Vitamins and minerals are obtained from food Research indicates that most of the vitamins you get from the food you eat are better than those contained in pills. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies Our body only needs a small amount of vitamins and minerals every day External Link.

However, some people may need supplements to correct vitamin or mineral deficiencies and this includes: pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding people who smoke , drink alcohol in excess or use illegal drugs crash dieters or those on very strict diets the elderly especially those who are disabled or chronically ill some vegetarians or vegans women with heavy periods people with food allergies those with malabsorption problems such as diarrhoea , coeliac disease , cystic fibrosis or pancreatitis.

Folate and pregnancy Women who are pregnant or planning a pregnancy are recommended folic acid also known as folate supplements to reduce their risk of having a child with a neural tube defect , such as spina bifida. Vegan diets and vitamin supplements People who follow vegan diets , especially if pregnant, may benefit from vitamin B12 supplements.

Vitamin pills are not miracle cures It is commonly believed that taking mega-doses of certain vitamins will act like medicine to cure or prevent certain ailments. Stress, tiredness and vitamin pills Vitamin supplements are commonly considered to be an antidote to stress. Anti-ageing vitamins Vitamin E is often singled out as the potential fountain of youth.

Vitamin use and cancer claims Some claims have been made that certain vitamins can treat different cancers. For example: Vitamin A beta-carotene in large doses does not cure cancer and can be toxic, particularly if taken as pills rather than food. Studies have linked vitamin A to an increase in other cancers — such as lung cancer in smokers, if taken in supplement form.

Although there is some evidence vitamin E could play a small role in preventing some cancers, equally there is evidence that it could speed up the onset of other types of cancer. However, this has not been proved or disproved. High doses of antioxidants are unlikely to help with the effectiveness of conventional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

In fact, megadoses of antioxidants can interfere with some medical treatments for cancer by helping to protect the cancer cells that the therapies aim to destroy. Some studies have shown prostate , breast and lung cancer risk are not decreased by taking high-dose supplements containing vitamins E or C or selenium.

Vitamin and mineral supplements can be dangerous Proper balance and adequate levels of essential nutrients is important for a range of complex processes in our body. High doses of vitamin supplements are unsafe Many people mistakenly believe that since small amounts of vitamins are good for you, then large amounts must be better.

Taking higher than recommended doses of some vitamins may cause health problems. Such as: Vitamins A, D, E and K are fat soluble, which means they are stored in the body and if taken in high doses can be toxic.

High doses of some water-soluble vitamins, such as vitamin B6, can also become toxic. Large folate intakes can hide vitamin B12 deficiencies. High levels of vitamin B6 have also been linked to some types of nerve damage.

Doses of vitamin C above one gram can cause diarrhoea. Excessive amounts of vitamin C in the body can also interfere with medical tests — such as diabetes tests, by giving a false result. High doses of vitamin A may cause birth defects, as well as central nervous system, liver, bone and skin disorders.

High-dose vitamin E supplements have been linked to higher rates of early death mortality. Large doses of minerals can also lead to health problems Excessive doses of some minerals may also cause problems for example: At just 5 times the RDI, zinc, iron, chromium and selenium can be raised to toxic levels in the body.

Large intakes of fluoride especially in childhood may stain, and even weaken, the teeth. Very large doses of fish oil can lead to decreased blood clotting. Iron toxicity is also common.

Even a small amount over the RDI can cause gastrointestinal upset, nausea and black bowel actions poo. Severe toxicity can lead to coma and even death.

Stay safe and keep to the recommended dose For a healthy adult, if supplements are used, they should generally be taken at levels close to the RDI. Vitamin and mineral supplements are a short-term measure Taking vitamin and mineral supplements is a short-term measure.

Seek professional advice when taking vitamin and mineral supplements Some complementary medicines , such as vitamin and mineral supplements can interact with prescription medicines and medical treatments. Where to get help Your GP doctor Dietitians Australia External Link Tel.

Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand External Link , National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Government. Give feedback about this page. Was this page helpful? Here's where to find copper in food:. Your body needs iodine for proper thyroid function: Without it, your body can't make enough thyroid hormones.

Iodine is especially important for babies and pregnant women, because this mineral is crucial to bone and brain formation. The primary source of iodine in the American diet is iodized salt.

If you consume a lot of salt, you probably get enough iodine. But in case you don't, you can find iodine in these other foods:. Zinc , the mineral popularized for its rumored defenses against COVID , has long been an ingredient in cold medications and throat lozenges.

