These 10 vitamins and minerals are essential for healthy aging yet underconsumed by many adults in the United States. Here, you will learn about the Top 10 list, the roles these nutrients play in health, and the LPI’s dietary recommendations.
Our Recommendations
The Linus Pauling Institute makes intake recommendations based on the latest scientific evidence.
Below you will find our recommendations for adults who are not pregnant or lactating. Micronutrient recommendations for adults 50 and older are highlighted where appropriate.
A Foundation of Food
Food promotes good health beyond what can be measured in terms of vitamin and mineral content.
Most daily micronutrients should come from unprocessed or minimally processed foods.
Daily Multivitamins
To make sure all micronutrient needs are met, the Linus Pauling Institute also recommends that all adults take a daily multivitamin. This multivitamin serves to fill nutritional gaps, and is not intended to replace for a proper diet.
| Micronutrient | Health Supports | Points to Consider | LPI Recommendation | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vitamin B6 | Immune health, bone health, skin health, 50+ | Vitamin B6 absorption can decline with age. Chronic inflammation can impact vitamin B6 status, so people with autoimmune conditions or other inflammatory conditions should have their levels checked periodically. |
Adults 18+: 1.3 mg/day |
Good sources include meat, poultry, fish, nuts, bananas, and potatoes. |
| Vitamin B12 | Brain health, immune health, 50+ | Poor vitamin B12 absorption is common in older adults and in those taking certain medications, such as antacids, proton-pump inhibitors, H2-receptor agonists, and metformin. | Adults 18+: 2.4 mcg/day Adults 50+: 100-400 mcg/day from supplements or fortified foods |
Good sources include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. |
| Vitamin C | Heart health, brain health, immune health, bone health, wound healing, skin health, 50+ | Vitamin C is be destroyed by cooking and processing. The recommended 400 mg/day of vitamin C can be achieved by eating 5-7 servings of fresh fruit and vegetables along with a standard daily multivitamin. | All adults: At least 400 mg/day | Good sources include berries, citrus, peppers, and cruciferous vegetables. |
| Vitamin D | Brain health, immune health, bone health, wound healing, skin health, 50+ | Target a blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration of 30 ng/mL or more. Sunlight promotes vitamin D synthesis in the skin, but this is influenced by sunscreen use, skin tone, time of day, latitude, and time of year. | All adults: 2,000 IU/day from supplements depending on blood 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration | Good sources include salmon, fortified dairy products, “vitamin D mushrooms,” and UV light. |
| Vitamin E | Brain health, immune health, wound healing, skin health | Synthetic vitamin E often contains mixed tocopherols, All adults: 15 mg/day only some of which have vitamin E activity. However, Supplement Facts labels list the amount of tocopherol in terms of vitamin E equivalents. | All adults: 15 mg/day | Good sources include avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, vegetable oils, and green leafy vegetables. |
| Vitamin K | Muscle and nerve health, bone health, wound healing, 50+ | Large amounts of vitamin K can interfere with the blood-thinning medication, warfarin. Large amounts of vitamins A or E can interfere with vitamin K absorption. | Males: 120 mcg/day Females: 90 mcg/day |
Good sources include cruciferous vegetables, green leafy vegetables, and naturally fermented foods. |
| Calcium | Muscle and nerve health, bone health, 50+ | Multivitamins are often limited in calcium. If calcium sources from food are inadequate, supplements should be used. For best calcium absorption, take 500 mg or less at one time. |
Adults: 1,000 mg/day |
Good sources include milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines, broccoli, almonds, and fortified juices and milks. |
| Magnesium | Heart health, muscle and nerve health, bone health, 50+ | Multivitamins are often limited in magnesium content. All adults, especially adults over the age of 50, should take no more than 350 mg per day of magnesium from supplements to help preserve kidney function. | Males: 420 mg/day Females: 320 mg/day |
Good sources include broccoli, beans, peanuts, nuts, spinach, and whole grains. |
| Potassium | Heart health, muscle and nerve health, bone health | Multivitamins contain very little potassium and the use of potassium supplements is not recommended. Taking supplements than contain more than 99 mg of potassium has been linked to the occurance of small-bowel lesions. | Males: 3,400 mg/day Females: 2,600 mg/day. |
Good sources include potatoes, fish, avocados, spinach, beans, dried fruit, yogurt, and vegetable juices. |
| Zinc | Immune health, wound healing, 50+ | Make sure zinc intake from food and supplements combined is no more than 40 mg per day on a regular basis to avoid issues with copper absorption. | Males: 11 mg/day Females: 8 mg/day |
Good sources include poultry, shellfish, nuts, yogurt, eggs, cheese, beans, and whole grains. |
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50+: Area of focus for adults ages 50 and up. Note: Iron is not found on the Top 10 list because most men and older adults in the United States consume enough iron to meet their needs. The LPI recommendation for females 18-49 years old is 18 mg/day. However, some women may need even higher intake levels if laboratory tests indicate iron-deficient anemia. Iron supplements may be taken if foods sources are inadequate. Non-heme iron supplements/foods should be taken only with vitamin C to increase absorption. |
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Find More Online!
For more information about the roles of these micronutrients in health and information to give to your clients and patients, check out the Micronutrient Information Center and the Top 10 Project page.
The Top 10 Project is a joint effort between the Linus Pauling Institute and the Oregon State University Extension Service. This project is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Haleon, PLC and a grant from The Whatley Charitable Trust.