What vitamins should I take daily is a pervasive question we usually ask ourselves, our doctors, and Google. Vitamins support immune function and metabolic health in various ways. Some are impeccable at bettering bone health, others cardiovascular health, others brain function, and others help with disease control. Lack of proper nutrition may lead to deficiency conditions such as blurred visions, diarrhea, and congenital abnormalities.
Understanding the lingo
- Vitamins – An organic substance that is a vital nutrient that an organism needs in small amounts for its metabolic function to work correctly
- Fat-soluble vitamins – Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins and do not mix with water
- Water-soluble vitamins – Vitamins that can dissolve in water
- Minerals – Elements that are found in the soil and in diets that our bodies require for appropriate development and function
- Supplements – A dietary supplement is a product in the form of a tablet, pill, capsule, powder, or drink that helps enhance the diet. Examples are greens powders and protein powders
- Multivitamins – These are vitamin supplements containing various vitamins and minerals
- Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) – The amount of a nutrient (as a vitamin or mineral) that is recommended for daily consumption – abbreviated RDA
- Daily Value (DV) – A word on nutrition labels based on the RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance) and a specified caloric amount that helps consumers plan a healthy diet using food labeled data
What vitamins and minerals should you take?
Everyone needs minerals and vitamins to boost their immune system and to live a healthy lifestyle. However, not everyone takes the time to ensure that they eat a balanced diet. Many people end up with some sort of vitamin deficiency, leading to health conditions that you could have otherwise avoided.
1. Vitamin A
Vitamin A is one of the essential nutrients for our bodies, which keeps the cell health, reproductive system, immune system, and vision in good shape. Because vitamin A aids in the formation of healthy cells, it impacts our vital organs, such as the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. Vitamin A supplementation has even been linked to reducing the symptoms of measles and cancer in some studies. Vitamin A comes in two forms, both of which we must obtain through our diets.
- Provitamin A, for example, is found in dark-colored fresh fruits and veggies such as kale, carrots, spinach, broccoli, and cantaloupe
- The second type is the preformed vitamin A, found in animal-based foods such as fish, dairy, and meat
Benefits
- Potent antioxidant supply to fight heart disease, diabetes, and lung cancer
- Avoid certain eye illnesses, such as age-related macular degeneration(AMD)
- Essential for fetal developmentand for preventing birth defects
Deficiency
- Decrease of immunological responses in individuals, specifically those who are prone to obesity
- High risk of death from measlesand diarrhea
- Slow fetal growth and possibilities of congenital disabilities
- Skin problems like acneand hyperkeratosis
Best food sources
Some of the best sources of Vitamin A are liver, dairy products, fish, and fruits. Others are squash, chicken liver, salmon, king mackerel, and trout.
Recommended daily allowance
Vitamin A’s recommended daily allowance (RDA) for men and women is 900 mcg and 700 mcg per day, respectively, which can be readily met by eating a whole-foods diet. However, to avoid toxicity, do not exceed the tolerated upper limit (UL) of 10,000 IU (3,000 mcg) for adults.
2. B-Complex Vitamins
The vitamin B complex is made up of the following eight B vitamins:
- B-1 also thiamine
- B-2 also riboflavin
- B-3 also niacin
- B-5 also pantothenic acid
- B-6 also pyridoxine
- B-7 also biotin
- B-9 also folic acid
- B-12 is also cobalamin
Each of these vital vitamins helps your body function properly. They are found in multiple food sources, such as salmon, eggs, milk, greens, and legumes. B vitamins are essential for maintaining excellent health and happiness. B vitamins significantly influence brain function, energy production, and cell metabolism and, as such, are fundamental units of a healthy body.
Benefits
- Support cell health
- Support cardiovascular health
- Promote healthy energy levels, especially B12 and B6
- Support healthy brain function, especially B5
- Promote good digestion and a healthy appetite. B6 is the most potent for this function
- Vitamin B12 supports proper nerve function
- Aid cholesterol and hormoneproduction
- Prevent birth defects, particularly folic acid, before pregnancy
Deficiency
- Swollen tongue
- Skin rashes
- Fatigue and weakness
- Depression and other mental issues
- Diarrhea and abdominal cramps
These signs may indicate that you have a vitamin B complex deficiency. However, it is safe to get professional medical advice to ascertain that the deficit is the main issue.
