Trace minerals micromineralsalthough Antioxidant-rich beverages for detoxification important to bodily functions Vitains required in smaller Vitamins for overall health. Close Modal Close Modal. Hhealth who are most at risk of magnesium deficiency include those tor Mindfulness-based stress reduction diets high in processed foods, have blood sugar abnormalities or diabetes, drink large amounts of alcohol, take diuretics or proton pump inhibitors, have gastrointestinal conditions, have been on long-term antibiotics, or suffer from vitamin D deficiency. Helps form many enzymes and proteins and create new cells. Minerals are inorganic elements present in soil and water, which are absorbed by plants or consumed by animals.

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Vitamins for overall health -

How we vet brands and products Healthline only shows you brands and products that we stand behind. Our team thoroughly researches and evaluates the recommendations we make on our site. To establish that the product manufacturers addressed safety and efficacy standards, we: Evaluate ingredients and composition: Do they have the potential to cause harm?

Fact-check all health claims: Do they align with the current body of scientific evidence? Assess the brand: Does it operate with integrity and adhere to industry best practices? We do the research so you can find trusted products for your health and wellness.

Read more about our vetting process. Was this helpful? Share on Pinterest. Vitamin D. Foods with vitamin D fatty fish egg yolks fortified foods like milk, juice, and cereal. Foods with calcium fortified cereals milk, cheese, and yogurt salty fish broccoli and kale nuts and nut butters beans and lentils.

Foods with zinc oysters grass-fed beef pumpkin seeds spinach organ meats tahini sardines brown rice wheat germ tempeh. Foods with folate dark leafy greens avocado beans citrus.

Vitamin B How we reviewed this article: Comments. Your experience matters. Let others know. Share your story. ADD A COMMENT. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations.

We avoid using tertiary references. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. Mar 20, Written By Gabrielle Kassel.

Mar 30, Medically Reviewed By Lindsay Slowiczek, PharmD. Share this article. Read this next. Malanga Health Benefits and More. Medically reviewed by Natalie Olsen, R. Are mindbodygreen Supplements Worth It? Our Testers and Dietitians Explain. By Kelsey Kunik, RDN. Are Vitamins Good for Athletes? READ MORE.

What Are Vitamins and Can They Help Your Health? It's possible to get all the vitamins you need from the food you eat, but supplements… READ MORE. Vitamin K: Everything You May Need to Know Vitamin K is an essential nutrient that helps with blood clotting and healthy bones.

L-citrulline: Benefits, Side Effects and More L-citrulline is an amino acid made naturally in your body. Most nutritious foods have some thiamin. Needed for healthy skin, hair, blood, and brain.

Milk, eggs, yogurt, cheese, meats, green leafy vegetables, whole and enriched grains and cereals. Most Americans get enough of this nutrient. NIACIN vitamin B 3 , nicotinic acid. Essential for healthy skin, blood cells, brain, and nervous system.

Meat, poultry, fish, fortified and whole grains, mushrooms, potatoes, peanut butter. Niacin occurs naturally in food and can also be made by your body from the amino acid tryptophan, with the help of B 6.

Helps make lipids fats , neurotransmitters, steroid hormones, and hemoglobin. Wide variety of nutritious foods, including chicken, egg yolk, whole grains, broccoli, mushrooms, avocados, tomato products. Deficiency causes burning feet and other neurologic symptoms.

Aids in lowering homocysteine levels and may reduce the risk of heart diseaseHelps convert tryptophan to niacin and serotonin, a neurotransmitter that plays key roles in sleep, appetite, and moods.

Helps make red blood cells Influences cognitive abilities and immune function. Meat, fish, poultry, legumes, tofu and other soy products, potatoes, noncitrus fruits such as bananas and watermelons.

Many people don't get enough of this nutrient. COBALAMIN vitamin B Aids in lowering homocysteine levels and may lower the risk of heart disease.

Assists in making new cells and breaking down some fatty acids and amino acids. Protects nerve cells and encourages their normal growth Helps make red blood cells and DNA.

Meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, fortified cereals, fortified soymilk. Some people, particularly older adults, are deficient in vitamin B 12 because they have trouble absorbing this vitamin from food.

