Minerls Vitamins - www.merck.com

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Minerals
Mineral
Good Sources
Main Functions
Recommended Dietary Allowance for adults
Safe Upper Limit

Calcium
Milk and milk products, meat, fish eaten with the bones (such as sardines), eggs, fortified cereal products, beans, fruits, and vegetables
Required for the formation of bone and teeth, for blood clotting, for normal muscle function, for the normal functioning of many enzymes, and for normal heart rhythm
1,000 milligrams

1,200 milligrams for people over 50
2,500 milligrams

Chloride
Salt, beef, pork, sardines, cheese, green olives, corn bread, potato chips, sauerkraut, and processed or canned foods (usually as salt)
Involved in electrolyte balance
1,000 milligrams
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Chromium
Liver, processed meats, whole-grain cereals, and nuts
Enables insulin to function (insulin controls blood sugar levels)

Helps in the processing (metabolism) and storage of carbohydrates, protein, and fat
35 micrograms for men aged 50 and younger

25 micrograms for women aged 50 and younger

30 micrograms for men over 50

20 micrograms for women over 50
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Copper
Organ meats, shellfish, cocoa, mushrooms, nuts, dried legumes, dried fruits, peas, tomato products, and whole-grain cereals
Is a component of many enzymes that are necessary for energy production, for antioxidant action*, and for formation of the hormone epinephrine, red blood cells, bone, and connective tissue
900 micrograms
10,000 micrograms

Fluoride
Seafood, tea, and fluoridated water
Required for the formation of bone and teeth
3 milligrams for women

4 milligrams for men
10 milligrams

Iodine
Seafood, iodized salt, eggs, cheese, and drinking water (in amounts that vary by the iodine content of local soil)
Required for the formation of thyroid hormones
150 micrograms
1,100 micrograms

Iron
As heme† iron:

Beef, poultry, fish, kidneys, and liver

As nonheme iron: Soybean flour, beans, molasses, spinach, clams, and fortified grains and cereals
Required for the formation of many enzymes in the body

Is an important component of muscle cells and of hemoglobin, which enables red blood cells to carry oxygen and deliver it to the body's tissues
8 milligrams for women over 50 and for men

18 milligrams for women aged 50 and younger (premenopause)

27 milligrams for pregnant women

9 milligrams for breastfeeding women
45 milligrams

Magnesium
Leafy green vegetables, nuts, cereal grains, beans, and tomato paste
Required for the formation of bone and teeth, for normal nerve and muscle function, and for the activation of enzymes
320 milligrams for women

420 milligrams for men
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Manganese
Whole-grain cereals, pineapple, nuts, tea, beans, and tomato paste
Required for the formation of bone and the formation and activation of certain enzymes
2.3 milligrams for men

1.8 milligrams for women
6 to 11 milligrams

Molybdenum
Milk, legumes, whole-grain breads and cereals, and dark green vegetables
Required for metabolism of nitrogen, the activation of certain enzymes, and normal cell function

Helps break down sulfites (present in foods naturally and added as preservatives)
45 micrograms
1,100 to 2,000 micrograms

Phosphorus
Dairy products, meat, poultry, fish, cereals, nuts, and legumes
Required for the formation of bone and teeth and for energy production

Used to form nucleic acids, including DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
700 milligrams
4,000 milligrams

Potassium
Whole and skim milk, bananas, tomatoes, oranges, melons, potatoes, sweet potatoes, prunes, raisins, spinach, turnip greens, collard greens, kale, other green leafy vegetables, most peas and beans, and salt substitutes (potassium chloride)
Required for normal nerve and muscle function

Involved in electrolyte balance
3.5 grams
—

Selenium
Meats, seafood, nuts, and cereals (depending on the selenium content of soil where grains were grown)
Acts as an antioxidant*, with vitamin E

Required for thyroid gland function
55 micrograms
400 micrograms

Sodium
Salt, beef, pork, sardines, cheese, green olives, corn bread, potato chips, sauerkraut, and processed or canned foods (usually as salt)
Required for normal nerve and muscle function

Helps the body maintain a normal electrolyte and fluid balance
1,000 milligrams
2,400 milligrams

Zinc
Meat, liver, oysters, seafood, peanuts, fortified cereals, and whole grains (depending on the zinc content of soil where grains were grown)
Used to form many enzymes and insulin

Required for healthy skin, healing of wounds, and growth
15 milligrams
—

*Antioxidants protect cells against damage due to reactive by-products of normal cell activity called free radicals.

