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List of Vitamins, Nutrients and Compounds and the Foods They’re Found In

We know how confusing it can be to go through a list of supplements or a vitamins chart, trying to learn about what a vitamin does, what it’s found in if you want to include more of it in your diet, how much to take or even how to take it.

That’s why we’ve compiled a list of vitamins and minerals, including a list of supplements and their uses, to help you build your knowledge of nutrition and supplements.

It’s alphabetised for ease and is a compilation of information we’ve already talked about in our blog posts or scoured research papers for.

As always, for any new supplements you take, make sure to check with your doctor or dietician before incorporating any into your daily routine. A doctor will be able to check your medical history as well as conduct a blood test to help you decide which ones to take, and they can also tell you if there will be interactions between supplements and any medications you’re taking.

But for now, here’s our vitamin supplements list:

Vitamins, Minerals and Nutrients

Ashwagandha: A herb that may enhance stress resilience, sleep quality, cognition and balanced blood sugar levels. It eases inflammation in joints and muscles, enhances immune and heart health, and may help with weight management.

Dosage: Between 250mg and 500mg per day, or 300mg for boosted memory, 250–500mg for immune health and reduced inflammation, 750–1250mg for muscle growth and strength, 250mg–3g to lower blood sugar levels, or 600mg to lower stress and anxiety.

How to use: Take with meals if it upsets your stomach. Taking in the evening may help with sleep and relaxation. Don’t use if pregnant and breastfeeding and use cautiously if you have autoimmune conditions. Don’t take if also taking glucose-lowering, blood pressure, immune suppressant, sleep aid or thyroid hormone medications.

Experience the effects of Xandro Lab’s Shoden® Ashwagandha!

Biotin: Vitamin H helps convert food into energy and synthesises glucose. It helps make and break down some fatty acids. Also needed for healthy bones and hair.

Found in: Whole grains, organ meats, egg yolks, soybeans, fish.

Dosage: 30–100mcg per day for adults.

How to use: Take with breakfast.

Calcium: Builds and maintains strong bones and teeth, helps our muscles relax and contract, promotes normal blood clotting and aids in normal nerve function.

Found in: Milk and milk products, yoghurt, sardines and salmon, kale, mustard and turnip greens, broccoli, tofu and soy products.

Dosage: 2500mg per day is the upper limit for up to 50 years old, then over is 2000mg. The recommended dose is between 1000 and 1300mg per day.

How to use: Take with a meal, preferably at midday, to help break it down, and don’t take with very high-fibre meals as fibre can bind with calcium, preventing it from absorbing properly. Also, don’t take it together with iron. Always combine calcium with vitamin D — helps the body absorb calcium better, hence why it’s good to take calcium in the middle of the day as this gives us the opportunity to get more sunlight — and vitamin K.

Check out Xandro Lab’s Calcium AKG supplement!

Carbohydrates: A major source of energy that assists in the use of fat as well as acting as a spare protein.

Found in: Rice, pasta, cereals, oats, potatoes, breads, cakes, biscuits, vegetables and fruits, lentils, legumes.

Dosage: About 45 to 65 per cent of your daily calories, so if 2000 calories a day, between 900 and 1300 calories, or about 225g to 325g.

Chloride: Needed for proper fluid balance and stomach acid.

Found in: Table salt, soy sauce, processed foods.

Dosage: 2.3g or about a teaspoon of table salt. The upper limit is 3.6g per day.

Cobalamin: Vitamin B12 helps lower homocysteine levels and may reduce the risk of heart disease. It helps make new cells, breaks down some fatty acids and amino acids, and protects nerve cells.

Found in: Meat, poultry, fish, milk, cheese, eggs, fortified cereals.

Dosage: 2.4 micrograms, although even if you take more, it is generally considered safe as your body will absorb as much as it needs and excrete the rest through your urine.