In addition to its well-known role in immune function, zinc also contributes to wound healing and protein synthesis. The best food sources of zinc include:.

Cobalt is found in the body as part of vitamin B and helps your body process and absorb the vitamin. Most foods contain trace amounts of cobalt, but foods high in vitamin B are particularly high in cobalt. Fluoride keeps your teeth healthy and strong. It also spurs new bone formation, so it's especially important for infants and children.

Most drinking water contains fluoride, although if you have well water, it may not be fluoridated. In addition to water, you can get fluoride from :. Selenium protects cells from damage, promotes reproductive health and thyroid function and supports DNA production. The most potent food source of selenium is Brazil nuts, and these can actually cause selenium toxicity if consumed too often.

Other sources of food high in selenium include:. Read more : Best Multivitamins for Why You Can Trust CNET. Wellness Nutrition. These Are the Best Food Sources for Every Vitamin You Need Get all the nutrients you need with these foods.

See full bio. Amanda Capritto. Skip the supplements and add these healthy foods to your diet. More Nutrition Recommendations Trouble Sleeping? Your Diet Could Be Preventing Quality Rest The Ultimate Guide to Calculating and Tracking Your Macros Never Make a Boring Salad Again International No Diet Day: Why You Should Ditch Your Diet, and What to Do Instead.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

GTF Chromium as fermented chromium glycinate, nicotinate, glutamate 60 mcg. Organic Trace Mineral Blend mg Organic Nettle Leaf, Organic Horsetail Leaf. Other Ingredients: Ferment media organic brown rice, rice protein, autolyzed yeast extract, yeast [inactive] , silicon dioxide, stearic acid, hypromellose.

Keep out of reach of children. Store tightly sealed in a cool place and avoid exposure to moisture. Once open, consume within three months.

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To some extent, you can think of these vitamins as time-release micronutrients. Your body squirrels away the excess and doles it out gradually to meet your needs. Together this vitamin quartet helps keep your eyes, skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and nervous system in good repair.

Here are some of the other essential roles these vitamins play:. Because fat-soluble vitamins are stored in your body for long periods, toxic levels can build up.

This is most likely to happen if you take supplements. The body needs, and stores, fairly large amounts of the major minerals. Major minerals travel through the body in various ways. Potassium, for example, is quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, where it circulates freely and is excreted by the kidneys, much like a water-soluble vitamin.

Calcium is more like a fat-soluble vitamin because it requires a carrier for absorption and transport. One of the key tasks of major minerals is to maintain the proper balance of water in the body.

Sodium, chloride, and potassium take the lead in doing this. Three other major minerals—calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium—are important for healthy bones. Sulfur helps stabilize protein structures, including some of those that make up hair, skin, and nails. Having too much of one major mineral can result in a deficiency of another.

These sorts of imbalances are usually caused by overloads from supplements, not food sources. Here are two examples:. A thimble could easily contain the distillation of all the trace minerals normally found in your body. Yet their contributions are just as essential as those of major minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, which each account for more than a pound of your body weight.

The other trace minerals perform equally vital jobs, such as helping to block damage to body cells and forming parts of key enzymes or enhancing their activity. Trace minerals interact with one another, sometimes in ways that can trigger imbalances.

Too much of one can cause or contribute to a deficiency of another. Here are some examples:. Antioxidant is a catchall term for any compound that can counteract unstable molecules such as free radicals that damage DNA, cell membranes, and other parts of cells.

Your body cells naturally produce plenty of antioxidants to put on patrol. The foods you eat—and, perhaps, some of the supplements you take—are another source of antioxidant compounds. Carotenoids such as lycopene in tomatoes and lutein in kale and flavonoids such as anthocyanins in blueberries, quercetin in apples and onions, and catechins in green tea are antioxidants.

The vitamins C and E and the mineral selenium also have antioxidant properties. Free radicals are a natural byproduct of energy metabolism and are also generated by ultraviolet rays, tobacco smoke, and air pollution.

They lack a full complement of electrons, which makes them unstable, so they steal electrons from other molecules, damaging those molecules in the process. Free radicals have a well-deserved reputation for causing cellular damage.

But they can be helpful, too. When immune system cells muster to fight intruders, the oxygen they use spins off an army of free radicals that destroys viruses, bacteria, and damaged body cells in an oxidative burst.

