HealthyRetired · Food and Healthy Aging · Companion to All 13 Essential Vitamins
Minerals help build bones, carry oxygen, regulate fluid balance and support nerves, muscles and enzymes. Like vitamins, they are needed for normal health. Unlike some vitamins, our body cannot manufacture mineral elements.
We obtain them through food and drink. Plants take up minerals from their surroundings; animals obtain them through their food. Our bodies can store and recycle some minerals, but cannot create a new supply.
How to read the daily amounts
The tables use US National Academies' reference values for generally healthy adults aged 51 and over, with updated sodium and potassium values from 2019. International reference values may differ. [1]
Most entries are Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs), intended to cover the needs of nearly all healthy people in the relevant group. An asterisk marks an Adequate Intake (AI), used when evidence is insufficient for an RDA.
These are targets for total usual intake from food, drinks, fortified products and supplements combined. They are not instructions to take a supplement on top of an adequate diet, or treatment doses for a deficiency.
Units: 1 milligram (mg) = 1,000 micrograms (µg or mcg).
Major minerals: needed in larger amounts
“Major” describes the quantity needed, not how important a mineral is. The usual group contains calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur.
| Mineral | Men, 51+ | Women, 51+ | Main roles | Useful sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 1,000 mg, ages 51–70; 1,200 mg, ages 71+ | 1,200 mg | Bones and teeth, muscle contraction and nerve signalling | Calcium-set tofu, appropriately fortified plant drinks, dairy, kale and bok choy |
| Phosphorus | 700 mg | 700 mg | Bones, cell membranes and energy-related compounds such as ATP | Legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, dairy, fish and meat |
| Magnesium | 420 mg | 320 mg | Enzyme activity, muscle and nerve function, and energy metabolism | Pumpkin seeds, nuts, beans, whole grains and leafy greens |
| Potassium | 3,400 mg* | 2,600 mg* | Fluid balance, nerve signalling and muscle function | Beans, potatoes, vegetables, fruit and dairy |
| Sodium | 1,500 mg* | 1,500 mg* | Fluid balance, nerve impulses and muscle function | Salt, sauces and many prepared foods; some occurs naturally in food |
| Chloride | 2,000 mg, ages 51–70; 1,800 mg, ages 71+** | Same | Fluid balance and stomach acid | Mainly salt and salted foods |
| Sulfur | No separate RDA or AI | Same | A component of sulfur-containing amino acids and other compounds | Protein foods, including legumes, soy foods, nuts and seeds |
Chloride is the nutrient, not the same thing as disinfectant chlorine. Sodium and chloride are the two components of ordinary table salt. Sulfur requirements are met through adequate sulfur-containing amino-acid intake; a separate sulfate target has not been established. [1, 2]
Sodium: adequacy is different from a limit
The sodium AI is not a minimum that everyone should chase by adding salt. The National Academies recommends reducing intake when it is above 2,300 mg daily to reduce chronic-disease risk. Individual advice may differ. [1]
Salt and sodium are not interchangeable units: 1 gram of salt supplies about 400 mg sodium, so 2,300 mg sodium is roughly 5.8 grams of salt. Sauces, miso, soy sauce and salted fermented vegetables count towards the total too.
Heavy sweating, illness and certain medicines can change electrolyte needs. Do not respond to dizziness or cramps by guessing which electrolyte to supplement.
Trace minerals: small quantities, essential jobs
| Mineral | Men, 51+ | Women, 51+ | Main roles | Useful sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | 8 mg | 8 mg | Oxygen transport in haemoglobin and other cellular functions | Lentils, beans, tofu, seeds and fortified foods; meat supplies haem iron |
| Zinc | 11 mg | 8 mg | Immune function, wound healing and enzyme activity | Legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains; seafood, meat and dairy |
| Copper | 900 µg | 900 µg | Enzymes involved in connective tissue, energy and iron metabolism | Nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains and cacao |
| Manganese | 2.3 mg* | 1.8 mg* | Enzyme systems involved in metabolism and tissue formation | Whole grains, legumes, nuts and tea |
| Iodine | 150 µg | 150 µg | Production of thyroid hormones | Iodised salt, some seafood and dairy; seaweed content varies widely |
| Selenium | 55 µg | 55 µg | Selenium-containing proteins involved in antioxidant and thyroid functions | Fish, eggs, grains and other foods; plant amounts depend partly on soil |
| Molybdenum | 45 µg | 45 µg | Enzymes that process compounds including sulfite | Legumes, whole grains and nuts |
These are the general reference values, not assurances that every listed food supplies a large amount per serving. Portions, preparation and absorption matter. [1]
Two minerals often included in longer lists
Chromium appears in older essential-mineral lists. The US AI for adults over 50 is 30 µg for men and 20 µg for women. However, its essential status is disputed: the European Food Safety Authority concluded that convincing evidence for essentiality was lacking. We should not present chromium supplementation as a nutritional necessity or a proven weight-loss treatment. [3]
Fluoride has US AIs of 4 mg for adult men and 3 mg for adult women because of its dental benefits. It is beneficial rather than classically essential for survival. Drinking water and tea can contribute, depending on their fluoride content. These values do not mean people should swallow toothpaste or buy fluoride supplements without dental advice. [4]
Cobalt is part of vitamin B12, but there is no separate cobalt intake target: obtain a reliable B12 supply instead. Boron, silicon and vanadium are sometimes discussed in nutrition, but no established human daily requirement justifies treating them as essential supplements. [1]
How do major and trace minerals differ?