How to use: All B vitamins are water-soluble and can be taken with or without food and at any time of the day. Due to their role in energy production and nutrient metabolism, it’s recommended to take them in the morning. If you’re low in B vitamins, take them on an empty stomach to help with absorption.

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10): A lipid antioxidant that can neutralise free radicals, which damage cell membranes, DNA and even cause our cells to die. It also converts food into energy, improves our energy and improves our immune system.

Found in: Organ meats, like liver, kidneys and heart, sardines, herring, peanuts, spinach and broccoli.

Dosage: 90 to 200mg per day, but this depends on what you’re taking it for. If on statin medications, it’s between 30 and 200mg, for heart failure or angina, between 60 and 300mg, for migraines, between 300 and 400mg, aging, between 100 and 200mg, diabetes, 100 to 300mg, fertility, 100 to 600mg, or exercise, 300mg per day.

How to use: As it’s fat-soluble, it’s best to take it with a meal that includes fat or oil, with most people taking it in the morning. Don’t take it at night as it may interfere with sleep.

Collagen: The most abundant protein in our bodies, it’s used to make connective tissue and makes tissues strong and able to stretch.

Found in: Animal flesh like meat and fish.

Dosage: Hydrolysed collagen supplements are in capsule or powder form, and benefits have been found when taking a dosage of up to 15g per day, while undenatured collagen saw benefits at doses of 10 to 40mg per day.

How to use: Topical collagen, like creams, isn’t really worth taking as collagen fibres are too large to enter the skin’s outer layers. Oral collagen is better absorbed. Take first thing in the morning before breakfast, although some research suggests timing doesn’t matter.

Copper: Plays an important role in iron metabolism and immune health, and helps make red blood cells.

Found in: Liver, shellfish, nuts, seeds, whole grain products, beans, prunes, cocoa and black pepper.

Dosage: 900mcg per day.

How to use: As you can’t take copper at the same time as zinc, take copper with breakfast and then zinc before bed, or vice versa.

Curcumin: The main active ingredient in turmeric and is an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. It supports eye health, relieves mild joint stiffness, supports heart and digestive health, helps with fatigue and soreness after exercise and can improve brain health.

Found in: Turmeric

Dosage: Between 500 and 2000mg per day.

How to use: Take three hours before or after a meal. Don’t take it if you have liver problems or with blood-thinning medication. It may interfere with someone’s sleep if taken at night.

Try out Xandro Lab’s BCM95® Turmeric Curcumin today.

Fats: Concentrated energy sources that help add to satiety. They provide essential fatty acids and transport fat-soluble vitamins throughout the body.

Found in: Butter, margarine, oils, meat, fish, poultry, salad dressings, milk and milk products, baked goods and pastries.

Dosage: Depends on your diet; for example, if on a low-fat diet of 2000 calories, about 67g; if on a high-fat, low-carb diet of 2000 calories, then about 111 to 167g; if on a Mediterranean diet of 2000 calories, about 78 to 89g per day.

Fluoride: Involved in the formation of bones and teeth, helps prevent tooth decay.

Found in: Drinking water, fish and most teas.

Dosage: 4mg for men and 3mg for women per day.

How to use: You will generally get enough fluoride from your water intake if your country’s water has fluoride added, as well as by brushing your teeth with fluoride toothpaste or by using fluoride mouthwash. If taking fluoride supplements, take at bedtime after you’ve brushed your teeth.

Folate: Vitamin B9 (Folic Acid) helps in red blood cell formation and protein metabolism and supports the development of the brain and spinal cord.

Found in: Dark green leafy vegetables, oranges and orange juice, kidney beans, edamame, bananas, wheat germ, fortified cereals.

Dosage: 400 to 800mcg. Upper limit for supplements is 1000mcg per day.

How to use: All B vitamins are water-soluble and can be taken with or without food and at any time of the day. Due to their role in energy production and nutrient metabolism, it’s recommended to take them in the morning. If you’re low in B vitamins, take them on an empty stomach to help with absorption.

