Vitamins and Minerals

In general, if you eat a well-balanced diet, there is a good chance you are getting most if not all your required vitamins and minerals. Even so, taking a daily multivitamin is a great way to make sure of it.

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Micronutrient	What they are	Sub-Type Description	Vitamins/Minerals Included
Vitamins	Vitamins are organic compounds that your body needs for the maintenance of good health and for growth. They are nutrients that your body cannot manufacture and therefore must get from food.	Fat-soluble vitamins: Stored in the liver and fatty tissues, and are eliminated much more slowly than water-soluble vitamins. When consumed in excess, there is higher risk of toxicity than water-soluble vitamins. Although a normal, well-balanced diet will not lead to toxicity, taking mega-dose supplements of vitamins A, D, E and K may. Water-soluble vitamins: Not easily stored in the body and are either lost from foods during cooking or are eliminated when there is excess. As a result, toxicity is not much of an issue, while deficiencies are more likely to occur as compared to with fat-soluble vitamins.	Fat-soluble vitamins: Vitamin A Vitamin D Vitamin E Vitamin K Water-soluble vitamins: Vitamins B Complex: B1 (Thiamine) B2 (Riboflavin) B3 (Niacin) B6 (pyridoxine) Folate (Folacin / Folic Acid) B12 (cyanocobalamin) Pantothenic acid Biotin Vitamin C Choline Inositol
Minerals	Minerals found in the soil and the earth also exist in you and all living things. We get these minerals from the water we drink and the food we eat. Minerals are stable to light, heat and air, and are stored in sufficient quantities in healthy individuals. They function in cells, tissues, organs, and your body as a whole. Your body's depends on minerals to perform everyday functions as well as to maintain your bones, muscles and red blood cells. They are responsible for everything from blinking an eye to constructing a thought. Deficiencies can lead to acute and chronic health problems.	Macro-Minerals: Macro-minerals are required in larger quantities and are specifically involved in structural functions (bones and cells) as well as metabolic ones. Trace-Minerals: Trace-minerals are required in smaller quantities and have subtle but vitally important effects on the metabolism.	Macro-minerals: Calcium Chlorine Magnesium Phosphorus Potassium Sodium Trace-minerals: Chromium Cobalt Copper Iodine Iron Manganese Molybdenum Selenium Sulphur Zinc