Daily Vitamin Requirements: Recommended Daily Vitamins

Natural vitamins are found in food substances, like plants and animals. The human body cannot make all vitamins by itself, they need to supplemented with a diet rich in vegetables, fruits and fresh meat. Vitamin deficiency is a major health concern in America. More than 65% of Americans fall below the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), as they rely more on processed food than a fresh intake of fruits and vegetables, which could furnish the daily vitamin requirements. Most processed foods provide no real nutrition to the body and are extremely low on the recommended daily vitamins. Processed food is responsible to increase fat build-up that is known to cause many diseases.

Vitamins are essential for growth, vitality, health, general wellness, and for boosting the immune system against many health problems and diseases. There are mainly two kinds of vitamins, that is water-soluble vitamins and fat-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble are absorbed by the intestine and carried through the bloodstream, and have to be taken in daily, as they cannot be stored by the body. Fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body, and need not be taken daily. While most humans require the same amount of vitamins; men, women, and children need different amounts to lead a healthy life. Recommended vitamins are measured through different ways: milligrams (mg), micrograms (mcg) 1,000 mcg = 1 mg, and International Units (IU).

Recommended Daily Vitamins

Vitamins	Women (RDA)	Men (RDA)
Vitamin A	700 mcg	900 mcg
Thiamin (B1)	1.1 mg	1.2 mg
Riboflavin (B2)	1.1 mg	1.3 mg
Niacin (B3)	14 mg	16 mg
Vitamin B6	1.3 mg	1.3 mg
Vitamin B12	2.4 mcg	2.4 mcg
Vitamin C	75 mg	90 mg
Vitamin D	5 mcg	5 mcg
Vitamin E	15 mg	15 mg
Vitamin K	90 mcg	120 mcg
Folate	400 mcg	400 mcg
Biotin	30 mcg	30 mcg

Minerals	Women (RDA)	Men (RDA)
Boron	2.5 mg	2.5 mg
Chromium	50-200 mcg	50-200 mcg
Calcium	800 mg	800 mg
Copper	1.5-3.0 mg	1.5-3.0 mg
Iron	15 mg	10 mg
Iodine	150 mcg	150 mcg
Zinc	12 mg	15 mg
Sodium	500 mg	500 mg
Manganese	2.5 mg	2.5 mg
Magnesium	320 mg	420 mg
Selenium	55 mcg	70 mcg
Potassium	2000 mg	2000 mg
Phosphorus	700 mg	700 mg

The above table contains generic information about the recommended daily vitamins intake, and can differ from place to place, as well as medical opinion to another. Although people are aware of health repercussions caused due to inadequate vitamin intake, they tend to ignore it. Many dietitians recommend vitamin supplementation in form of powder, or capsules. However, an overdose or excess vitamins in the body is also harmful. It is best to consult a medical practitioner, before deciding to supplement the loss of essential vitamins in the body. A good healthy dietary intake that comprises of numerous amounts of fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat, is all it takes to meet the body's daily vitamin requirements.