Iodine: Helps our thyroid gland make thyroxine — a hormone — which is needed for the growth of bones and nerves, and also controls how proteins, fats and carbohydrates are used in our body.

Found in: Fish (such as cod and tuna), seaweed, prawns and other seafood, dairy products (such as milk, yogurt and cheese) and eggs, iodized salt.

Dosage: 150mcg per day. When pregnant, we need 220mcg and when breastfeeding, 290mcg.

How to use: Take after breakfast and make sure it contains both iodine and iodide. If taking it as a solution, don’t take it if it turns brownish yellow. Take with water.

Iron: Combines with protein to form haemoglobin, carries oxygen to cells and increases resistance to infection.

Found in: Red meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, whole grains, fortified rice, spinach, liver and other organ meats, legumes, pumpkin seeds, quinoa, broccoli, tofu, dark chocolate.

Dosage: Women, 18mg/day, men, 8mg per day. Don’t take more than 45mg per day.

How to use: Iron is best absorbed on an empty stomach, although it can potentially cause an upset stomach, so people often take it with food or immediately after meals. Don’t take with a calcium tablet, milk or antacids. It’s best taken after dinner.

Lipids: Part of our cell membranes and are energy storehouses. They are important signalling molecules.

Found in: Canola, corn, olive, peanut, safflower, soy and sunflower oils, salad dressings, olives, avocados, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, some fish, animal meat and fats, dairy product and cocoa butter.

Dosage: As lipids are oils and fats, the amount depends on how much fat you are aiming for in your diet. See ‘Fats’.

Magnesium: Needed to make protein, for muscle contraction, nerve transmission and immune health.

Found in: Nuts and seeds, legumes, dark green leafy vegetables, seafood, chocolate, artichokes.

Dosage: 400 to 420mg per day for men and 320 to 360mg per day for women. Beneficial effects of magnesium are seen when taking between 125 to 600mg per day.

How to use: Don’t take magnesium oxide, which is the most common form on the market. Magnesium glycinate and magnesium malate are best for longevity and absorption.

Explore our compiled list of research papers on the benefits of Magnesium here.

Monounsaturated fats: A type of healthy dietary fat that is liquid at room temperature and hardens when chilled. Improves blood cholesterol levels, eases inflammation, stabilises heart rhythms, plus other benefits.

Found in: Olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, safflower oil, sesame oil, avocados, peanut butter, nuts and seeds.

Dosage: Should make up 15 to 20 per cent of calories, or 33 to 44g of a 2000-calorie diet.

Polyunsaturated fats: Essential for brain function and cell growth. Like monounsaturated, these must be obtained through our diet,

Found in: Sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, flaxseed oil, walnuts, flax seeds, fish, canola oil.

Dosage: About 5 to 10 per cent of total calories, or 11 to 22g of a 2000-calorie diet.

Niacin: Vitamin B3 helps us use energy, aids in fat synthesis and promotes normal nerve function.

Found in: Milk and milk products, fish, poultry, meat, fortified cereals, breads and pasta.

Dosage: 16mg of niacin equivalents (NE) for men and 15 for women. Upper limit is 35mg.

How to use: All B vitamins are water-soluble and can be taken with or without food and at any time of the day. Due to their role in energy production and nutrient metabolism, it’s recommended to take them in the morning. If you’re low in B vitamins, take them on an empty stomach to help with absorption.

NMN: Our body uses NMN to create nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which is found in every cell and needed in energy metabolism, DNA repair and gene expression. May prevent the shortening of telomeres, with their shortening playing a large role in the aging process.

Found in: Avocados, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes, raw beef, cow’s milk, cucumbers and edamame.

Dosage: Between 250 and 1200mg per day.

How to use: Take in the morning before breakfast on an empty stomach, about an hour before eating.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: These three (ALA, EPA and DHA) are healthy fats with anti-inflammatory properties that benefit the heart, brain and joints, improve vascular function and lower blood pressure.

