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An essential nutrient is a nutrient required for normal body functioning that cannot be synthesized by the body. Categories of essential nutrient include vitamins, dietary minerals, essential fatty acids and essential amino acids. Many essential vitamins, such as Vitamin C, are also by definition phytonutrients, as they occur in plants. This should not be confused with the more common usage of the word "phytonutrients," which refers to compounds in dietary supplements of unknown biological necessity (e.g. the flavonoids). Image File history File links Portal. ... A nutrient is either element or compound necessary for or contributing to an organisms metabolism, growth, or other functioning. ... Retinol (Vitamin A) Vitamins are nutrients required in very small amounts for essential metabolic reactions in the body [1]. The term vitamin does not encompass other essential nutrients such as dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, or essential amino acids. ... Dietary minerals are chemical elements required by living organisms. ... Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that are required in the human diet. ... An essential amino acid or indispensible amino acid, is an amino acid that cannot be synthesized de novo by the organism (usually referring to humans), and therefore must be supplied in the diet. ... 3D representation of vitamin C Chemical structure of vitamin C Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient and human vitamin essential for life and for maintaining optimal health, used by the body for many purposes. ... Phytochemicals are sometimes referred to as phytonutrients and these terms are often used interchangeably. ... In the United States, a dietary supplement is defined under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 as a product taken by the mouth that contains a dietary ingredient that is intended as a supplement to the diet. ... Flavonoids are a group of chemical compounds naturally found in certain fruits, vegetables, teas, wines, nuts, seeds, and roots. ...

Different species have very different essential nutrients. Most essential nutrients are substances that are metabolically necessary but cannot be synthesized by the organism. Dietary minerals, for example, cannot be synthesized in biological systems, so (for example) a human must obtain the iron they need to build hemoglobin from their diet (of course, this iron is recycled as long as possible, but some is inevitably lost, for example during menstruation). Dietary minerals are the chemical elements required by living organisms, other than the four elements Carbon, Hydrogen, Nitrogen, and Oxygen which are ubiquitous in organic molecules. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... 3-dimensional structure of hemoglobin. ... The menstrual cycle is the periodic change in a womans body that occurs every month between puberty and menopause and that relates to reproduction. ...

Most essential nutrients are needed only in small quantities, and are stored and reused by the body. As a result, unlike absence of air or water for humans, absence of essential nutrients usually leads only gradually to the development of a deficiency disease . AIR is a three-letter abbreviation with multiple meanings, as described below: The Annals of Improbable Research, a monthly magazine devoted to scientific humour All India Radio - Indias Government Radio service AIR, a popular electronica band from France. ... Water is a tasteless, odourless substance that is essential to all known forms of life and is known as the universal solvent. ...

Nutritional wisdom is that it is difficult, if not impossible, to isolate all of the substances in our food which are important to good nutrition. Therefore nutritionists advise us to eat as wide a range of foods which are as little processed as possible. This gives us the best chance of regularly obtaining small amounts, at least, of a wide range of essential nutrients, and reduces the chance of poor nutrition and ill health that may result. Further advice on essential nutrition will be based on the circumstances of the person, e.g. their age, occupation, even their location.

Some essential nutrients may be toxic in large doses (see hypervitaminosis or the nutrient pages themselves below); for example, an iron overdose can lead to the production of free radicals beyond what the body's antioxidant system can handle. Others can sometimes be taken in amounts several orders of magnitude larger than in a typical diet, with no apparent ill effects. Linus Pauling says of vitamin B₃, (either niacin or niacinamide), "What astonished me was the very low toxicity of a substance that has such very great physiological power. A little pinch, 5 mg, every day, is enough to keep a person from dying of pellagra, but it is so lacking in toxicity that ten thousand times as much can [sometimes] be taken without harm." ^[1] A similar statement can be made about vitamin C and some other vitamins. While vitamins are important in maintaining health, excessive levels of vitamins can lead to vitamin poisoning (hypervitaminosis). ... In chemistry free radicals are uncharged atomic or molecular species with unpaired electrons or an otherwise open shell configuration. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ... Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin whose derivatives such as NADH, NAD, NAD+, and NADP play essential roles in energy metabolism in the living cell and DNA repair. ... 3D representation of vitamin C Chemical structure of vitamin C Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient and human vitamin essential for life and for maintaining optimal health, used by the body for many purposes. ... Retinol (Vitamin A) Vitamins are nutrients required in very small amounts for essential metabolic reactions in the body [1]. The term vitamin does not encompass other essential nutrients such as dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, or essential amino acids. ...

