Are you feeling fatigued, stressed, or not getting enough sleep? It may be due to a lack of vitamins or minerals. Let’s dive into understanding micronutrients!

What are Micronutrients? 

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals that require small daily doses for healthy development and growth, disease prevention, and well-being. 

To better understand micronutrients, they are broken down into four groups: fat soluble, water soluble, macro minerals, and micro minerals or trace elements. 

Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins A, D, E, and K. These vitamins are stored in body fat tissues and livers. They also need fat for absorption. Water-soluble vitamins are B-complex and vitamin C. For this article, not all B-complex vitamins are listed. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and are not stored in body fat.

Macro minerals include calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium. These minerals are needed in larger doses than iron and zinc. They are needed for the processes of bone health, nerve function, and muscle contraction. 

Micro minerals, or trace elements, include but not limited too iron and zinc. These minerals are needed in smaller doses. They are needed for immune function, wound healing, and DNA synthesis.

What are the Types of Vitamins?

Fat Soluble Vitamins

Vitamin A

Your eyes are one area where vitamin A plays an important role. According to Understanding Nutrition, vitamin A helps with the support of your cornea, epithelial cells, mucous membranes, skin, bone, tooth growth, reproduction, and immune system. 

According to the Institute of Health, the recommended intake for adult females is 700 mcg RAE and for adult males, 900 mcg RAE. You can find vitamin A in fortified cornflakes, broccoli, carrots, tomato juice, beef liver, sweet potatoes, and mangos. 

Based on Understanding Nutrition, if your body is deficient in vitamin A, you may be susceptible to hypovitaminosis A. On the other hand, if your body has too much vitamin A, it can become toxic. 

Symptoms of hypovitaminosis A are night blindness, corneal dryness, triangular gray spots on the eye, softening of the cornea, corneal degeneration and blindness, and infectious disease.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important for bone growth and bone remodeling, helps prevent rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults, immune function, and glucose metabolism.

According to the Institute of Health, the daily recommendation for vitamin D is that adult males ages 19–70 and adult females ages 19–70 should intake 15 mcg. The best food source per calorie to consume vitamin D is fatty fish like trout, salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Fish liver oils, mushrooms, and milk. 

Vitamin D deficiency is very common and should be talked about. So let’s get right into it. Vitamin D deficiency means your body does not have enough vitamin D that it needs every day. In children, rickets may occur, and in adults osteomalacia and osteoporosis. 

Based on Understanding Nutrition, these symptoms include, but are not limited to, inadequate calcification, which may result in bowing of the legs, or "bow-legged." Enlargement of knees and wrists, deformities of the ribs, and delayed closing of the fontanel result in fast enlargement of the head. In adults, vitamin D deficiency is called osteomalacia or osteoporosis. Osteomalacia is when new bone growth doesn't harden, and osteoporosis is when bones become weak and brittle.

Now, let’s talk about too much vitamin D in the body. This can be called hypervitaminosis D. Symptoms are elevated blood calcium and calcification of soft tissue like blood vessels, kidneys, heart, lungs, tissues, and around the joints.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E has antioxidant activity. This means it helps stop the production of reactive oxygen species formed by unshared electronic and oxygen sources, according to the Institute of Health. Vitamin E also helps the body fight against free radicals. You may wonder what free radicals are; just know that they damage cells.

The daily recommendation for vitamin E for 14+ years of age, female and male, is 15 mg. You can find vitamin E in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oil. You can also find it in green leafy vegetables and fortified cereal.

Symptoms of vitamin E deficiency are red blood cell breakdown and nerve damage.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K functions as a synthesis of blood-clotting proteins and bone proteins. 

The daily recommended intake for 19+ year-old males is 120 mcg, and for 19+ year-old females, it is 90 mcg. You can find vitamin K in natto, collard greens, turnip greens, spinach, kale, broccoli, soybeans, and carrot juice.

A possible symptom of vitamin K deficiency is hemorrhaging.

Water Soluble Vitamins

Thiamine (B1)

Thiamine is important for energy metabolism, growth and development, and the functions of the cell. Thiamine is primarily stored in the liver, but in small amounts. 

The Institute of Health states the daily recommendation for thiamine is that adult males age 19 and older should intake 1.2 mg of thiamine. Adult females age 19 and older should intake 1.1 mg of thiamine. You can find thiamine in breads, cereals, infant formulas, pork, soy milk, squash, acorns, tomato juice, and cornflakes. 

