What are minerals and vitamins?



Every cell in a living body needs adequate energy and food supply; if a cell needs to work and function properly it has to be maintained without hazardous energy supply. The energy is supplied in the form of proteins, carbohydrates, fat, vitamins and minerals. It is considered important to know about the minerals and vitamins upon what they are constituted and what part they play in our overall health. A significant drop in their volume can lead to dreadful disease and pathological symptoms.

Vitamins are organic compounds that function as metabolic regulators of the body. Vitamins are derived from vital+ amines (amino acids), the body requires a small amount of vitamins for the various metabolic functions of the body, but any deficiency can lead to metabolic and physical disorders. Most vitamins are not produced in the body, but a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains and cereals can provide the essential vitamins needed by the body, in small doses, and in a balanced way. More over vitamins are classified into fat soluble and water soluble vitamins. These play a vital role in preventing certain diseases like night blindness, scurvy etc.

Mineral Categories:

Minerals can be broken down into two basic groups based on their requirement,

- Bulk or macro minerals

- Trace or micro minerals

The macro minerals, such as calcium, magnesium, sodium (salt) potassium and phosphorus are needed in fairly substantial amounts for proper health. Where as, the trace minerals are needed in far smaller quantities and include substances such as zinc, iron, copper, manganese, chromium, selenium, and iodine.

The importance of minerals and vitamins:

Though minerals and vitamins are required in trace quantities, these trace minerals function in a wide and varied form to regulate and balance the body from certain diseases and improper functions. The fitness you are searching for ends with this mineral nutrition that plays a significant role in building fitness and preventing diseases. A nutritional guide you get from a doctor is nothing but a list of these essential minerals and their availability in vegetables and food stuffs and the proportion to acquire.

Why you need them?

The need of vitamins and minerals can be ascertained at the time of the physiological symptoms of the disease. In night blindness the symptoms start with blurring of vision in the evening and the person gradually loses eyesight due to lack of vitamin A. This symptomatic syndrome reveals the significance of vitamin A and its balance in the body. Such deficient diseases can be prevented only through proper supply of vitamin and mineral salts.

The products and the supplements:

You can find a number of products in the market to supply the elements and minerals independently through tablets, capsules, syrups, dry powder and more over liquid vitamins and minerals, available in lots of flavor. When you go for a dietary supply of these minerals you have to be sure that you are taking it after consultation with your doctor.

Here are the list of minerals and vitamins and their required level in the body to function properly.

List of Vitamins required daily for normal adults.

Vitamin A: 5,000 - 25,000 IU's

Vitamins B:

- Thiamin:2-100 mgs

- Riboflavin:50-100 mgs

- Niacin: 20-100 mgs

- Pyridoxine:3-50 mgs

- Folic acid:800 mcgs - 2 mgs

- Cobalamine:500-1,000 mcgs

- Pantothenic acid:4-7 mgs

- Biotin:30-100 mcgs

Vitamin C: 500-2,000 mgs

Vitamin D: 400-600 IU's

Vitamin E: 200-400 IU's

Vitamin K: 160-300 mcgs

List of Minerals required daily for normal adults.

- Calcium:1,000-1,500 mgs

- Copper:1.5-3.0 mgs

- Chromium: 50-200 mcgs

- Iron: 15-30 mgs

- Magnesium: 300-500 mgs

- Manganese: 2.5-5.0 mgs

- Molybdenum: 75-250 mcgs

- Potassium: 2,000-3,500 mgs

- Selenium: 70-200 mcgs

- Zinc: 15-50 mgs