Daily intake of vitamins and minerals: What to know – Medical News Today

Vitamins and minerals are micronutrients that are responsible for many life-sustaining biological processes. While most people can get enough from diet alone, others may need to take a supplement. However, to ensure safety, they should do so under the guidance of a doctor or registered dietitian.

Each vitamin and mineral plays a different role in bodily processes. For example, sodium and potassium are crucial for proper function of the central nervous system.

Consuming enough of the required vitamins and minerals is an essential part of eating a balanced diet.

Although a varied diet usually provides the micronutrients a person needs, some people with restrictive diets such as vegetarians, people with certain medical conditions, and older adults may need to take a supplement.

Read more to learn how much of each vitamin and mineral an individual should consume, which micronutrients are harmful when a person consumes them in excess, and what common deficiencies there are.

Each persons dietary needs will vary slightly, but it can be useful to have benchmark numbers for vitamin and mineral intake as a point of reference.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets out guidelines for the amounts of different vitamins and minerals an individual should consume per day. It uses recommended Daily Value (DV), which applies to most healthy people.

However, individual nutrient needs will vary depending on many factors. These may include a persons age, body weight, overall health, and whether they are pregnant or breastfeeding.

The FDA recommends that most healthy people consume the following amounts of vitamins:

The FDA recommends that most healthy people consume the following amounts of minerals:

While DV can be a useful starting point, it is not the only term experts use to describe how much of something an individual should consume.

Researchers, dietitians, manufacturers, and government bodies use different abbreviations. This can make reading nutritional labels challenging.

Below are common terms a person may encounter when reading food or supplement labels:

In most cases, people will not consume too much of a particular vitamin or mineral, especially when they are getting it from food.

Overconsumption usually happens when an individual takes a nutritional supplement. Vitamin and mineral toxicity is rare, and it only occurs when a person consumes a certain nutrient in very large amounts.

It is important to note that not all vitamins and minerals are harmful when a person consumes them in excess.

Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water, so when a person consumes too much of these, the body usually gets rid of the excess in the urine. Vitamin C and B vitamins are all water-soluble.

However, fat-soluble vitamins dissolve in fat and oils. This means that fatty tissues and the liver store them, and they can build up over time. In some cases, they could reach toxic levels. This is particularly common in people who consume too many fat-soluble vitamins.

Fat-soluble vitamins include:

Not all fat-soluble vitamins are harmful when an individual consumes them in large amounts. For instance, it is generally safe to consume a surplus of vitamin D, although people should avoid consuming megadoses of this vitamin over long periods of time.

Consuming excess amounts of certain minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, and selenium, can cause adverse effects.

Usually, mineral or vitamin overconsumption results from excessive intake of a certain micronutrient through the use of multivitamins or supplements.

When someone consistently exceeds the DV of certain vitamins and minerals, they may experience some side effects. The body uses each micronutrient differently, and therefore each can cause different symptoms.

In the table below, we outline potential symptoms of acute or chronic toxicity due to overconsumption of specific vitamins and minerals:

Some vitamin and mineral deficiencies are particularly common. Some of these include:

Most people can get these vitamins and minerals from a varied, balanced diet, which includes fruit, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, healthy fats, and dairy products.

However, there are many reasons a person may not be able to get the nutrients they need through diet alone.

The following could contribute to inadequate nutrient intake or absorption:

In these cases, people may need to take a supplement to meet the DV of certain nutrients.

Multivitamins are supplements that contain a combination of different vitamins and minerals.

Individuals often take multivitamins to cover their bases. However, many multivitamins contain high levels of nutrients a person may already be consuming enough of in their diet.

Some diets, such as vegetarian or vegan diets or the diets of people with allergies or food intolerances, may be lacking in certain nutrients. Therefore, a person may need to supplement their diet with specific vitamins, minerals, or both.

For example, people following a vegan diet are at risk of developing deficiencies in vitamin B12, iodine, zinc, and iron. They may need to take a supplement or multivitamin to meet their needs.

If someone is considering taking a vitamin or mineral supplement, they should consult a doctor first. The doctor can order a simple blood test to check for any deficiencies.

Taking too many dietary supplements or consuming a specific vitamin or mineral in excessive amounts could result in severe side effects.

If a person is concerned about taking too many supplements, they should seek guidance from a healthcare professional.

If someone thinks their consumption of specific vitamins or minerals is either too high or too low, they should consult a doctor.

A simple vitamin and nutrition blood or urine test can help determine which micronutrients a person is lacking. A doctor can then provide guidance on which supplements are suitable for the individual to take. The doctor may also refer them to a dietitian for nutritional assistance.

The FDA sets out guidelines on how much of each vitamin and mineral a person should consume per day. Health experts refer to this as DV.

While most people can meet these values through food alone, individuals following restrictive diets or with certain health conditions may need to take dietary supplements.

People should always contact a doctor before taking new supplements or multivitamins, as consuming too much of certain nutrients can have adverse effects.

Read more from the original source:

Daily intake of vitamins and minerals: What to know - Medical News Today