Quick answer Vitamin B5, also called pantothenic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin your body uses to turn food into energy and to make fatty acids, hormones, and red blood cells. Adults need about 5 mg a day, and it is found in almost every food, so deficiency from diet is virtually unheard of. Supplements are…
Quick answer Molybdenum is a trace mineral that helps enzymes break down sulfites, purines, and certain drugs and toxins. Adults need 45 micrograms (mcg) a day, and legumes, whole grains, nuts, and milk supply it. Deficiency is extraordinarily rare and is mainly a concern for people on long-term intravenous nutrition or with a rare genetic…
Quick answer Chromium is a trace mineral involved in how the body handles glucose. Adults need only about 25 to 35 micrograms (mcg) a day, and it is found in meat, whole grains, and some fruits and vegetables. It is heavily marketed as a supplement to improve blood sugar, support weight loss, and build muscle,…
Quick answer Manganese is a trace mineral your body uses for bone formation, energy metabolism, and antioxidant defense. Adults need about 2.3 mg a day (men) or 1.8 mg a day (women), and whole grains, nuts, legumes, leafy greens, and tea supply it easily. Deficiency from food is extremely rare. The real hazard is breathing…
Quick answer Copper is an essential trace mineral your body needs in very small amounts to make energy, build connective tissue, use iron, and defend cells against damage. Adults need about 900 micrograms (mcg) a day, and most people get enough from foods such as shellfish, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and liver. Deficiency is uncommon…
Quick answer Niacin, also called vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin the body uses to turn food into energy and to keep the skin, nerves, and digestive system healthy. Severe deficiency causes pellagra, a disease with the classic pattern of dermatitis, diarrhea, and dementia, which is now rare and mostly limited to very restricted diets….
Quick answer Riboflavin, also called vitamin B2, is a water-soluble vitamin the body uses to turn food into energy and to recycle other vitamins, including niacin, vitamin B6, and folate. True deficiency, called ariboflavinosis, is uncommon in well-nourished people but is seen with alcohol use, restrictive diets, and some medical conditions, and it produces distinctive…
Quick answer Thiamin, also called vitamin B1, is a water-soluble vitamin the body needs to turn carbohydrates into energy and to keep the nerves and heart working normally. Deficiency is rare in well-fed populations but still appears in specific groups: people with heavy alcohol use, people eating mainly refined grains or very limited diets, and…
Quick answer Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is a water-soluble vitamin that helps enzymes run more than a hundred reactions, including protein metabolism, red blood cell formation, and the making of brain chemicals like serotonin and dopamine. Deficiency is uncommon in people eating a varied diet, and when it happens it is usually linked to certain medications,…
Quick answer Iodine is an essential mineral the thyroid gland uses to make thyroid hormones, which control metabolism, growth, and brain development. Iodine deficiency is one of the most preventable causes of thyroid problems worldwide: it causes an enlarged thyroid called a goiter and, when severe in pregnancy, can harm the developing brain. In countries…