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Which vitamins are there?
Vitamins are classified according to their solubility in water or fat. There are therefore water-soluble and fat-soluble vitamins. Probably the most important difference between these two groups is the storage capacity: For water-soluble vitamins there are no real stores, which is why a balanced daily intake is important. If there is an oversupply, they are excreted. It is therefore relatively unproblematic if we take in a little too much of a water-soluble vitamin. Fat-soluble vitamins, on the other hand, can be stored in the liver and fatty tissue. They are hardly excreted, which is why there is a risk of oversupply here, e.g. when a vitamin is supplemented. An over-supply over a longer period of time can be manifested by poisoning-like symptoms. Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamins E, D, K and A.
| Water soluble | Fat-soluble |
| B1 (thiamine) | A |
| B2 (riboflavin) | D |
| B3 (niacin) | E |
| B5 (pantothenic acid) | K |
| B6 (pyridoxine) | |
| B7 (biotin) | |
| B9 (folic acid/folate) | |
| B12 (cobalamin) | |
| C | |
- Note: If you feel you have a vitamin deficiency, please ask your doctor. In the laboratory your values can be checked and you can discuss if and how you should supplement a vitamin.
Why does our body need vitamins? Which foods contain which vitamins?
Vitamins have many different functions, which include:
- Bone and tooth formation (e.g. vitamin D and K).
- Growth and cell division (e.g. folic acid)
- Antioxidants (e.g., vitamins C and E)
- Blood formation (e.g. vitamins B12 and K, folic acid)
- Reproduction (e.g. vitamin A)
- visual process (e.g. vitamin A)
- Component of enzymes in protein, carbohydrate and fat metabolism (e.g. B vitamins)
The vitamin content of foods depends on various factors such as variety, growing region, ripeness at the time of consumption, storage and processing; in the case of animal products, husbandry and feeding are additional influencing factors.