Best food sources
Meat, particularly liver, seafood, eggs, dairy products, brown rice, and fortified foods like nutritional yeast and breakfast cereal are all excellent sources of B vitamins.
Recommended daily allowance
Here is a table with the daily vitamin B nutrients from supplements intake for both men and women. Additional Definitions to Table: One NE, or Niacin Equivalent, equals one mg of niacin which is 60 mg of tryptophan. Dietary Folate Equivalents (DFE) equal the amount of dietary folate present in the food plus 1.7x the amount of mg of folic acid added to the food.
Vitamin | Men | Women |
B1 Thiamine | 1.2 milligrams (mg) | 1.1 mg |
B2 Riboflavin | 1.3 mg | 1.1 mg |
B3 Niacin | 16 mg NE (Niacin Equivalent) | 14 mg NE |
B5 Panthothenic acid | 5 mg | 5 mg |
B6 Pyridoxine | 1.3 mg | 1.3 mg |
B7 Biotin | 30 micrograms (mcg) | 30 mcg |
B9 Folic acid | 400 mcg Dietary Folate Equivalent (DFE) | 400 mcg DFE |
B12 Cobalamin | 2.4 mcg | 2.4 mcg |
3. Vitamin C
Ascorbic acid, or vitamin C, is a water-soluble nutrient meaning it dissolves in water and is not stored in the body’s fat tissues. Unfortunately, vitamin C is not well retained; thus, it must be consumed daily via fruits, vegetables, or supplements. Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that can neutralize damaging free radicals and helps to manage infestations and repair wounds. It’s also one of the best vitamins for hair growth.
Benefits
- A potent antioxidant such that it reduces the risk of chronic disease
- Help with high blood pressureregulation
- May lower the risk of heart disease
- May lower levels of uric acid in the blood and fight gout
- May help prevent iron deficiencies by increasing its absorption
- Boost immunity by boosting white blood cells production
- May shorten healing time
- Help with skin, hair, and nail health
Deficiency
- Bumpy and rough skin
- Slow healing and easy bruising
- Brittle nails with red spots
- Painful and swollen joints
- Yet again, these signs may indicate another medical condition
Best food sources
Vitamin C is abundant in citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, and tomato juice. Kiwifruit, red and green peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, strawberries, and cantaloupe are excellent dietary sources.
Recommended daily allowance
The recommended daily dose of vitamin C for people is 65 to 90 mg, with a maximum of 2,000 mg per day. Megadoses of vitamin C supplementation may cause diarrhea.
4. Vitamin D
Vitamin D is a family of fat-soluble secosteroids that promotes the body’s absorption of magnesium, calcium, and phosphate, among other things. Vitamin D3 and vitamin D2 are the most significant molecules in this category in humans. On the other hand, Vitamin D is distinct from the other vitamins because the body may create it. As a result, it’s a prohormone or hormonal precursor. When we absorb the sun’s energy or UVB radiation, our bodies produce it.
Vitamins and minerals are important nutrients that the body cannot produce, and so they must be obtained from the diet. Regardless, sometimes supplementation is needed to get enough vitamin D. Getting adequate vitamin D from foods is often difficult and the days of radiant sunshine are generally not sufficient to maintain optimum blood levels of vitamin D. In this case, vitamin D supplements may be prescribed by a physician or recommended by a dietitian to counter any vitamin D deficiency.
Benefits
- Support immunological, cognitive, and neurological system health
- Support healthy and strong bones and teeth
- Control insulin levels and assist in the management of diabetes
- Modulate the gene transcription implicated in cancer development to improve heart health and lung function
Deficiency
- Weak and brittle bones
- Rickets in kids
- Slow wound healing
- Hair loss
- Muscle pain
- Pregnancy complications
These signs may indicate other medical issues, so please find another qualified health provider for assurance that it is a vitamin D deficiency. The best way to determine if a vitamin D deficiency exists is through a blood test. Anything lower than 30 ng/ml is considered insufficient, and anything lower than 20 ng/ml is deficient.