Found in: EPA and DHA are found in cold-water fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna and herring, while ALA is found in plant oils, nuts, chia and flax seeds, leafy vegetables and some animals fats.

Dosage: 1000 to 4000mg per day.

How to use: No recommended time of day to take omega-3s, but taking with a meal that contains fat may increase their bioavailability. Take at the same time each day.

Omega-6 Fatty Acids: Protects against heart disease, helps lower harmful LDL cholesterol, boosts HDL levels and improves sensitivity to insulin.

Found in: Sunflower oil, corn oil, mayonnaise, almonds, tofu, peanuts.

Dosage: Between 14 to 17g per day.

How to use: Take with food, just before or after lunch or dinner. Don’t take if you have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and don’t take supplements if you have diabetes.

Pantothenic Acid: Vitamin B5 helps convert food into energy and helps make lipids, neurotransmitters, steroid hormones and haemoglobin.

Found in: Chicken, egg yolk, whole grains, broccoli, mushrooms, avocados, tomatoes.

Dosage: 5g per day.

How to use: All B vitamins are water-soluble and can be taken with or without food and at any time of the day. Due to their role in energy production and nutrient metabolism, it’s recommended to take them in the morning. If you’re low in B vitamins, take them on an empty stomach to help with absorption.

Phosphorus: Important for healthy bones and teeth, our cells and our acid-base balance.

Found in: Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk, bread, brown rice, oats, eggs, nuts and seeds, legumes, potatoes, and asparagus.

Dosage: 700mg for adults.

How to use: The powder supplement is often taken four times a day, with meals and at bedtime, at the same time each day for the duration directed by your doctor.

Potassium: Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission and muscle contraction.

Found in: Meats, milk, yam, edamame, potato, avocado, banana, spinach, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Dosage: There’s no recommended daily dietary allowance (RDA), but some countries recommend taking at least 3,500mg per day, while others recommend 4,700mg per day.

How to use: Take with food or just after meals.

Prebiotics: A type of carbohydrate that our gut bacteria feedfeeds on. They may protect against behavioural and inflammatory conditions.

Found in: Leeks, garlic, onions, asparagus, oats, wheat, chickpeas.

Dosage: 4 to 5g per day.

How to use: Take with a glass of water before a meal, with many taking them in the morning on an empty stomach.

Probiotics: These are live microorganisms with good bacteria to help balance the bad bacteria in our gut. They can help regulate our immune system and anti-inflammation in our bodies.

Found in: Yoghurt, kimchi, kombucha, miso, natto, tempeh.

Dosage: No exact dosage recommendations, but 10 to 20 billion CFU per day is enough to maintain immune and digestive health.

How to use: Take in the morning on an empty stomach, about 30 minutes before breakfast. Make sure they contain the Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains, strains as these have anti-aging properties.

Protein: Help build and repair body tissue, including muscles, bones and blood. Make antibodies, which are the blood components that fight infections.

Found in: Meat, fish, poultry, eggs, milk and milk products, legumes, lentils, nuts, seeds.

Dosage: About 0.8g per kilogram of your weight.

How to use: For losing weight, ensure you eat plenty of protein throughout the day; for building muscle, any time up to two hours after your workout; for preventing muscle loss, eat about 25 to 30g per meal, spreading intake throughout the day; for exercise performance and recovery, combine protein with carbs, immediately before or after a workout.

Pyridoxine: Vitamin B6assists in protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism and promotes normal nerve function.

Found in: Fish and poultry, whole grain breads and cereals, egg yolk, bananas.

Dosage: 50 to 100mg per day is generally safe.

How to use: All B vitamins are water-soluble and can be taken with or without food and at any time of the day. Due to their role in energy production and nutrient metabolism, it’s recommended to take them in the morning. If you’re low in B vitamins, take them on an empty stomach to help with absorption.

