If you were asked now, could you explain what micronutrients are? No? Then our article is just right for you. We will show you what micronutrients are, why our body needs them and how much of each nutrients are optimal for you.
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From the ship to the modern plate
A few centuries ago, British sailors made a rather painful and dangerous discovery: if they were at sea for long periods of time, they would experience the consequences of not eating fresh fruit and vegetables: scurvy. This vitamin deficiency disease, caused by no or insufficient intake of vitamin C, leads to listlessness, bleeding gums and even death.
An example of how important micronutrients - which also include vitamins - are for our organism.
The term micronutrients generally refers to vitamins and minerals. In addition to micronutrients, there are also macronutrients, which include proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Since our body needs less of the first group, they are referred to as "micro". And because our body cannot produce most of the important vitamins and minerals itself, it has to get them from food.
The micronutrient content of each food varies, so a balanced and varied diet is the basis for ensuring an adequate supply.
Micronutrients: An overview
Vitamins and minerals are not only vital for growth, a functioning immune system, brain development and many other important functions, they also play an important role in preventing and combating various diseases.
The four categories we want to talk about in this article are water-soluble vitamins, fat-soluble vitamins, macro- and trace elements. We will also touch on the essential amino acids. We have already provided you with detailed information on the essential omega-3 fatty acids elsewhere.
Let’s take a closer look at the different groups and their importance for the body.
The water-soluble vitamins
Most vitamins dissolve in water and are therefore called water-soluble. And because our bodies cannot store them well, they are flushed out in the urine if we consume too much.
Although each water-soluble vitamin has a unique role, their functions are fundamentally related. For example, most B vitamins act as coenzymes that assist in important chemical reactions. Here is an overview of all water-soluble vitamins for you, including the functions they perform in your body:
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine): Helps convert nutrients into energy.
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): Necessary for energy production, cell function and fat metabolism.
- Vitamin B3 (niacin): Promotes the production of energy from food.
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): Necessary for fatty acid synthesis.
- Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine): Helps your body release sugar from stored carbohydrates for energy and to form red blood cells.
- Vitamin B7 (biotin): Plays a role in the metabolism of fatty acids, amino acids and glucose.
- Vitamin B9 (folate): Important for proper cell division.
- Vitamin B12 (cobalamin): Necessary for the formation of red blood cells and the proper functioning of the nervous system and brain.
- Vitamin C (ascorbic acid): Required for the formation of neurotransmitters and collagen, the main protein in your skin.
Now that we see how important the group of water-soluble vitamins is, the question arises: What do we need to eat to get enough of them? The following tables show the reference values for nutrient intake recommended by the German Nutrition Society:
|
nutrient |
Included in |
Recommended daily intake Adults > 19 years |
|
|
m |
w |
||
|
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) |
Whole grain products, meat, fish |
1.3 mg |
1.0 mg |
|
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) |
Various types of meat, eggs, milk |
1.4 mg |
up to 1.1 mg |
|
Vitamin B3 (niacin) |
Meat, salmon, leafy vegetables, beans |
16 mg |
13 mg |
|
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) |
Meat, mushrooms, tuna, avocado |
6.0 mg |
6.0 mg |
|
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) |
Fish, milk, carrots, potatoes |
1.6 mg |
1.4 mg |
|
Vitamin B7 (biotin) |
Eggs, almonds, spinach, sweet potatoes |
40ug |
40 ug |
|
Vitamin B9 (folate) |
Beef, liver, black-eyed peas, spinach, asparagus |
300ug |
300ug |
|
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) |
Mussels, fish, meat |
4.0ug |
4.0 ug |
|
Vitamin C (ascorbic acid |
Citrus fruits, peppers, Brussels sprouts |
110 mg |
95mg |
Fat-soluble vitamins
This group of vitamins is not water soluble and is best absorbed when consumed with a fatty food. After consumption, they are stored in the liver and fatty tissue for later use.
Here is an overview of the fat-soluble vitamins:
- Vitamin A: Necessary for proper vision and organ function.
- Vitamin D: Promotes proper immune function and supports calcium absorption and bone growth.
- Vitamin E: Supports immune function and acts as an antioxidant that protects cells from damage.
- Vitamin K : Needed for blood clotting and proper bone development.
The following table shows the DGE’s recommendations for the consumption of various foods that contain fat-soluble vitamins:
|
nutrient |
Included in |
Recommended daily intake Adults > 19 years |
|
|
m |
w |
||
|
Vitamin A |
Retinol (liver, dairy products, fish), carotenoids (sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach) |
850 ug |
700 ug |
|
Vitamin D |
Sunlight, fish oil, milk |
20 ug |
20 ug |
|
Vitamin E |
Sunflower seeds, wheat germ, almonds |
15 mg |
12 mg |
|
Vitamin K |
Leafy vegetables, meat, eggs |
110ug |
110ug |
Quantity elements
Minerals that occur in a food with more than 50 mg per kilogram are called macroelements. They perform specific tasks in your body:
- Calcium : Necessary for the proper structure and function of bones and teeth. Supports muscle function and blood vessel contraction.
- Phosphorus: Component of bone and cell membrane structure.
- Magnesium : Helps in over 300 enzyme reactions, including regulating blood pressure.
- Sodium: Electrolyte that helps maintain fluid balance and blood pressure.
- Chloride: Often found in combination with sodium. Helps maintain fluid balance and is used to produce digestive juices.
- Potassium : Electrolyte that maintains fluid status in cells and helps in nerve transmission and muscle function.
