Micronutrients

Micronutrients are essential vitamins and minerals that the body needs in relatively small amounts. The term includes vitamins such as vitamins A, C, D, E, K, and the B vitamins, as well as minerals such as iron, iodine, zinc, calcium, and magnesium. Although required in smaller quantities than macronutrients, micronutrients are necessary for metabolism, growth, and normal body function .^1,2

Vitamins and minerals are chemically different. Vitamins are organic compounds, whereas dietary minerals are inorganic chemical elements. Individual micronutrients perform different roles. Many vitamins participate in biochemical reactions, including as components or precursors of coenzymes, while minerals may function as enzyme cofactors, electrolytes, or components of body structures and other biologically important molecules .²

The distinction between micronutrients and macronutrients primarily concerns the amounts in which they are required, not their importance. Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins are macronutrients and are generally needed in much larger quantities. Macronutrients can provide energy, whereas vitamins and minerals do not themselves provide energy. Instead, micronutrients support the biological processes that allow cells and tissues to function normally .^1,2

The term micronutrient should not be confused with micromineral or trace mineral. Minerals can themselves be classified according to the quantities required, with some, such as calcium and magnesium, needed in larger amounts than trace minerals such as iron and iodine. Both groups are nevertheless included within the broader nutritional category of micronutrients .^1,2