Vitamin C can then disarm the free radicals. Antioxidants are able to neutralize marauders such as free radicals by giving up some of their own electrons. When a vitamin C or E molecule makes this sacrifice, it may allow a crucial protein, gene, or cell membrane to escape damage.

This helps break a chain reaction that can affect many other cells. Each of the nutrients that has antioxidant properties also has numerous other aspects and should be considered individually. The context is also important—in some settings, for example, vitamin C is an antioxidant, and in others it can be a pro-oxidant.

Articles and advertisements have touted antioxidants as a way to help slow aging, fend off heart disease, improve flagging vision, and curb cancer. And laboratory studies and many large-scale observational trials the type that query people about their eating habits and supplement use and then track their disease patterns have noted benefits from diets rich in certain antioxidants and, in some cases, from antioxidant supplements.

But results from randomized controlled trials in which people are assigned to take specific nutrients or a placebo have failed to back up many of these claims.

One study that pooled results from 68 randomized trials with over , participants found that people who were given vitamin E, beta carotene, and vitamin A had a higher risk of death than those who took a placebo. There appeared to be no effect from vitamin C pills and a small reduction in mortality from selenium, but further research on these nutrients is needed.

These findings suggest little overall benefit of the antioxidants in pill form. On the other hand, many studies show that people who consume higher levels of these antioxidants in food have a lower risk of many diseases.

The bottom line? Eating a healthy diet is the best way to get your antioxidants. Eating right to look and feel your best at every stage of your life.

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Healthy Eating Vitamins and Minerals There so many different vitamins and mineral supplements available, it can feel overwhelming trying to decide what you should take. In collaboration with Harvard Health.

Copy Link Link copied! Download PDF. By Harvard Health. Essential nutrients for your body Micronutrients with a big role in the body A closer look at water-soluble vitamins A closer look at fat-soluble vitamins A closer look at major minerals A closer look at trace minerals A closer look at antioxidants.

Essential nutrients for your body Every day, your body produces skin, muscle, and bone. We help with balanced minerals to support a healthy cardiovascular system. Suggested use: Adults take 3 tablets daily with a beverage. May be taken any time of day, even on an empty stomach.

Servings Per Container GTF Chromium as fermented chromium glycinate, nicotinate, glutamate 60 mcg. Organic Trace Mineral Blend mg Organic Nettle Leaf, Organic Horsetail Leaf. Other Ingredients: Ferment media organic brown rice, rice protein, autolyzed yeast extract, yeast [inactive] , silicon dioxide, stearic acid, hypromellose.

Keep out of reach of children. Store tightly sealed in a cool place and avoid exposure to moisture. Once open, consume within three months.

Staying on top of your health comes with benefits! Add any subscription product to your cart and your entire order ships free! You'll also receive free shipping every time your subscription ships.

Your subscription, your way! Just login to your MegaFood account, select subscription and you can change your subscription at any time. Your vitamins will automatically be delivered to your door by the frequency you set. You will be the first to try new products and learn of new discounts.

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And is it possible to get too much of a good thing? Your body needs vitamins and minerals to work properly. You get them from the foods you eat every day.

Minerals are inorganic elements that come from soil and water, and are absorbed by plants or eaten by animals. Your body needs larger amounts of some minerals, such as calcium , to grow and stay healthy. Other minerals like chromium, copper, iodine, iron, selenium, and zinc are called trace minerals because you need only very small amounts of them.

Vitamins and minerals boost the immune system , support normal growth and development, and help cells and organs do their jobs. For example, you've probably heard that carrots are good for your eyes. It's true! Carrots are full of substances called carotenoids pronounced: kuh-RAH-teh-noydz that your body converts into vitamin A, which helps prevent eye problems.

Vitamin K helps blood to clot, so cuts and scrapes stop bleeding quickly. You'll find vitamin K in green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and soybeans. And to have strong bones, you need to eat foods such as milk, yogurt, and green leafy vegetables, which are rich in the mineral calcium.

Eating well now is especially important because the body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to grow and stay healthy. Eating a mix of foods is the best way to get all the vitamins and minerals you need each day. Fruits and vegetables , whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, and poultry are the best choices for getting the nutrients your body needs.

When deciding what to eat, check food labels and pick items that are high in vitamins and minerals. For example, when choosing drinks, you'll find that a glass of milk is a good source of vitamin D, calcium, phosphorous, and potassium.

