Shelley’s guide to daily essential vitamins & minerals: What you actually need
- Feb 11
- 5 min read
For Adult Men and Women (Aged 35–50)
Based on the Nutrient Reference Values for Australia & New Zealand
We often hear, “Just eat a balanced diet.” But what does that actually mean when it comes to EATING for HEALTH? Because really, “balance can mean anything to anyone!” So surely we need some GUIDELINES on this.
How many of us are eating for health?
I’ve found that over the years, not many of my clients. Most of my clients don’t know the essential vitamins and minerals that they need to be eating daily for certain processes and systems in their bodies to be working optimally.
So, how can we eat a balanced diet? PERSONALLY, I don’t want you eating a balanced diet, I want you eating for health. I also do believe in you having a CHOICE, so if you don’t want to eat for HEALTH, at least eat what you do want to eat (I hope it’s not causing you inflammation) and then supplement to get what your body needs, so you have perfect blood work year after year (and yes we are more than lab numbers but hey, I’m here for the blood work).
If you're in your mid-30s to 50s and not pregnant, breastfeeding, or training for an Ironman. Here’s what your body actually needs every single day to stay energised, sharp, and resilient.
This guide breaks down the recommended daily intakes of essential vitamins and minerals for healthy adult men and women (ages 35 to 50), according to the NHMRC Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand. A KEY WORD here is HEALTHY. I always talk to clients about this; these guidelines are for maintenance of health. So your blood work is all OPTIMISED and you want to maintain it. These are GUIDELINES are not for people that are sick, have any sort of symptoms and are trying to heal themselves. Please remember these guidelines are for maintenance of your already optimal health. Please also don’t take these guidelines and ignore medical advice about certain conditions. These guidelines are not for healing any sort of diseases.
Quick refresher: What are NRVs when it comes to essential vitamins and minerals?
NRVs (Nutrient Reference Values) are government-recommended targets for daily nutrient intake. They help us understand how much of each vitamin or mineral we need to support normal function from brain clarity and hormone health to immune strength and energy production.
There are different types of NRVs, but in this blog we’ll focus on the Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI) the amount that meets the needs of nearly all healthy people in a given age/gender group.
Essential vitamins and minerals you need daily
Here’s what men and women aged 35–50 should aim for each day and why these nutrients matter.
Nutrient | Male RDI | Female RDI | Why You Need It |
Vitamin A | 900 µg | 700 µg | Vision, skin, immune function, gene expression |
Vitamin C | 45 mg | 45 mg | Collagen formation, antioxidant protection, immune support |
Vitamin D | 5 µg (200 IU) | 5 µg (200 IU) | Bone health, calcium absorption, immune regulation, hormones, mental health especially if you get Seasonal sadness. |
Vitamin E | 10 mg | 7 mg | Protects cells from oxidative damage |
Vitamin K | 70 µg | 60 µg | Blood clotting and bone metabolism. Also key to have with vitamin D. |
Thiamin (B1) | 1.2 mg | 1.1 mg | Energy metabolism, nerve function |
Riboflavin (B2) | 1.3 mg | 1.1 mg | Cellular energy, skin health |
Niacin (B3) | 16 mg | 14 mg | Energy production, skin and nerve function |
Vitamin B6 | 1.3 mg | 1.3 mg | Brain development, metabolism of protein and carbs |
Folate (B9) | 400 µg DFE | 400 µg DFE | DNA synthesis, red blood cell formation, detoxification pathways. |
Vitamin B12 | 2.4 µg | 2.4 µg | Nerve health, energy, red blood cells, brain health |
Calcium | 1000 mg | 1000 mg | Bones, muscles, nerve function |
Iron | 8 mg | 18 mg | Red blood cell production, oxygen transport, Energy, period health, hormones |
Magnesium | 400 mg | 310 mg | Muscle, nerve function, energy, stress support, sleep |
Zinc | 14 mg | 8 mg | Immune support, wound healing, DNA synthesis, energy, hormones, thyroid health, digestion |
Iodine | 150 µg | 150 µg | Thyroid hormone production and brain health, thyroid health |
Selenium | 70 µg | 60 µg | Antioxidant defence, thyroid function |
Phosphorus | 1000 mg | 1000 mg | Bone structure, energy production |
So... Can you get all this from food?
In a perfect world, yes. But between soil depletion, busy lives, stress, medications, and digestive issues, many people fall short even when eating “healthy.”
Let’s look at some nutrient-dense foods and where these essential vitamins and minerals come from:
Nutrient | Top Food Sources |
Vitamin A | Liver, egg yolks, carrots, pumpkin, leafy greens |
Vitamin C | Kiwi, citrus fruits, capsicum, broccoli, berries |
Vitamin D | Sunshine ☀️, fatty fish, eggs, mushrooms |
Vitamin E | Almonds, sunflower seeds, spinach, avocado |
Vitamin K | Kale, broccoli, parsley, fermented foods |
B Vitamins | Eggs, meat, legumes, whole grains, leafy greens |
Folate | Lentils, spinach, asparagus, chickpeas |
B12 | Meat, seafood, eggs, dairy, organ meat |
Calcium | Dairy, tinned salmon with bones, tofu, tahini |
Iron | Red meat, lentils, spinach, pumpkin seeds |
Magnesium | Nuts, dark chocolate, leafy greens, quinoa |
Zinc | Oysters, beef, pumpkin seeds, cashews |
Iodine | Seaweed, eggs, seafood |
Selenium | Brazil nuts, seafood, eggs, sunflower seeds |
When real life gets in the way
It's very unlikely you will eat all of these foods every day! Don’t beat yourself up about it. To eat for HEALTH in today’s day and age, it takes work. But maybe when you do a weekly meal plan, you pick a few of these essential vitamins and minerals and make sure you're rotating them. It’s also about knowledge; you don’t know what you don’t know. But now you can create a plan if you choose to.
Even with the best intentions, you might not hit every target daily and that’s okay!
But if you’ve got:
Fatigue that won’t shift
Frequent infections
Brain fog or mood swings
PMS, hair loss, or dry skin
Irregular bowel movements
Poor recovery or chronic stress
…it might be time to test and address nutritional gaps. Especially since things like stress, alcohol, medications (like the Pill, antacids, or metformin), low stomach acid, and gut health issues can affect absorption.
Precision over perfection
At Bio Precision, we believe in targeted support, not guessing.
That means:
Understanding what you need based on your body, labs, and symptoms
Using quality supplements in the right forms and doses
Pairing nutrition with lifestyle and functional health strategies
Because you’re not just aiming for average, you’re aiming for optimal.
Final thoughts
Knowing the recommended daily intakes for your age and sex is a powerful step.
But remember it’s not about chasing numbers on a chart. It’s about using them as a foundation for better energy, resilience, and long-term health.
And if you're unsure where you stand? That’s why I encourage everyone to do annual testing and get targeted help to get your health optimised. I don’t expect you to do this ALONE it can be very overwhelming.
Please note these reference ranges aren’t for children.
References:
National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand. https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/about-us/publications/nutrient-reference-values-australia-and-new-zealand-including-recommended-dietary-intakes
Office of Dietary Supplements – National Institutes of Health (NIH) https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/list-VitaminsMinerals/
Eat For Health (Australia) – Dietary Guidelines & Nutrient Sources http://eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/guidelines
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