09/23/2026
Over the past few weeks, there has been some discussion in our gym about vitamins and minerals in terms of what we need, why we need it and how much is necessary. Let me begin by saying:
We ALL need essential nutrients that help our bodies function. No matter if you are a man, woman, young, old, sick, healthy, fat, thin, on medications...you require certain essential vitamins and minerals. The AMOUNT YOU NEED is VASTLY different depending on those very same factors but also, a billion other factors. We are not cookie cutter humans and in no way do we require exactly the same amount of everything!
Vitamin D
Vitamin C
Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, B12
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Vitamin A
Most of these can be accessed via our DIET if we are mindful of the foods we consume across the day. Variety such as fish a few times a week, some red meats, poultry, pork, dairy, eggs, deep blue, orange, green and red fruits and vegetables help us to access more of the vitamins and minerals we NEED to function optimally. Some are more challenging to access via diet and others are ample in certain food groups. Vitamin D is very difficult to get from food and it is one of the TOP deficiencies in the United States. The B Vitamins primarily come from ANIMAL products so plant-based, vegetarian and vegan diets are often deficient in Bs.
Vitamin C is found in a blend of fruits and veggies.
Then we have other essentials such as IODINE (seafood), CALCIUM (dairy), IRON (animal flesh) and POTASSIUM (plantains). Some of these other essentials, we require MUCH HIGHER AMOUNTS daily than we eat, such as potassium where a MAN requires 3,400+ mg a DAY and a woman requires 2,600+ mg a DAY but a bananna only has around 300-400 mg (11 bananas a day required!). Potassium and Sodium must balance with a ratio of 2-3 potassium mg to 1 sodium mg, which most folks do not get.
As you see, there is a lot more to essential nutrients than simply eating a magical food OR taking a supplement.
For certain folks, supplementation is EASIER. That is FINE! HOWEVER, MANY OF THESE ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS REQUIRE OTHER NUTRIENTS FOR THEM TO ABSORB, otherwise you are p*eing them out or storing them and creating toxicities in your body.
Plant iron requires a lot of Vitamin C
Calcium reqires Vitamin D, K2 and Magnesium
Vitamin D requires K2 and Magnesium
Potassium requires Vitamin C
B Vitamins require STOMACH ACID to unlock them from food, so folks with GERD/REFLUX, folks on Proton Pump Inhibitors, those who take ant-acids may have more issues with B deficiencies. FOLKS ON GLPS HAVE HIGHER RATES OF MALABSORPTION OF B VITAMINS, as do those with lap band/bariatric surguries. Folks who drink alcohol (w**e, b**r, spirits) or smoke struggle with Vitamin C deficiencies.
Then you have TYPES of supplements people take that DO NOT ABSORB or only a small percentage is actually absorbed. For example, Magnesium glycinate is much better absorbed than Magnesium Oxide (often found in the shelf supplements at your local discount store). Calcium citrate absorbes much better than calcium carbonate. Liposomal Vitamin C is much better for absorption than Ascorbic Acid.
Then you have FAT soluble vitamins versus WATER soluble vitamins. Vitamins A,D,E and K REQUIRE FAT (Lipids) to dissolve. If you take one of these without fat, you aren't absorbing them as intended. It also requires APPROPRIATE FAT DIGESTION, therefore, if you are missing a gall bladder or have liver issues, aborption might not be happening. If your BLOOD SERUM Vitamin D level is LOW despite you taking a supplement, you may not be absorbing Vitamin D appropriately. Are you taking it with a fat? Are you taking K2 and Magnesium with it? Do you have gut health issues such as Celiac's Disease? The same applies to Vitamin A, Vitamin E and Vitamin K. With fat-soluble vitamins, you can experience TOXICITY since these vitamins are broken down by and stored in fat tissue.
Vitamin E is often found in Fish Oil supplements (fat) to help with absorption. Make sure these 4 supplements are taken with FAT.
Water soluble typically do not store and you p*e them right out (bright yellow urine). Too much Vitamn B6, B3 or Folic Acid can cause NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS and cause liver damage. Too much folic acid can create a masked B12 deficiency, meaning your bloodwork shows normal but the damage of B12 deficiency still happens.
VITAMIN LEVELS ARE NOT ROUTINELY TAKEN ON BLOOD LABS!!!!!!!! You have to ask your Primary Care Physician to run them specifically.
Commonly tested vitamins
Vitamin D (25‑hydroxyvitamin D) – bone health, immune function
Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) – red blood cell formation, nerve function
Folate (vitamin B9) – red blood cell production, DNA synthesis
Vitamin A (retinol) – vision, immunity, skin health
Vitamin B1 (thiamine) – energy metabolism
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) – energy metabolism
Vitamin B3 (niacin) – metabolism, skin health
Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) – metabolism
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) – amino acid metabolism
Vitamin C – immune support, collagen synthesis
Vitamin E – antioxidant protection
Vitamin K – blood clotting
Biotin (vitamin B7) – metabolism, skin/hair/nail health
Commonly tested minerals
Magnesium – muscle, nerve, heart function
Zinc – immune function, wound healing
Iron – oxygen transport (often with ferritin and TIBC)
Calcium – bone health, muscle contraction
Phosphorus – bone health, energy metabolism
Iodine – thyroid function
Copper – enzyme function, iron metabolism
Selenium – antioxidant defense
Manganese – metabolism, bone formation
Chromium – glucose metabolism
Molybdenum – detoxification
Before you start supplementing, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW you are in need of what supplement you are taking, especially the fat-soluble vitamins and your minerals as well as making sure you are taking the appropriate absorption supplements.
