GORILLA FUEL
18 vitamins and minerals, 24 foods and 7 herbs. Every claim carries an evidence label, so you can tell a well-established nutrient role from a hopeful headline. Where research shows no benefit, or a higher risk in some groups, we say so.
Wording is associated with or supports — nothing here is a treatment or a cure. Evidence labels are our judgement from the cited pages, not an official grade. Looking for fruit and vegetable profiles? See the Produce Guide.
18 of 18
Fat-soluble vitamin
What it does. Immune function, cell growth and differentiation, vision (component of rhodopsin), reproduction.
Adult intake. RDA (mcg RAE/day): men 19+ 900; women 19+ 700; pregnancy 770; lactation 1,300
Upper limit. UL 3,000 mcg/day preformed vitamin A (retinol/retinyl esters) for adults; does not apply to beta-carotene
Premature infants; infants, children and pregnant/lactating women in low- and middle-income countries; cystic fibrosis; GI disorders (Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, newly diagnosed celiac). Deficiency is rare in the U.S.
Medication interactions. Orlistat may reduce absorption; retinoids (acitretin, bexarotene) plus vitamin A supplements raise the risk of too much vitamin A.
⚠ Preformed vitamin A above the UL can cause birth defects; pregnant or lactating women are advised not to exceed 3,000 mcg RAE/day.
⚠ One 3 oz serving of beef liver (6,582 mcg RAE) is above the 3,000 mcg preformed vitamin A UL.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Fat-soluble vitamin
What it does. Promotes calcium absorption and bone mineralization; prevents rickets and osteomalacia; contributes to muscle and immune function.
Adult intake. RDA: 15 mcg (600 IU)/day ages 19-70; 20 mcg (800 IU)/day over 70
Upper limit. UL 100 mcg (4,000 IU)/day ages 9+; toxicity unlikely below 250 mcg (10,000 IU)/day, but intakes under the UL may still have adverse effects over time
Breastfed infants; older adults; people with limited sun exposure; dark skin; fat-malabsorption conditions (cystic fibrosis, celiac, Crohn's); obesity or gastric bypass; milk allergy, lactose intolerance and vegan diets.
Medication interactions. Orlistat can reduce absorption. The source page also lists statins, steroids and thiazide diuretics as medications that may interact (details not read).
⚠ A blood level above 125 nmol/L (50 ng/mL) is linked to potential adverse effects.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Fat-soluble vitamin
What it does. Fat-soluble antioxidant; roles in immune function and cell signalling (mainly shown in lab studies).
Adult intake. RDA: 15 mg/day (adults 14+); lactation 19 mg
Upper limit. UL 1,000 mg/day for adults; applies to all forms of supplemental alpha-tocopherol
Premature very-low-birth-weight infants; fat-malabsorption disorders (Crohn's, cystic fibrosis); abetalipoproteinemia/AVED. Frank deficiency is rare.
Medication interactions. Large doses may increase bleeding risk with anticoagulants/antiplatelets (probably above 400 IU/day); may blunt the HDL rise with simvastatin plus niacin; oncologists generally advise against antioxidant supplements during chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
⚠ No adverse effects have been found from vitamin E in food; supplement-dose concerns are separate.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Water-soluble vitamin
What it does. Nervous system development and function (myelination), red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis.
Adult intake. RDA: 2.4 mcg/day adults; pregnancy 2.6; lactation 2.8
Upper limit. No UL set (generally considered safe)
Older adults (especially atrophic gastritis); pernicious anemia; celiac/Crohn's; GI or weight-loss surgery; vegans and vegetarians who eat no meat; exclusively breastfed infants of vegan mothers. Unfortified plant foods contain none.
Medication interactions. Proton pump inhibitors and H2 blockers can reduce absorption of food-bound B12; metformin may significantly reduce serum B12.
⚠ Vegans need a fortified food or supplement source.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Mineral
What it does. Cofactor in over 300 enzyme systems; protein synthesis, muscle and nerve function, blood glucose and blood pressure regulation, bone structure.
Adult intake. RDA (mg/day): men 19-30 400, 31+ 420; women 19-30 310, 31+ 320
Upper limit. UL 350 mg/day from supplements only (not food)
GI disease (Crohn's, celiac, resection); type 2 diabetes or insulin resistance; alcohol dependence; older adults.
Medication interactions. Bisphosphonates (separate by 2+ hours); tetracyclines and quinolones (separate); loop and thiazide diuretics increase losses; long-term PPI use can cause low magnesium.
⚠ Supplement doses commonly cause diarrhea, nausea and cramping; very high doses are riskier with kidney impairment.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Mineral
What it does. Oxygen transport (hemoglobin) and many enzyme functions. (The source page focuses on deficiency and supplement evidence.)
