Here's my list of vitamins etc. I should have given you the whole lot at the beginning, but you asked specifically for minerals. Vitamin A (Retinol, Reinoic acid) Alfalfa, Angelica, Apple, Apricot, Asparagus, Avocado, Banana, Beetroot, Beans, Blackberry, Black Cohosh, Blueberry, Borage leaves, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Burdock, Cabbage, Capsicum (red), Carrot, Cayenne, Celery, Chamomile, Chervil, Chickweed, Chillies, Comfrey, Cucumber, Dandelion, Dates, Dulse, Echinacea, Eyebright, Eggplant, Fennel, Fig, Garlic, Globe Artichoke, Ginger, Ginseng, Goldenseal, Grape, Gotu Kola, Hops, Horehound, Horsetail, Horseradish, Kelp, Lemongrass, Mango, Marshmallow, Mullein, Mustard greens, Nettle, Oat straw, Okra pods, Paprika, Parsley, Passionfruit, Pawpaw, Peach, Pear, Peas, Peppermint, Pineapple, Plantain, Plum, Prune, Pokeweed, Pumpkin, Quince, Raisins, Raspberry, Red Clover, Rockmelon, Rosehips, Rosemary, Safflower, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Sheep Sorrel, Spinach, Strawberry, Sweet Potato, Swiss Chard, Tarragon, Tomato, Turnip greens, Uva Ursi, Violet leaves, Watercress, Yarrow, Yellow Dock, Zucchini Eggs yolks, fish, organ meats such as liver, fortified margarine. Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) Alfalfa, Anise, Apple, Apricot, Asparagus, Avocado, Banana, Basil, Beans, Beetroot, Blackberry, Bladderwrack, Brussels sprouts, Burdock, Catnip, Carrot, Cauliflower, Cayenne, Celery, Chamomile, Chervil, Chickpeas, Chickweed, Cucumber, Dandelion, Dates, Dulse, Eggplant, Eyebright, Fennel, Fenugreek, Ginger, Ginseng, Grains, Grape leaves, Gotu Kola, Hops, Horehound, Horseradish, Kelp, Legumes, Liquorice, Mustard, Nettle, Nuts, Peach, Oatmeal, Okra, Oranges, Parsley, Peanuts, Pear, Peas, Peppermint, Pineapple, Plum, Potato, Plum, Prunes, Raisins, Raspberry , Raisins, Red Clover, Rice bran, Rosehips, Safflower, Sage, Sheep Sorrel, Soybean, Strawberry, Sunflower seeds, Thyme, Watercress, Wheatgerm, Yarrow, Yellow Dock Lean pork. Egg yolk, dairy products, fish, liver, pasta, pork, poultry, brewers yeast. Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) Alfalfa, Almonds, Anise, Apple, Apricot, Asparagus, Avocado, Banana, Basil, Beetroot, Blackberry, Bladderwrack, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Burdock, Capsicum, Carrot, Catnip, Cayenne, Celery, Chamomile, Chervil, Chickweed, Chocolate, Cucumber, Currants, Dandelion, Dates, Dulse, Eggplant, Eyebright, Fennel, Fenugreek, Garlic, Ginger, Ginseng, Gotu Kola, Hops, Horseradish, Horehound, Horsetail, Kelp, Legumes, Liquorice, Mullein, Mushrooms, Mustard, Nettle, Nuts, Oat straw, Parsley, Peach, Peppermint, Plum, Prunes, Raspberry leaves, Red Clover, Rosehips, Safflower, Saffron, Sage, Spinach, Thyme, Watercress, Wheatgerm, Wild Rice, Yellow Dock. Milk, cheese, yoghurt, liver, beef, fish, fortified breads and cereals, milk, eggs, poultry, molasses. Vitamin B3 (Niacin, Niacinamide) Alfalfa, Anise, Apple, Apricot, Banana, Basil, Beetroot, Blackberry, Blueberry leaves, Blue Cohosh, Broccoli, Burdock, Carrot, Catnip, Cayenne, Celery, Chamomile, Chervil, Chickweed, Cucumber, Dandelion, Dates, Eyebright, Fennel, Fenugreek, Fig, Ginger, Gotu Kola, Hops, Horehound, Kelp, Kiwifruit, Legumes, Liquorice, Mullein, Nettle, Oat straw, Orange, Parsley, Parsnip, Peach, Peanuts, Peas, Peppermint, Potato, Prunes, Pumpkin, Raspberry