Best food sources
Fatty fish, such as mackerel, tuna, and salmon, are high in vitamin D. Some dairy products, orange juice, soy milk, and cereals are fortified with vitamin D. There’s also a lot of vitamin D in fish oil (also omega-3 fatty acids), beef liver, egg yolks, and cheese.
Recommended daily allowance
Vitamin D intake should be 400 international units (IU) for children under the age of one year, 600 IU for persons between the ages of one and seventy, and 800 IU for those beyond seventy, depending on which organization is giving out the recommendations since they do vary slightly.
5. Vitamin E
Four tocopherols and four tocotrienols are among the eight fat-soluble components of vitamin E. Vitamin E deficit, which is uncommon and mainly caused by a problem processing dietary fat rather than a vitamin E-deficient diet, can induce nerve issues and chronic diseases. It is also essential for vision.
Benefits
- Vitamin E is essential for vision and the prevention of other diseases
- Helps blood health
- Fundamental for brain function
- Good for skin health
- Essential for the development of the nervous system, especially in utero
Deficiency
- Vision problems
- Weak limbs
- Nerve and muscle damage
- Loss of body movement control
Best food sources
Peanuts, peanut butter, red bell peppers, beet greens, collard greens, pumpkin seeds, spinach, wheat germ oil, almonds, sunflower, sunflower seeds, safflower, and soybean oil are all high in Vitamin E.
Recommended daily allowance
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for vitamin E is 15 mg per day (or 22 international units, IU) for men and women aged 14 and up; this also includes pregnant women. Lactating women require a little more, 19 mg (28 IU) every day.
6. Vitamin K
Vitamin K is made up of several different molecules. Vitamin K1 and vitamin K2 tend to be the most essential of these molecules. The human body requires vitamin K for the post-synthesis alteration of specific proteins necessary for blood clotting or managing calcium binding in skeletal and other tissues.
Benefits
- Essential for blood clotting
- Help the development of bones
- Regulate blood calcium levels
Deficiency
- Excessive bleeding wounds
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Higher risk of heart disease
Best food sources
The best food sources of vitamin K1 are green leafy vegetables like cabbage, kale, broccoli, collard greens, spinach, and lettuce. You can get vitamin K2 from eggs and cheese. Fruits like strawberries, mamey sapote, avocado, and mangos are high in this vitamin.
Recommended daily allowance
The suggested vitamin K consumption varies with age and gender. Women above 19 should ingest 90 micrograms (mcg) per day, while men should ingest 120 mcg.
7. Calcium
Calcium is the body’s most prevalent mineral essential for bone health. Humans require calcium to maintain the quality of strong bones. It’s also necessary for keeping the brain and other sections of the body in good working order. It helps with muscle activity and cardiovascular health. Vitamin D, which helps with the absorption of calcium, is required in addition to calcium for homeostasis.
Benefits
- Aid optimum bone and teeth health
- Facilitate a better working of the nervoussystems
- Lower risk of developing high blood pressureeven in pregnantwomen
- Improve cholesterolvalues
Deficiency
- Hypocalcemia
- Dental issues
- Eye cataracts
- Brain and mental issues
- Brittle bones
These signs are not definitive until you get a medical professional to ascertain that calcium deficiency is the issue entirely. The best measurement for calcium is ionized blood calcium. Since the parathyroid glands regulate calcium metabolism, blood levels are kept normal by drawing it in from the bones. An ionized calcium level is the only way to tell if serum calcium levels are truly low since they measure free calcium, not total blood calcium.
Best food sources
The best food sources that supply the body with calcium are oranges, almonds, yogurt, broccoli, tofu, figs, leaf veggies, cheese, beans, spinach, navy beans, salmon, dairy products, lentils, and chia seeds.
Recommended daily allowance
The amount of calcium you require is determined by your age and gender. Adults aged 19 to 50 should consume 1,000mg of calcium each day. The daily minimum for women 51 and above is 1,200 mg. The recommended upper limit per day is 2,500 mg for those 19-50, and for those older than 51, 2,000 mg is the maximum daily allowable limit.
