Micro nutrients are crucial to health. They are associated with certain normal processes in the body.
In this article, we discuss briefly functions of each micronutrient that is vitamins and minerals.
| Micronutrient | Function |
| Vitamins | |
| Vitamin A | It is associted with maintaining good eye-sight. Other functions include prevent from aging, hair growth, memory enhancer. |
| Vitamin B complex | Main function is energy production. Other functions include reduction of excess fat in the body, increase hunger, involve in protein synthesis, co enzymes or assist enzymes in various metabolic processes, growth and development, hair growth, improves memory. |
| Vitamin C | Main function is to remove free radicals that damage cells and cell linings. They also help in healing wound, increase appetite prevent scars due to pimples, help in anti aging prevent damage of skin. |
| Vitamin D | Resposnsible for calcium absorption, growth of bones and deposition of calcium on bones to make them strong. Other functions include prevent skin from damage because of UV, memory booster, maintains calcium phosphate ratio in the body, check levels of parathyroid hormone which is important for normal kidney functions. |
| Vitamin E | It is an antioxidant. It is responsible for fertility in males. Other functions include healthy skin, hair growth, reduces scars due to pimples, protects skin from damage from UV light. |
| Vitamin K | Responsible blood-clotting. Activates blood clotting factors to stop flow of blood during injury. It will activate some proteins that deactivate cancer cells. |
| Minerals | |
| Boron | Responsible for healthy bones by keeping calcium-magnesium ratio at the right level. |
| Chloride | Water balance in the body, levels of electrolytes are kept at normal levels, production of gastric juice in stomach to stop growth of unnecessary bacteria. Help in absorbing vitamin B12 and iron. |
| Calcium | Essential for bones development, helps stop blood flow because of injuries, keep teeth and gums healthy, maintain heart beat, involved in DNA synthesis. |
| Chromium | Helps maintain normal glucose levels, transport some proteins, aid in synthesis of cholesterol in the liver. |
| Cobalt | Main component of vitamin B12, linked to production of red blood cells. |
| Copper | Formation of blood protien haemoglobin, produces a skin tissue called elastrin, skin pigment called melanin, involve in synthesis of proteins, fats, help to maintain healthy cholesterol levels, produce red blood cells, bone maintenance. |
| Fluoride | Essential for healthy gums and teeth. Prevents decay of teeth, formation of cavities, dental caries in children due to over intake of sweets. It destroys microorganisms that reside inside mouth. |
| Iodine | Essential for synthesizing thyroid hormone. Deficiency leads to hormone imbalance, which impairs growth and development, helps get energy by breaking fats, aids in converting vitamin A to its active form, reduces bad cholesterol, maintain healthy hair, nails, etc. |
| Iron | Important part of hemoglobin that carries oxygen across the body. It activates some enzymes that produce energy. |
| Magnesium | Contraction and relaxation of muscles of heart, produce energy, it is a component of bones and teeth, produce sex hormones, maintain nervous system properly, maintain its ratio with calcium. |
| Manganese | It act as co enzyme (assist enzyme and speed up reaction) in many enzymatic reactions that produce cholesterol. Increase absorption of vitamin B, C and E by the body. |
| Molybdenum | Responsible for enzymatic reactions that involve conversion of fats and also elimination of waste products in the form of uric acid from body. Prevents tooth cavities, involved in various metabolic process. |
| Phosphorous | Essential for bones, check levels of calcium and magnesium in bones. |
| Potassium | It is an electrolyte very important for kidney functioning, maintain water balance, important in passing signals from brain, help in contraction and relaxation of muscles. |