A glass of soda, on the other hand, doesn't have any vitamins or minerals. You can also satisfy your taste buds without sacrificing nutrition while dining out : vegetable pizzas or fajitas, sandwiches with lean cuts of meat, fresh salads, and baked potatoes are just a few delicious, nutritious choices.

If you're a vegetarian , you'll need to plan carefully for a diet that includes the vitamins and minerals you need. The best sources for the minerals zinc and iron are meats, fish, and poultry. But you can get these from dried beans, seeds, nuts, and leafy green vegetables like kale.

Vitamin B12 is important for making red blood cells and keeping nerves working well. It is found only in animal products. If you don't eat meat, you can get vitamin B12 from eggs, milk and other dairy foods, and fortified breakfast cereals.

Many people try to limit their sodium intake and some people need to , but consuming too little sodium can lead to health problems just like consuming too much can.

The foods highest in sodium generally aren't the healthiest sources of sodium, and sometimes a single savory snack can nearly reach the daily recommended sodium limit. However, some whole foods contain trace amounts of sodium, including:. You likely already eat plenty of foods high in sodium, such as bread, pasta, soup, deli meat, sauces and dressings, broths, stocks, canned foods, frozen foods and snack foods.

Most people don't need to increase their sodium intake and should limit sodium-rich foods if they tend to eat more than the recommended daily allowance of 2, milligrams. Another important electrolyte, potassium supports a regular and healthy heartbeat, offsets sodium's effect on blood pressure, supports nerve function and muscle contraction, and moves waste products out of cells.

Foods high in potassium include:. Chloride is an electrolyte that works with sodium and potassium to fulfill a variety of roles in the body. Dietary chloride primarily comes from table salt and sea salt, and most people get enough through the foods they eat daily, but you can maximize chloride intake by eating these foods:.

Your body uses sulfur to repair DNA, protect your cells against damage, metabolize food and provide structure to your skin and other connective tissues. It's an important trace mineral you can get from a variety of foods, including:.

Most people know iron for its role in blood production. Most of the iron in your body is found in hemoglobin and myoglobin , two substances essential to the transport and transferring of oxygen throughout your body.

The top food sources of iron include:. This trace mineral is a cofactor for many enzymes, which means it plays a role in lots of chemical reactions that occur in your body, including the metabolism of carbs and protein.

The best food sources of manganese are:. Like manganese, copper is a cofactor for several enzymes. It's also important for proper brain development and connective tissue integrity.

Here's where to find copper in food:. Your body needs iodine for proper thyroid function: Without it, your body can't make enough thyroid hormones. Iodine is especially important for babies and pregnant women, because this mineral is crucial to bone and brain formation.

The primary source of iodine in the American diet is iodized salt. If you consume a lot of salt, you probably get enough iodine. But in case you don't, you can find iodine in these other foods:. Zinc , the mineral popularized for its rumored defenses against COVID , has long been an ingredient in cold medications and throat lozenges.

In addition to its well-known role in immune function, zinc also contributes to wound healing and protein synthesis. The best food sources of zinc include:. Cobalt is found in the body as part of vitamin B and helps your body process and absorb the vitamin.

Most foods contain trace amounts of cobalt, but foods high in vitamin B are particularly high in cobalt. Fluoride keeps your teeth healthy and strong. It also spurs new bone formation, so it's especially important for infants and children.

Most drinking water contains fluoride, although if you have well water, it may not be fluoridated. In addition to water, you can get fluoride from :. Selenium protects cells from damage, promotes reproductive health and thyroid function and supports DNA production.

The most potent food source of selenium is Brazil nuts, and these can actually cause selenium toxicity if consumed too often. Other sources of food high in selenium include:. Read more : Best Multivitamins for Why You Can Trust CNET.

Wellness Nutrition. These Are the Best Food Sources for Every Vitamin You Need Get all the nutrients you need with these foods. See full bio. Amanda Capritto. Skip the supplements and add these healthy foods to your diet.

More Nutrition Recommendations Trouble Sleeping?

Good sources of potassium include fruit such as bananas , vegetables, pulses, nuts and seeds, milk, fish, shellfish, beef, chicken, turkey and bread. Selenium is a trace element found widely in the environment. Good food sources include brazil nuts, bread, fish, meat and eggs. Sodium chloride is commonly known as salt.

Salt is found naturally at low levels in all foods, but high levels are added to many processed foods such as ready meals, meat products such as bacon, some breakfast cereals, cheese, some tinned vegetables, some bread and savoury snacks. Zinc is a trace element found widely in the environment.