Here is the recommendation issued by the DGE:
|
nutrient |
Included in |
Recommended daily intake Adults > 19 years |
|
|
m |
w |
||
|
Calcium |
Dairy products, leafy vegetables, broccoli |
1200 mg |
1200 mg |
|
phosphorus |
Salmon, yogurt, turkey |
1250 mg |
1250 mg |
|
magnesium |
Almonds, cashews, black beans |
400mg |
350 mg |
|
sodium |
Salt, processed foods, canned soup |
1500 mg |
1500 mg |
|
chloride |
Seaweed, salt, celery |
2300mg |
2300 mg |
|
potassium |
Lentils, acorn squash, bananas |
4000 mg |
4000 mg |
Trace elements
You have probably heard the term many times and perhaps wondered what exactly it means. Trace elements are minerals and as such are responsible for many important processes:
- Iron: Helps supply oxygen to the muscles and supports the production of certain hormones.
- Manganese: Supports carbohydrate, amino acid and cholesterol metabolism.
- Copper : Required for the formation of connective tissue and for the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system. 24
- Zinc : Required for normal growth, immune function and wound healing.
- Iodine : Supports thyroid regulation.
- Fluoride: Necessary for the development of bones and teeth.
- Selenium : Important for thyroid health, reproduction and defense against oxidative damage.
To ensure sufficient supply of trace elements, the DGE recommends the following foods:
|
nutrient |
Included in |
Recommended daily intake Adults > 19 years |
|
|
m |
w |
||
|
iron |
Oysters, red meat, spinach |
12mg |
15 mg |
|
manganese |
Pineapple, pecans, peanuts |
5.0 mg |
5.0 mg |
|
copper |
Liver, shrimp, cashew nuts |
1.5mg |
1.5mg |
|
zinc |
Oysters, crabs, chickpeas |
11 - 16 mg * |
7 – 10mg * |
|
iodine |
Seaweed, cod, yoghurt |
200 ug |
200 ug |
|
fluoride |
Fruit juice, water, shrimp |
3.8mg |
3.1 mg |
|
selenium |
Brazil nuts, sardines, ham |
70 ug |
60 ug |
|
chrome |
Oranges, apples, broccoli |
100 ug |
100 ug |
|
molybdenum |
Legumes, grains and organ meat |
100 ug |
100 ug |
a mg/day, b µg/day, d The absorption of zinc in adults is influenced by the phytate content of the diet.
A brief excursion to the essential amino acids
The body needs to build proteins. To do this, it needs 20 different amino acids. These are called proteinogenic (“protein-producing”). The body cannot synthesize eight of these. They need to be regularly supplied through food to avoid deficiency symptoms.
The essential amino acids perform a number of important and diverse functions in your body:
- Phenylalanine: Is a precursor for the neurotransmitters tyrosine, dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. Plays an essential role in the structure and function of proteins and enzymes as well as in the production of other amino acids.
- Valine: One of the three branched-chain amino acids. Helps stimulate muscle growth and recovery and is involved in energy production.
- Threonine: Main component of structural proteins such as collagen and elastin, which are important components of skin and connective tissue. Also plays a role in lipid metabolism and immune function.
- Tryptophan: Needed to maintain nitrogen balance and is a precursor to serotonin, a neurotransmitter that regulates appetite, sleep and mood.
- Methionine: Plays an important role in metabolism and detoxification. It is also necessary for tissue growth and the absorption of zinc and selenium.
- Leucine: Helps regulate blood sugar levels, stimulates wound healing and produces growth hormones.
- Isoleucine: Is involved in muscle metabolism and is highly concentrated in muscle tissue. It is also important for immune function, hemoglobin production and energy regulation.
- Lysine: Plays an important role in protein synthesis, hormone and enzyme production, and calcium absorption. It is also important for energy production, immune function, and the production of collagen and elastin.
Here is the daily requirement per kilogram of body weight recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO):
|
amino acid |
Included in |
||
|
Phenylalanine |
Milk and dairy products such as cheese, yoghurt and cottage cheese, eggs, meat, fish, pulses such as peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas |
25mg |
|
|
Valine |
26mg |
||
|
Threonine |
15mg |
||
|
Tryptophan |
4mg |
||
|
Methionine |
10.4mg |
||
|
Leucin |
39mg |
||
|
Isoleucine |
20mg |
||
|
Lysine |
30mg |
You see, essential amino acids are at the heart of many vital processes, so a deficiency can negatively impact your entire body, including your nervous, reproductive, immune and digestive systems.
The health benefits of micronutrients
There is no question that all micronutrients are extremely important for the smooth functioning of your body. They are involved in all processes in the body and can even act as antioxidants to protect your cells from damage.
In fact, a 2014 study suggests that adequate intake of vitamins A and C may reduce the risk of certain types of cancer.
A 2014 review even shows that adequate intake of vitamins E, C and A is associated with a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease.
When it comes to the role of minerals in fighting disease, research has linked low levels of selenium to an increased risk of heart disease. A review of observational studies published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that when blood selenium concentrations increased by 50%, the risk of heart disease decreased by 24%.
Also, an analysis of 22 studies published in 2015 found that adequate calcium intake could reduce the risk of death from heart disease.
And although all studies conducted indicate that consuming adequate amounts of micronutrients offers a wide range of health benefits, many people still suffer from micronutrient deficiencies .
Conclusion: Micronutrients - Not so micro in their importance
Micronutrients are divided into water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins as well as macro and trace elements. They are involved in all of the body's processes and are an indispensable aid in the fight against disease.
To prevent a deficiency, a healthy and varied diet is recommended. If for some reason you are unable to cover your micronutrient requirements through your diet, a high-quality dietary supplement may be an option for you.
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[32] https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/L-tryptophan
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[34] https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/L-leucine
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[36] https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/L-lysine
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