Vitamin and Mineral Chart

Vitamin/Miner
Sources Indication Efficacy Claims
al
Fat Soluble Vitamins can be stored in the body and need not be consumed daily. While it is difficult
to "overdose" on them from ordinary sources, consuming mega doses of fat soluble vitamins,
especially A and D, can lead to a dangerous buildup in the body.

Abbreviations: IU=International Units; mg=milligrams; mcg=micrograms.

Vitamin A Liver, fortified Essential for Deficiency: Night
Retinol Milk (Retinol form eyes, skin and the blindness; reduced hair
Men: 3 000 IU - see below for proper function of the growth in children; loss of
Women: 2 700 Carotene immune system. Helps apetite; dry, rough skin;
IU sources.) maintain hair, bones lowered resistance to
and teeth. infection; dry eyes.

 
Overdose: Headaches;
blurred vision; fatigue;
diarrhea; irregular
periods; joint and bone
pain; dry, cracked skin;
rashes; loss of hair;
vomiting, liver damage.
Beta Carotene Carrots, Squash, Antioxidant. Converted The antioxidant
(Pro-Vitamin A) Broccoli, Green to Vitamin A in the properties of
(See Vitamin A) Leafy Vegetables body. (See Vitamin A) this nutrient
may be a factor
 
in reducing the
risk of certain
forms of
cancer.
Vitamin D Egg Yolk, Milk, Helps build and Deficiency: Rickets in
Men: 100 IU Exposure to sun maintain teeth and children; bone softening
Women: 100 IU enables body to bones. Enhances in adults; osteoporosis.
make its own calcium absorption.
Vitamin D.  
Overdose: Calcium
deposits in organs; fragile
bones; renal and
cardiovascular damage.
Vitamin E Corn or Antioxidant. Helps Deficiency: Rare, seen The antioxidant
Men: 9-10 mg Cottonseed Oil, form red blood cells, primarily in premature or properties of
Women: 6-7 Butter, Brown muscles and other low birth weight babies or this nutrient
mg Rice, Soybean tissues. Preserves fatty children who do not may be a factor
Oil, Vegetable oils acids. absorb fat properly. in reducing the
such as Corn, Causes nerve risk of certain
Cottonseed or abnormalities. forms of
Soybean, Nuts, cancer.
Wheat Germ. Overdose: Unknown.
Vitamin K Green Needed for normal Deficiency:
None Vegetables, Liver, blood clotting. Defective blood
established. also made by coagulation.
Estimated at intestinal  
0.03 mcg/kg bacteria. Overdose: Jaundice in
infants.
Water Soluble Vitamins are not stored in the body and should therefore be consumed daily.
Thiamine Sunflower Seeds, Necessary for Deficiency:  
Vitamin B1 Pork, whole and carbohydrate Anxiety; hysteria;
Men: 0.8 - 1.3 enriched Grains, metabolism and depression; muscle
mg dried Beans. muscle coordination. cramps; loss of apetite; in
Women: 0.8 mg Promotes proper nerve extreme cases beriberi
function. (mostly in alcoholics).
 Overdose:
Unknown, although
excess of one B vitamin
may cause deficiency of
others.
Riboflavin Liver, Milk, Needed for metabolism Deficiency: Cracks and
Vitamin B2 Spinach, enriched of all foods and the sores around the mouth
Men: 1.3 - 1.6 Noodles, release of energy to and nose; visual
mg Mushrooms. cells. Essential to the problems.  
Women: 1.1 mg functioning of Vitamin
B6 and Niacin. Overdose: See Vitamin
B1.
Niacin Mushrooms, Needed in many Deficiency:
Vitamin B3 Bran, Tuna, enzymes that convert In extreme cases,
Men: 16-23 mg Chicken, Beef, food to energy. Helps pellagra, a disease
Women: 14-16 Peanuts, enriched maintain a healthy characterized by
mg Grains. digestive tract and dermatitis, diarrhea and
Niacin is nervous system. In mouth sores.
converted to very large doses, lower  
niacinamide in cholesterol (large Overdose:
the body. doses should only be Hot flashes; ulcers; liver
taken under the advice disorders;
of a physician). high bloodsugar and uric
acid; cardiac arrythmias.
Pantothenic Abundant in Converts food to Deficiency:
Acid animal tissues, molecular forms. Unclear in humans.
Vitamin B5 whole grain Needed to
Men: 2.5 mg cereals and manufacture adrenal Overdose:  
Women: 2.5 mg legumes. hormones and See Vitamin B1.
chemicals that regulate
nerve function.
Vitamin B6 Animal protein Needed for protein Deficiency:
Pyridoxine foods, Spinach, metabolism and Anemia, irritability,
Men: 1.8 mg Broccoli, absorption, patches of itchy, scaling
Women: 1.5 mg Bananas. carbohydrate skin; convulsions.
 
metabolism. Helps
form red blood cells. Overdose:
Promotes nerve and Nerve damage.
brain function.
Vitamin B12 Found almost Builds genetic Deficiency:
Cyanocobalam exclusively in material. Helps form Pernicious anemia; nerve
in animal products. red blood cells. damage. (Note:
Men: 2 mcg Deficiency rare except in
Women: 2 mcg strict vegetarians, the
elderly or people with  
malabsorption disorders.)

Overdose:
See Vitamin B1.
Biotin Cheese, Egg, Needed for metabolism Deficiency:
60 mcg Yolk, Cauliflower, of glucose and Seborrhic dermatitis in
Peanut Butter formation of certain infants. Rare in adults,
fatty acids. Essential but can be induced by
for proper body consuming large amounts
chemistry. of egg whites - anorexia,  
nausea, vomiting, dry
scaly skin.

