What are trace minerals and do I need them?

Written by Amy Malec — Medically reviewed and edited by Tod Cooperman, M.D.

Updated January 19, 2023 ⓘ

Trace Minerals - What are they and do you need them?

Answer:

"Trace minerals" has a range of definitions, but, with regard to nutrition, generally means minerals that are used in very small amounts in the body, mostly in enzyme reactions

Essential dietary trace minerals are those that must be obtained through the diet and/or from supplements. These include chromium, copper, fluoride, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc. Other trace minerals you may see on supplement labels include boron, nickel and tin (stannous chloride). Sign in to the full answer to find out if deficiency in these trace minerals is common, the best way to get them (from foods and supplements), and which, if any, you may want to avoid.

You may also use ConsumerLab;s nutrient calculator below to see the Recommended Daily Allowances or Adequate Intakes of these and other minerals by age and gender, Tolerable Upper Intake Levels are also shown.

Nutrient

Age Range

Sources

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Recommended Dietary Allowances and Adequate Intakes from the National Academies
Daily Values from FDA Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels 2016
ULs (Tolerable Upper Intake Levels) from Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Tolerable Upper Intake Levels, Vitamins from the National Academies

Abbreviations

* - Adequate Intake (AI)
mg - milligram (1,000 milligrams = 1 gram)
mcg - microgram (1,000 micrograms = 1 milligram)

NE - DV not established
ND - UL not determined
m - male; f - female
lact - lactating (breast feeding); preg - pregnant
Age ranges are in years

+ — 9 sources

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