Hello everyone, for today’s post 27 Reasons Vitamins and Minerals Are Important!
If you are keen to find out the key to feel younger, live longer, with all the many different health benefits keep on reading.
Nutrition is essential for both our minds and bodies to function properly. This should really come as no surprise but do you know why we all need this. All the right kinds of Vitamins and Minerals? The benefits are a lot more clear than we think.
Having a deficiency for any kind of mineral or vitamin can be quite apparent.
Each kind of nutrient has its own unique characteristics and function within the human body.
There are mainly 13 different vitamins and 13 minerals the body needs on a basic level to function properly? 26 altogether but I will add two extra to complete this list. There are most certainly others I will not be mentioning today. If you are reading this and you feel there is anything I have left out please let me know in the comments.
Although, officially I think this is pretty much it 26 altogether that are vital to human health.
So without further ado.
28 Reasons Vitamins and Minerals Are Important!
Let’s Begin With Vitamins
We need vitamins to help our bodies to function properly. They help us to fight off diseases, absorb important minerals and are crucial for some of our body’s most important functions.
Unfortunately, our bodies do not produce them naturally. We need to get them from either food or supplements. Unless it is Vitamin D which we mostly get from Sunlight.
Altogether, these 13 vitamins that we need the most are as follows :
| Vitamin A, | Vitamin B9, |
| Vitamin B1, | Vitamin B12, |
| Vitamin B2, | Vitamin C, |
| Vitamin B3, | Vitamin D |
| Vitamin B5, | Vitamin D3, |
| Vitamin B6 | Vitamin E, |
| Vitamin B7, | Vitamin K |
So, you’ve likely heard of most (if not all) of these but…
28 Reasons Vitamins and Minerals Are Important!
What Does Each Vitamin Do For The Body
Let’s begin with…
1# – Vitamin A
Gives your skin a healthy glow,
Eye health and vision
Bone Health and Growth,
Immune Function,
Promotes cell growth.
2# Vitamin B1 – Thiamine
Found in lots of foods like cereals, it’s water-soluble.
We get a lot of our energy from this vitamin.
It also helps our muscles to contract.
3# – Vitamin B 2 (Riboflavin)
All the B vitamins help turn our food into energy.
This one also helps new cells to form.
4# -Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
This one is water-soluble and helps with our metabolism by converting food into energy,
Also, helps with the nervous system.
5# Vitamin B5 – Pantholenic Acid
This is another water-soluble vitamin that has a few roles in the body,
One is cell formation,
It helps make various hormones,
Helps the nervous system to function properly,
It turns food into energy,
Aids synthesis with co-enzyme – Vitamin A.
6# – Vitamin B6 – Pyrodoxine
Water-soluble vitamin,
Helps metabolism,
Important for brain development,
Used for cell formation,
Essential for hormone production
Plays a role in the immune and nervous systems.
7# – Vitamin B7 – Biotin,
Another water-soluble B vitamin,
Helps with cell signalling,
Energy metabolism,
Gene regulation,
and helps the nervous system to function optimum ally.
8# – Vitamin B9 – Folate
This vitamin is usually given to women when they are pregnant.
It helps to prevent neural tube defects.
Also, it helps you to have a healthy pregnancy.
Other reasons for it are DNA production,
Cell formation, and division.
As well as helping with protein metabolism.
9# – Vitamin B12 – Cobalamin
One of the most important vitamins that the body needs.
Vital for brain function,
Keeps blood cells healthy
and helps to produce DNA.
Also, helps the nervous system.
10# – Vitamin C (Asorbic acid)
Is needed for Calcium Absorption
Has antioxidant properties.
Helps immune function,
Protein metabolism,
Collagen production,
and free radical scavenging.
11 – Vitamin D
This one is Fat-soluble and it is one of the most important vitamins for our overall health.
It is not actually a “vitamin” in the true sense of the word.
It is more of a hormone, and we can get it from food or the sun shining on our skin.
12# – Vitamin D3 – Cholecalciferol
Reduces inflammation,
Supports immune function,
Cell growth,
Helps with calcium absorption,
Bone growth, and repair.
13# – Vitamin E
Is an antioxidant that widens blood vessels,
Prevents blood clots,
and helps immune function.
14# – Vitamin K
Needed for blood clotting
Healing wounds
Keeps bones healthy
Why Do We Need Vitamins – Short Summary
There is a recommended daily amount to have of all of these vitamins. It is slightly higher for men than women. The one vitamin that has the greatest effect if you are deficient in it is, Vitamin C. Scurvy is something sailors suffered from after long periods at sea.
If you get the chance check out this article on National Geographic it is very interesting.
Symptoms of scurvy include decreased red blood cells, gum disease, feelings of fatigue, and bleeding from sores on the skin.
It is not a pretty sight.
Being deficient in any of the vitamins can cause all sorts of other health problems. That’s why it is important to eat the right foods.