Not enough thiamine may cause beriberi. Symptoms of beriberi are an enlarged heart, adipose tissue failure, muscular weakness, apathy, poor short-term memory, confusion, irritability, anorexia, and weight loss. 

Riboflavin (B2)

Riboflavin is a necessary component of most coenzymes. These enzymes are flavin mononucleotides and flavin adenine dinucleotides. Riboflavin also contributes to energy production, cellular function, growth and development, and the metabolism of lipids, medications, and steroids.

The daily recommended intake, according to the Institute of Health, for adult females aged 19–50+ is 1.1 mg. For adult males aged 19–50+, 1.3 mg You can find riboflavin in fortified cornflakes, broccoli, milk, yogurt, eggs, liver, and mushrooms. 

Riboflavin deficiency is called ariboflavinosis, according to Understanding Nutrition. These symptoms may include a sore throat, cracks, and redness at the corners of the mouth. Your tongue may also be painful, smooth, and purplish or red. Inflammation of the skin by a lesion covered with greasy scales. 

Pantothenic Acid (B5)

Pantothenic acid is synthesized by coenzyme A (CoA) and acyl carrier proteins. Essential pantothenic acid plays a role in anabolic and catabolic processes. 

The daily recommended intake, according to the Institute of Health, for adults, males or females age 19 and older, is 5 mg. You can find pantothenic acid in beef liver, breakfast cereal, shiitake mushroom, sunflower seed, blue-fin tuna fish, and avocado.

Symptoms of not having enough pantothenic acid may include nausea, stomach cramps, insomnia, fatigue, depression, irritability, restlessness, apathy, hypoglycemia, increased sensitivity to insulin, numbness, muscle cramps, and an inability to walk. 

Vitamin C

Protein metabolism and physiological antioxidants both benefit from vitamin C. The manufacture of collagen, L-carnitine, and certain neurotransmitters depends on vitamin C. Biosynthesis is the process of producing. In addition, vitamin C aids in the formation of scar tissue, the absorption of iron, the metabolism of amino acids, and the formation of blood vessel walls.

The daily recommended intake for vitamin C in adults aged 19 and older is 90 mg. If you are a male smoker, your intake should be 35 mg more. Adult females age 19 and older should intake 75 mg. If you are an adult female smoker, you should consume 35 mg more as well. You can find vitamin C in broccoli, strawberries, red bell pepper, kiwi, and Brussels sprouts.

Vitamin C deficiency is scurvy. Scurvy symptoms may include anemia, atherosclerotic plagues, pinpoint hemorrhages, bone fragility, joint pain, poor wound healing, and frequent infections. When suffering from scurvy, you may also experience bleeding gums, loosened teeth, muscle degeneration, pain, hysteria, depression, rough skin, and bruises. 

Too much vitamin C can cause toxicity. These toxic symptoms can cause nausea, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, headaches, and fatigue. In some cases, you may experience hot flashes, rashes, interference with medical tests, gout symptoms, UTI problems, and kidney stones.

What are the Types of Minerals?

Major Minerals

Calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. Most of you know that calcium makes up your bones. If you didn’t know that, now you do! But did you know that it makes up your teeth as well? Yes, calcium makes up your bones and teeth. Calcium also helps with nerve functioning, blood clotting, and blood pressure.

The Institute of Health states the recommended daily intake of calcium for adult males aged 19–70 is 1,000 mg. For adult females age 19–50 years old, 1,000 mg Adult females age 51–70 years old should consume 1,200 mg. You can find calcium in plain or fruit yogurt, orange juice, mozzarella, canned sardines, non-fat or whole milk, and salmon. 

The deficiency symptoms of calcium in children are stunted growth, and in adults, it causes bone loss. 

The toxicity of calcium can cause constipation, an increased risk of urinary stones, and kidney dysfunction. Too much calcium can also interfere with the absorption of other minerals. 

Magnesium 

Magnesium can be found in antacids and laxatives. Magnesium is important for energy production, structural development of the bone, and normal muscle contraction. Magnesium also helps with the functioning of the immune system. 

Understanding Nutrition suggests that the daily recommended intake for adult males aged 19–30 is 400 mg/dday. For adult females age 19-30 years of age is 310mg/a day. Some food sources of magnesium are broccoli, tomato juice, pinto beans, tofu, halibut, cashews, and artichoke. 

The deficiency symptoms of magnesium are weakness and confusion. In children, it may hinder their growth. 

Potassium

Potassium maintains normal fluid and electrolyte balance, according to Understanding Nutrition. Potassium helps facilitate many reactions and support cell integrity. Potassium assists in nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction. 

