Are You Getting All the Vitamins You Need?
Experts agree that the best way to get the vitamins
you need is through a balanced diet. Eating a variety
of foods also will give you the other nutrients you
need to stay healthy.
Research does suggest that some people may benefit
from taking a multivitamin. These include:
- pregnant women and nursing mothers
- older adults
- vegetarians
- frequent aspirin takers
- heavy drinkers
- smokers.
If you think you may need a supplement, talk to your
doctor. How much of a particular vitamin you need depends
on many factors. These include your age,
weight, activity level, family history, general health,
and stress level.
But beware of taking too much of any vitamin. Megadoses
of some, such as vitamins A, D, E, and K, can be toxic.
Daily Vitamin Requirements
Included here are the current Recommended Dietary
Allowances (RDAs) for 11 important vitamins. These recommendations
come from the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute
of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences. Foods that
are good sources of these vitamins also are noted. Check
to see if you are eating some or all of the foods listed
for each vitamin on a regular basis. If you are, you're
probably getting enough of that vitamin. If not, you
might consider adding some of those foods to your diet.
Vitamin A
- Promotes good vision and prevents eye diseases
- Keeps skin healthy
- Boosts development of bones and teeth in children
- Strengthens the immune system to fight off disease
Recommended Dietary Allowances
Ages 1 to 3: 400 mcg*
Ages 4 to 6: 500 mcg
Ages 7 to 10: 700 mcg
- Women, age 11 and older: 800 mcg
- Men, age 11 and older: 1,000 mcg
- Pregnant women: 800 mcg
- Nursing mothers
During the first six months: 1,300 mcg
During the second six months: 1,200 mcg
Good Food Sources: sweet potatoes; carrots; broccoli;
red peppers; spinach; tomatoes; liver; fish; egg yolks;
milk and other dairy products.
*Vitamin recommendations sometimes are listed in
micrograms and sometimes in milligrams. There are 1,000
micrograms (mcg) in every milligram (mg).
Vitamin B1, or Thiamin
- Converts carbohydrates into energy
- Keeps the heart, muscles, and nervous system healthy
Recommended Dietary Allowances
Ages 1 to 3: 0.5 mg
Ages 4 to 8: 0.6 mg
Ages 9 to 13: 0.9 mg
Ages 14 to 18: 1.0 mg
Age 19 and older: 1.1 mg
- Men, age 14 and older: 1.2 mg
- Pregnant women: 1.4 mg
- Nursing mothers: 1.5 mg
Good Food Sources: whole-wheat bread and other whole-grain
products; enriched cereals and breads; oranges; potatoes;
wheat germ; brown rice; dried beans; milk; eggs; fish;
liver; pork; peanuts.
Vitamin B2, or Riboflavin
- Helps break down food
- Assists in producing red blood cells
Recommended Dietary Allowances
Ages 1 to 3: 0.5 mg
Ages 4 to 8: 0.6 mg
Ages 9 to 13: 0.9 mg
Ages 14 to 18: 1.0 mg
Age 19 and older: 1.1 mg
- Men, age 14 and older: 1.3 mg
- Pregnant women: 1.4 mg
- Nursing mothers: 1.6 mg
Good Food Sources: milk; cheese; yogurt; avocados;
chicken; liver; eggs; spinach, broccoli, and other leafy
green vegetables; whole-wheat bread; enriched cereals,
breads, and pastas.
Vitamin B3, or Niacin
- Converts carbohydrates and fats into energy
- Keeps the nervous and digestive system functioning
properly
- Maintains healthy skin
Recommended Dietary Allowances
Ages 1 to 3: 6 mg
Ages 4 to 8: 8 mg
Ages 9 to 13: 12 mg
- Women, age 14 and older: 14 mg
- Men, age 14 and older: 16 mg
- Pregnant women: 18 mg
- Nursing mothers: 17 mg
Good Food Sources: whole-wheat bread and other whole-grain
products; enriched breads and cereals; beef, liver,
and chicken; nuts and peanut butter; dried beans; salmon;
peas.