These include Vegetables, Fruit, Herbs, and Spices, or take supplements to keep yourself healthy.
The Importance Of Minerals
Minerals are the nutrients that exist in the body and are as essential to life as is oxygen, carbon and hydrogen to sustain life.
As a whole Minerals can be found in organic and inorganic combinations in food. Only 5% of the human body weight is made of mineral matter, necessary for all of our mental & physical processes as well as our total well-being.
They are the most important factors in maintaining all physiological processes. These include teeth, bones, tissues, blood, muscle, and nerve cells.
Also, they are necessary for the transmission of messages through the nervous system, digestion, & metabolism or utilization of all nutrients in foods.
Vitamins cannot be properly assimilated without the correct balance of minerals.
| Calcium | Sulphur |
| Iron | Manganese |
| Magnesium | Copper |
| Zinc | Sodium |
| Potassium | Chloride |
| Selenium | Iodine |
| Phosphate | Chromium |
As with the Vitamins above,
I will elaborate on the importance of each Mineral in a list below;
15# Calcium
Helps our Blood To Clot
Our Heart To Beat
Makes Our Muscles Contract
and is Essential for Bone Health
16# – Zinc
Vital for Immune Function
Creating Protein
and DNA Synthesis
Helps the body to absorb and utilize Vitamin A
17# – Magnesium
Supports Immune System
Regulates Blood Pressure
Important for Nerve Function
Needed for the Immune System
Plays a role in 300+ Enzymatic Reactions
18# – Selenium
Needed for Reproduction
Thyroid Function
Protection from Free Radicals
DNA Production
19# – Iron
Needed for growth and development
Carrying Oxygen around the Body
and For the Creation of Red Blood Cells
20# – Potassium
One of the most important minerals the human body requires
Regulates fluids including water
Essential for muscle and nerve function
Import for Kidneys, Bone Health and Cardiovascular System
21# – Phosphate (Phosphorus)
Helps build strong teeth and bones
Filters out Kidneys
Important for muscle recovery and general muscle health
Balances out Blood PH levels
22# – Sulfur (Sulphur)
Builds and Repairs DNA and Cells
Helps flush out Toxic Waste and Free Radicals
Contributes to the health of Skin, Tendons and Ligaments
Also, Important for Metabolic Processes
23# – Manganese
Needed for Carbohydrate Metabolism
Blood Glucose Metabolism
Balancing Out and Creating Sex Hormones
Calcium Absorption
24# – Sodium (Salt)
Needed in adequate amounts to Balance Fluids and Minerals
Plays a vital role in muscle and nerve function
25# – Chloride
Helps maintain correct volume of fluids inside and outside of cells
Maintain Blood Volume and Blood Pressure
As well as pH of Bodily Fluids
26# – Iodine
Essential for Thyroid Function
Needed for Regulation of T3 and T4 Thyroid Hormones
27# – Copper
Forms Collagen
Improves the Health of Hair, Skin and Nails
Creates RBCs and Helps The Body Absorb Iron
Supports Immune System.
28# – Chromium
Needed by the body in very small quantities
Enhances Insulin Sensitivity
Assists with Metabolism of Carbs, Lipids and Proteins.
In Conclusion –
28 Reasons Vitamins and Minerals Are Important!
So as you can see we all need minerals like we do vitamins to work effectively.
Minerals are extremely important in keeping the blood and tissue fluids from either becoming too acidic or too alkaline. They also allow other nutrients to pass into the bloodstream. Help in transporting nutrients to the cells. They also draw chemicals in and out of the cells.
A slight change in the blood concentration of important minerals can rapidly endanger life.
Minerals are often discussed separately, but it is important to remember that their actions within the body are interrelated; no single mineral can function without the others. If you are deficient in any of the minerals you can feel very run down and it occurs very rapidly.
You should eat a diet high in leafy green vegetables, fruits, and whole grains in order to keep your mineral content up.
If these are not your favourite foods, there are many supplements around that can replace the lost Minerals.
My Final Thoughts
The biggest takeaway from this article should be that our bodies really need these vitamins and mineral combinations.
This is because the body cannot produce them of its own accord.
Either eat the correct types of food to give them to your body or take supplements to give the body what it really needs.
YOUR FEEDBACK
I wish to thank you for taking the time out of your busy day to read this article. If, you have a question or a comment then please feel free to leave them below. I love to hear from you all and I will get back to you.
If, you know anyone else who would benefit from reading this then please feel free to share it using the social media buttons at the top of this article.
Take great care of yourself because you are worth it.
Alexander B Chivers
DynamicIdeas4life.com
Originally published by Lisa Harvey of HealthyMindHealthyPeople.com
Health Disclaimer:
Please speak to a doctor before taking supplements of any kind. Everyone is different and what works well for one may not necessarily work for another. This post is not intended to diagnose or treat you in any way.
It’s for information purposes only. I’m not a medical doctor or professional. I just really enjoy writing and researching articles just like this one.
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