Why micronutrients are of maximum importance for health

Conversation about diet, health and wellbeing usually involve big words and slightly opaque terms, from ‘free radicals’ and ‘antioxidants’ to ‘macronutrients’ and ‘micronutrients’. Those wanting to lose excess weight or build muscle are often advised to “track their macros”; that is, count their daily intake in grams of the macronutrient groups — carbohydrate, protein and fat.

So far, so logical — and most dieticians and nutritionists recommend a nutritious, balanced diet which includes all three macro groups. But what they mean by “nutritious” is “high in micronutrients”, which are vitamins and minerals (aka essential nutrients) that are mostly obtainable from food and are not produced by the human body. They are vital for growth, immune function (driven by Vitamin B6, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, magnesium, and zinc), energy production, blood clotting, bone health, brain development, fluid balance and many other functions, and certain micronutrients play a role in preventing and fighting disease.

Medical doctors, dieticians and other experts advise us to try to meet our micronutrient needs through our diet rather than supplements — but that isn’t always possible, at least not all the time. Different stages of life, from puberty to pregnancy and breastfeeding to illness and recovery to natural aging, may demand more from our bodies than we can obtain solely through what we are eating. And some micronutrients are simply hard to get enough of from food alone.

An area of particular interest to those studying the effects of micronutrients on health is fertility and sexual health, a complex area of human health that involves everything from intimate relationship to self-esteem to family planning and parenthood.

Researchers focusing on the reproductive health of men have uncovered the vast array of benefits associated with a micronutrient-rich diet (that may supplemented where necessary, and with the approval of a GP):

On a final note, Vitamins A, E, D, folic acid and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids are generally among the micronutrients that can be difficult to adequately obtain from average dietary habits, and supplementation (with proper oversight by a GP) can be beneficial.

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