8. Iron
Hemoglobin, a protein transporting oxygen through the blood, requires iron to function properly. When you have enough iron, several other vital bodily systems work optimally. Iron is beneficial to a healthy pregnancy, greater vitality, and improved physical performance. Female athletes are more likely to have an iron deficit.
Benefits
- Help in the making of hemoglobin, the red oxygen-transporting agent in blood
- Help with energy production
- Boost the immune system
- Assist with the regulation of body temperature
Deficiency
- Anemia
- Dizziness
- Fatigue
- Lightheadedness
- Pale skin
- Breathing issues
These signs may indicate an iron deficiency, but ensure that a medical professional has carried out tests to ensure that it is an iron deficiency.
Best food sources
The food sources that offer you ample iron supply include red meat, kidney beans, chicken, peas, dried fruits, soybeans, and fortified cereals.
Recommended daily allowance
Kids between the ages of 1-3 need 7 mg of iron; 4-8 years old need 10 mg of iron per day; and 9-13 they need 8 mg per day. Teen girls should get 15 mg, and teen boys should get 11 mg/day. Women need up to 18 mg or 27 mg of iron if pregnant, and men need about 8 mg. In children between 2–11 years, the daily total iron consumption from dietary sources is 13.7–15.1 mg per day.
The average iron intake is 16.3 mg per day for adolescents between 12–19 years, 19.3–20.5 mg per day for men, and 17.0–18.9 mg per day for women aged 19 and up. Pregnant women consume 14.7 mg of iron per day on average. Pregnant women get less iron than what their bodies need from their diet.
9. Potassium
Potassium is the body’s third most common mineral. It aids the body in fluid regulation, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction control. Your cells contain almost 98 percent of the potassium in your body. Most of this is present in your muscle cells, with the remaining 20% in your liver, bones, and red blood cells. It acts as an electrolyte once inside your bloodstream.
Benefits
- Regulate fluid homeostasis
- Regulate muscle contractions, nerve signaling, and hormone release
- It may help reduce blood pressureand the body’s water retention
- Protect against strokes
- Prevent osteoporosis
- Prevent the development of kidney stones
Deficiency
- Tiredness
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle stiffness and aches
- Palpitations of the heart
- Respiratory issues
- Fluctuations in blood pressure
- Gastrointestinal discomforts
These signs need to be confirmed with the medical profession that they result from the lack of potassium.
Best food sources
The best sources are spinach, bananas, avocado, yams, sweet potatoes, oranges, tomatoes, fortified milk, watermelon, raisins, coconut water, and seafood, such as salmon.
Recommended daily allowance
Healthy people should strive for 3,500-4,700 mg of potassium per day from meals and supplements.
10. Zinc
Zinc is classified as an essential nutrient, which means that your body cannot generate or store it on its own. As a result, you must ensure a consistent supply of it in your food. Zinc is found in all body cells, making it the second most abundant trace mineral in our bodies. Zinc is necessary for various processes in your body, like gene expression, protein synthesis, and immune function, among others.
Benefits
- Support over three hundred enzymesfor digestion, nerve function, and metabolism
- Support the development of immune cells
- Fundamentalfor DNA synthesis, protein production, and dermatological health
- Aid in the sensesof smell and taste.
- Fasten would heal
- Reduce the risk of age-related diseasesin older adults.
- Fight acne
- Decrease inflammation
Deficiency
- Slow wound healing
- The compromised immunity
- Susceptible to infections
- Skin rash around the mouth
- Skin ulcers
- Vision problems
Best food sources
These foods help you supplement the recommended daily amount of zinc: oysters, poultry, baked beans, fortified cereals, whole grains, cashews, and almonds.
Recommended daily allowance
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for healthy adult men is 11 mg, and for adult women, it is 8 mg. Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should take 11 and 12 mg per day, correspondingly. Unless you have a medical condition that prevents you from absorbing zinc, you should be able to meet the required daily zinc intake via diet only.
Recommendations for different age groups
A daily multivitamin and minerals intake will differ according to age. Below is a breakdown of how many vitamins one should take daily regarding their age.