List of essential nutrients

• Water (H₂O)
• Essential fatty acids:
  • Linolenic acid (the shortest chain omega-3 fatty acid)
  • Linoleic acid (the shortest chain omega-6 fatty acid)
• Essential amino acids necessary for all humans:
  • Tryptophan
  • Lysine
  • Methionine
  • Phenylalanine
  • Threonine
  • Valine
  • Leucine
  • Isoleucine
• Essential amino acids necessary for human children and not adults:
  • Histidine
  • Arginine
• Vitamins:
  • Biotin
  • Choline
  • Folate
  • Niacin
  • Pantothenic acid
  • Riboflavin (vitamin B2, vitamin G)
  • Thiamin (vitamin B1)
  • Vitamin A (retinol)
  • Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, or pyridoxal)
  • Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) (not essential, included in error)
  • Vitamin C (ascorbic acid)
  • Vitamin D (calciferol)
  • Vitamin E (tocopherol)
  • Vitamin K (naphthoquinoids)
• Dietary minerals:
  • Chromium (Cr) ^[2]
  • Cobalt (Co)
  • Copper (Cu)
  • Iodine (I)
  • Iron (Fe)
  • Magnesium (Mg)
  • Manganese (Mn)
  • Molybdenum (Mo)
  • Potassium (K)
  • Selenium (Se)
  • Zinc (Zn)
  • Calcium (Ca)
  • Phosphorus (P)
  • Sodium (Na)
  • Sulfur (S)
• Secondary dietary minerals:
  • Bismuth (Bi) (suspect)
  • Boron (B)
  • Fluorine (F) (necessity unknown in humans)
  • Nickel (Ni) ^[3]
  • Rubidium (Rb) (suspect)
  • Silicon (Si) ^[4]
  • Strontium (Sr) (suspect)
  • Tellurium (Te) (suspect)
  • Tin (Sn)^[5] (may depend on definition of essential -- see reference)
  • Titanium (Ti) (suspect)
  • Tungsten (W) (some organisms use tungsten rather than molybdenum)
  • Vanadium (V) ^[6]