Those on a vegan or vegetarian diet often don't get enough B 12 as it's mostly found in animal products. They may need to take supplements.

A lack of vitamin B 12 can cause memory loss, dementia, and numbness in the arms and legs. Helps convert food into energy and synthesize glucose. Helps make and break down some fatty acids. Needed for healthy bones and hair.

Many foods, including whole grains, organ meats, egg yolks, soybeans, and fish. Some is made by bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract. However, it's not clear how much of this the body absorbs.

ASCORBIC ACID vitamin C. Foods rich in vitamin C may lower the risk for some cancers, including those of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, and breast. Long-term use of supplemental vitamin C may protect against cataracts.

Helps make collagen, a connective tissue that knits together wounds and supports blood vessel walls. Helps make the neurotransmitters serotonin and norepinephrine Acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that can damage cells.

Bolsters the immune system. M: 90 mg, W: 75 mg Smokers: Add 35 mg. Fruits and fruit juices especially citrus , potatoes, broccoli, bell peppers, spinach, strawberries, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts.

Evidence that vitamin C helps reduce colds has not been convincing. Helps make and release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which aids in many nerve and brain activities.

Plays a role in metabolizing and transporting fats. Many foods, especially milk, eggs, liver, salmon, and peanuts. No rmally the body makes small amounts of choline. But experts don't know whether this amount is enough at certain ages.

Helps maintain normal blood levels of calcium and phosphorus, which strengthen bones. Helps form teeth and bones. Supplements can reduce the number of non-spinal fractures.

Fortified milk or margarine, fortified cereals, fatty fish. While the body uses sunlight to make vitamin D, it cannot make enough if you live in northern climates or don't spend much time in the sun.

Acts as an antioxidant, neutralizing unstable molecules that can damage cells. Protects vitamin A and certain lipids from damage.

Diets rich in vitamin E may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. M: 15 mg, W: 15 mg 15 mg equals about 22 IU from natural sources of vitamin E and 33 IU from synthetic vitamin E. Wide variety of foods, including vegetable oils, salad dressings and margarines made with vegetable oils, wheat germ, leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts.

Vitamin E does not prevent wrinkles or slow other aging processes. FOLIC ACID vitamin B 9 , folate, folacin. Vital for new cell creationHelps prevent brain and spine birth defects when taken early in pregnancy; should be taken regularly by all women of child-bearing age since women may not know they are pregnant in the first weeks of pregnancy.

Can lower levels of homocysteine and may reduce heart disease risk May reduce risk for colon cancer. Offsets breast cancer risk among women who consume alcohol. Fortified grains and cereals, asparagus, okra, spinach, turnip greens, broccoli, legumes like black-eyed peas and chickpeas, orange juice, tomato juice.

Occasionally, folic acid masks a B 12 deficiency, which can lead to severe neurological complications. That's not a reason to avoid folic acid; just be sure to get enough B Activates proteins and calcium essential to blood clotting.

May help prevent hip fractures. Cabbage, liver, eggs, milk, spinach, broccoli, sprouts, kale, collards, and other green vegetables. Intestinal bacteria make a form of vitamin K that accounts for half your requirements.

If you take an anticoagulant, keep your vitamin K intake consistent. Because of the various roles that vitamin A plays in the body, deficiency can have several health effects. These include:. B-group vitamins help our bodies use the energy-yielding nutrients such as carbohydrates, fat and protein for fuel.

Some B-group vitamins are needed to help cells to multiply by making new DNA. They must be consumed regularly in a healthy diet that includes a range of wholefoods such as lean meat , fish , wholegrains , fruit, vegetables and legumes and limits the intake of alcohol and processed foods.

A person who has a poor diet for a few months may end up with B-group vitamins deficiency. Dietary intake of vitamin C from food and drinks is essential, because the human body cannot make this vitamin from other compounds.

We also need to have vitamin C as a regular part of our diet because the body cannot store vitamin C for very long. Vitamin C is sensitive to heat, so some of its nutritional benefits can be lost during cooking. Raw foods are more beneficial as dietary sources of vitamin C. A severe lack of vitamin C can lead to scurvy.