| Question | Major minerals | Trace minerals |
|---|---|---|
| How much do we need? | Generally larger quantities | Generally smaller quantities |
| Are they more or less important? | Essential roles | Equally essential roles, despite smaller amounts |
| Can the body make them? | No | No |
| Can too much be harmful? | Yes | Yes—tiny recommended amounts do not justify large doses |
Minerals are not divided into fat-soluble and water-soluble categories like vitamins. Their absorption depends on the particular mineral, its chemical form, the food and the person's digestive health.
Nor does “trace” mean harmless. Copper, selenium, iron and other minerals can cause harm in excess.
A plant-based diet: supply and absorption both matter
Iron: plant foods supply non-haem iron, which is absorbed differently from haem iron. Vitamin-C-rich food alongside a meal can help absorption. The US reference system estimates that vegetarians need 1.8 times the general iron RDA, reflecting lower dietary bioavailability. Applied to the 8 mg figure, that is approximately 14.4 mg, but it is not a prescription for iron tablets. Suspected deficiency needs assessment. [5]
Zinc: phytates in legumes and whole grains can reduce absorption. Soaking, sprouting and fermentation can improve availability in some foods; adequate portions and variety remain important. [6]
Calcium: spinach contains calcium but its oxalate content limits absorption. Low-oxalate greens and calcium-set tofu are more useful choices. Check the coagulant and nutrition label: not all tofu contains the same calcium amount. [7]
Magnesium: your pumpkin seeds can make a useful contribution, but several foods together are needed to build a balanced diet. [8]
Iodine: seaweed is not a precise daily dosing tool. Kombu or kelp can contain very large quantities, and both too little and too much iodine can affect the thyroid. Iodised salt can contribute within an appropriate sodium intake; “sea salt” does not automatically mean iodised. Seek individual advice if you have thyroid disease. [9]
Selenium: Brazil nuts can supply large and variable quantities. They are not a reason to eat a large handful daily or combine them casually with a selenium supplement. [10]
What changes with age or kidney disease?
Calcium targets rise for women after 50 and for men after 70. Otherwise, growing older does not mean every mineral requirement increases.
Kidneys help regulate mineral and electrolyte balance. With kidney disease, potassium, phosphorus, sodium or other recommendations may need individual adjustment. Not everyone with kidney disease needs the same restrictions. [11]
Potassium-based salt substitutes can be unsuitable with impaired kidney function or medicines that raise potassium. Mineral supplements can also interfere with absorption of some antibiotics or thyroid medication. A pharmacist can advise on timing and suitability. [8, 11]
Practical food choices, rather than a shelf of pills
A varied combination of legumes, tofu, whole grains, vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds can supply many minerals. Fortified foods can help with particular gaps. Food choices still need to account for B12 and vitamin D, which belong in our companion vitamin article.
A product labelled “trace minerals,” “sea minerals” or “natural electrolytes” is not automatically needed. Look at the specific nutrient, the amount, your diet and the reason for taking it.
For HealthyRetired, the aim is to meet needs, not collect the highest doses: small amounts can do important work, and more is not always better.
Before changing your diet: Consult your doctor or another qualified health practitioner before making dietary changes based on this website, particularly if you have kidney or thyroid disease, take medication or suspect a deficiency. Do not start iron, iodine, potassium or other high-dose mineral supplements without a clear reason and appropriate advice.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked on 13 October 2026. The tables explicitly use the US reference system; national guidance and clinical requirements can differ.
- National Academies: 2019 dietary reference intake summary tables, and updated sodium and potassium reference values. Chloride values remain from the earlier sodium and chloride reference table.
- National Academies: sulfate and sulfur-containing amino acids.
- NIH: chromium.
- NIH: fluoride.
- NIH: iron.
- NIH: zinc.
- NIH: calcium.
- NIH: magnesium.
- NIH: iodine.
- NIH: selenium.
- NIH: potassium.
- Further reading: Dr Michael Greger's NutritionFacts.org on iodine.