leaf, Red Clover, Rosehips, Sage, Slippery Elm, Thyme, Tomato, Watercress, Wheatgerm, Yellow Dock, Zucchini Chicken, beef (especially the liver), fish, brads, cereals, pasta, milk, cheese, eggs, turkey, brewers yeast, pork. Vitamin B5 Pantethine, Pantothenic Acid) Alfalfa, Black Cohosh, Blue Cohosh, Brewers yeast, Catnip, Cayenne, Eyebright, Dandelion, Fresh vegetables, Hawthorn, Horsetail, Legumes, Liquorice, Marshmallow, Mullein, Mushroom, Legumes, Peanuts, Red Clover, Rye flour, Thyme, Wheatgerm, Yerba Mate. Yeast extract, eggs, cheese, beef, liver, kidney, pork, royal jelly, saltwater fish. Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) Alfalfa, Anise, Avocado, Banana, Beans, Brewers yeast, Broccoli, Burdock, Cabbage, Carrots, Catnip, Cayenne, Celery, Chervil, Chickpeas, Chickweed, Corn, Dandelion, Dulse, Fenugreek,Ginger, Hawthorn berries, Hops, Liquorice, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Plantain, Potatoes, Red Clover, Rice (brown), Rockmelon, Soy products, Spinach, Sprouts, Sunflower seeds, Thyme, Walnuts, Wheatgerm, Fish, poultry, meat, yeast extracts (eg. Vegemite), eggs, milk, brewers yeast. Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin, Cobalamine, Cobalt) Alfalfa, Angelica, Comfrey, Bladderwrack, Burdock, Catnip, Celery, Chickweed, Dandelion, Dulse, Eyebright, Fenugreek, Ginger, Ginseng, Hawthorn berries, Hops, Kelp, Mullein, Mustard, Potato, Red Clover, Soya beans, Strawberry, Thyme, White oak bark Liver, yeast, oysters, sardines, other fish, eggs, meat, milk, poultry, cheese. Yeast extract. Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) Alfalfa, Apple, Apricot, Asparagus, Avocado, Banana, Barberry, Basil, Beetroot, Beans, Berries, Blackcurrants, Blueberry, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Burdock, Cabbage, Calendula, Capsicum (green), Carrot, Celery, Chervil, Chillies, Capsicum, Catnip, Cayenne, Chickweed, Chillies, Citrus fruits, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Cramp Bark, Cranberry, Cucumber, Dandelion, Dates, Echinacea, Eggplant, Elderberries, Eyebright, Fennel seeds, Fenugreek, Fig, Garlic, Ginger, Globe Artichoke, Goldenseal, Green Tea, Hawthorn Berries, Hibiscus flowers, Hops, Horehound, Horseradish, Horsetail, Juniper berries, Kelp, Kiwifruit, Lobelia, Mango, Mullein, Mustard greens, Nectarine, Nettle, Oat straw, Onions, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley, Passionfruit, Pawpaw, Peach, Pear, Peas, Peppermint, Persimmon, Pineapple, Plantain, Potato, Pumpkin, Quince, Radish, Raspberry leaves, Red Clover, Rhubarb, Rockmelon, Rosehip, Rosemary, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Sheep Sorrel, Shepherds Purse, Scullcap, Slippery Elm, Spinach, Strawberry, Tarragon, Thyme, Tomato, Turnip greens, Vervain, Violet leaves, Watercress, Yarrow, Yellow Dock, Yerba Mate, Zucchini Vitamin D (Calciferol) Alfalfa, Carrot, Chickweed, Dandelion, Eyebright, Fenugreek, Grains, Horsetail, Lemongrass, Lettuce, Mullein, Nettle, Oatmeal, Parsley, Rosehips, Sarsaparilla, Sheep Sorrel, Sweet potato, Thyme, Vegetable Oils, Watercress. Wheatgerm Milk, eggs, yoghurt, butter, margarine, hard cheeses, herring, salmon, tuna, fish liver oils, liver.Sunlight on skin. Vitamin E (Tocopherols) Alfalfa, Almonds, Angelica, Asparagus, Bladderwrack, Blue