Adult intake. RDA (mg/day): men 19+ 8; women 19-50 18; women 51+ 8; pregnancy 27; lactation 9. Vegetarians need about 1.8x.
Upper limit. UL 45 mg/day adults
Pregnant women; infants and young children; heavy menstrual bleeding; frequent blood donors; people with cancer, GI disorders or surgery, or heart failure; teen girls and premenopausal women. At risk of excess: hereditary hemochromatosis.
Medication interactions. Levodopa and levothyroxine absorption is reduced (levothyroxine: separate by 4 hours); PPIs can reduce nonheme iron absorption.
⚠ Do not self-supplement if you have hemochromatosis. Supplements at or above the UL need medical direction.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Water-soluble vitamin
What it does. Collagen, L-carnitine and neurotransmitter synthesis; an antioxidant that regenerates vitamin E; immune function; improves nonheme iron absorption.
Adult intake. RDA: men 90 mg/day, women 75 mg/day; smokers need 35 mg more; pregnancy 85; lactation 120
Upper limit. UL 2,000 mg/day adults (food and supplements)
Smokers and people exposed to secondhand smoke; infants fed evaporated or boiled cow's milk; very limited diets; malabsorption; some cancer patients; dialysis patients.
Medication interactions. Antioxidants during chemotherapy or radiation: safety and efficacy are controversial, so consult your oncologist; may blunt the HDL rise with niacin and simvastatin.
⚠ High doses could worsen iron overload in hereditary hemochromatosis.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Fat-soluble vitamin
What it does. Coenzyme for proteins involved in blood clotting and bone metabolism.
Adult intake. AI: men 120 mcg/day; women 90 mcg/day
Upper limit. No UL (low potential for toxicity)
Newborns not given vitamin K at birth; malabsorption disorders (cystic fibrosis, celiac, ulcerative colitis, short bowel); after bariatric surgery.
Medication interactions. Warfarin: a 'serious and potentially dangerous' interaction. Keep intake from food and supplements consistent from day to day and tell the prescriber.
⚠ The caution for warfarin users is consistency, not avoiding greens.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Water-soluble vitamin
What it does. Coenzyme in nucleic acid synthesis and amino acid metabolism; converts homocysteine to methionine; needed for cell division.
Adult intake. RDA: 400 mcg DFE/day adults; pregnancy 600; lactation 500
Upper limit. UL 1,000 mcg/day for adults; applies to synthetic folic acid (supplements and fortified foods), not food folate
Alcohol use disorder; women of childbearing age and pregnant women; malabsorptive disorders (celiac, IBD); MTHFR 677C>T variant.
Medication interactions. Methotrexate; antiepileptics (phenytoin, carbamazepine, valproate); sulfasalazine.
⚠ Anyone who may become pregnant should discuss folic acid with a clinician.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Mineral
What it does. Bone and teeth structure; blood vessel and muscle function, clotting, nerve transmission, hormone secretion.
Adult intake. RDA (mg/day): 19-50 1,000; men 51-70 1,000; women 51-70 1,200; over 70 1,200
Upper limit. UL 2,500 mg/day (19-50); 2,000 mg/day (51+)
Postmenopausal women; people who avoid dairy (lactose intolerance, milk allergy, vegan); some populations with lower intakes; people living in poverty.
Medication interactions. Dolutegravir (take 2 hours before or 6 hours after); levothyroxine (avoid within 4 hours of calcium carbonate); lithium; quinolone antibiotics (2 hours apart).
⚠ Oxalate (spinach, rhubarb, beet greens) and phytate reduce calcium absorption; kale and bok choy are better plant sources.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Mineral
What it does. Catalytic role in hundreds of enzymes; immune function, protein and DNA synthesis, wound healing, taste.
Adult intake. RDA: men 11 mg/day; women 8 mg/day; pregnancy 11; lactation 12
Upper limit. UL 40 mg/day adults
IBD or GI resection; celiac; vegetarians and vegans (phytates reduce absorption); pregnant or lactating women; alcohol use disorder.
Medication interactions. Quinolone and tetracycline antibiotics (separate by 2-6 hours); penicillamine; thiazide diuretics increase urinary zinc loss. Iron supplements of 25 mg or more can reduce zinc absorption.
⚠ 50 mg or more daily for weeks can interfere with copper absorption and lower HDL cholesterol.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Mineral
What it does. Maintains intracellular fluid and electrochemical gradients for nerve transmission, muscle contraction and kidney function.