Good food sources of zinc include meat, shellfish, milk and dairy foods such as cheese, bread, and cereal products such as wheatgerm.

The Eatwell Guide shows the proportions in which different types of foods are needed to have a well-balanced and healthy diet.

For safe food and healthy eating Accessibility Tool BSL Local Authorities Events Contact us About Us. Vitamins and minerals Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that our body needs to work properly. back to Healthy eating. Consumers Healthy eating Nutrition Vitamins and minerals Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that our body needs to work properly.

Read more about vitamins Find out about minerals in food COVID outbreak We have published advice on the intake of vitamin D during the COVID pandemic. Read the advice Vitamins Vitamins are divided into two groups: fat-soluble and water-soluble.

Fat-soluble vitamins Fat-soluble vitamins are found in animal products and foods that contain fat, like milk, butter, vegetable oils, eggs, liver and oily fish.

Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins Water-soluble vitamins come from food like fruit, vegetables, milk, dairy and grains. Water-soluble vitamins include vitamin C and the B vitamins: thiamin vitamin B1 riboflavin vitamin B2 niacin vitamin B3 vitamin B6 folic acid vitamin B9 vitamin B12 What are minerals in food?

We need minerals to help us do three main things: build strong teeth and bones control body fluids inside and outside cells turn the food we eat into energy. Which foods contain minerals? In this section. Vitamin A Vitamin A is also known as retinol.

Vitamin D Vitamin D supplement advice. Vitamin B1 - Thiamin Thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, is found in most types of food.

Vitamin B2 - Riboflavin Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2, is found in small amounts in many foods. Vitamin B3 - Niacin Niacin is also known as vitamin B3.

Vitamin B6 - Pyridoxine Vitamin B6 also known as pyridoxine, is found in a wide variety of foods. Vitamin B9 - Folic acid Folic acid is a B vitamin which we all need to produce red blood cells.

Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 is found in virtually all meat products and certain algae such as seaweed. Vitamin C Vitamin C, also know as ascorbic acid, is found in a wide variety of fruit and vegetables.

Calcium Good sources of the mineral calcium include milk, cheese and other dairy foods, green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage and okra, but not spinach , soya beans, tofu, soya drinks with added calcium, nuts, bread and anything made with fortified flour, and fish where you eat the bones, such as sardines and pilchards.

Copper Copper is a trace element. Sodium, chloride, and potassium take the lead in doing this. Three other major minerals—calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium—are important for healthy bones. Sulfur helps stabilize protein structures, including some of those that make up hair, skin, and nails.

Having too much of one major mineral can result in a deficiency of another. These sorts of imbalances are usually caused by overloads from supplements, not food sources.

Here are two examples:. A thimble could easily contain the distillation of all the trace minerals normally found in your body. Yet their contributions are just as essential as those of major minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, which each account for more than a pound of your body weight.

The other trace minerals perform equally vital jobs, such as helping to block damage to body cells and forming parts of key enzymes or enhancing their activity.

Trace minerals interact with one another, sometimes in ways that can trigger imbalances. Too much of one can cause or contribute to a deficiency of another. Here are some examples:. Antioxidant is a catchall term for any compound that can counteract unstable molecules such as free radicals that damage DNA, cell membranes, and other parts of cells.

Your body cells naturally produce plenty of antioxidants to put on patrol. The foods you eat—and, perhaps, some of the supplements you take—are another source of antioxidant compounds.

Carotenoids such as lycopene in tomatoes and lutein in kale and flavonoids such as anthocyanins in blueberries, quercetin in apples and onions, and catechins in green tea are antioxidants. The vitamins C and E and the mineral selenium also have antioxidant properties.

Free radicals are a natural byproduct of energy metabolism and are also generated by ultraviolet rays, tobacco smoke, and air pollution. They lack a full complement of electrons, which makes them unstable, so they steal electrons from other molecules, damaging those molecules in the process.

Free radicals have a well-deserved reputation for causing cellular damage. But they can be helpful, too. When immune system cells muster to fight intruders, the oxygen they use spins off an army of free radicals that destroys viruses, bacteria, and damaged body cells in an oxidative burst.

Vitamin C can then disarm the free radicals. Antioxidants are able to neutralize marauders such as free radicals by giving up some of their own electrons. When a vitamin C or E molecule makes this sacrifice, it may allow a crucial protein, gene, or cell membrane to escape damage.

