What is the difference between vitamins and minerals?
Vitamins and minerals are both considered micronutrients.
Unlike macronutrients, like carbohydrates, fat, and protein, which are required in large amounts, micronutrients are nutrients your body needs only in small quantities for healthy growth, development, and disease prevention.
That said, vitamins and minerals differ in the sense that:
Vitamins are organic substances. This means they’re made by plants or animals. They can be broken down by heat, air, or acid.
Minerals are inorganic substances. They’re naturally present in soil and water, and are absorbed by plants or consumed by animals. Minerals cannot be destroyed by heat, oxidation, etc.
Vitamins and minerals intake table
Vitamins
Vitamins fall into 2 categories:
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K): These dissolve in fat and tend to accumulate in the body.
Water-soluble vitamins (vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins): These dissolve in water. Your body can’t store these vitamins; it removes any excess B or C vitamins through urine. This means you need a fresh supply of these vitamins daily.
Learn each vitamin’s primary role in the body and Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or Adequate Intakes (AI) below:
Vitamin
Primary Role
RDA or AI
Women
Men
Fat-soluble
Vitamin A
Necessary for normal vision and organ function
700 micrograms
900 micrograms
Vitamin D
Promotes proper immune function and assists in calcium absorption and bone growth
15 micrograms
15 micrograms
Vitamin E
Assists immune function and acts as an antioxidant
15 milligrams
15 milligrams
Vitamin K
Required for blood clotting and proper bone development
90 micrograms
120 micrograms
Water-soluble
Vitamin B1 (thiamine)
Helps convert nutrients into energy
1.1 milligrams
1.2 milligrams
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)
Necessary for energy production, cell function, and fat metabolism
1.1 milligrams
1.3 milligrams
Vitamin B3 (niacin)
Drives the production of energy from food
14 milligrams
16 milligrams
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid)
Necessary for fatty acid synthesis
5 milligrams
5 milligrams
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine)
Helps the body release sugar from stored carbohydrates for energy
1.3 milligrams
1.3 milligrams
Vitamin B7 (biotin)
Plays a role in the metabolism of fatty acids, amino acids, and glucose
30 micrograms
30 micrograms
Vitamin B9 (folate)
Important for proper cell division
400 micrograms
400 micrograms
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin)
Necessary for red blood cell formation and proper nervous system function
2.4 micrograms
2.4 micrograms
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
Required for the creation of neurotransmitters and collagen, the most abundant protein in the human body
75 milligrams
90 milligrams
Minerals
Similar to vitamins, minerals fall into 2 categories: 1) macrominerals and 2) trace minerals.
Your body needs macrominerals in larger amounts — more than 100 milligrams daily — compared to trace minerals (typically between 0.2 to 15 milligrams daily).
Learn each mineral’s primary role in the body and Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or Adequate Intakes (AI) below:
Mineral
Primary Role
RDA or AI
Women
Men
Macromineral
Calcium
Necessary for proper structure and function of bones and teeth
1,200 milligrams
1,200 milligrams
Phosphorus
Part of bone and cell membrane structure
700 milligrams
700 milligrams
Magnesium
Assists with over 400 enzyme reactions, including regulation of blood pressure
320 milligrams
420 milligrams
Sodium
Aids fluid balance and maintenance of blood pressure
1,500 milligrams
1,500 milligrams
Chloride
Helps maintain fluid balance
2.3 grams
2.3 grams
Potassium
Helps with nerve transmission and muscle function
2,600 milligrams
2,600 milligrams
Sulfur
Part of every living tissue
N/A
N/A
Trace Mineral
Iron
Helps provide oxygen to muscles
18 milligrams
8 milligrams
Manganese
Assists in carbohydrate, amino acid, and cholesterol metabolism
1.8 milligrams
2.3 milligrams
Copper
Required for connective tissue formation
900 micrograms
900 micrograms
Zinc
Necessary for normal growth, immune function, and wound healing
8 milligrams
11 milligrams
Iodine
Assists in thyroid regulation
150 micrograms
150 micrograms
Fluoride
Necessary for the development of bones and teeth
3 milligrams
4 milligrams
Selenium
Important for reproduction and defense against oxidative damage
55 micrograms
55 micrograms
You do get vitamins and minerals in food, but …
“If your diet includes a wide variety of foods — including whole grains, low-fat dairy products, lean meats, fish, poultry, and fruits and vegetables — you’re probably getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.”
Well, not to scare you, but … not really.
See, while a healthy, well-balanced diet maximises your chances of meeting your body’s nutritional requirements, it doesn’t guarantee it because:
The nutritional values of crops have dropped. In this 2024 study, for example, researchers highlight the significant fall in sodium (29% to 49%), potassium (16% to 19%), magnesium (16% to 24%), calcium (16% to 46%), iron (24% to 27%), and copper (20% to 76%) content in fruits, vegetables, and food crops. Several factors are behind this nutrient decline. They include soil degradation, enhanced air and water pollution, global warming, and elevated carbon dioxide concentration.
We’re eating more processed foods. This doesn’t just refer to your “traditional” nutrient-poor ultra-processed foods like pre-packaged cookies. Instead, many modern processing food methods could negatively affect the nutritional quality of food. For example, fermentation, milling, and blanching all decrease foods’ vitamin and mineral concentrations.
Nutrient absorption slows down with age. Starting as early as in your 40s, your body’s absorption of vitamins and minerals declines due to a shift in gut bacterial composition, slower gastric emptying, and reduced energy production.
So, what can you do about this?
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Digestion-supporting pre and probiotics and digestive enzymes
Energy-boosting adaptogens, nootropics, and botanicals
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