Vitamins and minerals are essential nutrients that the body needs and gets from food in small amounts. Health authorities such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) provide data on daily reference intakes (DRIs) for average, healthy individuals. But each organism has different needs and requirements.
Nutrient needs for different groups of people are differentiated according to their gender, age, pregnancy and breastfeeding. Dietary regimens, physical and mental activity, and genetics are also important factors. Babies have a greater need for nutrients due to growth and development, and older people may have altered bodily functions due to impaired absorption of nutrients in the gut.
Deficiency of a particular vitamin or mineral can increase the risk of developing some health problems, from subtle ones that we barely notice but affect our daily lives, to very serious illnesses in the event of severe deficiency.
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