Children, adults, seniors. And then pregnancy, breastfeeding and other special conditions: each stage of life requires the right amount of minerals and vitamins. Let’s find out which ones and why.
The nutritional needs of each of us vary throughout life. And these changes also affect vitamins and minerals, since they must ensure at every stage their valuable contribution and their contribution to the health of the organism.
Thus, the child will have to think about growing up correctly and harmoniously, the grandfather will have to stay healthy. The future mother, on the other hand, will have to guarantee the child she carries in her womb all the substances that will make him healthy and strong.
From birth to old age, our health and even well-being are therefore directly related to a constant supply of vitamins and minerals: let’s see, in summary, their role in the different stages of life.
Iron and calcium for children
Childhood is a phase characterized by rapid growth, in which the contribution of all micronutrients is necessary through a varied and proportionate diet.
The balanced intake of vitamins and minerals, in the first years of life, affects health in adulthood. Very important is calcium, a mineral that represents the scaffolding of the skeleton and teeth.
According to the Italian Society of Pediatrics, in Italy there is an insufficient intake in this critical phase of development: from 4 to 6 years of age just over 400 mg is taken. The same happens from 7 to 10 years, despite the recommended daily intake goes up (see table).
Another essential mineral is iron: it serves the proper functioning of cognitive and learning abilities.
Let’s see what are the recommended daily intake levels for these two important mineral salts in infants, children and adolescents.
| Age | Calcium | Iron | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infants | 6-12 months | 260 mg | 11 mg |
| Children-adolescents | 1-3 years | 700 mg | 8 mg |
| 4-6 years | 900 mg | 11 mg | |
| 7-10 years | 1,100 mg | 13 mg | |
| Males | 11-14 years | 1,300 mg | 10 mg |
| 15-17 years | 1,300 mg | 13 mg | |
| Females | 11-14 years | 1,300 mg | 10-18 mg |
| 15-17 years | 1,200 mg | 18 mg |
B vitamins (and not only) for adolescents
It is an “intense” period, from both a psychological and nutritional point of view: the body’s needs increase significantly, but it is also the phase of independence and detachment from parents in which the rules, including those of a food type, are questioned.
In this period the intake of vitamins and minerals, fundamental for the development of cells and tissues and the growth of new body structures, is essential.
Vitamin C, for example, allows the correct formation of bone tissue and collagen, the body’s supporting tissue. In addition, it facilitates the absorption of iron, important especially for adolescents who risk deficiency states due to menstrual losses.
Together with vitamin A, it is important for strengthening the immune system, while B vitamins help regulate metabolic processes responsible for energy production and maintain the efficiency of the nervous system and brain function. No less important is calcium and vitamin D for the prevention of osteoporosis.
Adulthood: here’s what you need
In this doing, the growth of the organism stops and the supply of micronutrients is functional to maintaining well-being.
We therefore need a balanced intake of vitamins and minerals, together with the adoption of healthy lifestyles, to prevent chronic-degenerative diseases typical of old age.
In addition, the antioxidant properties of some vitamins (A, C, E) have long been known, which help counteract the harmful action of free radicals, responsible for the aging of tissues and cells.
Lifestyles, work, age, sex and physical constitution vary the nutritional needs of each. Those who lead a very dynamic life or practice regular physical activity, for example, must regulate their vitamin and mineral intake in a targeted manner to cope with the mental and physical performance of their body.
Likewise, a pregnant woman has specific nutritional needs, since she must guarantee the unborn child all the nutrients she needs to grow healthily.
Over 50: vitamins and salts to stay young
In old age the body changes: bones, muscles and the cardiovascular system begin to suffer the signs of aging.
A proper diet that takes into account all the essential nutrients and constant physical exercise allow you to maintain a good physical and mental shape, as well as prevent various diseases typical of age.
The risks related to this stage of life are related to possible deficiencies of vitamins and minerals generally due to a reduction in the absorption capacity of the digestive system and the use of drugs that can interfere with the assimilation of nutrients.
In addition, attention must be paid to the intake of calcium and vitamin D that help to counteract the phenomenon of physiological reduction of bone mass, thus decreasing the risk of fractures.
Finally, vitamins and minerals with antioxidant properties are very important: they perform anticancer and anti-aging functions, plus they protect neurons.
Friends of the brain and memory, in particular, are some B vitamins (folic acid, vitamin B6 and B12) that contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous system.
Joycelyn Elders is the author and creator of EmpowerEssence, a health and wellness blog. Elders is a respected public health advocate and pediatrician dedicated to promoting general health and well-being.
The blog covers a wide range of topics related to health and wellness, with articles organized into several categories.