 400 mg for men ages 19 to 30 and 310 mg for women of the same age. Men ages 31 and older require 420 mg, while women require 320 mg daily.
Trace Minerals
You need small amounts of trace minerals, such as selenium, iron, iodine, copper and zinc. These minerals are required for growth, metabolism and a healthy immune system. People ages 14 and older require 150 mcg of iodine and 55 mcg of selenium per day. Females ages 19 to 50 require 125 mcg of chromium, while men of the same age require 135 mcg. The RDA of iron is 18 mg for adult women, 8 mg for adult men and 27 mg for pregnant women. The RDA of zinc is 8 mg for adult women and 11 mg for adult men.
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