Resveratrol: Protects brain function and cognition, lowers cholesterol, improves insulin sensitivity, maintains blood pressure, acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, and supports longevity through sirtuin enzyme activation.

Found in: Grapes, berries, peanuts, dark chocolate and red wine.

Dosage: Up to 5g, but side effects generally occur after 2.5mg.

How to use: Take on an empty stomach at night for best absorption.Be aware that it may mimic estrogen and worsen certain medical conditions. Medications metabolised by the liver may interact with resveratrol. Do not take after surgery to reduce bleeding risks.

See how Xandro Lab’s Trans-Resveratrol 500 mg can help you.

Riboflavin: Vitamin B2 helps in energy utilisation and promotes healthy skin, eyes and vision.

Found in: Meat and poultry, milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, mushrooms, squid, kidney beans, fortified whole grains.

Dosage: Men, 1.3mg, women, 1.1mg daily.

How to use: All B vitamins are water-soluble and can be taken with or without food and at any time of the day. Due to their role in energy production and nutrient metabolism, it’s recommended to take them in the morning. If you’re low in B vitamins, take them on an empty stomach to help with absorption.

Saturated fats: Solid at room temperature, these fats are saturated with hydrogen molecules. They should be replaced with unsaturated fats.

Found in: Beef, bacon, sausages, hamburgers, cheese, ice cream, coconut, coconut oil, palm oil, palm kernel oil, pizza, milk, grain-based sweets like biscuits, many fast foods.

Dosage: No more than 13g if on a 2000-calorie diet.

Selenium: An antioxidant that helps neutralise unstable free radicals that damage cells, and helps regulate thyroid hormone activity.

Found in: Brazil nuts, organ meats, walnuts, brown rice, hard-boiled eggs, chicken breast, seafood.

Dosage: 55mcg per day, but if pregnant, 60mcg and if lactating, then 70mcg.

How to use: Always take with a meal. The time of day doesn’t really matter.

Sodium: Needed for proper fluid balance, nerve transmission and muscle contraction.

Found in: Table salt, soy sauce, processed foods, white bread, fresh tomato.

Dosage: Less than 2300mg per day but the RDA is less in other countries. For example, in Australia, it’s about 2000mg (5g or 1 teaspoon), although the body only needs about 460 to 920mg or 1 to 2g a day to function.

Spermidine: An antioxidant and anti-inflammatory with longevity and brain benefits. Also works the same way as rapamycin by mimicking the effects of intermittent fasting and calorie restriction through autophagy, so it’s often used in weight loss.

Found in: Aged cheeses, shiitake mushrooms, fermented products like miso, wheat germ, dark leafy greens, mushrooms, peas, chicken, soybeans, mango, cauliflower, lentils, red beans.

Dosage: 2 to 10mg per day.

How to use: Take with your first meal to enhance intermittent fasting effects.

See how Xandro Lab’s Spermidine can benefit you.

Sulphur: Needed to build and fix DNA, protect our cells from damage, help with food metabolism and help our skin, tendons and ligaments.

Found in: Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, legumes, nuts, garlic, leeks, onions, spring onions.

Dosage: No recommended dosage as we consume enough in our diets. Oral supplements often contain between 500 to 3000mg.

How to use: Topical products have been researched for safe use, and shampoos with 2 per cent sulphur and 2 per cent salicylic acid can treat dandruff when used twice a week for 5 weeks. Ointments with 8 to 10 per cent sulphur used for three consecutive days and nights can work effectively against scabies.

Thiamine: Vitamin B1 helps us use energy, promotes normal appetite and contributes to normal function of the nervous system.

Found in: Lean pork, fortified cereals, breads, pasta, nuts, seeds.

Dosage: 1.2mg for men, 1mg for women, daily. If deficient, 100 to 300mg per day.

