:INFO
NHS uses 11 sub-pages. NIH has a separate fact sheet for each nutrient. \
No single page shows all the essentials in one place.

This reference covers the 12 nutrients most commonly deficient in adults, drawn from FDA Daily Values and NIH Office of Dietary Supplements fact sheets. Each entry answers the three questions that matter: how much per day, where to get it from food, and what happens when you run low.

:IMAGE

:INFO
The four most common deficiencies
Studies consistently find these four nutrients short in adult diets across wealthy countries: vitamin D, B12, iron, and magnesium. The reasons differ by nutrient, but the pattern holds across US, UK, and European survey data.

:STATS
[icon:STAR] Vitamin D | 20 mcg (800 IU) per day
[icon:FIRE] Vitamin D: best food source | Fatty fish (salmon: 570 IU per 90 g cooked)
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Vitamin D: deficiency signs | Fatigue, bone pain, muscle weakness, low mood
[icon:STAR] Vitamin B12 | 2.4 mcg per day (more is not stored, it is excreted)
[icon:FIRE] Vitamin B12: best food source | Beef, fish, dairy, eggs, fortified cereals
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Vitamin B12: deficiency signs | Fatigue, tingling in hands or feet, memory lapses
[icon:STAR] Iron | 18 mg per day for women under 50, 8 mg for men and women 50+
[icon:FIRE] Iron: best food source | Red meat, lentils, spinach (pair plant iron with vitamin C)
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Iron: deficiency signs | Persistent tiredness, pale skin, shortness of breath
[icon:STAR] Magnesium | 420 mg per day (men), 320 mg (women)
[icon:FIRE] Magnesium: best food source | Pumpkin seeds (156 mg per 28 g), spinach, almonds
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Magnesium: deficiency signs | Muscle cramps, poor sleep, low energy, anxiety

:LINK
https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-VitaminsMinerals/
NIH Office of Dietary Supplements: individual fact sheets for all vitamins and minerals

:INFO
Fat-soluble vitamins (A, E, K)
These three are stored in body fat rather than flushed daily. Deficiency builds slowly, which makes it easy to miss. Too much from supplements is also a real risk, since they accumulate rather than pass through.

:STATS
[icon:STAR] Vitamin A | 900 mcg RAE per day (men), 700 mcg (women)
[icon:FIRE] Vitamin A: best food source | Beef liver (6582 mcg per 85 g), sweet potato, carrot
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Vitamin A: deficiency signs | Night blindness, dry eyes, increased infection risk
[icon:STAR] Vitamin E | 15 mg alpha-tocopherol per day
[icon:FIRE] Vitamin E: best food source | Sunflower seeds, almonds, sunflower oil, hazelnuts
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Vitamin E: deficiency signs | Rare in healthy adults; nerve damage if severely low
[icon:HEART] Vitamin K | 120 mcg per day (men), 90 mcg (women)
[icon:FIRE] Vitamin K: best food source | Kale (547 mcg per 130 g cooked), spinach, broccoli
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Vitamin K: deficiency signs | Easy bruising, slow wound clotting, weakened bones

:INFO
Water-soluble vitamins (C, B6, Folate)
Water-soluble vitamins are not stored. Surplus is excreted, so daily intake matters. Deficiency can appear within weeks if intake drops, which makes these the vitamins most sensitive to a poor diet over a short stretch.

:STATS
[icon:STAR] Vitamin C | 90 mg per day (men), 75 mg (women)
[icon:FIRE] Vitamin C: best food source | Red bell pepper (190 mg per 149 g raw), orange, kiwi
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Vitamin C: deficiency signs | Bleeding gums, slow wound healing, fatigue, joint pain
[icon:STAR] Vitamin B6 | 1.7 mg per day
[icon:FIRE] Vitamin B6: best food source | Chickpeas (1.1 mg per 240 g cooked), tuna, potato
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Vitamin B6: deficiency signs | Anemia, skin rash, cracked lips, confusion
[icon:HEART] Folate (B9) | 400 mcg DFE per day (600 mcg if pregnant)
[icon:FIRE] Folate: best food source | Beef liver, edamame, lentils, asparagus, spinach
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Folate: deficiency signs | Megaloblastic anemia, fatigue, mouth sores

:INFO
Two key minerals (Calcium, Zinc)
Calcium and zinc round out the twelve. Both show up reliably in deficiency surveys, and both have clear food-first solutions. Calcium needs vitamin D to absorb properly, which makes the two linked: a vitamin D shortfall can undermine calcium intake even when the diet looks adequate.

:STATS
[icon:STAR] Calcium | 1300 mg per day (FDA Daily Value, 2020 update)
[icon:FIRE] Calcium: best food source | Plain yogurt (415 mg per 245 g), milk, cheese, tofu
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Calcium: deficiency signs | Muscle cramps, brittle nails, weak bones over time
[icon:STAR] Zinc | 11 mg per day (men), 8 mg (women)
[icon:FIRE] Zinc: best food source | Oysters (74 mg per 85 g cooked), beef, pumpkin seeds
[icon:TRENDING_DOWN] Zinc: deficiency signs | Slow wound healing, hair loss, dulled taste or smell

:LINK
https://cacmap.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-new-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels
FDA: Daily Values for the Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels (2020 update)

:NOTE
Daily Values shown are FDA figures for adults and children 4 and older on a 2,000 calorie diet. The NHS uses broadly the same figures as UK Reference Nutrient Intakes. Individual needs differ by age, sex, pregnancy, and health status. These numbers are a starting point, not a prescription. Check with a GP or registered dietitian before adding supplements to your routine.