A List of Vitamins and Their Uses

A group of 13 organic compounds make up two types of vitamins that your body needs for normal cell function, development and growth. Each of the vitamins has important roles, including providing energy, maintaining bones, healing wounds, chemical messaging and boosting your immune system.

Essential vitamins cannot be synthesized by your body, so you need to eat a balanced diet that includes sources of vitamins in fruits, vegetables, beans, lentils, whole grains and dairy foods. Vitamin supplements and fortified foods may also help you get a sufficient amount of vitamins to prevent health problems, including heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis, according to MedlinePlus.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans lists recommended amounts of vitamins you need for optimal health. These nutritional goals depend on age and gender. The average amounts required for adults between the ages of 31 and 50 years are:

• Vitamin A —

  900 milligrams for men; 700 milligrams for women

• Vitamin E —

  15 milligrams

• Vitamin D —

  600 international units
  

• Vitamin C —

  90 milligrams for men; 75 milligrams for women

• Thiamin (B1) —

  1.2 milligrams for men; 1.1 milligrams for women

• Riboflavin (B2) —

  1.3 milligrams for men; 1.1 milligrams for women

• Niacin (B3) —

  16 milligrams for men; 14 milligrams for women

• Pantothenic acid (B5) – 5 milligrams

• Vitamin B6 —

  1.3 milligrams

• Biotin (B7) —

  30 micrograms

• Folate (B9) —

  400 micrograms

• Vitamin B12 —

  2.4 micrograms

• Vitamin K —

  120 micrograms for men; 90 micrograms for women

The above vitamins list is grouped into two types — water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins.

There are nine water-soluble vitamins that include the B vitamins and vitamin C. Water-soluble vitamins are packed into the watery portions of food and are not stored by your body after digestion. Excesses are eliminated in your urine, with the exception of vitamin B12, which can be stored in the liver, according to MedlinePlus.

When it comes to the uses of vitamins, the B group of water-soluble vitamins are the ones necessary to help free the energy from the food you eat to fuel your body and keep it functioning properly. A closer look at the group of water soluble B-complex vitamins and their functions shows just how important they are to your health:

• Thiamin — essential for energy metabolism to assist with the growth, development and functioning of cells in your body. In addition to fortified foods, the best natural food sources of thiamin are from whole grains and meat, especially pork.
  
  
• Riboflavin — helps break down the proteins, fats and carbohydrates from food to supply energy to your organs. Riboflavin helps your body absorb nutrients needed to maintain tissue. Good food sources of vitamin B2 include eggs, organ meats, lean meats and milk.
  
  
• Niacin — is also used by your body to turn food into energy. Niacin helps maintain the health of your skin, brain, spinal cord, sensory organs and gastrointestinal system. Foods rich in niacin include yeast, milk, meat and cereal grains.
  
  
• Pantothenic acid — important for digesting fat in your body. Although almost all plant and animal foods contain pantothenic acid, some of the best sources of the vitamin are from meat, including organ meat, whole grains, some vegetables and fortified breakfast cereals.
  
  
• Vitamin B6 — contains coenzymes that help break down macronutrients for use in your body to support your immune system and brain health. An adequate blood level of vitamin B6 may be linked with a reduced risk of cancer, says the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In addition, vitamin B6 has been used to help relieve nausea during pregnancy. Top sources of vitamin B6 are beef liver, fish and fortified cereal foods.
  
  
• Vitamin B12 — needed for the formation of red blood cells and DNA. It also plays a key role in the function and development of your nervous system and brain. A lack of vitamin B12 can cause an increase in homocysteine levels, which are associated with a risk of heart disease. Animal products, including fish, liver, red meat and dairy products, are the only natural source of vitamin B12.
  
  
• Biotin — helps metabolize carbohydrates, fats and proteins into energy required for many cellular functions. In addition, biotin is important for healthy hair, skin and nails. High protein foods, such as meat, fish and eggs, contain biotin, says National Institutes of Health. Seeds, nuts and some vegetables are also a good source of the vitamin.
  
  
• Folate — helps with the formation of DNA and RNA and is needed for protein metabolism, advises Harvard T.H. Chan. Folate is best known for its role in fetal growth and development, including the prevention of neural tube birth defects. The supplemental form of folate is folic acid, which is actually better absorbed than folate from food sources. In addition to fortified grain products, beef liver, vegetables and dark green leafy vegetables are among the best sources of vitamin B9.

Vitamin C is another water-soluble vitamin that your body needs, especially to support your immune system. One of its roles is to help make collagen, a fibrous protein in connective tissue that your body uses to maintain bone, cartilage and blood. Collagen helps to heal wounds, forms the base for teeth and bones and maintains blood vessel walls, says Harvard T.H. Chan.

The best food sources of vitamin C come from fruits and vegetables. Citrus fruits are highest in vitamin C but bell peppers, strawberries and tomatoes also contain vitamin C.

Read more: All About Vitamin C: How Much Should You Really Be Getting?

There are four fat-soluble vitamins, which are vitamins A, D, E and K. These vitamins need to be escorted by proteins that act as carriers in order to be distributed throughout your body, according to the "Making Sense of Vitamins and Minerals" article. Excess amounts of fat-soluble vitamins are stored in your liver and fat tissue to be released as needed.

Some of the fat-soluble vitamins are the types of vitamins that help your immune system, which is needed to fight off invading bacteria and viruses. Fat-soluble vitamins keep your eyes, lungs, digestive tract, nervous system and bones healthy.

Taking a more detailed focus on the fat-soluble vitamins and their functions can give you an idea of how necessary they are to maintain your overall health.

• Vitamin A — helps with the formation and maintenance of bones and helps your organs, such as eyes, heart, lungs and kidneys, function properly. Some foods are fortified with vitamin A, but the best natural food sources come from organ meat, fish and green leafy vegetables, says the National Institutes of Health.
  
  
• Vitamin D — is best known for its role in maintaining strong bones. Vitamin D helps with the absorption of calcium from food and supplements. Your muscles need vitamin D to move and your nerves need it to carry messages from your brain to every cell in your body. Besides getting vitamin D from the sun and from fortified foods, fatty fish are the best natural sources of vitamin D.
  
  
• Vitamin E — helps to widen blood vessels and keep blood from clotting. As an antioxidant, vitamin E may help protect you from diseases related to aging. Your cells need vitamin E in order to interact with each other to carry out many important functions. The best sources to meet your vitamin E requirements are from vegetable oils, nuts and seeds, green leafy vegetables and fortified foods.
  
  
• Vitamin K — is needed for making proteins required by your bones and tissue. It is also responsible for the ability of blood to clot so you don't bleed too much. Green leafy vegetables and dark berries are among the best food choices for vitamin K.

Read more: 4 Fat Soluble Vitamins to Avoid in Excess