Vitamins and minerals are essential for EVERYONE, not just weightlifters, fitness models or weight watchers.

We ingest vitamins and minerals with our food, and the body needs them in minute amounts. Different foods contain the various vitamins we need, so it’s important to have a varied diet to ensure you get enough.

Read Also: What To Eat To Lose Weight

Here is a list of vitamins and minerals with explanation why your body needs them. Also, I will list the food types you can get them from as well. This way, you can be sure to vary your diet appropriately.

IMPORTANT: Do not ingest more than the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for any vitamin and mineral. It means that if you take vitamin supplements along with regular food intake, it’s easy to overdo it, so be careful.

A List Of Essential Vitamins

– Vitamin A (Retinol) –

Why it’s needed : Body tissue, growth, and reproduction. Important for skin and hair

Found in : Liver, carrots, broccoli, spinach, cheese, fruits, and milk.

– Vitamin B1 (Thiamin) –

Why it’s needed : It helps release energy from the carbohydrates you ingest. Important for your nerves, muscles, and hearts health.

Found in : Whole grains, pork, nuts, sunflower seeds.

– Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) –

Why it’s needed : It helps release energy from the carbohydrates you ingest. Important for your nerves, muscles, and hearts health.

Found in : Whole grains, pork, nuts, sunflower seeds.

– Vitamin B3 (Niacin) –

Why it’s needed : Needed to metabolize energy. Important for skin and your digestion.

Found in : Liver, pork, poultry, fish, nuts, green leafy vegetables, whole grains, milk, and eggs.

Read Also: Whats A Good Breakfast To Lose Weight?

– Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic Acid) –

Why it’s needed : It helps against stress and is used for energy production. Important for skin and nerves.

Found in : Nuts, beans, seeds, green leafy vegetables, poultry, and milk.

– Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) –

Why it’s needed : Helps produce body tissue from protein. Release of glycogen from the liver and muscles. Important for red blood cell production.

Found in : Beans, sunflower seeds, poultry, liver, eggs, green leafy vegetables, and bananas.

– Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin) –

Why it’s needed : Formation of red blood cells. Functioning of nervous system. Important for growth in children.

Found in : Meat, fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs.

– Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) –

Why it’s needed : Its needed for skin, cartilage, bones, and teeth. Important as an antioxidant, absorption of iron, and for the immune system.

Found in : Citrus fruits such as oranges, lemons, and limes. Berries, green leafy vegetables, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes.

Read Also: What To Eat In The Evening To Lose Weight?

– Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol) –

Why it’s needed : Needed to regulate calcium metabolism, needed for bones.

Found in : Dairy products, tuna, salmon, and cod liver oil. And also, sunshine, contact with ultraviolet light manufactures it.

-Vitamin E (D-Alpha-Tocopherol)-

Why it’s needed : Needed as an antioxidant in preventing cell membrane damage.

Found in : Seeds, nuts, vegetable oil, whole grains, and green leafy vegetables.

Read Also: The Importance Of Nutritional Supplements For Weight Loss

– Vitamin K (Phylloquinone) –

Why it’s needed : Needed for blood clotting.

Found in : Green leafy vegetables.

– Biotin –

Why it’s needed : For energy metabolism.

Found in : Eggs and liver.

– Folic Acid –

Why it’s needed : Formation of red blood cells. It helps to break protein down in the body. Very important for pregnant women in cell division.

Found in : Green leafy vegetables, nuts, whole grains, beans, fruit, liver, and eggs.

Read Also: Foods That Burn Fat While You Sleep

Minerals Are Also Important

The most important minerals to the body are as follows;

– Calcium –

Why it’s needed : Strength of bones and teeth. Needed to offset osteoporosis.

Found in : Dairy, kale, tofu, and oysters

– Phosphorus –

Why it’s needed : Its vital as it is a part of every cell.

Found in : Whole grains, eggs, fish, milk, and poultry

– Magnesium –

Why it’s needed : Acts as an activator of enzymes

Found in : Green vegetables, nuts, meat, and whole grains.

– Sodium –

Why it’s needed : Needed for fluid consumption.

Found in : Salt and animal products and seafood.

Read Also: Eating In Moderation: Surviving A Cookie Swap

– Chlorine –

Why it’s needed : Needed for digestion fluids.

Found in : Salt, meat, seafood, milk, and eggs.

– Potassium –

Why it’s needed : Protein and carbohydrate metabolism.

Found in : Milk, vegetables, fruits, and meat.

– Sulphur –

Why it’s needed : Metabolite synthesis.

Found in : Seafood, milk, eggs, meat, poultry, and cheese.

The following minerals are essential to the body but only in small amounts.

• Iron Chromium
• Copper Molybdenum
• Zinc Selenium
• Manganese Tin
• Iodine Vanadium
• Cobalt Silicon
• Fluoride Nickel

Why People Take Muscle-Building Vitamins?

If you want to get into shape and look great, you will need to take a few steps in your life. First and foremost, you will want to make sure that you are eating the right foods and getting enough exercise. Not many people eat healthy foods and exercise enough, and that is one of the main reasons why there are so many people that are obese in today’s world.

Once you have a proper diet regime and are working out regularly, the next step will be to learn about the different vitamins out there and decide whether or not these muscle-building vitamins will be worth taking.

Any Benefits From Such Vitamins?

Taking muscle-building vitamins is one of the best moves that you will be able to make if you want to get in shape and get healthy. The benefits that you are going to see from the muscle-building vitamins will be incredible, so you will want to make sure that you are taking them on a routine basis.

Now it is just a matter of you choosing the right vitamins to start taking. There are different types of these vitamins that you can choose from, such as the Vitamin B1 vitamins that you can use. These are also known as riboflavin and will aid in the fat-burning process and make sure that your body produces energy from carbohydrates that you are eating.

Read Also: Does Too Much Fruit Cause Weight Gain?

Another type of muscle-building vitamin that you are going to want to take is the Vitamin B6 vitamin. These are also known as pyridoxine and are very important to take if you’re going to get in shape because they significantly affect protein digestion.

You will want to make sure of other things if you’re going to get in shape and look and feel great about yourself.

For one, you will want to make sure that you have your exercise routine set out for yourself. It is so important because you probably have a very busy life, and so if you do not set out specific times to exercise, you will probably never be able to get around to it. With a set-out plan, you are going to have a much better chance of achieving your goals.