†The body absorbs heme iron better than nonheme iron.
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Vitamins
Vitamin
Good Sources
Main Functions
Recommended Dietary Allowance
Safe Upper Limit
Biotin
Liver, kidneys, egg yolks, milk, fish, dried yeast, cauliflower, nuts, and legumes
Required for the metabolism of carbohydrates and fatty acids
30 micrograms (but no RDA has been established)
—
Folate (folic acid)
Fresh green leafy vegetables, asparagus, broccoli, fruits (especially citrus), liver, other organ meats, dried yeast, and enriched breads, pastas, and cereals
(Note: Extensive cooking destroys 50–95% of the folate in food.)
Required for the formation of red blood cells, for DNA and RNA synthesis, and for normal development of the nervous system in a fetus
400 micrograms
600 micrograms for pregnant women
500 micrograms for breastfeeding women
1,000 micrograms
Niacin Some Trade Names NIASPAN( nicotinic acid Some Trade Names See Niacinor nicotinamide )
Dried yeast, liver, meat, fish, legumes, and whole-grain or enriched cereal products
Required for the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, and many other substances
14 milligrams for women
16 milligrams for men
35 milligrams
Pantothenic acid
Liver, beef, egg yolks, yeast, potatoes, broccoli, and whole grains
Required for the metabolism of carbohydrates and fats
5 milligrams (but no RDA has been established)
—
Riboflavin (vitamin B2)
Milk, cheese, liver, meat, fish, eggs, and enriched cereals
Required for the metabolism of carbohydrates and amino acids and for healthy mucous membranes, such as those lining the mouth
1.1 milligrams for women
1.3 milligrams for men
1.4 milligrams for pregnant women
1.6 milligrams for breastfeeding women
—
Thiamin (vitamin B1)
Dried yeast, whole grains, meat (especially pork and liver), enriched cereals, nuts, legumes, and potatoes
Required for the metabolism of carbohydrates and for normal nerve and heart function
1.1 milligrams for women
1.2 milligrams for men
1.4 milligrams for pregnant or breastfeeding women
—
Vitamin A Some Trade Names AQUASOL A(retinol)
As vitamin A Some Trade Names AQUASOL A: Fish liver oils, liver, egg yolks, butter, cream, and fortified milk
As carotenoids (converted to vitamin A Some Trade Names AQUASOL Ain the body), such as beta-carotene: Dark green and yellow-orange vegetables, and yellow-orange fruits
Required to form light-sensitive nerve cells (photoreceptors) in the retina, helping maintain night vision
Helps maintain the health of the skin, cornea, and lining of the lungs, intestine, and urinary tract
Helps protect against infections
700 micrograms for women
900 micrograms for men
770 micrograms for pregnant women
1,200 micrograms for breastfeeding women
3,000 micrograms
Vitamin B6
Dried yeast, liver, other organ meats, whole-grain cereals, fish, and legumes
Required for the metabolism of amino acids and fatty acids, for normal nerve function, for the formation of red blood cells, and for healthy skin
1.3 milligrams
1.5 milligrams for women older than 50
1.7 milligrams for men older than 50
1.9 milligrams for pregnant women
2.0 milligrams for breastfeeding women
100 milligrams
Vitamin B12 (cobalamins)
Meats (especially beef, pork, liver, and other organ meats), eggs, fortified cereals, milk, clams, oysters, salmon, and tuna
Required for the formation and maturation of red blood cells, for nerve function, and for DNA synthesis
2.4 micrograms
2.6 micrograms for pregnant women
2.8 micrograms for breastfeeding women
—
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Citrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, strawberries, and sweet peppers
Required for the formation, growth, and repair of bone, skin, and connective tissue; for healing of wounds and burns; and for normal function of blood vessels
Acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells against damage by free radicals
Helps the body absorb iron
75 milligrams for women
90 milligrams for men
85 milligrams for pregnant women
120 milligrams for breastfeeding women
35 milligrams more for smokers
2,000 milligrams
Vitamin D Some Trade Names See Ergocalciferol
Formed in the skin when the skin is exposed to direct sunlight
Fortified milk, fatty fish, fish liver oils, and egg yolks
Promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus from the intestine
Required for bone formation, growth, and repair.
Strengthens the immune system and reduces the risk of autoimmune disorders
200 IU for people aged 50 and younger
400 IU for people aged 51 to 70
600 IU for people older than 70
2,000 IU
Vitamin E
Vegetable oil, margarine, nuts, and wheat germ
Acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells against damage by free radicals
15 milligrams (22 IU of natural or 33 IU of synthetic)
19 milligrams for breastfeeding women
1,000 milligrams
Vitamin K
Green leafy vegetables (such as collards, spinach, and kale) and soybean and canola oils
Helps in the formation of blood clotting factors and thus is necessary for normal blood clotting
Required for healthy bones and other tissues
90 micrograms for women
120 micrograms for men
—
IU = international unit; DNA = deoxyribonucleic acid; RNA = ribonucleic acid.
Some vitamins—A, D, E, and K—are fat soluble. Other vitamins—B vitamins and vitamin C—are water soluble. B vitamins include biotin, folate (folic acid), niacin Some Trade Names NIASPAN, pantothenic acid, riboflavin (vitamin B2), thiamin (vitamin B1), and vitamins B6 (pyridoxine) and B12 (cobalamins). Deficiency of biotin or pantothenic acid almost never occurs.
The body does not store most vitamins. Therefore, people must consume them regularly. Vitamins A, B12, and D are stored in significant amounts, mainly in the liver.
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