13 Essential Vitamins
Essential vitamins are vital nutrients the body needs to function properly. They support a wide range of critical processes, including energy production, immune function, bone strength, blood clotting, and healthy skin and vision. Since the body cannot produce most vitamins on its own, they must be obtained through diet. Together, essential vitamins help maintain overall health, prevent chronic diseases, and support growth and development.
Water Soluble Vitamins
Water-soluble vitamins dissolve in water and are not stored in the body; therefore, they must be consumed regularly through the diet. These vitamins help with energy production, immune function, and the maintenance of healthy skin, nerves, and tissues. Excess amounts are usually excreted in urine.
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is an essential micronutrient for the human body because it helps support the immune system, collagen synthesis, which is required for growth, development, and repair, promotes wound healing, and facilitates iron absorption, while acting as a powerful antioxidant to protect cells from damage.
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Types of Vitamin C: L-ascorbic acid, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate (MAP), ascorbyl glucoside, ascorbyl palmitate, and liposomal vitamin C. These can be found in food sources and dietary supplements.
Food Sources:
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Animal Sources: Raw cow's milk, organ meats, and eggs
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Plant Sources: Red peppers, orange juice, kiwi, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, and spinach.
​Signs of Vitamin C Deficiency: Anemia, scurvy, infection, bleeding gums, muscle degeneration, poor wound healing, and neurotic disturbances.
​Signs of Vitamin C Toxicity: Diarrhea, vomiting, heartburn, stomach cramps, headache, and sometimes kidney stones.
B Vitamins
There are many B vitamins. We are focusing on eight of them. The B vitamins are essential for converting food into usable energy for your cells, supporting your stress response, and enhancing cognitive function. All the B vitamins are water-soluble, meaning they are easily excreted, and therefore, it is easier to develop a deficiency.
Vitamin B1: Also known as thiamine. It is essential for carbohydrate metabolism.
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Vitamin B2: Also known as riboflavin. It plays a role in the production of energy, and it is also important for nerve function.
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Vitamin B3: Also known as niacin or niacinamide. It is essential for healthy hair, skin, and nails, and can help maintain healthy cholesterol levels.
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Vitamin B5: Also known as pantothenic acid. It is important for hormone synthesis and nervous system function.
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Vitamin B6: Also known as pyridoxine. It is essential for neurotransmitter synthesis, red blood cell formation, immune function, and brain health.
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Vitamin B7: Also known as biotin. It is essential for the health of your hair, skin, nails, nervous system, and immune function.
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Vitamin B9: Also known as folate. Women who are pregnant need to take steps to help prevent any birth defects in their babies. It also impacts healthy gene expression.
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Vitamin B12: Also known as cobalamin. It is essential for nervous system function, brain health, DNA synthesis, and the production of red blood cells.
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Food Sources:
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Animal Sources: Beef liver, poultry, seafood/fish, milk, yogurt, and cheese
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Plant Sources: leafy green vegetables
Signs of Deficiency: Weakness, fatigue, trouble focusing, brittle nails and hair, dry skin, numbness or tingling, swollen tongue, mouth ulcers, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, vision problems, and anemia.
Signs of Toxicity: There haven’t been reports of adverse effects from excessive intakes of B vitamins due to how easily they are excreted. Excessive supplementation can lead to mild symptoms including nausea and vomiting.
Fat Soluable Vitamins
Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed along with dietary fats and stored in the body's fat tissues and liver. These vitamins play crucial roles in maintaining vision, promoting bone health, supporting immune function, and facilitating blood clotting. Since they can be stored, excessive intake may lead to toxicity.
Vitamin A has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that help protect cells and support healthy vision, immune function, cell growth and development, skin health, and reproductive health.
Types of Vitamin A: Provitamin A (beta-carotene), preformed vitamin A (retinol), and retinyl acetate.
Food Sources:
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Animal Sources: ricotta cheese, eggs, beef liver, chicken breasts, and yogurt.
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Plant Sources: Sweet potatoes, spinach, carrots, mango, baked beans, and pistachios
​Signs of Vitamin A Deficiency: A deficiency is rare in the United States, but one effect of a deficiency is the loss of the ability to see in low-light conditions.
​Signs of Vitamin A Toxicity: Nausea, vomiting, fatigue, dizziness, blurry vision, balance issues, liver damage, headache, hair loss, dry skin, and joint and bone pain.
Vitamin D, also known as calciferol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that is synthesized in response to exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It is not commonly found in many foods, so it is essential to get regular sun exposure to obtain a sufficient amount of vitamin D. Vitamin D plays a crucial role in bone formation, cardiovascular health, brain function, healthy muscle function, metabolic function in blood sugar regulation, and immune system function.
*The level of sun exposure needed varies person to person depending on ethnicity, skin
health, age, and location.*
Types of Vitamin D: Vitamin D2 and Vitamin D3, which are both found in dietary supplements.
Food Sources:
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Animal Sources: Rainbow trout, salmon, canned sardines, scrambled eggs, beef liver, cheddar cheese, and chicken breasts.
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Plant Sources: Mushrooms
​Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency: Osteoporosis, bone pain, muscle weakness, fatigue, and mood changes
​Signs of Vitamin D Toxicity: Nausea, vomiting, muscle weakness, brain fog, arrhythmias, kidney stones, kidney damage, confusion, pain, loss of appetite, dehydration, excessive urination, and thirst.
Vitamin E, also known as tocopherol, is a fat-soluble vitamin that helps your immune function, platelet formation, healthy eye function, blood clotting, and is a powerful antioxidant.
Types of Vitamin E: Tocopherol in its alpha, beta, delta, and gamma forms, as well as tocotrienol in its alpha, beta, delta, and gamma forms.
Food Sources:
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Animal Sources: There are no animal sources of Vitamin E
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Plant Sources: Wheat germ, sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts, and peanut butter.
Signs of Deficiency: Impaired reflexes and coordination, difficulty walking, and muscle weakness.
Signs of Toxicity: Excessive, uncontrolled bleeding.
Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting, maintaining bone health, metabolic health, brain health, and protecting against heart disease.
Types of Vitamin K: Phylloquinone, found in plants, and menaquinone, found in animal products.
Food Sources:
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Animal Sources: Chicken breasts, ground beef, cheddar cheese, milk, and shrimp.
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Plant Sources: Collard greens, turnip greens, spinach, kale, soy beans, carrot juice, canned pumpkin, pine nuts, blueberries, and grapes.
​Signs of Vitamin K Deficiency: Easy bruising, nose bleeds, bleeding gums, heavier menstrual periods, and excessive bleeding.
​Signs of Vitamin K Toxicity: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and in rare cases, liver damage.