Adult intake. AI: men 3,400 mg/day; women 2,600 mg/day
Upper limit. No UL set; the AI does not apply to people with impaired potassium excretion
IBD; people using diuretics or laxatives; pica.
Medication interactions. ACE inhibitors, ARBs and potassium-sparing diuretics can raise potassium (monitoring recommended); loop and thiazide diuretics can lower it.
⚠ People with kidney disease or on ACE inhibitors, ARBs or potassium-sparing diuretics should check with a clinician before high-potassium eating patterns or potassium supplements.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Water-soluble vitamin
What it does. Coenzyme in 100+ enzyme reactions, mainly protein metabolism; neurotransmitter and hemoglobin synthesis.
Adult intake. RDA (mg/day): 19-50 1.3; men 51+ 1.7; women 51+ 1.5; pregnancy 1.9; lactation 2.0
Upper limit. UL 100 mg/day adults (food and supplements)
Impaired kidney function and dialysis; autoimmune or malabsorptive disorders (RA, celiac, IBD); alcohol dependence.
Medication interactions. Cycloserine; antiepileptics (valproic acid, carbamazepine, phenytoin) lower B6; theophylline.
⚠ 1-6 g/day for 12-40 months caused severe sensory neuropathy; high food intakes have not been reported to cause harm.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Mineral
What it does. Constituent of 25 selenoproteins; thyroid hormone metabolism, DNA synthesis, antioxidant defence.
Adult intake. RDA: 55 mcg/day adults; pregnancy 60; lactation 70
Upper limit. UL 400 mcg/day adults
People in selenium-deficient regions (including some largely vegetarian or vegan populations); hemodialysis; HIV.
Medication interactions. Cisplatin can reduce selenium levels (significance unknown).
⚠ One ounce of Brazil nuts (544 mcg) is above the 400 mcg UL; signs of too much selenium include hair loss, brittle nails and garlic breath.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Mineral
What it does. Component of thyroid hormones T4 and T3; needed for fetal and infant skeletal and brain development.
Adult intake. RDA: 150 mcg/day adults; pregnancy 220; lactation 290
Upper limit. UL 1,100 mcg/day adults
People who do not use iodized salt; pregnant women; vegans and those eating little dairy, seafood or eggs; iodine-poor soil regions; marginal status plus goitrogenic foods (soy, cassava, cruciferous vegetables).
Medication interactions. High-dose iodine plus antithyroid drugs; potassium iodide with ACE inhibitors or potassium-sparing diuretics (hyperkalemia).
⚠ Excess can cause goiter, hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism; people with autoimmune thyroid disease may react at normal intakes. Seaweed content is highly variable.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Fatty acid
What it does. Cell membrane components (DHA is high in the retina and brain); eicosanoid signalling; EPA and DHA shift the balance toward less inflammatory activity.
Adult intake. AI for ALA (g/day): men 1.6; women 1.1; pregnancy 1.4; lactation 1.3
Upper limit. No UL set (IOM); the FDA and EFSA regard up to about 5 g/day EPA+DHA supplements as safe
Classical essential fatty acid deficiency is virtually nonexistent in healthy people.
Medication interactions. High-dose fish oil has antiplatelet effects; most research finds 3-6 g/day does not significantly affect warfarin anticoagulation, but package inserts advise INR monitoring.
⚠ Two large trials of 4 g/day found slightly higher atrial fibrillation risk in people with or at high risk of CVD. The AHA recommends 1-2 seafood servings per week.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Essential nutrient
What it does. Methyl group source; phosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin for cell membranes; acetylcholine for memory, mood and muscle control; lipid transport.
Adult intake. AI: men 550 mg/day; women 425 mg/day; pregnancy 450; lactation 550
Upper limit. UL 3,500 mg/day adults
Pregnant women (about 90-95% consume less than the AI); people with certain genetic variants (for example PEMT); long-term total parenteral nutrition.
Medication interactions. None listed on the source page.
⚠ Excess can cause fishy body odour, vomiting, low blood pressure and liver toxicity.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
Water-soluble vitamin
What it does. Cofactor for enzymes in glucose, amino acid and lipid metabolism; energy metabolism.
Adult intake. RDA: men 1.2 mg/day; women 1.1 mg/day; pregnancy and lactation 1.4
Upper limit. No UL set
Alcohol dependence (up to 80% develop deficiency); older adults (20-30% with some lab indicators); HIV/AIDS; diabetes (relevance unknown); bariatric surgery.
Medication interactions. Not known to interact; furosemide is linked to lower thiamin levels; fluorouracil case reports.
Sources: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements
General information, not medical advice. Supplement doses, pregnancy, kidney disease and medicines change what is safe for you — talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting a supplement or changing your diet for a health condition.