Vitamin B6, or Pyridoxine
- Helps the body use proteins, fats, and carbohydrates
- Maintains healthy skin
- Helps produce red blood cells and antibodies
Recommended Dietary Allowances
Ages 1 to 3: 0.5 mg
Ages 4 to 8: 0.6 mg
Ages 9 to 13: 1.0 mg
Ages 14 to 18: 1.2 mg
Ages 19 to 50: 1.3 mg
Age 51 and older: 1.5 mg
Ages 14 to 50: 1.3 mg
Age 51 and older: 1.7 mg
- Pregnant women: 1.9 mg
- Nursing mothers: 2.0 mg
Good Food Sources: whole-wheat bread and other whole-grain
products; bananas; potatoes; spinach; fish; dried beans;
brown rice; walnuts and other nuts; chicken, liver,
and pork; wheat germ.
Vitamin B12, or Cobalamin
- Promotes red blood cell development
- Keeps the nervous system functioning
- Helps produce the genetic material of cells, which
the body uses to grow and develop
Recommended Dietary Allowances
Ages 1 to 3: 0.9 mcg
Ages 4 to 8: 1.2 mcg
Ages 9 to 13: 1.8 mcg
- Adults, age 14 and older: 2.4 mcg
- Pregnant women: 2.6 mcg
- Nursing mothers: 2.8 mcg
After age 50, the body may have trouble absorbing
the type of vitamin B12 found naturally in food. The
Institute of Medicine advises that adults older than
age 50 meet their requirement with synthetic B12 found
in fortified foods or in supplements.
Good Food Sources: shellfish; tuna; chicken and liver;
yogurt; eggs; milk, cheese, and other dairy products;
enriched cereals, breads, and pastas.
Folate, a B Vitamin
- Helps manufacture the genetic material in cells
- Keeps the nervous system functioning properly
- Reduces risk of some birth defects
- Helps produce red blood cells
Recommended Dietary Allowances
Ages 1 to 3: 150 mcg
Ages 4 to 8: 200 mcg
Ages 9 to 13: 300 mcg
- Adults, age 14 and older: 400 mcg, plus 400 mcg folic
acid*
- Pregnant women: 600 mcg
- Nursing mothers: 500 mcg
*To protect against birth defects, the Institute
of Medicine recommends that women get extra folate during
their reproductive years. Since it can be difficult
to get this much folate from food, the Institute suggests
getting 400 micrograms from folic acid, which is the
synthetic form of folate. Folic acid is found in vitamin
and mineral supplements. It also is found in fortified
foods such as cereals, pastas, breads, and rice.
Good Food Source: mushrooms; bananas; liver; egg
yolks; lentils, beans, and peanuts; enriched breads,
cereals, and pastas; leafy green vegetables, including
spinach, asparagus, broccoli, and romaine lettuce; oranges,
orange juice, and other citrus fruits and juices.
Vitamin C
- Keeps bones, ligaments, teeth, and gums healthy
- Helps the body respond to infections and heal wounds
Recommended Dietary Allowances
Ages 1 to 3: 15 mg
Ages 4 to 8: 25 mg
Ages 9 to 13: 45 mg
Ages 14 to 18: 65 mg
Age 19 and older: 75 mg
Ages 14 to 18: 75 mg
Age 19 and older: 90 mg
Age 18 and younger: 80 mg
Ages 19 to 50: 85 mg
Age 18 and younger: 115 mg
Ages 19 to 50: 120 mg
Smokers should get an additional 35 milligrams of
vitamin C a day. That's because smoking causes cellular
damage.
High intakes of vitamin C may cause diarrhea. For
this reason, the Institute of Medicine recommends that
adults age 19 and older consume no more than 2,000 milligrams
of vitamin C a day.
