Vitamins & Minerals
The tables below will show various vitamin and minerals as well as their RDA, function and sources.
If you feel you are lacking in certain vitamins or minerals then you should increase your dietary intake of specific foods or consider supplements such as multivitamins.
Feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Vitamins
Vitamins come in two forms, water-soluble and fat-soluble.
Water-Soluble Vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins can be absorbed directly by cells. When in excess, these vitamins are excreted from our systems. These need to be restored frequently, and the body can tolerate higher doses.
| Smarter Health and Fitness Muscle Water-Soluble Vitamins Analysis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin | Benefit | Sources | RDA |
| Thiamine (vitamin B1) | Part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism; important to nerve function | Found in all nutritious foods in moderate amounts: pork, whole-grain or enriched breads and cereals, legumes, nuts and seeds | Men = 1.2 mg; Women = 1.1 mg |
| Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | Part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism; important for normal vision and skin health | Milk and milk products; leafy green vegetables; whole-grain, enriched breads and cereals | Men = 1.3mg; Women = 1.1mg |
| Niacin (vitamin B3) | Part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism; important for nervous system, digestive system, and skin health | Meat, poultry, fish, whole-grain or enriched breads and cereals, vegetables (especially mushrooms, asparagus, and leafy green vegetables), peanut butter | Men = 16 mg; Women = 14 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | Part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism | Widespread in foods | 6 mg |
| Biotin | Part of an enzyme needed for energy metabolism | Widespread in foods; also produced in intestinal tract by bacteria | 30 mcg |
| Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) | Part of an enzyme needed for protein metabolism; helps make red blood cells | Meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, fruits | 1.3 mg |
| Folic acid | Part of an enzyme needed for making DNA and new cells, especially red blood cells | Leafy green vegetables and legumes, seeds, orange juice, and liver; now added to most refined grains | 400 mcg |
| Cobalamin (vitamin B12) | Part of an enzyme needed for making new cells; important to nerve function | Meat, poultry, fish, seafood, eggs, milk and milk products; not found in plant foods | 2.4 mcg |
| Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) | Antioxidant; part of an enzyme needed for protein metabolism; important for immune system health; aids in iron absorption | Found only in fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits, vegetables in the cabbage family, cantaloupe, strawberries, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, lettuce, papayas, mangoes, kiwifruit | Men = 90 mg; Women = 75mg (Smokers should add 35 mg) |
Fat-Soluble Vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins are those that are stored in the body for later use. We are less likely to become deficient in these vitamins, but more likely to build up to toxic levels, usually due to extreme overconsumption or overzealous supplement use.
| Smarter Health and Fitness Muscle Fat-Soluble Vitamins Analysis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin | Benefit | Sources | RDA |
| Vitamin A (and beta-carotene) | Needed for vision, healthy skin and mucous membranes, bone and tooth growth, immune system health | Vitamin A from animal sources (retinol): fortified milk, cheese, cream, butter, fortified margarine, eggs, liver
Beta-carotene (from plant sources): Leafy, dark green vegetables; dark orange fruits (apricots, cantaloupe) and vegetables (carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes, pumpkin) |
Men = 900 mcg; Women = 700 mcg |
| Vitamin D | Needed for proper absorption of calcium; stored in bones | Egg yolks, liver, fatty fish, fortified milk, fortified margarine. When exposed to sunlight, the skin can make vitamin D. | 15 mcg |
| Vitamin E | Antioxidant; protects cell walls | Polyunsaturated plant oils (soybean, corn, cottonseed, safflower); leafy green vegetables; wheat germ; whole-grain products; liver; egg yolks; nuts and seeds | 15 mg |
| Vitamin K | Needed for proper blood clotting | Leafy green vegetables and vegetables in the cabbage family; milk; also produced in intestinal tract by bacteria | Men = 120 mcg; Women = 90 mcg |
Minerals
Minerals are necessary for normal body functions and development. There are two groups of minerals: macrominerals (which the body needs in large doses) and microminerals/trace minerals (which the body needs in small doses).
Macrominerals
| Smarter Health and Fitness Muscle Macrominerals Analysis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral | Benefit | Sources | RDA |
| Sodium | Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction | Table salt, soy sauce; large amounts in processed foods; small amounts in milk, breads, vegetables, and unprocessed meats | 500 mg |
| Chloride | Needed for proper fluid balance, stomach acid | Table salt, soy sauce; large amounts in processed foods; small amounts in milk, meats, breads, and vegetables | 750 mg |
| Potassium | Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction | Meats, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes | 2,000 mg |
| Calcium | Important for healthy bones and teeth; helps muscles relax and contract; important in nerve functioning, blood clotting, blood pressure regulation, immune system health | Milk and milk products; canned fish with bones (salmon, sardines); fortified tofu and fortified soy milk; greens (broccoli, mustard greens); legumes | 1,000 mg |
| Phosphorus | Important for healthy bones and teeth; found in every cell; part of the system that maintains acid-base balance | Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, processed foods (including soda pop) | 700 mg |
| Magnesium | Found in bones; needed for making protein, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, immune system health | Nuts and seeds; legumes; leafy, green vegetables; seafood; chocolate; artichokes; "hard" drinking water | Men = 400 mg; Women = 310 mg |
| Sulfur | Found in protein molecules | Occurs in foods as part of protein: meats, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, legumes, nuts | ~900 mg, though may be more |
Trace/Microminerals
| Smarter Health and Fitness Muscle Microminerals Analysis | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Mineral | Benefit | Sources | RDA |
| Iron | Part of a molecule (haemoglobin) found in red blood cells that carries oxygen in the body; needed for energy metabolism | Organ meats; red meats; fish; poultry; shellfish (especially clams); egg yolks; legumes; dried fruits; dark, leafy greens; iron-enriched breads and cereals; and fortified cereals | Men = 8 mg; Women = 18 mg |
| Zinc | Part of many enzymes; needed for making protein and genetic material; has a function in taste perception, wound healing, normal foetal development, production of sperm, normal growth and sexual maturation, immune system health | Meats, fish, poultry, leavened whole grains, vegetables | Men = 11 mg; Women = 8 mg |
| Iodine | Found in thyroid hormone, which helps regulate growth, development, and metabolism | Seafood, foods grown in iodine-rich soil, iodized salt, bread, dairy products | 150 mcg |
| Selenium | Antioxidant | Meats, seafood, grains | 55 mcg |
| Copper | Part of many enzymes; needed for iron metabolism | Legumes, nuts and seeds, whole grains, organ meats, drinking water | 900 mcg |
| Manganese | Part of many enzymes | Widespread in foods, especially plant foods | Men = 2.3 mg; Women = 1.8 mg |
| Fluoride | Involved in formation of bones and teeth; helps prevent tooth decay | Drinking water (either fluoridated or naturally containing fluoride), fish, and most teas | Men = 4 mg; Women = 3 mg |
| Chromium | Works closely with insulin to regulate blood sugar (glucose) levels | Unrefined foods, especially liver, brewer's yeast, whole grains, nuts, cheeses | Men = 35 mcg; Women = 25 mcg |
| Molybdenum | Part of some enzymes | Legumes; breads and grains; leafy greens; leafy, green vegetables; milk; liver | 45 mcg |