Cohosh, Burdock, Carrot, Chervil, Comfrey. Cornmeal, Dandelion, Dong quai, Dulse, Echinacea, Eyebright, Flaxseed, Ginseng, Goldenseal, Gotu Kola, Grains, Hazelnuts, Horehound, Horseradish, Legumes, Linseed, Liquorice, Kelp, Kiwifruit, Nettle, Nuts, Oatmeal, Parsnip, Pawpaw, Pineapple, Raspberry, Rice (brown), Rosehip, Scullcap, Sesame, Sheep Sorrel, Soya bean, Slippery Elm, Spinach, Sunflower seeds, Sweet potato, Vervain, Watercress, Wheatgerm, Yarrow, Yerba Mate. Vitamin F (Lenoleic acids) Corn, Evening primrose oil, Horehound, Linseed oil, Nuts (except Cashews), Red Clover, Rice, Safflower, Slippery Elm, Sunflower seeds, Vegetable oil, Wheatgerm, Yarrow. Tuna, Salmon. Vitamin K (Menadione, Menaquinone, Phylloguinone, Phytonadione) Agrimony, Alfalfa, Asparagus, Blackcurrants, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Buckwheat, Cabbage, Carrot tops, Cauliflower, Chervil, Chestnut leaves, Cornsilk, Gotu Kola, Green tea (made with hot, not boiling water), Kale, Kelp, Liverwort, Nettle, Oatmeal, Pistachio nuts, Plantain, Potato, Rosehips, Rye, Safflower oil, Sheep Sorrel, Shepherds Purse, Slippery Elm, Soya beans, Spring onions, Swiss Chard, Tomatoes, Turnip greens, Vegetable oils, Wheatgerm, Yarrow. Meats, dairy products, egg yolk. Cod liver oil. Vitamin P (Rutin,bioflavanoids) Buckwheat, Burdock, Chervil, Chilli (some varieties), Citrus fruit pulp and skins, Dandelion, Elder, Green Tea, Hawthorn, Horsetail, Nettle, Paprika, Red Clover, Rosehip, Rue, Sheep Sorrel, Shepherds Purse, Slippery Elm. Vitamin T Plantain Vitamin U Alfalfa, Sheep Sorrel Antioxidants Bay, Dill, Rose-scented Geranium, Oregano, Savory Arginine Carob, Chocolate, Coconut, Oats, Peanuts, Soya beans, Walnuts, Wheat Gelatine, dairy products, meat. Beta-carotene Alfalfa. Basil. Sheep Sorrel. Yellow, orange and red fruits and vegetables. Green vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, lettuce (the darker the green the more beta-carotene they contain). Bioflavonoids Apricots, Bilberry, Blackcurrants, Buckwheat, Capsicum, Cherries, Chervil, Pith of citrus fruits, Elderberries, Grapefruit, Grapes, Green Tea, Hawthorn berries, Horsetail, Hyssop, Lemons, Marshmallow, Milk Thistle, Oats, Oranges, Passionflower, Prunes, Rosehips, Sage, St. Johns Wort, Shepherds purse, Wormwood. Biotin (Vitamin H) Barley, Burdock, Catnip, Cauliflower, Chickweed, Dandelion, Fenugreek, Goldenseal, Legumes, Liquorice, Nuts, Oatmeal, Red Clover, Rice, Soy products, Whole wheat. Liver, fish, poultry, yoghurt, yeast, royal jelly, milk, cheese, molasses, poultry, egg yolks. Boron Apple, Broccoli, Carrot, Chilli (some varieties), Cucumber, Grains, Grapes, Leafy vegetables, Nuts, Pears, Potato, Raisins, Spinach, Strawberry Wine, beer, cider. Chlorophyll All green sprouts, Alfalfa, Lettuce, Sheep Sorrel Chloride Alfalfa, Apricot, Asparagus, Beetroot, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Celery, Cucumber, Dandelion, Kelp, Parsley, Peach, Pineapple, Potato, Radish, Raspberry, Sheep Sorrel, soya products (especially soy sauce). Choline Anise, Cabbage, Catnip, Cauliflower, Chickpeas, Chickweed, Dandelion, Fenugreek, ginger, Goldenseal, Hawthorn, Hops, Lentils, liquorice, Liverwort, Mullein, Nuts, Red Clover, Rice, Seeds, Soya beans, Chromium Apple, Artichokes, Avocados, Banana, Beans, Broccoli, Catnip, Corn, Dulse, Garlic, Grains, Horsetail, Liquorice, Mushrooms, Nettle, Oats, Peanuts, Peas, Potato, Prunes, Radish, Red