Good Food Sources: oranges, orange juice, and other
citrus fruits and juices; strawberries; cantaloupes;
tomatoes; leafy green vegetables, such as spinach and
broccoli; peppers; potatoes; cauliflower; cabbage.
Vitamin D
- Helps the body absorb calcium to build strong bones
and teeth
- May reduce risk of osteoporosis
Adequate Intakes
- Children, ages 1 to 18: 5 mcg
- Adults
Ages 19 to 50: 5 mcg
Ages 51 to 70: 10 mcg
Age 71 and older: 15 mcg
- Pregnant women: 5 mcg
- Nursing mothers: 5 mcg
Most people get all the vitamin D they need each
day from exposure to the sun. They do not need extra
vitamin D from food sources. For this reason, the Food
and Nutrition Board has not established Recommended
Dietary Allowances for vitamin D. Instead, a figure
called “Adequate Intake” (AI) is used.
The AI for adults age 51 and older is higher than
the AI for younger people. That's because older people
may not get enough sunlight. When this is the case,
they need to obtain more vitamin D from foods or supplements.
Good Food Sources: Sunlight is one of the best sources
of vitamin D. These foods also are good sources: milk
and other dairy products; oily fish, such as sardines,
herring, salmon, and tuna; egg yolks; liver.
Vitamin E
- Helps the body form red blood cells
Recommended Dietary Allowances
Ages 1 to 3: 6 mg
Ages 4 to 8: 7 mg
Ages 9 to 13: 11 mg
- Adults, age 14 and older: 15 mg
- Pregnant women: 15 mg
- Nursing mothers: 19 mg
High doses of vitamin E can be dangerous, particularly
for people with high blood pressure. For this reason,
the Institute of Medicine recommends that adults age
19 and older consume no more than 1,000 mg of vitamin
E a day.
Good Food Sources: whole-wheat bread and other whole-grain
products; vegetable oils and margarine; leafy green
vegetables; beans; beef; egg yolks; seeds; nuts; wheat
germ; avocados; prunes.
Vitamin K
- Assists in blood clotting
- Helps the body maintain strong bones
Recommended Dietary Allowances
Ages 1 to 3: 15 mcg
Ages 4 to 6: 20 mcg
Ages 7 to 10: 30 mcg
Ages 11 to 14: 45 mcg
Ages 15 to 18: 55 mcg
Ages 19 to 24: 60 mcg
Age 25 and older: 65 mcg
Ages 11 to 14: 45 mcg
Ages 15 to 18: 65 mcg
Ages 19 to 24: 70 mcg
Age 25 and older: 80 mcg
- Pregnant women: 65 mcg
- Nursing mothers: 65 mcg
Recent research suggests that people may need intakes
well above the recommended levels to enhance bone formation
and maintain bone density. Talk with your doctor about
how much vitamin K is right for you.
Good Food Sources: leafy green vegetables, such as
spinach, kale, and broccoli; vegetable oils; cheese;
egg yolks; pork and liver.
Eat a balanced diet that contains a variety of foods.
That way you will probably get all the vitamins and
other nutrients you need. A balanced diet should include:
- Three to five servings of vegetables.
One serving equals:
1 cup of raw, leafy greens
1/2 cup of other vegetables.
- Two to four servings of fruits.
One serving equals:
One medium apple, orange, or banana
1/2 cup of small or diced fruit
3/4 cup of juice.
- Six to eleven servings of carbohydrates.
These include breads, cereals, rice, and pastas.
The following each count as one serving:
One slice of bread
Half of a bun, bagel, or English muffin
1 ounce of dry cereal
1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta.
- Two to three servings of dairy products,
such as milk, yogurt, and cheese.
One serving equals:
1 cup of milk or yogurt
About 1 1/2 ounces of cheese.
- Two to three servings of protein.
This includes meat, poultry, fish, dry beans and
peas, eggs, and nuts.
One serving equals:
3 ounces—the size of a deck of cards—of cooked lean
beef or chicken
One medium egg
1 cup of dry beans.
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