This helps break a chain reaction that can affect many other cells. Each of the nutrients that has antioxidant properties also has numerous other aspects and should be considered individually.

The context is also important—in some settings, for example, vitamin C is an antioxidant, and in others it can be a pro-oxidant. Articles and advertisements have touted antioxidants as a way to help slow aging, fend off heart disease, improve flagging vision, and curb cancer.

And laboratory studies and many large-scale observational trials the type that query people about their eating habits and supplement use and then track their disease patterns have noted benefits from diets rich in certain antioxidants and, in some cases, from antioxidant supplements.

But results from randomized controlled trials in which people are assigned to take specific nutrients or a placebo have failed to back up many of these claims. One study that pooled results from 68 randomized trials with over , participants found that people who were given vitamin E, beta carotene, and vitamin A had a higher risk of death than those who took a placebo.

There appeared to be no effect from vitamin C pills and a small reduction in mortality from selenium, but further research on these nutrients is needed.

These findings suggest little overall benefit of the antioxidants in pill form. On the other hand, many studies show that people who consume higher levels of these antioxidants in food have a lower risk of many diseases.

The bottom line? Eating a healthy diet is the best way to get your antioxidants. Eating right to look and feel your best at every stage of your life. Tips to help you and your family eat delicious, healthy food on a tight budget. How focusing on the experience of eating can improve your diet.

BetterHelp makes starting therapy easy. Take the assessment and get matched with a professional, licensed therapist. Millions of readers rely on HelpGuide. org for free, evidence-based resources to understand and navigate mental health challenges. Please donate today to help us save, support, and change lives.

When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to go to the desired page. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures.

Your Guide to Mental Health and Wellness. Return Mental Health. Autism Childhood Issues Learning Disabilities Family Caregiving Parenting Teen Issues. Trace minerals are needed in smaller amounts than macrominerals but still enable important functions in your body.

Sources and recommended intakes of trace minerals are 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 :. Micronutrients can be divided into four groups — water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, macrominerals and trace minerals. The functions, food sources and recommended intakes of each vitamin and mineral vary.

Consuming an adequate amount of the different vitamins and minerals is key to optimal health and may even help fight disease. This is because micronutrients are part of nearly every process in your body.

Moreover, certain vitamins and minerals can act as antioxidants. For example, research has linked an adequate dietary intake of vitamins A and C with a lower risk of some types of cancer 4 , 5.

Research has linked low blood levels of selenium to a higher risk of heart disease. Additionally, a review of 22 studies noticed that adequate calcium intake decreases the risk of death from heart disease and all other causes These studies suggest that consuming enough of all micronutrients — especially those with antioxidant properties — provides ample health benefits.

Micronutrients are part of nearly every process in your body. Some even act as antioxidants. Due to their important role in health, they may protect against diseases. Most healthy adults can get an adequate amount of micronutrients from a balanced diet, but there are some common nutrient deficiencies that affect certain populations.

The signs, symptoms and long-term effects of these deficiencies depend on each nutrient but can be detrimental to the proper functioning of your body and optimal health. They are most likely to occur with large doses of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K since these nutrients can be stored in your liver and fatty tissues.

They cannot be excreted from your body like water-soluble vitamins. A micronutrient toxicity usually develops from supplementing with excess amounts — rarely from food sources. Signs and symptoms of toxicity vary depending on the nutrient.

One study examined over 18, people with a high risk of lung cancer due to past smoking or asbestos exposure. The intervention group received two types of vitamin A — 30 mg of beta-carotene and 25, IU of retinyl palmitate a day The safest and most effective way to get adequate vitamin and mineral intake appears to be from food sources 51 , However, people at risk of specific nutrient deficiencies may benefit from taking supplements under the supervision of a doctor.

Since your body requires micronutrients in specific amounts, deficiencies and surpluses of any one nutrient may lead to negative issues. Vitamins are needed for energy production, immune function , blood clotting and other functions while minerals benefit growth, bone health, fluid balance and other processes.

To get an adequate amount of micronutrients, aim for a balanced diet containing a variety of foods. Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

MindBodyGreen provides third-party-tested supplements made with high quality ingredients. Our testers and dietitians discuss whether MindBodyGreen…. Vitamins are for athletes to stay healthy. You may get all you need from the food you eat. Some athletes may benefits from vitamin supplements.

Docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, is a type of omega-3 fat that may improve many aspects of your health, from your brain to your heart.