Micronutrients — vitamins and minerals — are vital to healthy development, growth, disease prevention and well-being. We need them only in small amounts, but getting the recommended amount matters: deficiencies can have serious consequences.
Except for vitamin D, the body does not make them. Most must come from food, and eating a variety of healthy foods provides them; some people may also need supplements to reach the recommended amounts. Here are six that matter most.
Iron
Iron helps make muscle cells and the red blood cells that carry oxygen around the body, and it supports brain development. In children it supports the ability to grow, pay attention and learn — preventing deficiency helps children learn.
Found in: meat, seafood and poultry · cereals and whole wheat breads fortified with iron · dark green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli · white beans, lentils, kidney beans and peas · nuts and some dried fruits, such as raisins.
Too little: iron deficiency is a leading cause of anemia — too few red blood cells to deliver oxygen — which can cause tiredness, shortness of breath and trouble thinking. In the United States, iron deficiency (inflammation-adjusted ferritin below 15 μg/L) affects 24.0% of females aged 12–49 and 24.3% of children aged 12–23 months.
Pregnancy and babies: iron helps the baby's brain develop. Iron deficiency anemia in pregnancy raises the risk of death for mother and baby, and the baby's risk of poor growth, premature birth and low birth weight. Depending on how babies are fed — breast milk, formula or both — they may need iron supplements.
More: iron for infants, toddlers and young children · iron and breastfeeding · NIH fact sheet in English and Spanish.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A helps protect eyesight, keeps the immune system strong, supports cell growth, and is essential for forming and maintaining organs such as the heart, lungs and eyes.
Found in: green leafy vegetables and other green, orange and yellow vegetables — spinach, sweet potatoes, carrots, broccoli, winter squash · fruits such as cantaloupe, mangos and apricots · some fish, such as herring and salmon · milk and cheese · cereals fortified with vitamin A · eggs.
Too little: rare in the United States, but still common in many developing countries — worldwide it affects an estimated 190 million preschool-age children. Children short of vitamin A are at higher risk of blindness and of dying from infections such as measles and diarrhea. Where the deficiency is common, supplements for children aged 6 months up to 5 years can help reduce deaths linked to it.
More: NIH fact sheet in English and Spanish.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D keeps bones and the immune system strong. It helps the body absorb calcium, essential for strong bones and for protecting older adults from osteoporosis; it helps the immune system resist bacteria and viruses; and muscles and nerves need it.
The body makes vitamin D from sunlight, but how much depends on where you live, skin color, air pollution and other factors — and limiting sun exposure matters to prevent skin cancer.
Found in: some fish, such as salmon or tuna · eggs · foods fortified with vitamin D, such as cow's milk, yogurt, cereals and some 100% juices.
Too little: problems with bones and muscles — rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.
Babies need vitamin D starting shortly after birth:
| Age | Vitamin D a day |
|---|---|
| Under 12 months | 400 international units (IU) |
| 12 to 24 months | 600 IU |
More: vitamin D for infants, toddlers and young children · NIH fact sheet in English and Spanish.
Iodine
The body needs iodine to make thyroid hormones, which control metabolism and many other important functions. Fortifying salt with iodine has successfully raised how much people get.
Found in: salt labelled "iodized" · seafood such as cod, tuna, seaweed and shrimp · some dairy products — milk, yogurt, cheese · eggs.
Pregnancy and babies: iodine is especially important for babies and for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, playing a key role in a baby's growth and brain development. Guidelines recommend that pregnant or breastfeeding women take a multivitamin or prenatal supplement with 150 micrograms (µg) of iodine every day. Babies usually get enough from breast milk, unless the mother's diet is short of iodine.
More: iodine and breastfeeding · NIH fact sheet in English and Spanish.
Folate
Folate is a B vitamin that helps the body make new cells. Folic acid is the form found in fortified foods and vitamins.
Found in: dark-green vegetables · nuts · beans · peas · lentils · citrus fruits. Fortified with folic acid: some flours, breads, pastas, rice and cereals.
Before and during pregnancy folate is especially important, because it is essential in the earliest days of a baby's growth for a healthy brain and spine. CDC recommends that every woman who could become pregnant get 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily. Enough folate before pregnancy can reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly.
More: NIH fact sheet in English and Spanish.
Zinc
Zinc plays an important role in cell metabolism, a strong immune system, wound healing and the sense of taste.
Found in: oysters, which are very high in zinc · meat, fish and poultry · seafood such as crab and lobster · cereals fortified with zinc · beans, nuts and whole grains · eggs · dairy products.
Pregnancy and babies: zinc is needed for healthy pregnancies; women who are pregnant or breastfeeding may need more to support the baby and make breast milk. Children and babies need zinc to grow and develop — when they start solid foods (at about 6 months), give them foods with zinc.
More: maternal diet and breastfeeding · NIH fact sheet in English and Spanish.
Sources
Based on "Micronutrient Facts," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; a work of the United States government in the public domain. The page's photographs were stock images and are not reproduced.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.cdc.gov
1
0
0
0
Comments