We may think of it as a disease of the past, but it does still exist. Factors or lifestyle issues that may increase your scurvy risk include:. The onset of symptoms of scurvy depends on how long it takes for the person to use up their limited stores of vitamin C.

Vitamin D is important for strong bones, muscles and overall health. Ultraviolet UV radiation from the sun is necessary to produce vitamin D in the skin and is the best natural source of vitamin D. Spending too much time in the sun may increase your risk of skin cancer.

Remember to use daily sun protection , especially at times when UV index levels are at their highest 3 or above. It is important to achieve a good peak bone mass early in life. Vitamin D deficiency can result in a decline in bone density in adult life, increasing the risk of:.

Treatment options include improved sunlight exposure, diet, exercise, vitamin and mineral supplements. If you are concerned about vitamin D levels, see your GP.

Your GP may recommend vitamin D supplements, which should be taken strictly as directed. Vitamin E is an antioxidant that helps protect your body against damage from free radicals, such as exposure to cigarette smoke or radiation.

It is also important for our:. Vitamin E is best obtained from a healthy diet that contains plenty of fresh minimally processed foods. Vitamin E is also vulnerable to heat especially cooking methods such as deep frying.

Deficiency is rare but can happen in people with diseases that cause fat malabsorption like cystic fibrosis. We get vitamin K from food and the bacteria in our gastrointestinal tract.

Newborn babies are given a booster to increase their vitamin K levels because they are born without bacteria in their gastrointestinal tract. We get much of our vitamin K from our diet. Vitamin K deficiency is unlikely except when fat is not absorbed properly or when certain medications are used.

For example, antibiotics can kill the gastrointestinal bacteria that produce vitamin K. Additionally, anticoagulant drugs or blood thinners may cause problems with vitamin K in the body.

Check with your doctor if you have any concerns. Although the amount you need differs between minerals, major or macrominerals are generally required in larger amounts. Some examples include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, sodium, chloride, magnesium.

Trace minerals microminerals , although equally important to bodily functions are required in smaller amounts. Examples include iron, zinc, copper, manganese, and iodine selenium.

Calcium is vital to keep our bones strong and healthy. Calcium helps:. At different life stages, our calcium needs vary. It is better to get calcium from foods than from calcium supplements. Good sources of calcium include dairy foods like milk, yoghurt and cheese and some plant-based foods with added calcium for example, soymilk, tofu and breakfast cereals.

Iodine is essential to make thyroid hormones. These hormones control your metabolic rate the rate your body uses energy when it is resting. They also help your brain and body grow and develop. We only need a very small amount of iodine in our diet.

Iodine is found naturally in foods such as:. Iodine can also be found in iodised salt. All bought breads except organic in Australia are fortified with iodised salt.

You are likely to be getting enough iodine through your diet. However, if you are deficient and need to take a supplement, be guided by your doctor. Too much iodine can be harmful, especially if you have an underlying thyroid disorder. Iron is an important mineral that is involved in various bodily functions, including the transport of oxygen in the blood the provision of energy to cells.

It also vital to help our immune system function effectively to fight infection. Iron deficiency is common and can affect adults and children.

Around one in 8 people do not consume enough iron to meet their needs. Some factors such as certain foods and drinks can affect how much iron your body absorbs. Also, some groups are more at risk of iron deficiency, such as babies and young children, teenage girls, women with heavy periods , vegans and vegetarians and people with chronic conditions.

Zinc is an important mineral involved in various bodily functions — growth and development as well as immune function. Zinc is highest in protein-rich foods but may also be found in some plant foods. Dietary sources include:.

Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients required by Heapth body Metabolism boosting supplements carry out a range of normal functions. However, Vitanins micronutrients are Ovefall produced in our bodies Vitamins for overall health must be derived from the food we eat. Vitamins are fr substances that are generally classified as either fat soluble or water soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins vitamin Avitamin Dvitamin Eand vitamin K dissolve in fat and tend to accumulate in the body. Water-soluble vitamins vitamin C and the B-complex vitaminssuch as vitamin B6vitamin B12and folate must dissolve in water before they can be absorbed by the body, and therefore cannot be stored. Any water-soluble vitamins unused by the body is primarily lost through urine. Minerals are inorganic elements present in soil and water, which are absorbed by plants or consumed by animals.