Vitamins for toddlers
A toddler is a child between the ages of one and three. Kids this age need all the vitamins and minerals we have covered above, but these are essential for toddlers. The government recommends that all children aged six months to 5 years be given vitamins A, C, and vitamin D. The first is vitamin A which improves your toddler’s low-light vision and keeps their skin healthy. Next is vitamin C, which aids in the absorption of iron from food. And lastly, vitamin D is necessary for strong bones. The daily recommended intake for toddlers is 300 mcg of vitamin A, 0.9 mcg of vitamin B12, 15 mg of vitamin C, and 600 IU of vitamin D.
Vitamins for children
In this regard; we include children from 3 to 18. Calcium is the most significant mineral they need. Besides calcium, they also need vitamin B12 and other B vitamins. They can also benefit from vitamin D and vitamin E. Furthermore, girls will need more iron food sources or supplements after adolescence.
Vitamins for adults
Once someone gets to 18 and above, they are considered an adult. A woman who has hit menopause needs more calcium. Vitamin D supports calcium and is beneficial in this age group as well. Women with heavy menses or pregnancy require more iron in their diet from healthy food. Iron is one of the recommended prenatal vitamins that expectant moms are advised to use. An adult who has undergone any gastrointestinal surgery requires supplementation of vitamins K or Zinc.
Vitamins for seniors
Men and women above 70 need calcium supplementation because of the decreased absorption of the nutrient. They need to take at least 1200 mg of calcium and 400-420 mg of magnesium per day. Seniors need to pay particular attention to vitamins D, A, C, E, K, and B vitamins.
Vitamins during pregnancy
A pregnant woman will need vitamins that help with fetal growth like bone growth, brain development, circulatory system, and other body systems a fetus needs. These vitamins help prevent congenital disabilities and ensure the mum is also healthy. These vitamins and minerals are vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B, E, Zinc, Iron, Iodine, Folate, and Folic acid. It is also important for women to take folic acid before pregnancy, not just during pregnancy, a case for multivitamin use for women in childbearing years.
Do multivitamins work?
Multivitamins do work if taken correctly. They contain many vitamins and other nutrients; thus, they cater to making your overall health better.
Why take a supplement?
Generally, vitamin and mineral supplements help the body’s systems function optimally. And you may have to take a supplement for a few reasons.
- Underlying medical conditions inhibit the absorption of the vitamin or mineral your body needs
- Deficiency due to an unbalanced diet
- Pregnancy
How to choose a high-quality supplement?
Here are some of the pointers that help you decipher whether a supplement is of high quality:
- The brand reputation of the supplement
- The third-party testing of a product
- The presence of quality, potency, and labeling certification
- The ingredient profile
- Your needs. For instance, if you want an energy-boosting supplement, go for one with vitamins for energy production like B vitamins. Also, if you are watching your weight, go for supplements that contain zero sugar or controversial ingredients that may harm your weight goals, such as some artificial sweeteners
Summary
Vitamins and minerals are fundamental in our bodies. We need them from the beginning, even before we are conceived. A woman may need to start ingesting folic acid three months before conceiving. And when they get pregnant, there is still the need to take zinc, magnesium, vitamin, and iron supplements to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Certain medical conditions and ages may also need you to use supplements. Everyone needs them: men, women, toddlers, and seniors.
But one thing that you have to do is seek a health care provider’s advice to get high-quality supplements. Also, note that you still need to eat a balanced diet and exercise. Additionally, observe the recommended daily intake dosages that we covered above so that you mitigate any adverse reactions. Supplement bottles also contain a recommended serving size, but they may not be age-specific.
You need to take vitamin D, E, calcium, magnesium, iron, folate, C, and B complex on daily basis. But this really varies with the individual, individual health concerns, and diet. The most essential vitamins and minerals are zinc, iron, calcium, potassium, Vitamin K, D, E, C, B, and A. All vitamins work together and are essential to our health, so asking which ones are the most essential is not a valid concept.
Vitamins are better than supplements for one big reason. Vitamins come from organic food, which is untampered and natural. Supplements may be natural or synthetic and are taken in addition to the diet. Nutrient absorption is as vital for women as it is for men. However, a lady undergoing her menses would benefit best from iron, magnesium, zinc, and vitamin B nutrients. A pregnant woman would need prenatal vitamins.