How to use: All B vitamins are water-soluble and can be taken with or without food and at any time of the day. Due to their role in energy production and nutrient metabolism, it’s recommended to take them in the morning. If you’re low in B vitamins, take them on an empty stomach to help with absorption.

Total Cholesterol: Needed for the body to make hormones, vitamin D and substances that help with digestion. Has numerous forms.

Found in: Eggs, cheese, canned shrimp, sardines, full-fat yoghurt.

Dosage: Less than 300mg.

Trans fats: Solid at room temperature. They raise bad LDL cholesterol and lower good HDL cholesterol, create inflammation, contribute to insulin resistance and can have harmful health effects even in small amounts, such as coronary heart disease.

Found in: Fried foods, baked goods, process snacks, margarine, beef fat, dairy fat, potato chips, popcorn, heavy whipped cream.

Dosage: Less than 1 per cent of our diet, about 2.2.g per day for a 2000-calorie diet.

Vitamin A: Retinoids promote healthy eye issue and eye adaptation to dim light, reduce infections by maintaining skin and membranes, and play an important role in bone health.

Found in: Liver, yellow and orange fruits, dark leafy green vegetables, cheese, milk, butter, margarine.

Dosage: 700mcg for women, 900 for men.

How to use: Since it’s fat-soluble, it should be taken with a meal, either breakfast or dinner.

Vitamin C: Enhance iron absorption and its use, strengthen connective tissue and promote normal nerve function.

Found in: Broccoli, citrus fruits, green and red capsicum, potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries and fortified apple juice.

Dosage: 45mg daily, but breastfeeding women need more.

How to use: Can be taken any time of the day, with or without food. If also taking vitamin B12, take these supplements two hours apart. Some suggest taking it on an empty stomach for better absorption, so either first thing in the morning or at least 30 minutes before meals. If taking large doses, taking on an empty stomach can cause gastrointestinal upset.

Vitamin D: Regulates calcium and vitamin D absorption and helps form teeth and bones.

Found in: Fortified milk, tuna, salmon, sardines, mushrooms, through sunshine.

Dosage: 10 to 20mcg or 400 to 800 IU/day.

How to use: Since it’s fat-soluble, it should be taken just after a meal, but you can take it with a meal if that’s easier. Best to take in the morning as it may affect sleep in some people if taken at night.

Vitamin E: Prevents oxidation of fat in our tissues, acts as an antioxidant and may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Found in: Vegetable oils, margarine, whole grain cereals, avocado, eel, nuts, seeds and their spreads.

Dosage: 7mg for women and 10mg for men.

How to use: Since it’s fat-soluble, it’s best to take vitamin E with food or any time throughout the day, as long as you get enough fat throughout the day.

Vitamin K: Activates proteins and calcium needed for blood clotting and may help prevent hip fractures.

Found in: Cabbage, liver, eggs, milk, spinach, broccoli, sprouts, kale, collards and other green vegetables.

Dosage: 90mcg daily for women and 120 for men.

How to use: As it’s a fat-soluble vitamin, it’s best to take with a meal or snack that contains some fat.

Zinc: Needed to make protein and genetic material, our taste buds, healing wounds, normal foetal development, production of sperm, growth and sexual maturation and a healthy immune system.

Found in: Meat, fish, oysters, crab, lobster, poultry, beans, leavened whole grains, vegetables.

Dosage: Men need 11mg and women 8mg per day. If pregnant, you will need about 12mg. Unless directed by your doctor, don’t take more than 40mg per day.

How to use: Take at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals. If taking high doses of zinc, it can interfere with copper absorption and cause a deficiency. Take a small amount of copper when taking zinc. Also, don’t take zinc at the same time as iron or calcium supplements.

Please get in touch if you would like a vitamin or mineral we’ve missed added to this list.

Interested in how the common supplements and vitamins on this vitamin and mineral supplements list can improve your health, or do you simply want to learn how they work? Check out our blog, full of commonly asked questions and research about supplements and their uses.