Overdose:
See Vitamin B1
Folic Green, leafy Essential for the Deficiency: Impaired cell Adequate
Acid(Folacin) vegetables, manufacture of genetic division; anemia; amounts of this
Men: 180-220 Orange Juice, material as well as diarrhea; gastrointestinal nutrient in the
mg organ Meats, protein metabolism upsets. first stage of
Women: 160- Sprouts. and red blood cell pregnancy may
190 mg formation. Overdose: Convulsions in reduce the
epileptics. May mask risks of neural
pernicious anemia (see tube birth
Vitamin B12 deficiency). defects.
Vitamin C Citrus Fruits, Antioxidant. Helps bind Deficiency: Muscle The antioxidant
Ascorbic Acid Strawberries, cells together and weakness, bleeding properties of
Men: 40 mg Broccoli, Green strengthens blood gums; easy bruising. In this nutrient
Women: 30 mg Peppers vessel walls. Helps extreme cases, scurvy. may be a factor
maintain healthy in reducing the
gums. Aids in the Overdose: Unknown. risk of certain
absorption of iron. forms of
cancer. May
reduce the
effects of the
common cold.
Minerals in organic products essential for body functions.
Calcium Milk, Yogurt, Helps build strong Deficiency: Rickets in
Men: 800 - Cheese, Sardines, bones and teeth. children; osteomalacia
1000 mg Broccoli, Turnip Promotes muscle and (soft bones) and
Women: 700- Greens. nerve function. Helps osteoporosis in adults.
800 mg blood to clot. Helps
activate enzymes  
Overdose:Constipation,
needed to convert food Kidney Stones, calcium
to energy. deposits in body tissues.
Hinders absorption of iron
and other minerals.
Phosphorus Chicken Breast, With calcium builds Deficiency: (Rare)
Men: 1000 mg Milk, Lentils, Egg bones and teeth. Weakness; bone pain;
Women: 850 Yolks, Nuts, Needed for Anorexia.
mg (3-6 g) Cheese metabolism, body  
chemistry, nerve and Overdose: Hinders
muscle function. body's absorption of
calcium.
Magnesium Spinach, Beef Activates enzymes Deficiency: Nausea,
Men: 230 - 250 Greens, Broccoli, needed to release irritability, muscle
mg Tofu, Popcorn, energy in body. weakness; twitching;
Women: 200 - Cashews, Wheat Needed by cells for cramps, cardiac
210 mg Bran genetic material and arrhythmias.
bone growth.
Overdose: Nausea,
 
vomiting, low blood
pressure, nervous system
disorders.

Warning: Overdose can
be fatal to people with
kidney disease.
Potassium Peanuts, Helps maintain regular Deficiency: Nausea,
Men: 40-80 Bananas, Orange fluid balance. Needed anorexia, muscle
mmol Juice, Green for nerve and muscle weakness, irritability.
Women: 40-80 Beans, function. (Occurs most often in
mmol (3-6 g) Mushrooms, persons with prolonged  
Oranges, diarrhea.)
Broccoli,
Sunflower Seeds. Overdose:
Rare.
Iron  Liver, lean Meats, Essential for making Deficiency:  
(Elemental) Kidney beans, hemoglobin, the red Skin pallor; weakness;
Men: 8-10 mg enriched Bread, substance in blood that fatigue; headaches;
Women: 8-13 Raisins. acrries oxygen to body shortness of breath (all
mg Note: Oxalic acid cells. signs of iron-deficiency
in spinach hinders anemia)
iron absorption.
Overdose:
Toxic buildup in liver and
in rare instances theheart.
Zinc Oysters, Shrimp, Necessary element in Deficiency:
Men: 12 mg Crab, Beef, more than 100 Slow healing of wounds;
Women: 9 mg Turkey, whole enzymes that are loss of taste; retarded
Grains, Peanuts, essential to digestion growth and delayed
Beans. and metabolism. sexual development in
children.  

Overdose:
Nausea, vomiting;
diarrhea; abdominal pain;
gastric bleeding.
Selenium Adequate Antioxidant. Interacts Deficiency: Unknown in
0.05-0.2 mg amounts are with VitaminE to humans.
found in Seafood, prevent breakdown of
Kidney, Liver and fats and body Overdose:
other meats. chemicals. Finger nail changes, hair  
Grains and other loss.
Seed contain
varying amounts
depending on the
soil content.
Copper The richest Component of several Deficiency: 
2-3 mg sources of copper enzymes, including on Rare in adults. Infants
in the diet are needed to make skin, may develop a type of
Liver and other hair and other anemia marked by
organ Meats, pigments. Stimulates abnormal development of
Seafoods, Nuts iron absorption. bones, nerve tissue and  
and Seeds. Needed to make red lungs.
blood cells, connective
tissue and nerve Overdose: 
fibres. Liver disease; vomiting;
diarrhea.
Manganese Tea, whole Grains Needed for normal Deficiency: Unknown in
2-5 mg and Cereal tendon and bone humans.
products are the structure. Component
richest dietary of some enzymes Overdose: Generally
sources. important in results from inhalation of  
Adequate metabolism. manganese containing
amounts are dust or fumes, not dietary
found in Fruits ingestion.
and Vegetables.
Molybdenum The concentration Component of Deficiency: Unknown in
0.15-0.3 mg in food varies enzymes needed in humans.
depending on the metabolism. Helps
environment in regulate iron storage. Overdose:
which the food Gout-like joint pain.  
was grown. Milk,
Beans, Breads
and Cereals
contribute the
highest amounts.