Clover, Rhubarb, Rice (brown), Sarsaparilla, Strawberry, Sweet Potato, Thyme, Tomato, Whole grains, Wild Yam, Yarrow Coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinone) Canola oil, Peanuts, Rice (brown), Spinach, Soya oil, Tofu, Wheatgerm Cortisone Liquorice root, Wild yam. Folic Acid (Folate) Asparagus, Barley, Beans, Beetroot, Blue Cohosh, Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, Carrots, Catnip, Cauliflower, Corn, Dandelion, Dates, Fenugreek, Ginger, Green leafy vegetables, Hawthorn, Legumes, Lentils, Lettuce, Liquorice, Liverwort, Mushrooms, Orange, Peas, Potato, Red Clover, Rice (brown), Spinach, Tomatoes, Walnuts, Whole grains, Yam Yeast extract, organ meats, yeast, cows milk, eggs, beef, lamb, pork, chicken, salmon, tuna, kidney, liver, cheese. Fluorine Garlic, Green Tea, Horsetail, Potato, Strawberry, Thyme Iodine Asparagus, Black Walnut, Bladderwrack, Carrot, Dulse, Garlic, Irish Moss, Kelp, Lima beans, Liquorice, Marshmallow, Mushrooms, Nettle, Oats, Parsley, Radish, Sarsaparilla, Sesame seeds, Sheep Sorrel, Slippery Elm, Soya beans, Spinach, Tarragon, Turnip greens, Watercress, Yarrow. Iodised table salt, saltwater fish, some commercial cakes and breads Protein Alfalfa, Amaranth seeds, Basil, Legumes, Soya products, Nuts and seeds, Wholegrain bread, Wheatgerm Milk, cheese, yoghurt, eggs Saponins Calendula, Ginseng, Hawthorn, Mullein, Oats, Soapwort, Wild Yam, Yucca Selenium Alfalfa, Brazil nuts, Broccoli, Burdock, Catnip, Cayenne, Chamomile, Chickweed, Dulse, Fennel seed, Fenugreek, Garlic, Ginseng, Grains, Hawthorn berry, Hops, Horsetail, Kelp, Lemongrass, Lobelia, Milk Thistle, Nettle, Nuts, Oats, Onion, Parsley, Peppermint, Potato, Raspberry leaf, Red Clover, Rice (brown), Rosehips, Sarsaparilla, Slippery Elm, Strawberry, Uva Ursi, Wheatgerm, Whole grains, Yarrow, Yellow Dock. Seafood, poultry, meats. Brewers yeast, dairy products, liver, kidney. molasses. Silicon Alfalfa, Apricot, Asparagus, Beans, Beetroot, Black Cohosh, Blue Cohosh, Burdock, Capsicum, Celery, Chaparral, Chickweed, Cornsilk, Ginger, Grains, Grape, Horsetail, Kelp, Lettuce, Nettle, Oatstraw, Parsnip, Plum, Potato, Nettle, Rice (brown), Raspberry leaves, Rosehips, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Sheep Sorrel, Soy products, Strawberry, Thyme, Turnip Seafood. Sodium Alfalfa, Apple, Beetroot, Carrot, Catnip, Celery, Chaparral, Chervil, Cucumber, Dandelion, Dates, Dulse, Echinacea, Eyebright, Fennel, Garlic, Ginger, Horseradish, Horsetail, Irish Moss, Kelp, Lobelia, Mango, Mistletoe, Mullein, Nettle, Onions, Parsley, Peas, Pineapple, Radish, Raspberry leaves, Red Clover, Rosemary, Sage, Sheep Sorrel, Shepherds Purse, Slippery Elm, Tomato, White Oak Bark, Willow, Zucchini Table salt, sea salt, miso, tamari, soy sauce, cheeses, egg yolk, dairy products. Sulphur Alfalfa, Asparagus, Brussels Sprouts, Burdock, Cabbage, Capsicum, Catnip, Cayenne, Celery, Chillies, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Dandelion, Echinacea, Eyebright, Fennel, Garlic, Horehound, Horseradish, Horsetail, Irish Moss, Kelp, Lettuce, Lobelia, Mullein, Mustard, Nettle, Parsley, Parsnip, Pineapple, Plantain, Potato, Raspberry, Rosehips, Sage, Sarsaparilla, Sheep Sorrel, Shepherds Purse, Strawberry, Thyme, Watercress, White Oak Bark, Yellow dock.