The daily recommended intake based on the Institute of Health for adult men age 19 and older is 3,400 mg. For adult females age 19 and older, 2,600 mg Common sources of potassium are apricots and lentils. Squash, prunes, raisins, fresh basked potatoes, kidney beans, and bananas. 

The deficiency symptoms of potassium are an irregular heartbeat, muscular weakness, and glucose intolerance. 

The toxicity of potassium can cause muscular weakness and vomiting. If potassium is injected directly into the vein, it can cause the heart to stop. 

Minor Minerals or Trace Elements

Iron

According to the Institute of Health, iron is an important component for hemoglobin and myoglobin. Iron is also beneficial for physical cell growth, neurological development, cellular functioning, and the synthesis of some hormones. Iron supports muscle metabolism and healthy connective tissue.

The Institute of Health suggests the daily recommended intake for adult males aged 19–50 is 8 mg. For adult females aged 19–50 years of age, 18 mg For adult male or adult female age 51+ is 8mg. You can find iron in lean meat and seafood. You can also find iron in nuts, beans, vegetables, and fortified grains. 

Iron deficiency is known as anemia. Anemia can cause weakness, fatigue, headaches, impaired work performance, and cognitive functions. Iron deficiency  can also cause pale skin, palm creases, concave nails, and an inability to regulate body temperature. Iron deficiency is also linked to PICA. 

The toxicity of iron is known as iron overload. Iron overload can cause infections. Fatigue, joint pain, skin pigmentation , and organ damage. 

Zinc

Zinc is highly associated with the hormone insulin. Zinc also transports vitamin A. The Institute of Health believes zinc is important for cellular metabolism. Zinc also enhances immune function, protein, and DNA synthesis. Zinc supports healthy growth and development during pregnancy, infancy, childhood, and adolescence. 

According to the Institute of Health, the daily recommended intake for adult males aged 19 and older is 11 mg. For adult females 19+ years of age, the daily recommended intake is 8 mg. You can find zinc in broccoli, lean ground beef, eastern and Pacific oysters, beef bottom sirloin, and blue crab. 

Zinc deficiency may cause growth retardation, delayed sexual maturation, impaired immune function, hair loss, eye and skin lesions, and loss of appetite.

Toxicity of zinc may cause loss of appetite, impaired immunity, low HDL, copper, and iron deficiencies.

Conclusion

Micronutrients, essential for health, are categorized into fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K), water-soluble vitamins (B-complex, C), macrominerals (calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium), and microminerals (iron, zinc). Each has specific roles and recommended daily intakes.

Vitamins:

• Fat Soluble

Vitamin A: Important for vision, immune function, and skin health. Sources include fortified cereals, broccoli, and liver. Deficiency can lead to night blindness; excess can be toxic.

Vitamin D: Crucial for bone health and immune function. Found in fatty fish and fortified milk. Deficiency can cause rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults; excess can lead to hypercalcemia.

Vitamin E: Acts as an antioxidant. Present in nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. Deficiency can cause red blood cell breakdown and nerve damage.

Vitamin K: Necessary for blood clotting and bone health. Sources are leafy greens and natto. Deficiency can cause hemorrhaging.

• Water Soluble

Thiamine (B1): Involved in energy metabolism. Found in whole grains and pork. Deficiency leads to beriberi.

Riboflavin (B2): Essential for energy production. Present in dairy and fortified cereals. Deficiency causes ariboflavinosis.

Pantothenic acid (B5): Vital for CoA synthesis. Sources include beef liver and mushrooms. Deficiency can cause fatigue and irritability.

Vitamin C: Important for collagen synthesis and immune function. Found in citrus fruits and broccoli. Deficiency causes scurvy; excess can lead to gastrointestinal issues.

Minerals

• Macro minerals:

Calcium: Essential for bones and teeth. Found in dairy products and fortified juices. Deficiency can cause stunted growth in children and bone loss in adults; excess can lead to kidney dysfunction.

Magnesium: Important for energy production and muscle function. Present in nuts and green leafy vegetables. Deficiency can cause weakness and confusion.

Potassium: Maintains fluid balance and muscle function. Found in bananas and potatoes. Deficiency can cause irregular heartbeat; excess can lead to heart issues.

• Micro Minerals or Trace Elements

Iron: Crucial for hemoglobin formation. Sources include lean meat and beans. Deficiency causes anemia; excess can lead to organ damage.

Zinc: Supports immune function and DNA synthesis. Found in meat and shellfish. Deficiency can cause growth retardation; excess can impair immunity.