We only need them in tiny amounts – and yet, without them, many things in the body do not run smoothly. Vitamins, minerals, and trace elements are involved in numerous normal bodily functions. Our body requires significantly less of these than it does of carbohydrates, fats, or proteins. That is why they are called micronutrients.
But do you need dietary supplements for them? Can you even overdose on vitamins? And is more automatically better? A look at micronutrients shows why a needs-based supply is what matters most.
Unlike carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, micronutrients do not provide energy. Nevertheless, the body needs them for numerous metabolic processes and normal bodily functions.
How much of a specific micronutrient we need is not the same for everyone. Age and life stage play a role, as does pregnancy, for example. Swiss reference values therefore serve as a guideline for the nutrient intake of various population groups.
Each micronutrient performs its own tasks. The following examples show how varied these can be – and that foods often provide several nutrients at the same time.
For healthy adults, a varied and balanced diet is the foundation of micronutrient supply. It is less about seeking out individual supposed "superfoods" than it is about regularly combining different food groups.
The Swiss dietary recommendations and the food pyramid provide orientation. Vegetables and fruits, whole-grain products, potatoes, legumes, nuts and seeds, as well as other protein sources and vegetable oils all contribute to a diverse diet.
Storage and preparation can also influence the content of individual vitamins. Some vitamins are sensitive to light, oxygen, or prolonged heating. However, this does not mean vegetables must always be eaten raw: alternating between raw and gently prepared foods is a simple way to bring variety to the menu.
Reference values are guideline values for specific population groups and not the exact amount required by every single person. Age, gender, and life stage can influence individual nutrient requirements.
For healthy people who eat a varied and balanced diet, dietary supplements are generally not necessary. However, there are life stages and dietary forms where certain nutrients deserve special attention.
In Switzerland, for example, there are specific recommendations for certain population groups. Women wishing to conceive and pregnant women are recommended to take folic acid as well as iodine supplements. For infants and children up to their third birthday, as well as for people over 60, there are recommendations for vitamin D supplementation. People who follow a vegan diet must ensure a reliable supply of vitamin B12.
In addition, individual situations may make targeted supplementation necessary. Whether and in what quantity a specific nutrient should be supplemented, however, depends on the personal situation and should be discussed with a medical or nutritional expert in case of uncertainty.
Vitamins and minerals are frequently associated with health. This easily creates the impression that a higher quantity must also bring a greater benefit. However, nutrient supply does not work that way.
Dietary supplements contain nutrients in a concentrated form. If multiple products are taken at the same time, the amounts contained can add up. As a result, the total intake can turn out significantly higher than suspected at first glance.
For various vitamins and minerals, there are therefore maximum limits or upper intake levels. Particularly with high-dose supplements, it makes sense to pay attention to the composition and the recommended daily dose.
Anyone using multiple dietary supplements at the same time should watch out for overlaps. The same nutrient can be contained, for example, in a multivitamin preparation and additionally in a single-nutrient supplement. Potential interactions with medications should also be taken into account.
"Vitamins are always healthy" or "What the body doesn't need, it simply excretes" – some statements about micronutrients persist stubbornly. A quick fact check.
No. The body needs micronutrients in specific amounts. A higher intake does not automatically mean an additional health benefit. For some nutrients, very high amounts can even have undesirable effects.
The fact that water-soluble vitamins are not stored to the same extent as fat-soluble vitamins does not mean that arbitrarily high amounts are unproblematic. Even for individual water-soluble vitamins, very high doses can have undesirable effects.
For healthy people with a varied and balanced diet, dietary supplements are generally not necessary. Certain population groups, however, have specific recommendations for individual nutrients. The decisive factor is therefore the individual situation – not the principle of "taking as much as possible as a precaution."
Assessing nutrient supply does not work that broadly. Which laboratory values are useful and how they are interpreted depends on the specific nutrient and the individual situation. In the case of a concrete suspicion, it should therefore be decided medically which tests are actually meaningful.
Legally, dietary supplements are classified as foods in Switzerland. They are intended to supplement the normal diet with vitamins, minerals, or other substances with a nutritional or physiological effect.
They are not intended for the prevention or treatment of diseases. Approved health-related claims regarding individual nutrients also describe normal physiological functions – for example, that vitamin D contributes to the maintenance of normal bones. No treatment or prevention of a disease may be derived from this.
Although micronutrients are only needed in small amounts, they fulfill numerous important tasks in the body. For most healthy people, a varied and balanced diet forms the basis of a good supply.
Dietary supplements can be useful in certain life stages or dietary situations. However, the decisive factor is not getting as much as possible, but the appropriate amount of the right nutrient.
Micronutrients include vitamins and minerals, including trace elements. They do not provide energy, but are involved in numerous normal bodily functions.
Trace elements are a type of mineral. However, the body only needs them in comparatively small amounts. These include, for example, iron, zinc, iodine, and selenium.
Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble. Unlike many water-soluble vitamins, they can be stored in the body to a relevant extent.
Healthy people with a varied and balanced diet generally do not need dietary supplements. However, there are recommendations for individual nutrients for certain population groups, for example, vitamin B12 for a vegan diet.
Yes. Especially through high-dose dietary supplements or the combination of several products, the intake of individual nutrients can become too high. More is therefore not automatically better.
No. In Switzerland, dietary supplements are considered foods. They serve to supplement the diet and are not intended for the prevention or treatment of diseases.
Note: This article is for general information purposes only and does not replace individual medical or nutritional advice. Statements regarding nutrients refer to their normal physiological functions and not to the prevention, treatment, or cure of diseases. Dietary supplements are not a substitute for a varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle. The recommended daily dose of a dietary supplement should not be exceeded.
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Medicinal mushrooms with tradition
Medicinal mushrooms with tradition