Water is a tasteless, odourless substance that is essential to all known forms of life and is known as the universal solvent. ... Essential fatty acids, or EFAs, are fatty acids that are required in the human diet. ... Alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) is a polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid with the molecular formula C18H30O2 OR CH3-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-CH=CH-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-CH2-COOH of Molar mass 278. ... The chemical strucuture of linoleic acid showing physiological numbering (red) and chemical numbering (blue) conventions. ... An essential amino acid or indispensible amino acid, is an amino acid that cannot be synthesized de novo by the organism (usually referring to humans), and therefore must be supplied in the diet. ... Tryptophan is an amino acid and essential in human nutrition. ... Lysine is one of the 20 amino acids normally found in proteins. ... Methionine (Met, M. C5H11NO2S) is an essential nonpolar amino acid, and a lipotropic. ... It has been suggested that DL-Phenylalanine be merged into this article or section. ... Threonine is one of the 20 natural amino acids. ... Valine is one of the 20 natural amino acids, and is coded for in DNA. Nutritionally, valine is also an essential amino acid. ... Leucine is one of the 20 most common amino acids and coded for by DNA. It is isomeric with isoleucine. ... Isoleucine is one of the 20 natural amino acids, and is coded for in DNA. Its chemical composition is identical to that of leucine, but the arrangement of its atoms is slightly different, resulting in different properties. ... Histidine is one of the 20 most common natural amino acids present in proteins. ... Arginine (symbol Arg or R) is an α-amino acid. ... Retinol (Vitamin A) Vitamins are nutrients required in very small amounts for essential metabolic reactions in the body [1]. The term vitamin does not encompass other essential nutrients such as dietary minerals, essential fatty acids, or essential amino acids. ... Biotin, also known as vitamin H or B7 and C10H16N2O3S (Biotin; Coenzyme R, Biopeiderm), is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin which is composed of an ureido (tetrahydroimidizalone) ring fused with a tetrahydrothiophene ring. ... // Choline is a nutrient, essential for cardiovascular and brain function, and for cellular membrane composition and repair. ... Folic acid (the anion form is called folate) is a B-complex vitamin (once called vitamin M) that is important in preventing neural tube defects (NTDs) in the developing human fetus. ... Niacin, also known as nicotinic acid or vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin whose derivatives such as NADH, NAD, NAD+, and NADP play essential roles in energy metabolism in the living cell and DNA repair. ... Pantothenic acid, also called vitamin B5, is a water-soluble vitamin required to sustain life. ... Riboflavin (E101), also known as vitamin B2 or vitamin G, is an easily absorbed, water-soluble micronutrient with a key role in maintaining human health. ... Thiamine mononitrate Thiamine or thiamin, also known as vitamin B1, is a colorless compound with chemical formula C12H17ClN4OS. It is soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol. ... Retinol, the dietary form of vitamin A, is a fat-soluble, antioxidant vitamin important in vision and bone growth. ... Pyridoxine Vitamin B-6 is a water-soluble vitamin. ... Pyridoxine is one of the compounds that can be called vitamin B6, along with Pyridoxal and Pyridoxamine. ... The two major forms of vitamin B6 are pyridoxine and pyridoxamine. ... Pyridoxal is one of the three natural organic compounds, along with pyridoxamine and pyridoxine, that comprise vitamin B6. ... Cobalamin or vitamin B12 is a chemical compound that is also known as cyanocobalamine. ... 3D representation of vitamin C Chemical structure of vitamin C Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient and human vitamin essential for life and for maintaining optimal health, used by the body for many purposes. ... This article deals with the molecular aspects of ascorbic acid. ... Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin that contributes to the maintenance of normal levels of calcium and phosphorus in the bloodstream. ... Tocopherol, or Vitamin E, is a fat-soluble vitamin in eight forms that is an important antioxidant. ... Vitamin K denotes a group of 2-methilo-naphthoquinone derivatives. ... Dietary minerals are chemical elements required by living organisms. ... General Name, Symbol, Number chromium, Cr, 24 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 6, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 51. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic pinkish red Atomic mass 63. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iodine, I, 53 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 5, p Appearance violet-dark gray, lustrous Atomic mass 126. ... General Name, Symbol, Number iron, Fe, 26 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 8, 4, d Appearance lustrous metallic with a grayish tinge Atomic mass 55. ... General Name, Symbol, Number magnesium, Mg, 12 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 3, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 24. ... General Name, Symbol, Number manganese, Mn, 25 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 7, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 54. ... General Name, Symbol, Number molybdenum, Mo, 42 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 6, 5, d Appearance gray metallic Atomic mass 95. ... General Name, Symbol, Number potassium, K, 19 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 4, s Appearance brownish white Atomic mass 39. ... Se redirects here. ... General Name, Symbol, Number zinc, Zn, 30 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 12, 4, d Appearance bluish pale gray Atomic mass 65. ... General Name, Symbol, Number calcium, Ca, 20 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 4, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 40. ... General Name, Symbol, Number phosphorus, P, 15 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 15, 3, p Appearance waxy white/ red/ black/ colorless Atomic mass 30. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sodium, Na, 11 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 3, s Appearance silvery white Atomic mass 22. ... General Name, Symbol, Number sulfur, S, 16 Chemical series nonmetals Group, Period, Block 16, 3, p Appearance lemon yellow Atomic mass 32. ... General Name, Symbol, Number bismuth, Bi, 83 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 15, 6, p Appearance lustrous reddish white Atomic mass 208. ... General Name, Symbol, Number boron, B, 5 Chemical series metalloids Group, Period, Block 13, 2, p Appearance black/brown Atomic mass 10. ... General Name, Symbol, Number fluorine, F, 9 Chemical series halogens Group, Period, Block 17, 2, p Appearance Yellowish brown gas Atomic mass 18. ... General Name, Symbol, Number nickel, Ni, 28 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 10, 4, d Appearance lustrous, metallic Atomic mass 58. ... General Name, Symbol, Number rubidium, Rb, 37 Chemical series alkali metals Group, Period, Block 1, 5, s Appearance grey white Atomic mass 85. ... General Name, Symbol, Number silicon, Si, 14 Chemical series metalloids Group, Period, Block 14, 3, p Appearance dark gray, bluish tinge Atomic mass 28. ... General Name, Symbol, Number strontium, Sr, 38 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 5, s Appearance silvery white metallic Atomic mass 87. ... General Name, Symbol, Number tellurium, Te, 52 Chemical series metalloids Group, Period, Block 16, 5, p Appearance silvery lustrous gray Atomic mass 127. ... General Name, Symbol, Number tin, Sn, 50 Chemical series poor metals Group, Period, Block 14, 5, p Appearance silvery lustrous gray Atomic mass 118. ... General Name, Symbol, Number titanium, Ti, 22 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 4, 4, d Appearance silvery metallic Atomic mass 47. ... General Name, Symbol, Number tungsten, W, 74 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 6, 6, d Appearance grayish white, lustrous Atomic mass 183. ... General Name, Symbol, Number vanadium, V, 23 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 5, 4, d Appearance silver-grey metal Atomic mass 50. ...

References

1. ^ Pauling, L. (1986). How to Live Longer and Feel Better. New York NY 10019: Avon Books Inc.. ISBN 0-380-70289-4. Page 24.
2. ^ Mertz, W. 1974. The newer essential trace elements, chromium, tin, vanadium, nickel and silicon. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 33 p. 307.
3. ^ Mertz, 1974.
4. ^ Mertz, 1974.
5. ^ Mertz, 1974.
6. ^ Mertz, 1974.

See also

• Avitaminosis (vitamin deficiency)
• Dietary mineral
• Dietary supplement
• Illnesses related to poor nutrition
• Nutrient
• Orthomolecular medicine
• Vitamin
• Vitamin poisoning
• Health freedom