I'm supposedly anemic, but I don't do anything about it. I am usually just below the reference range and I don't have any symptoms except that they won't let me donate blood. Once I was within the reference range, but my blood pressure was too low. So I just can't donate blood. Anyway, unless you are very anemic or are having symptoms, you may not have to do anything. Remember that reference ranges were made by taking a bunch of supposedly healthy people and seeing what their PCV was. The numbers in the middle 95% are the reference range. You could be perfectly healthy and have a different number, because the reference range doesn't say anything about whether or not the number is good. For example, if you took 10000 average Americans and got their weights, and took the 95% most common range, the reference range would almost certainly be unhealthy because most Americans are over weight. Just because most people fall within a certain range doesn't mean that it is a healthy number. Your number may be different. Now if you are having symptoms, or if your doctor feels your PCV is way too low, then you should find out what is going on. Your body may not be making enough red blood cells for any number of reasons (iron is only one cause of not being able to make enough RBCs- kidney disease, bone disease, steroids, and many many many other things can also cause low RBCs), your body may be destroying red blood cells, or you may be losing red blood cells as with a gastric ulcer or something. Iron supplements only help with one of probably thousands of causes of anemia. It's best to find out what is going on rather than to self-medicate. Unless your doctor feels that you are otherwise healthy, you may just be slightly anemic like me with no problems.

The problems are probably coming from the food makers that are adding vitamins to cereals, juices,(calcium) Ensure is 1 big vitamin drink etc. So if you take a multi, eat vitamin fortified cereal & have an Ensure or similar drink you are getting 3 vitamin pills. A number of other products & even vitamin pills such as calcium have added zinc, vit.D3 or magnesium added ,to them so you get some more stuff added to doses you already took. Things like V8 Fusion have a number of vitamins. They are even adding chloride to multi -vitamin- I think most people get too much salt so don't need another dose of chloride. But if you eat oatmeal each day & live alone you are not likely to get all the vitamins & minerals from your food as you would have to fix meals with at least 2 veggies,some fruit etc. Well, most seniors I know don't get all the daily fresh fruits & veggies so a single vitamin pill might be best for them. asking a dr. about supplements is rather waste of time, some take several themselves & others never do. Many drs. aren't too healthy themselves. Also if you are very healthy they lose business. Drs. call it politics- I call it their paycheck!

Here's more info from an article (link below). 'The study only found a link between vitamins and increased risk of death; it didn't prove that the supplements caused the deaths. The authors say the reasons behind their findings aren't clear..... To conduct the study, Mursu led a team who analyzed data from the Iowa Women's Health Study. The women in that study filled out 16-page questionnaires in 1986 about their diet, their use of vitamins and their general health. They recorded their of use of multivitamins, vitamins A, C, D and E as well as beta-carotene, B vitamins and minerals such as calcium, copper, magnesium, selenium and zinc. They were asked again about their supplement use in 1997 and 2004. The proportion of women who said they took one or more vitamin supplement soared during the study period, from 62.7 per cent in 1986 to 85.1 per cent in 2004. The researchers found that over the 19 years of follow-up, 41 per cent of multivitamin users died, compared to 40 per cent of non-users.' So basically, over 19 years, they were given a survey to take three times. The survey was self-reporting, which is not always the most reliable, as people tend to over or under estimate and report things about their compliance and general health...and there was only a 1% difference in mortality. I bet big pharmacuetical companies are jumping for joy about this study. Now we can all go to our doctors and get more pills for things that vitamins may have helped. Don't get me wrong, I'm not pro-vitamin (I rarely take them myself), but I'm pro-not believing everything you read. Here is a link that might be useful: Study about vitamins